RESPECT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS: ACTIONS

Cutting Excessive or Unfair Work

In FY2023, we pledged our commitment to reforming employee management, having identified such reform as a strategic priority. The ongoing reform program has three components: a follow-up process, 1-on-1 consultations, and encouraging leave take-up. The purpose of the reform is to foster an organizational environment conducive to corporate and individual growth. A follow-up process makes employees more aware of the hours they are working, leading to less overtime and a change of mindset toward their own workstyles. We have changed rules related to workstyles. For example, we have provided flextime with no core time, added explicit rules about intermittent breaks, and allowed for hybrid work (mixing work from home with office attendance). We also use objective measures to monitor volume of work and hours worked. Occupational physicians help overworked employees manage their time and help. Employees attend interviews and workshops about workstyles and break style as part of an effort to build an organizational culture with working practices that support corporate and individual growth and excellence.

• Cutting Overtime with a New Approach to Employee Management
• KOKUYO-Style Hybrid Work
• Working Hours, Paid Leave Take-up Rate

No Use of Child Labor or Forced Labor

We check the job candidate’s personal identification documents to confirm their age and never employ anyone under the mandatory age of employment. To prevent use of forced labor, we only ever employ willing applicants, state the terms of employment (including remuneration) in writing, and provide an orientation program to new recruits. We always let foreign nationals keep their passports, ensuring that they work in a free and open environment.

A Safe and Healthy Work Environment (Occupational Health and Safety)

We are committed to keeping our employees healthy, happy, and safe at work so that they can perform at their best. As part of this, we have developed safety measures for times of emergency. We also encourage employees to participate in wellness activities and to engage more positively in their work.

• Occupational Health and Safety

No Workplace Bullying or Harassment

Anti-harassment Training

In line with the KOKUYO Group Code of Conduct, we have a website with educational content on workplace harassment and provide anti-harassment training, including a course for new career-track employees and rank-specific courses. The website and training programs convey the message that workplace harassment is unacceptable behavior that, as well as stopping the victims fulfilling their potential, harms victims’ human rights in that it subjects them to unfair humiliation and personal attack. All employees undergo annual anti-harassment training in late November and early December, in conjunction with Human Rights Week. In this training event, the attendees are briefed about the company’s basic approach and presented with case studies to update their awareness. We also provide a channel for employees to raise concerns about harassment and take other measures to foster an organizational culture in which no employee has to suffer in silence. In 2024, the anti-harassment training program was expanded to include content about sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI), including the message that anyone can be a perpetrator or victim of anti-SOGI harassment and content emphasizing the importance of respect for diversity.

Personal Information Protection

We have established the Personal Information Protection Policy to guide efforts to protect personal information.

• Personal Information Protection Policy

A Living Wage

In remunerating employees, we of course comply with legal requirements on the minimum wage and the payment of such. We also commit to paying a reasonable living wage. To that end, we provide a salary that escalates by year, subject to performance review, and we increase wages across the board above the consumer price index. In fiscal 2024, the average annual salary paid to KOKUYO employees was ¥7.82 million.

Supply Chain Actions

Rapid economic globalization has given rise to colossal multinationals. Many are extending their supply chains into developing economies in an effort to drive down costs. This trend is creating ever more challenging socio-environmental issues. Examples include human rights issues such as forced labor and child labor, widening inequality, and environmental issues. Our group will fulfill its social responsibilities together with suppliers and continue contributing to social development.

• Supply Chain Management

Stakeholder-specific Hotlines

For employees, we provide a group-wide whistleblowing hotline (the KOKUYO Group Hotline) for reporting concerns related to compliance or corporate ethics. The hotline is global and accessible to all employees of the global KOKUYO Group, whether they work in Japan or an overseas location.
For supply-chain partners, the KOKUYO Group has established and is operating a whistleblowing hotline which can be used by our supply-chain partners. The purpose of the hotline is to build healthy relationships with our supply-chain partners and to achieve mutual sustainable growth. For customers, we have the Customer Support Center. The center collects feedback about our products and services so that we can improve the products or services in question.

• Social Actions