text: SMBC has surveyed approximately 1,000 
  
  female employees on their careers and 
  
  major events in their lives. Role models 
  
  have been created based on 50 of these 
  
  individual interviews, and presented in 
  subsidies and other infrastructure needed 
  subsidies and other infrastructure needed 
  the form of book, which is distributed as a 
  to provide and enable old-age care services. 
  to provide and enable old-age care services. 
  guide to individual women’s career paths 
  If the old-age dependency ratio continues to 
  If the old-age dependency ratio continues to 
  and as a management aid for superiors in 
  climb, we expect the number of employees 
  climb, we expect the number of employees 
  executive training. 
  with care responsibilities to increase. In light 
  with care responsibilities to increase. In light 
  
  **Career development handbook**
  **for young mothers**
  of this, we have broadened the scope of 
  of this, we have broadened the scope of 
  
  our support program to achieve a sounder 
  our support program to achieve a sounder 
  
  SMBC has compiled a career development 
  
  handbook covering maternity leave for all 
  
  women employees wishing to strike a 
  **After**
  better balance between work and family 
  
  life. It provides pathways for mothers 
  
  pursuing careers, citing answers by 
  
  women who have been through this 
  
  experience to questions such as “What do 
  
  I need to do to return to work?” and “How 
  
  do I go about arranging nursery school?” 
  
  It also includes preparatory exercises for 
  
  expectant mothers and support lectures 
  
  on child-raising leave after they return to 
  
  the workplace. 