As a result, all 35 Lotte subsidiaries received the government's certificate for family-friendly enterprises last year. The subsidiary to have most contributed to establishing a favorable labor-management culture was Lotte Department Store. The retail giant's focus also was on families: Work hours for pregnant workers were reduced and leaves for parents with children entering elementary school or preparing for the college entrance exam were extended. In May 2015, executives of the Lotte Group's affiliates and unions released a joint statement that promised cooperation, which would serve as the base to create jobs and promote a better working environment. Under the initiative, each Lotte subsidiary established a task force formed from both labor union members and company managers to actively solicit opinions from their respective fields. BY SONG KYOUNG-SON []