The Maruha Nichiro Group has formulated the Maruha Nichiro Group Human Rights Policy based on the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights in order to fulfill our responsibility to respect the human rights of stakeholders, including those in our supply chain. In FY2019, we began full-scale efforts to establish a system for human rights due diligence and are making progress toward identifying human rights risks and understanding the current situation through our business activities both in Japan and overseas. We are also striving to increase awareness of international standards with respect to human rights through human rights training targeted at group employees.
Maruha Nichiro Group Human Rights Policy
The Maruha Nichiro Group conducts its activities in a manner that respects the basic human rights of all persons around it, in order to practice the Group Philosophy: "We aim to be an essential part of society by improving everyone's daily life with wholesome, safe, and healthy food."
1. Respecting Human Rights
The Maruha Nichiro Group supports and respects the human rights designated in the International Bill of Human Rights and the International Labour Organization (ILO) Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, and engages in activities that are in line with the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.
2. Practicing Human Rights Due Diligence
The Maruha Nichiro Group continues to develop and implement a process of human rights due diligence, in order to prevent, mitigate, and remedy both direct and indirect negative impacts on human rights through our business activities. In the event that we discover the Group has caused or contributed to negative impacts on human rights, we take remedial action. Furthermore, we operate a channel for reporting concerns over impacts on human rights.
3. Scope of Application
This Human Rights Policy applies to all officers and employees of the Maruha Nichiro Group. The Maruha Nichiro Group implements human rights education to provide opportunities for each officer and employee to gain a deeper understanding of human rights. The Executive Officer in charge of the Personnel Department at Maruha Nichiro Corporation is responsible for putting this policy into action. The Maruha Nichiro Group pursues this policy in cooperation with its business partners and other stakeholders.
4. Positioning of the Human Rights Policy
The Code of Conduct of the Maruha Nichiro Group, under the heading of labor and human rights, calls for "Diversity, safety and openness in the workplace" and "Respect for human rights and the abolition of forced/child labor." This Human Rights Policy supplements the Code of Conduct and shall be reflected in related policies and guidelines.
5. Regulatory Compliance
The Maruha Nichiro Group complies with the laws and regulations of the countries and regions where it conducts business. If a country's laws conflict with internationally recognized human rights, the Maruha Nichiro Group looks for a way to ensure respect for the principles of international human rights.
6. Important Human Rights Issues
The Maruha Nichiro Group forbids harassment in the workplace and thoroughly practices labor management, pursuant to verifying that its employment practices are consistent with labor laws. The Maruha Nichiro Group also requires its business partners to adhere to these guidelines.
7. Dialogue with Stakeholders
The Maruha Nichiro Group engages in dialogue with stakeholders regarding its efforts to respect human rights. The Maruha Nichiro Group discloses information about its activities via its website and in its integrated report.
Established: July 2019
Maruha Nichiro Corporation
KGIs and KPIs from FY2022 to FY2030
Materiality:Respect human rights in business activities
Ideal State in 2030 (KGI): We have built a workplace environment where diversity is respected, and employees feel safe and comfortable to work
Department in charge: Planning Department, Maruha Nichiro Corporation
| Achievement targets (KPI) | Target year | Target value | FY2023 | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Achievements | Self-assessment | ||||||||||||||||
| Confirmation of zero human rights violations in the supply chain (Overall G) | 2030 | 100% | Clarifying issues through human rights risk maps. Guidelines for the employment of foreign technical intern trainees and foreign nationals with specific skills launched. | ★★★☆☆ | |||||||||||||
| Rate of human rights training (Domestic G) | 2024 | 100% | Training participation rate: 98.7% | ★★★☆☆ | |||||||||||||
Message from Representative
Yusuke Sato
Manager of Sustainability Group, Corporate Planning Department
The Maruha Nichiro Group has been engaged in various initiatives aimed at promoting respect for human rights, including formulating a human rights policy in FY2019, conducting human rights and labor practices surveys of suppliers in certain fields since FY2020, and formulating the Maruha Nichiro Group Guidelines on the Employment of Foreign Technical Intern Trainees and Specified Skilled Workers in FY2022. However, we have not been able to carry out comprehensive risk identification and analysis of all risks of human rights violations along the value chain.
Therefore, in FY2023, we conducted human rights training for all Group employees in Japan and compiled the risks of human rights violations identified for each organization into a human rights risk map. Based on the results of this analysis, we will work with suppliers and other stakeholders going forward to perform human rights due diligence aimed at ensuring zero human rights violations along the value chain.
Maruha Nichiro Initiatives
Our History
In order for the Maruha Nichiro Group to carry out its business activities, it is essential to consider human rights and labor practices, such as the prohibition of forced labor and child labor, and to build a sustainable supply chain that takes into account social responsibility and the environment. In fiscal 2019, we will begin full-fledged efforts to establish a human rights due diligence mechanism, and are working to identify and understand the current status of human rights risks throughout our business activities in Japan and overseas. We are also striving to recognize respect for international standards of human rights in our human rights training for Group employees.
History and Roadmap of Respect for Human Rights
Human Rights Awareness Activities
The Maruha Nichiro Group conducts internal human rights training for all Group employees in Japan as part of its activities to respect human rights as stipulated in the “Group Action Guidelines.
In FY2023, e-learning training on “Human Rights in Our Daily Lives” and “Business and Human Rights” was conducted, with 7,696 employees participating. In addition, in identifying human rights risks, we invited external lecturers to conduct human rights training in a hybrid format, entitled “”Practicing Human Rights Due Diligence": Considering Human Rights Risks in the Maruha Nichiro Group.
Human Rights Risk Map and Priority Issues Identified
After the human rights training was conducted, each organization in the Group in Japan discussed human rights violations that could occur in the course of its business activities and identified the risks accordingly. By aggregating and analyzing these results, we then created a risk map for human rights violations in the Group and the supply chain and identified significant human rights issues. Among them, we identified seven issues that are closely related to our business and could have a particularly serious impact if they were to occur as human rights issues that we should prioritize in addressing. We then decided to ascertain the current situation surrounding these issues and work to rectify them and mitigate their negative impact. As part of our efforts, we held a dialogue with experts in June 2024 and asked for their opinions on the specific approach that we should adopt
- Human Rights Risk Map
-
* Human rights issues that we should prioritize in addressing in red font
- Human Rights Issues that We Should Prioritize in Addressing
-
- Forced labor and human trafficking of migrant workers in Japan within th Group
- Rights violations of fishing vessel workers in Japan within the Group
- Health and safety of expatriates and business travelers within the Group
- Forced labor and human trafficking of migrant workers overseas within the Group
- Forced labor and human trafficking of workers overseas within the Group
- Forced labor and human trafficking of workers in the supply chain (upstream)
- Establishment and operation of relief mechanisms
Initiatives for Employment of Foreign Technical Interns and Specified Skilled Foreigners
As an example of a specific response to the priority issue identified as “(1) Forced labor and trafficking in persons of migrant workers within the Group”, the Maruha Nichiro Group Guidelines for Employment of Foreign Technical Interns and Specified Skilled Foreigners, which were implemented on a trial basis in FY2023, will be put into full operation (from May 2024). The Guidelines are intended to be used in a socially responsible manner. These guidelines were established to respect the human rights of socially vulnerable foreign workers in a manner consistent with international standards. We will continue to regularly check the operation status at each site and take actions for improvement when problems are identified, and strive to improve the workplace environment where foreign workers can work with peace of mind.
Grievance Mechanism
Click here for the Maruha Nichiro Group's Internal Reporting System
Human Rights Risk Survey
From FY2020 to FY2021, we analyzed the results of human rights and labor practice surveys of 292 certified factories of Maruha Nichiro Corporation that manufacture the particularly important Maruha Nichiro brand, and assessed the risk of human rights violations by country. In fiscal 2024, we will expand the scope of human rights risk surveys to include suppliers in high-risk countries in addition to certified factories. After confirming the status of responses to the priority issues identified in the Human Rights D.D., we will conduct further fact-finding surveys and external audits as necessary to address actual and potential human rights violation risks.
Suppliers Recognized as Having Human Rights Violation Risks
| Risk items | Issue | No issues | No response | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| East Asia, Southeast Asia | China | Japan | South America | North America | ||||||||||||||
| Policies and standards on human rights and labor practices in line with international norms | 5 (1.7%) | 0 (0.0%) | 46 (15.8%) | 0 (0.0%) | 0 (0.0%) | 236 (80.8%) | 5 (1.7%) | |||||||||||
| Recruitment and employment policies with consideration for human rights and labor practices in line with international norms | 2 (0.7%) | 0 (0.0%) | 46 (15.8%) | 0 (0.0%) | 0 (0.0%) | 238 (81.5%) | 6 (2.1%) | |||||||||||
| Understanding of employment conditions by migrant workers themselves | 10 (3.4%) | 27 (9.2%) | 20 (6.8%) | 0 (0.0%) | 1 (0.3%) | 229 (78.4%) | 5 (1.7%) | |||||||||||
| Rules on storage of migrant workers’ employment-related documents such as passports | 16 (5.5%) | 28 (9.6%) | 22 (7.5%) | 3 (1.0%) | 1 (0.3%) | 217 (74.3%) | 5 (1.7%) | |||||||||||
| Respect for workers’ rights and organization of employees | 5 (1.7%) | 1 (0.3%) | 38 (13.0%) | 0 (0.0%) | 0 (0.0%) | 237 (81.2%) | 11 (3.8%) | |||||||||||
