Since the 2000s, with the advancement of globalization of corporate activities, raw materials have been procured through various supply chains. In this situation, it has come to be noticed that such corporate activities affect labor and human rights in unexpected countries and regions. As a result, there has been an accelerated movement to require companies to manage their business in a way that respects human rights.
The Sanyo Chemical Group has set its Vision 2030: “Grow into a global, unique, and highly profitable company where every employee feels pride and satisfaction from his/her work.” We believe that the success of diverse human resources is possible only when there is a foundation for understanding the human rights of each individual and recognizing their individuality and values. In addition, in order to advance our business activities in various regions of the world, we are required to address human rights issues, including labor-related rights for stakeholders involved in our business activities and throughout our supply chain. To address human rights issues, we formulated the Sanyo Chemical Group Human Rights Policy in March 2023. Going forward, we will proactively disclose information to reduce human rights risk both inside and outside the company, and promote initiatives such as establishing systems for human rights due diligence and remedies.
Human Rights Policy
Our human rights policy is as follows.
Sanyo Chemical Group Human Rights Policy
1. Basic attitude
As corporate activities become increasingly globalized, companies are expected to take the initiative in eliminating human rights violations from the perspective of creating an inclusive society. The Group will conduct management that respects the human rights of all people and recognizes that its business activities may have a negative impact on human rights. At the same time, we will work with our customers, business partners, suppliers, and government agencies to avoid such negative impacts, thereby gaining recognition from investors, customers, and society at large. We will also cooperate with diverse stakeholders to support the socially vulnerable.
2. Scope of application
This policy applies to all executives and employees of the Sanyo Chemical Group. The Sanyo Chemical Group will continue to encourage its customers, business partners, and suppliers to support this policy and participate in similar initiatives, and will work together to promote initiatives to respect human rights.
3. Responsibility to respect human rights
The Sanyo Chemical Group will fulfill its responsibility to respect human rights by not infringing on the human rights of those affected by its business activities and by taking appropriate measures to correct any adverse impact on human rights that its business activities may cause. If any adverse impact on human rights is caused by our customers, business partners, and suppliers, we will demand them to take appropriate action.
4. Compliance with applicable laws and regulations
The Sanyo Chemical Group will strive to understand internationally recognized human rights norms and the relevant laws and regulations in each country, including those stipulated in the following documents. Where local national laws and regulations are incompatible with internationally recognized human rights norms, we will seek ways to respect the latter.
- International Bill of Human Rights: Universal Declaration of Human Rights and International Covenants on Human Rights (International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights / International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights)
- International Labour Organization’s (ILO’s) Core Labour Standards (child labor, forced labor, freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining, elimination of discrimination in employment, etc.)
- United Nations “Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights”
- OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises
- United Nations Global Compact (voluntary efforts of companies based on the Ten Principles in the areas of human rights, labor, the environment, and anti-corruption)
- ISO26000 “Guidance on social responsibility”
- Japanese government “Guidelines on Respect for Human Rights in Responsible Supply Chains”
- UK Modern Slavery Act
5. Human rights due diligence
The Sanyo Chemical Group will establish a human rights due diligence system to identify adverse impacts on human rights, conduct preventive surveys and investigations, implement appropriate measures to correct adverse impact, and continue to strive to prevent and mitigate its adverse human rights impact on society.
6. Identification of human rights risks
The Sanyo Chemical Group has identified the following three items as outstanding human rights issues, and will continue to address these issues.
- Labor in the supply chain
- Employee safety and health
- Human rights risks due to the effects of geopolitical situations and conflicts
7. Prevention and mitigation measures
The Sanyo Chemical Group will not engage in discrimination or acts that undermine the dignity of individuals based on factors such as thoughts, creed, age, social status, nationality, birthplace, ethnic group, religion, immigration, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy, poverty, disease, and disability. To that end, we will also strive to understand the issues faced by socially vulnerable people who suffer from discrimination and acts that undermine personal dignity based on these reasons, and cooperate with various stakeholders such as government agencies, local governments, and social welfare organizations to provide support.
8. Corrective and remedial measures
The Sanyo Chemical Group fully recognizes that human rights violations pose a management risk. It will prevent human rights violations and respond fairly and appropriately in the event of any human rights violations. It will not only oppose child labor and forced labor, but will also not use raw materials that are thought to have been produced by child labor or forced labor. It will also establish a whistleblowing contact point that allows anonymous reporting for internal employees, and will take necessary measures while appropriately handling the confidentiality of the whistleblowers and reported information. It will prohibit any disadvantageous treatment or retaliation against whistleblowers, and will ensure their protection.
9. Education
The Sanyo Chemical Group will continue to provide appropriate education to ensure that a correct understanding of this policy is permeated both inside and outside the company, and that it is effectively implemented.
10. Information disclosure/engagement
The Sanyo Chemical Group will disclose the status of its efforts regarding Respect for Human Rights. It will also evolve a series of efforts based on this policy through dialogue and consultation with various internal and external stakeholders.
Established: March, 2023
Human rights due diligence
We have included human rights due diligence in our recently formulated Human Rights Policy to strengthen human rights initiatives.
Human rights considerations in the supply chain
We have clearly stated considerations for human rights in the supply chain in our Sustainable Procurement Guidelines, which were revised in January 2022, to inform our suppliers of human rights considerations. Currently, human rights issues expected to occur in the supply chain are attracting attention around the world, such as the ones listed below. We will act in a way that ensures that our business activities do not directly or indirectly contribute to or encourage human rights violations.
When procuring raw materials, we strive to follow the procedures detailed in the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.
Human rights issues in the supply chain
*Horizontally scrollable
Human rights education and awareness
The Sanyo Chemical Group has clearly stated that it will continue to provide appropriate human rights education to ensure that a correct understanding of its Human Rights Policy, described above, is permeated both inside and outside the company and that it is effectively implemented. In FY2023, we will consider and implement the following initiatives.
- Human rights education and awareness for employees, etc.
- Consideration of human rights due diligence
- Corrective and remedial measures in the event of human rights violations
- Consideration of determination of purchasing prerequisites in the supply chain
Prevention of harassment
Toward the realization of a workplace environment without harassment, we have undertaken various initiatives, such as awareness building and seminars, to prevent harassment. We will continuously improve our understanding and response on harassment, have a strong mind to “Not allow or commit harassment and not become an innocent bystander,” strive for “open workplaces with good communication” and “safe and easy-to-work harassment free workplaces.” Our group aims to be a company in which diverse human resources with diverse values can take pride and work with peace of mind.
In particular, to make it easier to consult about matters related to sexual harassment, maternal harassment, and LGBTQ discrimination, the Diversity Promotion Department has acted as an internal contact point, in addition to the whistleblowing contact point. We have also provided a consultation service at two external institutions with extensive experience in harassment counseling. In FY2022, four reports were submitted through these whistleblowing channels. We investigated the facts with the utmost care to ensure that whistleblowers are not disadvantaged. When a problem was identified, we provided guidance and education to the relevant person to rectify the situation. We also used our intranet to encourage all employees to raise their awareness of human rights.