SUMITOMO WAREHOUSE

Sustainability Initiatives

Respect for Human Rights

Sumitomo Warehouse established the Sumitomo Warehouse Group Human Rights Policy in 2023, and respects human rights in accordance with international standards. In 2024, we also signed the United Nations Global Compact, and support and respect the “freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining,” “prohibition of forced labor,” “prohibition of child labor” and “elimination of discrimination,” and comply with the laws and regulations of the countries and regions where we conduct our business activities. Furthermore, the Sumitomo Warehouse Group Business Conduct Guidelines set forth “Respect for Human Rights and the Dignity of the Individual” and explicitly state that we will not discriminate based on race, national origin, beliefs, sex, gender, age, religion, social status, or physical or mental disability.

Sumitomo Warehouse Group Human Rights Policy

The Sumitomo Warehouse Group (hereinafter referred to as “the Group”) places a high value on human rights in accordance with the international standards, since international logistics businesses, a social infrastructure, is one of its main businesses of the Group. We hereby set forth “Human Rights Policy” (hereinafter referred to as “the Policy”) under “Sumitomo Warehouse Group Business Conduct Guidelines”.

Scope of Application
The Policy shall be applicable to all the staff in the Group, including its directors, officers, employees and contract workers. The Group considers all the principles and commitments set forth herein shall be complied by all of them, and will promote to educate them so that the Policy will be understood by them and be implemented properly and effectively.
Prohibition of Discrimination
The Group places a high value on basic human rights and protection of individual rights of privacy in all the processes of its business activities, and do not discriminate against individuals unreasonably based on ethnic or social origin, nationality, beliefs, gender, age, religion, physical or mental disability or social status and any other grounds.
Prohibition of Harassment
The Group endeavors to eradicate any kind of harassment actions including but not limited to sexual or power harassment in the Group.
Compliance of Laws and Regulations
The Group complies with the internationally recognized standards with respect of human rights and all the applicable laws and regulations in the countries and regions where we conduct business activities. In case of inconsistency between them, we will seek ways to protect the human rights according to the said standards to the maximum extent possible while complying with the laws and regulations applied in the places the Group does its business activities.
Human Rights Due Diligence
The Group will identify adverse human rights impacts which can be caused by the Group’s business activities and seek to prevent or mitigate such impacts. In case it is clear to the Group that such activities cause, expand or have direct relationship with any adverse human rights impacts, we will take appropriate measures to remedy such circumstances.
Cooperation with Stakeholders
The Group will have communication with the stakeholders who can be affected by our business activities in order to construct trusting relationships with them and will encourage our contractors and any third parties who has a relationship with our business activities to endorse and cooperate for implementing the Policy.
Announce
The Group will report on our efforts with respect to the Policy through our website etc.

The Policy was approved by the board of directors of The Sumitomo Warehouse Co., Ltd. on March 30, 2023.

Management System for Human Rights

At Sumitomo Warehouse, the Human Rights Subcommittee, a subcommittee of the Sustainability Committee chaired by the President, formulates measures for the Group’s human rights, checks the progress of these measures, and shares information based on instructions from the Sustainability Committee. The Human Rights Subcommittee’s activity plan is implemented after approval by the Sustainability Committee, and the details are reported to the Board of Directors. The progress of human rights-related issues and targets is confirmed every quarter, and a report is made to the Sustainability Committee and the Board of Directors at least once a year, with management of human rights being carried out by receiving necessary instructions from the Board of Directors through the Sustainability Committee.

Related InformationCSR Promotion Framework

Human Rights Initiatives

Human Rights Due Diligence

Sumitomo Warehouse is promoting human rights due diligence based on the Sumitomo Warehouse Group Human Rights Policy. In FY2024, the Company launched a working group to identify and assess the Group’s negative impact on human rights (human rights violation risks) and examined the human rights violation risks that could be expected in each business field. In addition, the Company conducted an internal questionnaire survey on human rights violation risks and exchanged opinions with the Sumitomo Warehouse labor union and human rights experts, as well as explained key human rights initiatives to and exchanged opinions with main contractors, etc. The outcomes of these activities have been organized into a human rights risk map, and human rights issues to be addressed with priority have been identified. In FY2025, the Company will promote initiatives to prevent and mitigate the identified negative impact on human rights.

Human rights risk map

Human rights issues to be addressed with priority

Occupational health and safety
Long working hours
Harassment
Right to access to remedy

Education and Training

In addition to providing training on human rights, including the Sumitomo Warehouse Group Human Rights Policy, to all employees during training when they join the Company, Sumitomo Warehouse is also working to raise awareness of human rights by posting and disseminating information on “Preventing Harassment in the Workplace” on the Company’s intranet.

In FY2024, we conducted human rights training (e-learning) for employees of the Company and domestic Group companies, using the content created by HURIGHTS OSAKA. We also invited Professor Emi Sugawara from the Faculty of International Studies, Osaka University of Economics and Law for a study meeting.

Participation in Initiatives

Sumitomo Warehouse has signed the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) and is a member of Global Compact Network Japan (GCNJ), which is made up of Japanese companies and other organizations that have signed the UNGC.

Establishment of a Human Rights Consultation and Reporting Contact

In the event of a problem related to human rights, including harassment, consultations or complaints can be filed with the relevant department within the company (Personnel Section I, General Affairs Department and management sections in branch offices) or the helpline (internal contact point and external contact point (law firm)) by telephone or e-mail. The privacy of the person seeking consultation is protected, and they are never subject to disadvantageous treatment on the grounds of seeking consultation. Furthermore, anonymous reports can be made to the external contact point.

Related Information Helpline (Compliance)

Initiatives to Address Labor Issues

Mechanism for employee representatives to be involved in company management

Sumitomo Warehouse has set up a forum for labor-management discussions as a mechanism for dialogue between employee representatives and company management. Labor and management are working together to achieve an appropriate working environment and working conditions.

Reduction of excessive labor and overtime work

Sumitomo Warehouse is committed to reducing excessive working hours and overtime, and in addition to complying with laws and regulations on working hours and overtime, we have also established a policy to reduce overtime in our General Employer Action Plan. We are working to reduce excessive and overtime work, including the conclusion of an Article 36 Agreement through labor-management discussions on working hours, guidance through interviews with an occupational physician for employees who have worked a certain amount of overtime, and ensuring that all lights are turned off once a week.

Support for a living wage

Sumitomo Warehouse not only complies with labor laws and regulations on minimum wages and laws and regulations on their payment, but also pays a living wage that allows employees to maintain a certain standard of living that exceeds this. The average annual salary at Sumitomo Warehouse in FY2024 is 8.1 million yen.

Prevention of Child Labor and Forced Labor (Overseas)

The Group operates a global business, and confirms that risks such as that of child labor and forced labor are low when selecting partner companies overseas, with Group employees directly observing such companies as needed when commencing transactions.