Respect for Human Rights
The Canon Marketing Japan Group (here in after "the Canon MJ Group") respects the human rights of all stakeholders connected to its business activities including employees and business partners.
Basic Views of human rights
Based on the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, the Canon MJ Group is developing initiatives to promote respect for the human rights of its employees, business partners, and all other stakeholders involved in the Group's business activities.
We promote respect for human rights by taking measures in accordance with the Canon Group Human Rights Policy, which was formulated
in 2021.
Human Rights Policy
The policy clearly states that we conduct human rights due diligence, operate a grievance mechanism, conduct awareness training, and engage in dialogue with stakeholders in order to ensure respect for internationally recognized human rights, including the prohibition of
child and forced labor, the prevention of unreasonable restrictions on movement and excessive overtime work, and respect for freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining.
The Canon MJ Group works to increase its employees' awareness of human rights in accordance with this policy.
Canon Group Human Rights Policy
Since Canon's founding in 1937, all employees have been treated the same on a fair and equal basis, without any discrimination due to status, gender, age or occupation. This stance is based on a complete respect for humanity.
Following half a century of operations, we adopted our corporate philosophy of kyosei in 1988. Kyosei is the aspiration to realize a society in which all people, regardless of culture, customs, language, or ethnicity, can live and work together in happiness. It sets the goal of human happiness and prosperity above the profits earned by any single company or nation. Kyosei expresses our commitment to and global aspiration for a respect for humanity and makes clear the company's firm stance to working together with stakeholders around the world to achieve this.
This policy expresses Canon Group's commitment to respecting human rights and to taking measures to protect human rights under the corporate philosophy stated above, which we embed into our operational policies and procedures.
1. Respect for Human Rights
Canon commits to respect internationally recognized human rights across its business activities, as set out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, International Labor Organization (ILO) Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, and Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises. Specifically, Canon commits to respecting fundamental human rights, prohibiting discrimination, harassment or violence based on such factors as race, nationality, gender, religion and creed, promoting diversity, prohibiting child labor and forced labor (including human trafficking), prohibiting unreasonable restriction on movement, respecting freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining in accordance with the laws and regulations of each country and region, paying employees wages equal to or greater than legally mandated wages, preventing excessive overtime work and grant appropriate holidays, ensuring occupational health and safety, preventing occupational injuries, protecting privacy, and promoting responsible minerals sourcing.
2. Human Rights Due Diligence
In accordance with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, Canon conducts human rights due diligence to identify any adverse impact its business activities have on human rights, and to prevent or mitigate any adverse impact. In consideration of the findings of its human rights due diligence, Canon will review and update this policy, where necessary.
3. Grievance Mechanism
Canon establishes and operates an effective internal and external reporting system to understand any adverse impact its business activities may have on human rights. When Canon identifies that its business activities have negatively impacted human rights or contributed to a situation negatively impacting human rights, Canon will take appropriate steps to remedy the situation.
4. Awareness Training
Canon conducts human rights awareness training on a continuous basis to enable its executives and employees to deepen their understanding of international initiatives relating to human rights and this policy, and to respond appropriately to human rights issues.
5. Dialogue with Stakeholders
Canon communicates its human rights approach, as stated in this policy, to stakeholders through our website and other communication channels. In a series of initiatives under this policy, Canon learns from the human rights expertise of external experts and engages in dialogue with stakeholders such as employees and suppliers who are or could potentially be affected by our business activities in relation to human rights.
Canon seeks to contribute to our stakeholders' understanding of the international circumstances surrounding human rights. By cooperating with surveys and audits conducted by Canon, as well as with our responses to the risks uncovered through our initiatives, we encourage our stakeholders to join Canon in addressing human rights issues.
Date of establishment 10/15/2021
Human Rights Due Diligence
In implementing human rights due diligence, we identified the negative impacts of the Canon MJ Group's business activities on human rights and issues of high priority based on the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and guidelines issued by the Japanese government. We will continue with our existing measures to reduce human rights risks even further while strengthening them with respect to newly identified issues.
The Canon MJ Group's Priority Human Rights Initiatives
Rights Holder | Our activities | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Suppliers / Contractors |
Employees | Customers / Consumers |
||
Discrimination based on race, gender, religion, and other factors | ● | ● | Respect for Human Rights | |
Labor Practices | ||||
Harassment | ● | Respect for Human Rights | ||
Child labor | ● | Procurement Activities | ||
Forced labor | ● | |||
Excessive overtime work | ● | ● | ||
Occupational health and safety Health hazards and accidents | ● | ● | ● | Safety & Health and Health Support |
Procurement Activities | ||||
Quality Management | ||||
Invasion of privacy | ● | ● | Information Security |
Human Rights Awareness Training
We conducted an e-learning program for employees with the aim of instilling basic knowledge on business and human rights and awareness of the Canon Group Human Rights Policy. In 2022, a total of 15,193 Canon MJ Group executives and employees participated in the program (98.1% participation rate).
Elimination of Unreasonable Discrimination
The Canon Group Code of Conduct stipulates that all its executives and employees shall respect one another's personality and not unreasonably discriminate due to a person's race, religion, nationality, gender, age or other factor. The Canon MJ Group makes this provision known to its executives and employees and ensures that they observe it.
Measures to Deal with Harassment
At the Canon MJ Group, we take various measures to prevent sexual harassment, power harassment, and other problems before they occur. In training sessions for new employees and newly appointed managers, we clearly define workplace harassment and incorporate case studies as well as train them on appropriate ways to respond if an incident were to occur. Also, in our compliance meetings, our divisions hold discussions on harassment from the perspective that it can take place at any time in our surroundings.
The Canon MJ Group has established an internal harassment helpdesk that employees can consult without worries not only in person but also by e-mail or phone. The internal harassment helpdesk guarantees that the employee contacting it and other employees who cooperate in confirming the facts will not be treated disadvantageously and it strictly protects their privacy.
Prohibit Child Labor and Forced Labor
In accordance with the provision prohibiting child labor and forced labor (including human trafficking) in the Canon Group Human Rights Policy, the Canon MJ Group will respect international norms and implement efforts to mitigate and end these practices.
Labor/Management Relations
At Group companies with labor unions, changes in labor conditions such as wages, working hours and health and safety conditions are subject to prior consultation.
At Canon MJ, the Central Labor/Management Conference is held every month, enabling labor union leaders and management executives to exchange opinions and information broadly, not merely on labor conditions and other matters subject to consultation but also on management issues and others. In individual regions, labor/management conferences and labor/management meetings take place, both of which involve regional managers and labor unions. According to the arrangement with the labor union, an unofficial notice of a personnel transfer is to be given in principle not later than one week before the date of the transfer. (Canon MJ's non-consolidated percentage of union members: 71.1%)