In addition to promoting a safe work environment for Suntory Group employees, we promote health management and provide growth opportunities with a long-term perspective. This allows us to support the realization of healthy, joyful lives and promote diversity and inclusion. In order to contribute to the well-being of all people involved in the value chain, we actively cooperate with external stakeholders to promote activities for the protection of human rights.
Social Awareness
Respecting the human rights of everyone connected with our business
In 2011, the United National Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights were approved at the United Nations Human Rights Council, becoming the global standard for all countries and companies to follow. In 2015, the Modern Slavery Act 2015 (UK) was enacted to confirm and eradicate human rights violations and risks such as forced labor and human trafficking in company supply chains. As a result, society is increasingly interested in the initiatives that companies take to protect human rights. Suntory Group promotes initiatives that aim at protecting the human rights of all people related to our business.
Our Approach
With the globalization of business practices, society is increasingly interested in the initiatives that companies take to protect human rights. The Suntory Group considers the respect for human rights of stakeholders a highly important issue and reflects it in its sustainability vision. To promote activities considering human rights, we have formulated the Suntory Group Human Rights Policy to further strengthen existing initiatives by engaging with employees and suppliers.
Our Initiatives
We bring people together as Suntorians. We treat our uniqueness as strengths where everyone can feel pride for who they are and carrying out their “Yatte Minahare” spirit.
In line with our vision of Growing for Good, Suntory Group is committed to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI). Although at different stage of evolution, Suntory Group companies have taken steps to derive strength from diversity and enrich our workplace through inclusion. Not only do we commit to recognizing, valuing and respecting diversity and actively promoting and fostering inclusion, we will find ways to ensure equity as we listen to the voices and perspectives of our employees and take action.
In November 2021, we have established our first global DEI vision and strategic pillars. This is our ambition to build an environment where each and every Suntorian to unleash their spirit.
In addition, the Suntory Group started employing people with intellectual disabilities in 2015. We hired 27 people over a seven year period to April 2021 who are working at two of our offices in Tokyo and Osaka. Since April 2018, this team, named the Collaborative Center, is in charge of centralizing some of the daily work, contributing to create more time-effective procedures. Through work and various experiences, employees with disabilities aim to grow and become independent, and play an active role as a member (driving force) of the organization.
We continue to take on the challenge of creating an organization in which employees with diverse personalities interact and influence each other, and working together is the norm.
Conducting Human Rights Due Diligence Related to Immigrant Workers
As advised in the individual dialogue with overseas experts hosted by Caux Round Table Japan (CRT) in 2019, we are confirming the state of the labor conditions of migrant workers including foreign technical intern trainees, which is one important human rights issue.
With the help of CRT as a third-party, in 2021 we conducted interviews with foreign technical intern trainees as a human rights impact assessment at Tsuzuki and Takatsu plants of Izutsu Maisen, a Group company that hires foreign technical intern trainees. No human rights risks were pointed out by Hiroshi Ishida, Executive Director of CRT. We will continue to build a good workplace environment through effective communication.
