Mentor For, Offering Accompanying Professional Mentors to Alleviate 'Management Loneliness,' Wins HR Award 2026 Professional Category

Gakken Holdings Co., Ltd. (Shinagawa, Tokyo / President & CEO: Hiroaki Miyahara), through its subsidiary Gakken Business Brains Co., Ltd. (Shinagawa, Tokyo / President & CEO: Akira Miyata), announces that its group company Mentor For, Inc. (Shinagawa, Tokyo / CEO: Masako Ikahara) has won the Professional Category of "HR Award 2026," organized by "HR Award" Organizing Committee and sponsored by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.

Starting July 13, 2026 (Monday), voting for the Grand Prix and Excellence Award finalists will begin on the official HR Award website.

● Award details: https://jinjibu.jp/hr-award/prize.php#prize3

About Japan's HR Award

The HR Award is a recognition program for initiatives related to people and organizations. By honoring outstanding practices, it aims to share new insights and know-how among HR professionals and contribute to the development of companies nationwide. The Grand Prix and Excellence Awards are determined by voting from regular members of "Japan's HR Department" across the country. Now in its 15th year, the award is widely supported by HR professionals as the most authoritative HR-related award due to its fair operation and the involvement of HR practitioners in the selection process.

● Official HR Award website: https://jinjibu.jp/hr-award/

Over 60% of Employees Do Not Seek Management Promotion; Talent Shortage Reaches Management Level

According to the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare's "Analysis of Labour Economy 2018 (Heisei 30)," over 60% of non-managerial staff and section chief/assistant manager-level employees do not wish to be promoted to management positions. Reasons include "increased responsibility," "long working hours," and notably, "lack of confidence in managing and guiding subordinates."

Additionally, the Cabinet Office's "White Paper on Gender Equality 2023 (Reiwa 5)" indicates that 38.1% of respondents cite "lack of role models" as the primary reason why women find it difficult to become managers. This suggests that the absence of relatable internal figures to consult with creates psychological barriers to management roles, regardless of gender.

Furthermore, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare's "Analysis of Labour Economy 2025 (Reiwa 7)" lists "management level" as a severely talent-short occupational category, following skilled workers and sales/service staff. This indicates that the shortage of managerial talent is becoming a tangible challenge at the operational level. Mentor For addresses these issues by alleviating "management loneliness" through external mentorship and accompanying support.

Solutions and Results Demonstrated by Mentor For

"Mentor For" is a program where approximately 180 external mentors—selected from graduates of its in-house school—accompany individual managers once a month for six months or longer. Beyond serving as sounding boards for isolation and concerns difficult to discuss internally, these mentors share diverse external perspectives and rich management experience to support mentees' (those receiving mentorship) growth.

Another key feature is the program’s support for internalizing the system: it identifies and cultivates the next generation of internal mentors from among managers who have experienced external mentorship. This fosters cross-departmental and cross-hierarchical "diagonal support relationships" within organizations, allowing senior managers’ knowledge and insights to be accumulated as organizational assets.

The program has been introduced in over 200 companies. Among participants who have completed at least two months in the program, 70% have achieved career advancement such as promotion or elevation. Additionally, the average score for "confidence in personal growth and performance within the company" has improved from 3.44 to 4.02 on a 5-point scale, demonstrating tangible behavioral change.

Those who support Mentor For are encouraged to vote.

● Vote here: https://jinjibu.jp/gfrm/eventEnquete/award-26-0001/form/

● HR Award Winning Seminar Details: https://mentorfor.jp/seminar_event/seminar-20260722

About Mentor For, Inc.

Mentor For, Inc. is committed to advancing DE&I (Diversity, Equity & Inclusion) in society and organizations, accompanying the growth of individuals and organizations. The company cultivates role model talent as "external mentors" and matches them with diverse managerial candidates, particularly women. It also provides one-stop support including internal mentor development, system operation assistance based on internal resources and knowledge, DE&I consulting, training, and lectures. In 2026, Mentor For became part of Gakken Business Brains Co., Ltd. (formerly TOASU, renamed on July 1, 2026), a subsidiary of Gakken Holdings Co., Ltd., strengthening its platform for supporting human capital management and women's advancement. ● Founded: September 2014 (Mentor business launched in 2018) / CEO: Masako Ikahara ● Address: Ohsaki Bright Core 411, 5-5-15 Kitashinagawa, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo 141-0001 ● Group: Gakken Business Brains Co., Ltd. (a subsidiary of Gakken Holdings Co., Ltd.) ● Business: Mentor training, external mentor matching, internal mentor system development support, DE&I promotion consulting, training and lectures ● Website: https://mentorfor.jp/

About Gakken Holdings Co., Ltd.

URL: https://www.gakken.co.jp/ Founded in 1946, Gakken Holdings is a holding company engaged in education and healthcare/welfare businesses. In education, it operates classroom and tutoring businesses such as "Gakken Classroom," publishes educational content like "Kagaku" (Science) and "Gakushu" (Learning), and runs childcare and kindergarten services. In healthcare and welfare, it operates service-oriented housing for the elderly and dementia group homes. Gakken conducts educational and welfare activities in over 150 countries globally. In November 2023, it set a new aspiration: "A company that relentlessly pursues human potential." Committed to supporting curiosity and challenges across all generations—from children to seniors—it aims to expand the possibilities for people and society. Sales for the fiscal year ending September 2025: 199.1 billion yen. 82 consolidated subsidiaries. Listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange Prime Market (Stock Code: 9470).