Human rights

ITOHAM YONEKYU Group Human Rights Policy

Based on the founding spirit of "Serving society through business" and "A moving Food Experience", ITOHAM YONEKYU Group has been promoting high-quality protein, particularly in meat and processed foods, to Japanese customers.
In order to continue to contribute to the realization of healthy and prosperous diets through our business, we would like to recognize once again that respect for human rights is fundamental in all business decisions and actions.
In order to respect the human rights of all people involved in our business and fulfill our corporate social responsibility, we have established ITOHAM YONEKYU Group Human Rights Policy (Hereafter, this policy), and through the implementation of this policy, we will work together with our stakeholders to achieve a sustainable society in which human rights are respected.

1. Basic Concept

In addition to supporting human rights standards such as the International Bill of Human Rights (Universal Declaration and International Covenant on Human Rights), which is the basis for international human rights norms, and the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work adopted by the International Labor Organization (ILO), ITOHAM YONEKYU Group conducts its business activities in accordance with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. If any inconsistency arise between internationally recognized human rights and the laws and regulations of a country or region, we will seek ways to fully respect international human rights principles.
We do not discriminate or harass in any way, including race, ethnicity, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, nationality, region of origin, social status, job type, employment status, language, disability, marital status etc. We guarantee occupational safety and health, freedom of association and labor rights, and do not tolerate forced labor or child labor.

2. Scope of application

This policy applies to all officers and employees of ITOHAM YONEKYU Group. All officers and employees strive to create a safe and rewarding work environment free from discrimination, and practice this policy in fair spirit so as not to cause any negative impact on human rights.
We also urge all our business partners to respect human rights and support and comply with this policy.

3. Respect for human rights

ITOHAM YONEKYU Group will promote the following initiatives to ensure that it does not itself commit or promote human rights violations and to fulfill its responsibility to respect human rights through its business activities.

 

March 2022
Isao Miyashita
President and Chief Executive Officer 
ITOHAM YONEKYU HOLDINGS INC. 　

Human Rights Due Diligence

Identification of Priority Negative Impacts

In accordance with our Human Rights Policy and in line with the advocacy process of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, we identified priority negative impacts that may occur in operations throughout the Group's supply chain.
In identifying these priority negative impacts, we considered perspectives that included geographical, social, and company-specific characteristics, as well as vulnerable stakeholders. We also referenced various reports related to human rights and solicited the objective opinions of external experts.
We have identified “discrimination and harassment” and “the rights of foreign technical interns” as negative impacts that we should prioritize addressing within our company. We are continuously implementing measures to prevent and mitigate these negative impacts, and are considering and implementing additional improvement measures through effectiveness review.

■Priority Negative Impacts

Prevention and mitigation of negative impacts

<Initiatives within the Group>
In our compliance training program for all employees, we provide support in their native languages to foreign technical interns and continue to promote their understanding.
The “Compliance Penetration Survey,” which we have been conducting annually, aims to improve the workplace so that employees can work more comfortably by listening to their candid opinions on compliance and accurately grasping the degree of compliance penetration in the workplace.
The survey results are reported to the board of directors and management, and feedback is provided to each workplace to maintain and strengthen the compliance system on an ongoing basis. The scope of the survey includes foreign technical interns and specific skilled foreign workers, who are surveyed in the same manner as other employees in the group.
In the 2024 survey, no issues were identified. However, through ongoing surveys, individual dialogues, and outreach efforts, we will continue to strive to create a more human rights-respecting work environment and enhance our ongoing prevention and mitigation efforts.

Evaluation of effectiveness

<Initiatives within the Group>
To confirm that the rights of foreign technical interns are being respected, since fiscal year 2023, we have been conducting interviews with managers and foreign technical interns at each of our group companies‘ locations where foreign technical interns are engaged in training.
Under the “Mid-Term Management Plan 2026,” we aim to complete interviews at all locations where foreign technical interns are engaged in training over the three-year mid-term period. In the first year of the mid-term plan, the 2024 fiscal year, we conducted interviews at approximately 30% of locations (10 locations) to accurately assess the actual conditions related to the training program.
At each location, we have conducted human rights training for managers and conducted individual interviews not only with foreign technical interns but also with managers and labor relations departments to confirm the actual working conditions at each location and whether measures exceeding legal requirements are being implemented. As a result, appropriate management systems, including collaboration with supervising organizations, have been established at all 10 locations, and no immediate human rights issues requiring urgent action were identified.
Going forward, starting in the 2025 fiscal year, we will continue to visit sites within the group where foreign technical trainees are engaged in training, and strive to improve the establishment and operation of systems to prevent and mitigate negative impacts on human rights.



Supplier Survey and Supplier Visits (Initiatives Toward Sustainable Procurement)

External Desk

The ITOHAM YONEKYU Group accepts questions and reports related to negative human rights impacts from customers and business partners through the Customer Relations Office contact form below. ---Customer Relations Contact Form URL--- https://www.itoham-yonekyu-holdings.com/inquiry/form