Providing Global Human Resources Training to 2,000 Employees - Berlitz Corporation

Princeton, NJ - November 5 -- Berlitz Corporation is actively supporting Fast Retailing Co., Ltd. in developing its global human resources. Fast Retailing is the parent company of UNIQLO, which has been rapidly expanding its global business. This is the first large-scale customer for Berlitz's global leadership training business.

Since 2008, Berlitz has been transforming itself into a global education company. Its mission is to promote global leadership education and development, by building on its premier language training services. As part of this evolution, Berlitz has developed its Global Leadership Training (GLT) business. Global Leadership Training provides comprehensive solutions tailored to its clients' specific, individual needs. Solutions include language training, communication skills, intercultural training and leadership development. GLT is designed for organizations that seek to develop global leaders through diversity and inclusiveness.

For Fast Retailing, the GLT project consists of a two-year program of language training, communication skills building, and cross-cultural skills enhancement. The training covers four personnel segments: executives, store managers/head office staff, employees who will be dispatched overseas, and new graduates overseas. About 2,000 employees are taking the courses, each receiving a maximum of over 200 hours of training. In addition to face-to-face training, the programs are making full use of the Internet and IT. Trainees can study while managing their stores or conducting daily business, thereby overcoming time and distance limitations. Trainees' progress and results are regularly monitored to ensure that they achieve their study goals.

With Fast Retailing's rapidly expanding global business in countries such as China, France, and South Korea, Berlitz has also been conducting multi-language training; e.g. Japanese lessons for employees dispatched to Japan from overseas locations and Chinese courses for Japanese employees.

Takafumi Sato, General Manager of Human Resources, Recruiting and Training at Fast Retailing, says "To speed up global management at Fast Retailing, we are establishing a global system covering everything from employment to training. In the field of global human resources training, Berlitz's range of high-quality programs ability to provide comprehensive solutions, and integration capabilities, make it the best choice as a global human resources training partner. In the future, making full use of Berlitz's global network, we will implement similar training programs in non-English speaking countries such as China, South Korea and France."

Yukako Uchinaga, Chairman, CEO and President of Berlitz, says "Berlitz is going beyond the framework of a language training provider to support the globalization of businesses worldwide as a global education company. Fast Retailing is the first customer in the world to make such extensive use of Berlitz's comprehensive solution, Global Leadership Training, and we will provide it with full support as a partner in its globalization efforts."

Outline of Training Provided

1. Training for Management Executives (for a small, limited number of employees)

(1) Private lessons by dispatched instructors

• l Basic conversation
• l Practical everyday business English
• l Training in English used by management executives

(2) Overseas training

• l One to two weeks' of language training while staying with a family in the UK, U.S.A., or elsewhere
• l Experience of exchange and language training with members of different cultures in a non-Japanese-speaking environment

(3) Berlitz Online (BOL)

• l Comprehensive, personal-computer-based self-study of all four fundamental English skills (speaking, listening, reading, writing)

(4) Cultural Navigator

• l Analysis and determination of the trainee's own cultural orientation (ways of thinking, communication style, etc.) and the cultural trends of major countries, using Web-based tools
• l Development of a global mindset through strengthening the ability to respond to cultural differences and diversity, using case studies

2. Training for Store Managers/Head Office Staff (2,000 trainees; programs combined according to level-advanced, intermediate, or elementary)

(1) Berlitz Online (BOL)

• l Comprehensive personal-computer-based self-study of all four fundamental English skills (speaking, listening, reading, writing)
• l Six months of self-study

(2) Telephone lessons

• l One-to-one lessons conducted by a native-fluent English instructors

(3) Berlitz Virtual Classroom (BVC)

• l Lessons with native-fluent instructors via the Internet
• l One-to-one or class lessons with up to three students

(4) Berlitz Situational Learning on the Web (BSLW)

• l Practical training on the Web for multiple employees to provide practice in leadership in an environment of diversity and inclusiveness

(5)Cultural Navigator

• l Analysis and determination of the trainee's own cultural orientation (ways of thinking, communication style, etc.) and the cultural trends of major countries, using tools on the Web
• l Development of a global mindset by strengthening the ability to respond to cultural differences and diversity, using case studies

3. Training for Employees to Be Dispatched Overseas

(1) Training in survival business English according to level

• l Attending school/instructor dispatch, or BVC training
• l A intensive seven-week program
• l Continuous English language training and follow-up training at overseas workplace

(2) Training overseas

• l An intensive four-week training course in the UK

4. Japanese Language Training for New Graduates Overseas (a one-year program starting from the tentative job offer stage)

(1) Tentative job offer stage: Basic Japanese (2 months)

• l E-learning

(2) After joining company: Short-term intensive group Japanese language training (2.5 months; full-time)

• l Instructor dispatch

(3) After assignment at store: Group training (7.5 months; once a month)

• l Instructor dispatch

About Fast Retailing Co., Ltd.: (Head office: Yamaguch, Japan. Chairman, President and CEO: Tadashi Yanai)

For more information: http://www.fastretailing.com/eng/about/

About Berlitz Corporation: (Head office: Princeton, NJ, U.S.A. Chairman of the Board, CEO and President: Yukako Uchinaga)

For more information: http://www.berlitz.com