Plus Value Co., Ltd. Wins Excellence Award at the 2026 Career Ownership Management Awards

Plus Value Co., Ltd. Wins Excellence Award at the 2026 Career Ownership Management Awards

Plus Value Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Hisako Kutsuzawa) is pleased to announce that it has received the Excellence Award at the 2026 Career Ownership Management Awards.

This award recognizes companies and organizations that implement advanced initiatives balancing autonomous career formation for every employee with business growth. The company’s development project, 'Plus Value LAB "Avengers,"' was highly praised.

### About the 2026 Career Ownership Management Awards This award honors organizations that practice 'Career Ownership Management,' aiming for sustainable value creation by fostering the autonomous growth of individuals. In 2026, selections were made from 68 companies and organizations based on three criteria: 'Visibility,' 'Expanding,' and 'Connecting.' The company received the Excellence Award in the small-to-midsize business category.

### A Community of Practice Initiated by Young Engineers The company operates primarily in system development, AI utilization, and BI (data analysis). However, engineers working at client project sites often face challenges such as limited opportunities for skill improvement and restricted communication among internal members. To address this, a 25-year-old engineer proposed creating a mechanism to pass on technical expertise to junior staff, leading to the launch of the 'Plus Value LAB "Avengers"' project in August 2025.

### Jury Evaluation Judges highly evaluated the initiative, noting: 'It is excellent that within the constraints of onsite client work, young engineers have designed a community of practice where they voluntarily learn from one another.' They further commended the design for avoiding excessive management intervention, thereby protecting intrinsic motivation while targeting higher-level processes. The 37.5% participation rate and 100% attendance rate were cited as evidence of firmly established career ownership.

### Project Characteristics The core 'Plus Value LAB' is a research hub for advanced technologies such as AI and data analysis. It is managed by engineers in their 20s and 30s, who turn experimental trials into skill-building opportunities. The 'Avengers' project utilizes Étienne Wenger's 'Community of Practice' theory. Based on the philosophy that 'over-management hinders community function,' management refrains from excessive involvement to eliminate the sense of being forced. Participation is entirely voluntary regardless of seniority, aiming to elevate teammates' skills through individual expertise.

### Comment from Representative Director Hisako Kutsuzawa 'We are deeply honored to receive this Career Ownership Award. We have built an organizational culture based on Human Capital Management, where young members, particularly Gen Z, challenge themselves with advanced technology through free-thinking. I am truly grateful for our passionate, positive team that has cultivated a culture of mutual support and growth. Today, the key to sustainable growth is how effectively an enterprise can leverage the 'intrinsic motivation' of its younger generation. We are confident that individual career ownership not only drives our development but also enhances service quality, ultimately contributing to our customers and society at large. We will continue to foster a culture where colleagues who enjoy their work and growth gather to achieve sustainable spiral-up development.'