Initiatives for Respect for Human Rights
Policy for Respect for Human Rights
As the Kewpie Group, we recognize that all aspects of our business activities may, directly or indirectly, affect human rights. Therefore, to respect the human rights of all the people involved in our business, we have established the Kewpie Group Human Rights Policy.
To realize our corporate motto, “RAKU-GYOU-KAI-ETSU,” it is essential that we respect human rights. The directors and employees working at the Kewpie Group act with responsibility so that they do not negatively affect or indirectly violate human rights. We strive to create environments in which everyone can work with a sense of safety and fulfillment. We also hope our suppliers and business partners will likewise abide by this policy, and we will encourage them to do so.
Adopted 2022
Human Rights Management Structure
To face a wide range of human rights risks in the value chain of the Kewpie Group, we recognize respect for human rights as a material issue for sustainability.
The human rights risks identified are addressed by the Sustainability Committee, and actions are planned and implemented in cooperation with the relevant committees and departments.
We have also established a reporting helpline within our internal control system to detect violations and take corrective actions. If there is a violation, we will implement remediations to prevent recurrence after consultation with the department concerned.
Human Rights Due Diligence Process
To tackle the wide range of human rights risks related to the Kewpie Group's value chain, we work according to a human rights due diligence framework.
Of the human rights risks detected, we have identified items pertinent to Group employees and suppliers, and have decided to work toward correcting each of these risks.
Within the project to assess key human rights risks in 2023, external experts identified the following risks as particularly material based on international standards on human rights and information obtained through interviews. We will continue to check the status and update the assessments based on the assessment results.
Kewpie Group's critical human rights risks that require particular attention and measures to prevent and mitigate them
| Critical human rights risks | Scope | Kewpie Group response | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Our own employees | Tier 1 suppliers | Raw material producers | Customers, consumers | ||
| Occupational Health and Safety | ● | ● | |||
| Forced or Compulsory Labor | ● | ● | ● | ||
| Child Labor | ● | ● | ● | ||
| Harassment | ● | ● | |||
| Long Working Hours and Overwork | ● |
|
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| Infringement of Health and Safety Due to Product Defects | ● | ||||
Initiatives for Employees
In an environment where various people work, we respect the human rights of all employees and aim to realize a work environment free from discrimination and harassment. Every two years, we conduct an "Employee Awareness Survey" of all employees to ascertain their understanding and awareness of compliance, their satisfaction with their work, and their views on corporate social responsibility. The results of the survey are shared with employees to ascertain whether human rights violations have occurred and examine issues related to the penetration and thoroughness of compliance, which are subsequently reflected in employee awareness-raising activities and training programs.
Helpline Operation
- In FY2023, there were 37 reports or consultations to the helpline.
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They were mainly reports/consultations concerning harassment and some were regarding deficiencies in workplace support.
There were no items related to accounting or quality irregularities. - Our response is to investigate the facts, if there are violations, to take countermeasures, consult with the department responsible about prevention measures, then implement said measures. In cases that are not considered violations, but there is inappropriateness in behavior or response, we aim to correct the situation using warnings, thus improving the workplace environment.
- From the perspective of safeguarding the informant, we prohibit inquiries into, and the pursuit of, or retaliatory actions towards informants. We promote proper implementation by checking that there has not been any retaliation or penalties imposed on the informant after a certain period of time.
Supplier Initiatives
The Kewpie Group is committed to its ingredients. Its work is underpinned by the belief that "Good products begin with good ingredients." It is now necessary to consider not only quality but also the environment and human rights in the supply chain, and we will work on this together with our suppliers. Based on the Kewpie Group's Fundamental Policy for Sustainable Procurement, we have formulated the Kewpie Group Supplier Guidelines. In the future, we will strive to reduce human rights risks in the supply chain by conducting supplier surveys and continued communication. We will strive to reduce human rights risks in our supply chain through the implementation of questionnaires for suppliers and continued communication.