Human Rights Initiatives

Human Rights Policy

Formulation of Our Human Rights Policy

The Toyo Kanetsu Group, with the approval of its Board of Directors, formulated the Toyo Kanetsu Group Human Rights Policy in July 2024. We will work to ensure that this policy is understood thoroughly by all Group officers and employees, and that human rights are respected.
Toyo Kanetsu Group Human Rights Policy

Toyo Kanetsu recognizes the following as human rights risks that are highly relevant to the Group’s business activities.

• Occupational Health and Safety
  We strive to create a safe and healthy work environment with zero industrial accidents.
• Discrimination and Harassment
  We strive to eliminate discrimination and harassment.
• Excessively Long Work Hours and Wages
  We comply with all local labor laws and regulations regarding wages and working hours in the regions in which we operate.
• Privacy
  We will work to protect personal information in a way appropriate for the environment.
• Regional Environments
  We will always consider the local environment regarding noise and water throughout the lifecycle of our operations.
• Freedom to Assemble
  We respect the rights of workers, including the right to bargain collectively.
• Forced Labor and Child Labor
  We shall not, under any circumstances, permit forced or child labor in any of our operations or activities.
• Foreign Labor
  We shall uphold the rights of foreign workers.
• Human Rights Initiatives at Suppliers
  Should we become aware of a human rights violation at a tier 1 supplier, we will take action to mitigate or prevent further impact by said supplier. We will maintain a general awareness of possible human rights violations in the supply chain and our procurement activities, ensuring that we always act in a responsible manner in line with our core values.

Promotion Management System

The Toyo Kanetsu Group is committed to advancing human rights initiatives and has thus established the Promotion Management Department, chaired by the President and CEO of Toyo Kanetsu, K.K. This committee will implement various measures in accordance with the response processes laid out in the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.





Human Rights Due Diligence

Identification and Evaluation of Human Rights Risks

Internal Research and Surveys

To formulate a human rights policy, we conducted internal research (data analysis) and surveys (including interviews) among the Group companies and at our major partners to identify and evaluate human rights risks.Potential issues outlined in the International Labor Organization Convention and other documents such as the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights were selected for further examination based on their relevance to the Group companies and our industry.

Main Survey Questions

The survey included a number of topics, especially around forced or child labor, working hours, freedom to assemble, safe working conditions, impacts to environment and other privacy rights, etc.

Results

Based on the results of the survey, we were able to chart the severity and probability of specific issues as shown below.



Human Rights Risk Relevant to Group Business Activities

• Occupational Health and Safety
• Harassment
• Excessively Long Work Hours
Reasons for Identifying and Evaluating Risk, and Response
• Violations in such areas as occupational health and safety, harassment, and excessively long work hours are all problems that tend to be more common than in other industries, and some of these human rights risks have become apparent within the Group.
• Our approach to occupational health and safety has focused on the resolution of issues through efforts spearheaded by the Safety, Environment, and Quality Assurance Department and the setting of related KPIs. Moving forward, we will continue to strengthen these activities.
• Through ongoing training and other awareness-raising activities, we can mitigate and prevent risks such as harassment, a rather typical, frequently occurring risk.
• Group companies have also adopted the means to monitor overtime work and standardize work hours to prevent any violations of Articles 36 of the Labor Standards Act in Japan.
• ※
  A survey of our major partners revealed that no particularly high human rights risks are present.

Status of Measures and Initiatives

Education, Training, and Awareness-Raising Activities

We hold regular trainings and implement awareness-raising activities to prevent harassment, in addition to other programs aimed at enhancing diversity, equity and inclusion.

Conducting Monitoring Investigations

We closely monitor working conditions and hours, in addition to conducting a yearly survey of employees.

Future Response Policy

Based on survey results and feedback from other activities, we continue to improve the quality and impact of the initiatives taken by the Group.From the next fiscal year onwards, we will expand the scope of surveys regarding human rights risks at our suppliers (partner companies, etc.).

Relief Measures

Status of Initiatives

We have made an anonymous helpline available to all Group employees.

Policy Response

Support suppliers and partner companies by helping them establish a complaint center for employees.