Introducing new telework system “Work from UK” to enable working from overseas

ENECHANGE Co., Ltd. (Head Office: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Yohei Kiguchi; COO: Kazuhira Arita) is introducing a new work style system called “Work from UK,” which enables employees to work from our subsidiary, SMAP ENERGY LIMITED (Head Office: London, U.K., CEO: Yohei Kiguchi).

This is a completely new work style system as part of promoting telework in response to the “With Corona Declaration,” and it will also make use of the new UK immigration system starting in January 2021 after the UK leaves the EU (Brexit). Through this system, we will train an array of global professionals, and over the next 3 years, we also plan to actively hire 10 engineers/data science/service planning professionals (fields with a high affinity for telework). In this way, we will contribute to the creation of new employment in the UK.

SMAP ENERGY business manager Paul Monroe in London, England

About the new telework system “WFUK”

Under the newly established “Work from UK” system, employees can move to London and work from there for a fixed period while belonging to ENECHANGE LTD.’s UK subsidiary SMAP ENERGY LTD.

• Employees can move to London and work from there by telework during their 2~5-year stay in the UK.
• They will basically come to the London office once a week (with 4 days a week telework).
• Target job categories will be engineers/data science/service planning fields, which are well suited to telework.
• Work contents will be based on their regular work duties, and they will also be responsible for our company’s overseas projects.
• Certain conditions need to be fulfilled, such as length of service in our Group companies, English-language requirements, and job-type requirements. Visas can also be issued to spouses and children.

Background to the introduction of this new system

According to the latest information released from the UK Home Office, they will move away from the traditionally strict immigration system after the UK leaves the EU, adopting instead a new skills-based points system as used in Australia and other countries starting from January 1, 2021. Compared to the previous system, it will in effect become less difficult to obtain a UK work visa, with the upper limit for accepting immigrants being removed. A total of 70 points will be required under this new system to enter employment within the UK. For overseas workers wishing to enter the UK, there are conditions such as English-speaking proficiency (CEFR level B1*), receiving an employment offer as a skilled professional (equivalent to at least university graduation level), and having a “sponsor who is an approved employer,” and if a specific salary standard is met (at least £25,600, about 3.5 million Japanese yen), a worker can receive a total of 70 points and qualify to apply for a work visa. Making use of this new system, ENECHANGE / SMAP ENERGY will play an active role in training high-level global professionals.
*According to data released by MEXT (the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology), CEFR level B1 is equivalent to English proficiency of a 550+ TOEIC score.

Comments from Chris Heffer | Director Trade and Investment Japan Department for International Trade, British Embassy Tokyo

It’s great to see Enechange pioneering new ways of global working and using the UK as the place to test and build the working models of the future. The world has changed because of COVID and people are becoming more comfortable working away from the office – so why not from another country? The UK and Japan have great collaborations in many sectors, so it’s great to see innovation such as these in the Smart Energy sector too. I hope those that the UK and Japan really are GREAT for Partnership, and by working together we can be even better!

Comment from Yohei Kiguchi CEO, ENECHANGE Co., Ltd.

Our Group is actively introducing telework systems and is keen to promote the realization of flexible work styles. The recently unveiled new UK visa system includes changes that offer favorable conditions to Japanese citizens (previous visa requirements were strict, making it difficult to enter employment in the UK). I think we are seeing the firm commitment that “the UK will remain open to the world.” The UK will continue to offer an international city venue after leaving the EU, and it will be a country of vital importance for companies such as ours who conduct business operations on a global scale. By making use of this new immigration system, our Group will continue to play an active role in creating employment and investing in the UK.

I myself studied abroad in the UK when I was a student, and I went on to start up a business there, gaining experience which led directly to our present-day ENECHANGE LTD. and SMAP ENERGY LTD. Living and working overseas is a vital key to broadening our world view, and I think this will remain important even in an age when telework becomes mainstream. Through this program, I believe that many employees can confront energy issues from a global perspective, making it possible to realize our company’s mission of “Changing Energy for a Better World.” This was the key factor that inspired me to reach this decision.

About SMAP ENERGY LTD.

SMAP ENERGY LTD. is a “Cambridge University-originated industry-academia collaborative venture” established jointly with the University of Cambridge, based on research results connected to the analysis of smart meter data. We operate a business providing electric power companies with a “SMAP (Smart-Meter Analytics Platform),” a service for analyzing electric power data collected from smart meters, and our platform has been adopted in power companies throughout Europe, Japan, and the Middle East. *Business integration with ENECHANGE LTD. on June 30, 2017

URL : http://smapenergy.com/

About ENECHANGE Ltd.

ENECHANGE is an energy technology company that promotes a carbon-free society through digital technology with the mission of CHANGING ENERGY FOR A BETTER WORLD. We offer services based on data utilization in the field of the 4 Ds of Energy: Deregulation, Digitalization, Decarbonization, and Decentralization. Our company’s roots come from an energy data lab at the University of Cambridge, UK, a country where liberalization is well advanced. ENECHANGE has a British subsidiary, SMAP Energy Limited, as well as a global network and analytical technology for energy data.

URL: https://enechange.co.jp/en/

■Inquiries
pr@enechange.co.jp