Embedding the Kirin Group Human Rights Policy in practice
Embedding the Kirin Group Human Rights Policy in practice
Kirin Group regards respect for human rights as one of its most important management issues. To ensure that Kirin Group Human Rights Policy, which is the Group's commitment to human rights, permeates each and every officer and employee, and to realize a great place to work, we continue to conduct training for officers, training by level, and human rights awareness training for all employees every year.
In addition, a human rights contact person is assigned to each Group company to provide a consultation service. Human rights contact persons improve their skills through "human rights staff training seminars," "human rights training workshops," and "harassment consultation staff training," to promote human rights awareness at each company and to operate an effective consultation service.
To confirm the effectiveness of human rights initiatives at the Group and each company, we conduct a Human Rights Awareness Survey every year, and analyze the survey results to identify changes in employee awareness and issues that need to be resolved.
Human Rights Awareness Training by Level
To promote understanding and practice of respect for human rights, we continue to hold annual level-specific training for top management, newly appointed managers, and new employees.
For top-level executives, we invite external expert lecturers to give lectures to help them understand the current issues of human rights, which are then reflected in management.
For newly appointed managers, we provide opportunities to learn about respect for diversity and a workplace free of discrimination and harassment. As for the "Business and Human Rights", they learn not only about human rights in our operations but also about human rights issues in the value chain and surrounding communities, and they are given opportunities to view human rights as their own issues.
New employees learn about the reasons for the Kirin Group's commitment to human rights and Kirin Group Human Rights Policy.
Human Rights Awareness Initiatives for All Employees
The company holds a "Harassment Elimination Month" for all employees every spring. In addition to a top message from the chairperson of the Human Rights Awareness Promotion Committee, who is the officer in charge of human rights promotion for the entire group, to eliminate harassment, all employees take online harassment training courses. In addition, group work sessions are held at each workplace of their choice, allowing employees to exchange opinions with each other in the workplace and fostering a culture of eliminating harassment.
Every fall, all employees attend "Human Rights Awareness Training," which also includes group work at workplaces of their choice.
In 2023, as in 2022, the theme was "Business and Human Rights" to promote understanding of the Group Human Rights Policy, which was revised in 2023.
We also hold a human rights slogan contest for Human Rights Week, which is held every December in honor of Human Rights Day. Not only all employees but also their family members participate in the slogan contest, and in 2023, nearly 8,000 slogans were submitted by more than 5,300 employees in total for the Group. The contest provides an opportunity for each employee and their family members to deepen their understanding of human rights together.
Top-Level Management Human Rights Awareness Training
The “Top-Level Management Human Rights Awareness Training” is a unique initiative among our tiered training programs, held annually for presidents, executives, and department heads within the domestic group. In 2024, 150 participants attended, including Lawyer Akiko Sato, who also serves as a Business and Human Rights project Liaison Officer of United Nations Development Program. Akiko spoke about global perspectives on human rights initiatives in the training. This training deepens understanding of the importance of embedding respect for human rights into the foundation of management to ensure the sustainable development of business operations.
| Year | Topics | Speakers |
| 2020 | Diversity in the Context of Unconscious Bias ～The Impact of Unconscious Bias and How to Respond to It～ |
Sook Ja Park, President of Appassionata, Inc |
| 2021 | Barrier Value ～Turning Barriers into Value～ | Toshiya Kakiuchi, President and CEO of Mirairo Inc. |
| 2022 | Thinking Again about the Significance of Diversity & Inclusion | Atsuko Muraki, Former Vice Minister of Health, Labor and Welfare |
| 2023 | Business and Human Rights ～Corporate Management under Rapid Population Decline and U.S.-China Conflict～ | Shinichi Takasaki, Director of ILO Office in Japan |
| 2024 | Global Trends in Human Rights Initiatives: What Constitutes Responsible and Sustainable Business Activities | Akiko Sato, Lawyer of Kotonoha Sogo Law Office, Business and Human Rights project Liaison Officer of UNDP |
■Human Rights Awareness Training for Top-level Management in2024
Briefings to JV partners
Kirin Group believes that our joint venture partnerships have the potential to bring about sustained benefits to communities and the economy in countries we operate in, through job creation, increased incomes and community initiatives. We also see these partnerships as an opportunity to share international best practices on environmental, social and governance (ESG) aspects, including seeking our JV partners’ support for the Kirin Group Human Rights Policy.
To this end, in 2018, we held workshops with our JV partners in the Philippines, China*1 and Myanmar *2 to develop their understanding and support for the Kirin Group Human Rights Policy. We will continue to hold study workshops and carry out other activities to deepen understanding and promote respect for human rights.
- In 2022, we sold our joint venture interest in China and terminated the relationship.
- In 2023, we sold our joint venture interest in Myanmar and terminated the relationship.
Briefings to Suppliers
Kirin Group understands the importance of working together with our suppliers to improve respect for human rights across all of our business operations and supply chain. In this regard, we have established the Kirin Group Sustainable Supplier Code, which reflects the Kirin Group Human Rights Policy, and have asked our suppliers to comply with respect for human rights. In addition, we hold regular supplier briefings to deepen suppliers' understanding of our consideration for human rights.
Discussion on human rights at the Group CSV Committee meeting
To support the Kirin Group’s proactive and independent CSV initiatives, the Group CSV Committee meets three times a year in principle, with the meeting chaired by the president & CEO of Kirin Holdings and includes the presidents of major operating companies as members of the committee.
In 2020, the committee discussed on “Addressing Human Rights in the Supply Chain”.
Key Opinions
- Business partners, NGOs, investors, and other stakeholders request that human rights in the supply chain be addressed, which will affect the Company’s reputation.
- Demand for response increasing from business partners, in particular, and consumer awareness of issue will eventually grow as well.
- Issues in the supply chain are also management issues for business partners, and therefore it is important to work together.
- A project team will be assembled to investigate future efforts aimed at putting the Company’s response among the highest levels within the industry.
Formulation of the Kirin Group Privacy Data Protection Policy
We consider the protection of personal information as an important theme toward promoting respect for human rights. Therefore, we have formulated the Kirin Group Privacy Data Protection Policy and are working in accordance with this basic policy in an effort to encourage management to be respectful of human rights.