The Nichirei Group is constantly trying to create new customer value. It does so under the Group’s corporate vision of “To create value by connecting Food, People, and Planet.” At the same time, we are helping find solutions to challenges facing our society, in an effort to be an indispensable member of society.
Recognizing that our business processes may have a direct or even an indirect effect on human rights, we have instituted the Nichirei Group Human Rights Policy, based on the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. Our policy guides us as we seek to fulfill our responsibility to respect the human rights of all our stakeholders.

Human Rights Policy

In addressing the consideration of human rights in our business activities, the Nichirei Group recognizes that through our business activities in Japan and overseas, we may have various impacts on society and the environment, including our supply chain, and we wish to build appropriate relationships with our stakeholders in terms of society and the environment. The Human Rights Policy was established in April 2019 and revised in April 2022 based on the establishment of the Nichirei Group Sustainability Policy "Nichirei Pledge". Issues related to human rights are discussed by the Group Sustainability Committee.

At the Nichirei Group, we understand that our business activities, from research and development to procurement and provision of products and services, have potential or actual impacts on human rights. In line with the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, we carry out due diligence to identify, prevent and mitigate adverse impacts on the human rights of people involved in the Nichirei Group’s business activities.

History of Human Rights Initiatives and Future Roadmap

① Human Rights Policy

The Nichirei Group has established the Nichirei Group Human Rights Policy. In addition, we have formulated the Sustainable Procurement Policy, Supplier Code of Conduct and Supplier Guidelines, and aim to realize a sustainable supply chain by sharing values and building close cooperative relationships with our suppliers.

② Human Rights Due Diligence

②-1 Human Rights Risk Assessment

Human Rights Violation Risks That the Nichirei Group Should Pay Attention to

②-2 Impact Assessment Dialogue

Human Rights Due Diligence for Foreign Technical Interns and Specified Skilled Workers

The Nichirei Group provides various forms of support to foreign technical interns it accepts at its food factories in Japan, such as arranging their living environment, offering safety training and providing language support, to ensure that interns can live safe, healthy and fulfilling lives, both mentally and physically.
With respect to the issues identified through the interviews conducted with foreign technical interns with the support of NPO Caux Round Table Japan in October and November 2022, we have taken steps to improve conditions, such as installing personal lockers in intern residences and reimbursing the expenses interns paid in their home countries during their recruitment. As a result of those efforts, the numbers of those who continue to work in the Nichirei Group as specified skilled workers after completing technical intern training, and those who newly join the Group, have been on the rise.

Human Rights Due Diligence Initiatives with Overseas Suppliers

②-3 Information Disclosure and Education

Human Resource Development Related to Human Rights Due Diligence

The Nichirei Group has sustainability divisions in place at the holding company and major operating companies. We have clarified the roles of those in charge of sustainability at operating companies and provide specialized training such as human rights impact assessment.

③ Grievance Mechanism

The Nichirei Group has been operating an internal whistleblower hotline and consultation service (Nichirei Hotline) since October 2003 to allow employees to report and seek advice on actions that violate laws, regulations, the Articles of Incorporation, or internal rules, including human rights violations, as well as actions that raise social or ethical concerns. Also in July 2025, as a grievance mechanism, we set up and started operating the “Supplier and Stakeholder Human Rights Hotline,” which enables employees of the Nichirei Group’s business partners and suppliers who have suffered from human rights violations to report details thereof directly to the Company, either personally or through a representative.

④ Stakeholder Engagement

The Nichirei Group believes that human rights issues in the supply chain cannot be solved by an individual company alone, and that cooperation and dialogue with diverse stakeholders involved in/related to its business activities are essential.
We have been participating in the Nippon CSR Consortium, a stakeholder engagement program run by NPO Caux Round Table Japan since FY2019. Through dialogue with companies, NGOs/NPOs, and academic experts, we gain a deeper understanding of the importance of business activities that take human rights into consideration, and identify important human rights issues in each industry.
In June 2024, we exchanged opinions with Dignity in Work for All (DIWA), an international NPO that aims to resolve human rights issues for workers, on human rights issues in supply chains and how to make improvements on an ongoing basis. We promote a cycle of human rights due diligence, from identification of human rights risks to prevention, mitigation and redress, through cooperation with various stakeholders in addition to our suppliers and other business partners.

The report of stakeholder engagement program can be downloaded from the web site of CRT Japan.

We also participated annually from 2019 to 2024 in the International Conference on Business and Human Rights (organized by the Japanese Committee of the CRT), which is attended by domestic and international NPOs/NGOs and human rights experts.

Other Human Rights Initiatives

Ten Sedex Member Companies in the Food and Beverage Industry Form Working Team to Promote Human Rights Due Diligence in the Supply Chain

Ten companies in the food and beverage industry, including Nichirei Foods, which joined the Supplier Ethical Data Exchange (“Sedex”), have formed the Sedex Working Team of Buyers in the Food and Beverage Industry. Promoting the common use and standardization of Sedex within the food and beverage industry, the team has also been promoting membership of Sedex through initiatives including briefing sessions for suppliers in January and February 2023 and for companies that have trading company functions as of July 2023.

• Note:Nichirei Foods has been a member of Sedex, a non-profit organization dedicated to the realization of ethical and responsible business practices in the global supply chain, since July 2019. All factories owned by Nichirei Foods in Japan underwent Sedex Members Ethical Trade Audits (SMETA) in FY2022.

Initiatives for Human Rights of Employees

The Nichirei Group is aware that, when it comes to operating a global business, respecting the human rights not only of the Group’s employees, but also all stakeholders involved in its businesses is absolutely essential, and that this philosophy applies to all people and companies. Based on this way of thinking, the Group has referenced both the “ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work”^＊1 and the “UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights”^＊2, among other international human rights standards, and sets forth the Group’s Code of Conduct as follows. The Nichirei Group respects human rights and does not discriminate at all based on race, skin color, gender, religion, political views, nationality, social status, background, or any other factor. The Nichirei Group rejects all forms of forced labor and child labor. Furthermore, discriminatory behavior, violent behavior, sexual harassment, power harassment, and other such behavior is forbidden, and regulatory standards are adhered to with regards to wages (including legal allowances) and working hours.

• ＊1All member nations pledge to respect, promote, and realize the obligation to eliminate discrimination in hiring and employment, implement effective abolition of child labor, forbid forced labor, and effectively approve freedom of association and the right of collective bargaining.
• ＊2Established by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General John Ruggie with the objective of enforcing the “Protect, Respect and Remedy” framework established to strengthen the standards and customs related to multinational firms’ businesses and human rights.

As for informing employees about human rights, we are working to disseminate information related to human rights on the company intranet.

Regarding employee education on human rights, e-learning on "Business and Human Rights" is provided to all employees once a year to coincide with World Human Rights Day.

Labor–management relations

In order to support the sound development of the Nichirei Group, the Nichirei Labor Union strives to ensure that the individual rights of every union member are respected. This is based on the principle of equality among members of labor and management, as well as the union’s vision of a workplace environment with mutual incentives to work.
The union considers labor–management negotiations to be important. It thus narrows down the demands of its members and pushes for workplace improvements, all the while maintaining a productive relationship with management.

Internal Whistleblower Hotline and Consultation Service

Number of whistleblower reports and consultations regarding human rights issues

Study Sessions on Sustainability for Management

Since FY2023, we have invited experts to participate in study sessions for management (6 sessions in total in FY2023 and 3 sessions in total in FY2024).
By hosting study sessions, the awareness of human rights issues and DE&I (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) among the supply chain are raised.