Respect for Human Rights

Guided by the Basic Commitment of the Toshiba Group, we declare that we value all stakeholders, such as our employees, customers, and shareholders. We support the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as well as other universal principles related to human rights and labor, and respect human rights through our sound business activities.

Toshiba Group stipulates respect for human rights as Article 1 in the Standards of Conduct for Toshiba Group, and has declared that it conducts corporate activities with consideration of human rights. In light of recent changes in global society's awareness of human rights, we established the Toshiba Group Human Rights Policy in March 2022. We understand that our corporate activities have impacts on human rights, and that we fulfill our responsibilities by respecting the human rights of all stakeholders involved in Toshiba Group's corporate activities.

• Toshiba Group Human Rights Policy(347KB)
  

In formulating the policy, as a signatory to the UN Global Compact, we referred to international norms and guidelines, including the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and ISO 26000, and reflected opinions and suggestions from a third-party organization specializing in human rights.
This policy supplements the Standards of Conduct for Toshiba Group and the Toshiba Group Sustainability Policy, and applies to all persons working for Toshiba Group, including directors, officers, and employees. We also communicate the policy to business partners, suppliers, and related parties and request them to act in accordance with this policy.

The executive officer who oversees the Sustainability Management Division is responsible for implementation of this policy.

International norms and guidelines related to human rights that we refer to in conducting our business activities:

• UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights
• OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises
• OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Business Conduct
• UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights
• UN Guiding Principles Reporting Framework
• ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work
• ILO Tripartite Declaration of Principles concerning Multinational Enterprises and Social Policy
• Convention on the Rights of the Child
• UN Global Compact
• ISO 26000 (Guidance on social responsibilities)
• GRI Standards
• Responsible Business Alliance Code of Conduct (RBA)

Toshiba Group has released a statement on slave labor and human trafficking based on the Modern Slavery Act enacted in the UK and Australia. The statement declares that Toshiba Group does not allow forced labor or child labor under the Standards of Conduct for Toshiba Group, and that it will fulfill its responsibility to human rights as a company, including in its supply chain.

• Toshiba Group Slavery and Human Trafficking Statement(259KB)
• Past statements

This statement excludes Toshiba Tec Corporation, the Company’s subsidiary listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, and its subsidiaries. Toshiba Tec Group plans to issue its own statement separately.

Toshiba Group is committed to respect for human rights as one of its material issues. The Human Resources & Administration Division is responsible for promoting and raising awareness of human rights among Toshiba Group employees (including temporary and contract employees). Under the Human Rights Enlightenment Committee chaired by the Executive Officer in charge of Human Resources and Administration, the Human Resources and Administration Division formulates measures for the promotion of respect for human rights and enrichment of awareness in accordance with the Toshiba Group Human Rights Policy.

With regard to respect for human rights, in addition to individual divisional initiatives related to labor, health and safety, etc., we also collaborate with the Sustainability Management Division, the Legal & Compliance Division, and the Procurement Division on initiatives to share, correct, and prevent the recurrence of issues and risks related to Toshiba Group's business and human rights. In raising awareness of human rights, we create training courses and materials, establish a promotion structure, and provide instructions and support throughout Toshiba Group.

In addition, the activities of the Human Resources and Administration Division are discussed by the Human Rights Enrichment Committee, and details of the deliberations and decisions are reported to the Board of Directors. Information on human rights risks is also shared at the Sustainability Strategy Committee and the Risk Compliance Committee.

Recognizing that it is important to promote respect for human rights initiatives not only within Toshiba Group but also throughout the supply chain, the Procurement Division requests that suppliers give consideration to human rights and promotes sustainable procurement activities based on the
Toshiba Group Procurement Policy.

• Promote Sustainable Procurement

Toshiba Group conducts human rights due diligence on human rights risks related to its business activities in accordance with the UNGPs. As part of such efforts, in cooperation with Business for Social Responsibility (BSR), a U.S.-based sustainability advocacy organization, we conducted human rights impact assessments in FY2014, 2017, and 2022. We have deepened our understanding of the impact of the Toshiba Group's business activities on human rights and have identified the following as salient risks in line with our current business activities.

Issues identified as such in the FY2017 human rights impact assessment are stated as priority items in our human rights policy, and we are addressing them based on relevant laws and international norms. In addition, the status of the priority items at each company is confirmed in the human rights risk assessments (Human Rights Risk Assessment Program: Human Rights RAP) implemented each year at Toshiba Group consolidated companies in Japan and overseas, and we work to prevent and correct any negative impacts. For new issues identified in the FY2022 impact assessment, we will consider measures, including for those involved in the business.

Toshiba Group recognizes that since foreign workers, migrant workers, interns, and trainees are likely to be at risk of labor exploitation and forced labor, this issue must be addressed as a priority. Two of our Group companies in Japan accepted technical trainees from Vietnam, and we conducted in-person interviews with about 40% of the total number of them. The interviews were conducted by BSR, and the results were reported anonymously to the companies. In its assessment, BSR found some positive aspects, such as trainees' overall satisfaction with their workplace and daily life, the availability of consultation mechanisms to address concerns, and human relations within the companies. Several issues were noted, including a lack of confirmation of pre-arrival health check items and insufficient explanation of the company's support during pregnancy, but these have been improved as of March 2023. Regarding the recruitment fee that many trainees bear, we will review its breakdown and consider specific measures based on expert opinions and international norms.

Toshiba Group recognizes the importance of respecting the rights of local residents and indigenous peoples living near our business sites in order to continue our business and coexist with local communities, and we have implemented various measures to ensure such respect. We conduct environmental impact assessments before starting new projects to minimize the environmental impact of our operations. We also comply with the environmental laws and regulations of each country and region to take all possible measures to preserve the local environment and to consider the potential impact of our business activities on the human rights of residents.

• Platform for a wide range of Stakeholders: Engagement and Remedy Platform by JaCER
• Quality Control for Safety and Reliability
• Product Safety and Product Security
• Cyber Security, Privacy
• Toshiba AI Governance Statement

Toshiba Group annually reviews and monitors the status of human rights initiatives at Group companies through the Human Rights RAP, and strives to prevent issues before they arise, correct inappropriate initiatives, and prevent issues from recurring. In FY2022, we conducted a survey of 151 companies, excluding newly established companies and companies to be liquidated. As to the initiatives for harassment issues, we checked whether they had harassment counseling services and whether their employment regulations included matters related to harassment prevention. As a result, we have confirmed that they are in all place. We will continue to use the Human Rights RAP to monitor human rights initiatives and strengthen measures to prevent issues from arising.

• Inspection of Implementation Status of Risk Management and Compliance Measures

Due diligence on suppliers is conducted by the Procurement Division. The human rights risks and countermeasures identified in the process are shared with Sustainability Management Division, Human Resources & Administration Division and Legal & Compliance Division to ensure that respect for human rights is addressed throughout the value chain.

• Practicing Sustainable Procurement Activities (Supplier due diligence)

Toshiba Group will continue to deepen its understanding of the impact of its business activities on human rights and will implement initiatives to prevent and mitigate negative impacts through stakeholder engagement and other means.

Our Human Rights Enrichment Committee is the driving force to raise awareness about respect for human rights among employees. It aims to increase the familiarity among all employees in Toshiba Group and its business sites with the Standards of Conduct for Toshiba Group and provide training programs on human rights at the time of hire and before/after employees get promoted or appointed to managerial positions.

We conduct an annual e-learning program on Article 1 “Respect for Human Rights" of the Standards of Conduct for Toshiba Group for executives and employees (including temporary and contract employees) of Toshiba Group companies in Japan and overseas. In FY2022, it covered the content of the Toshiba Group Human Rights Policy, global issues related to business and human rights and the responsibilities that companies are expected to fulfill, as well as the prohibition of harassment and the promotion of diversity and inclusion. For employees who are unable to take the e-learning course, we distributed a booklet based on the e-learning material and strive to promote understanding of respect for human rights throughout all Group companies.

Toshiba Group prohibits harassment, including sexual harassment, power harassment, and other forms of bullying and harassment in the workplace, in our employment regulations and collective agreements, and stipulates that perpetrators of such harassment will be subject to disciplinary action.

We also provide consulting services at each workplace and group company, and regular training for consulting service staff every year. In FY2021, we focused on power harassment, and held online training sessions in which we shared common elements and examples of cases consulted on, showed how to respond to instances of such harassment using actual cases, and talked about emotional self-control, which consulting service staff need to be conscious of. In FY2022, the theme of the training was LGBT+, and we held online training sessions on recent trends regarding LGBT+ and points to consider when offering consultation services, supported by case studies.

Toshiba Group promotes diversity and inclusion (D&I) and holds various training sessions aimed at cultivating work environments where employees can work comfortably. We will continue to actively promote these initiatives throughout the Group.

• Promotion of DEIB (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Belonging)

Toshiba publishes case studies from outside the Company regarding violation of human rights on our company intranet, in order to improve employee awareness. We summarize and introduce the key points of risk management and related laws in a nutshell.

Toshiba has a system in place to comply with labor standards. Once every six months, a subcommittee of the Risk Compliance Committee related to human resources and general affairs meets to ascertain the status of violations and improvement measures, etc. with regard to topics such as human rights and harassment, individual fraud, health & safety and industrial accidents, long working hours, fixed-term employment management, labor issues, and the Act on Securing the Proper Operation of Worker Dispatching Businesses and Protecting Dispatched Workers and the Employment Security Act, and works sequentially to take corrective measures.
The subcommittee reports violations that occurred during the six-month period, and makes decisions on specific measures (revision and dissemination of internal regulations and operations, modification of related systems, and management education, etc.) to correct the problematic areas during the following six months.

Toshiba Group receives internal reports and consultations concerning human rights through points of contact for employees and business partners, and also responds to consultations and complaints and grievance reports from a wider range of stakeholders through a third-party platform.

Toshiba has established the Toshiba Hotline (operating 24/7) for providing information and consulting on action that may be problematic relative to laws, regulations, social norms, corporate ethics, the Standards of Conduct for Toshiba Group, or internal regulations. The aim of the hotline is to prevent risks related to breaches of compliance such as legal violations and fraudulent transactions, and to promote the resolution of problems. Under this system, all employees working in Toshiba Group in Japan*, including non-regular employees, can anonymously consult the hotline personnel on concerns they may have on such matters as workplace culture and interpersonal relations, personnel conditions, or harassment, by phone or e-mail. Personal information such as department, name and contact details will not be disclosed elsewhere without consent of the whistleblower or person seeking advice. In addition, internal regulations stipulate that whistleblowers and people seeking advice shall not be subject to disadvantageous treatment. If the Toshiba Hotline receives a report, it notifies the whistleblower of its receipt thereof and carries out necessary investigations. If it finds any matter that requires corrective action, it will promptly put remedial measures in place to prevent recurrence and will also inform the whistleblower of results of said investigation. In this way, we have established and are operating a response system that complies with the amended Whistleblower Protection Act.
In FY2022, 133 cases were reported to the Toshiba Hotline (65 cases related to labor issues/harassment, 27 cases related to internal regulations/rules, 9 cases related to compliance, and others related to the working environment), and in each case we undertook measures that included conducting hearings with the person who made the report and related parties after obtaining the consent of the reporter.

Overseas, we have established the Toshiba Group Overseas Hotline, which commenced operations worldwide in January 2022, to which employees of Toshiba Group companies in different regions can make reports in their local languages, with the main regional headquarters acting as the point of contact. The overseas hotline also allows employees to make reports anonymously, and personal information such as department, name and contact details will not be disclosed elsewhere without consent of the whistleblower or person seeking advice. Also, as with the Toshiba Hotline, internal regulations stipulate that whistleblowers and people seeking advice shall not be subject to disadvantageous treatment.
In FY2022, in addition to the aforementioned 133 cases reported, 65 cases were reported to the Toshiba Group Overseas Hotline. In each case we undertook measures that included conducting hearings with the person who made the report and related parties after obtaining the consent of the reporter.

• Limited to Toshiba and its domestic consolidated subsidiaries

Toshiba Group is creating a system that facilitates employee consultation about harassment and aims to build an inclusive and comfortable working environment in which counselors address concerns together with the employees. Key Group companies have set up consultation centers to deal with issues related to harassment and have appointed one male counselor and one female counselor.
In FY2022, 94 cases were reported to the consultation centers, including reports related to workplace harassment, which have checked details of each case so that they can be reflected in the anti-harassment training.

Toshiba established an Audit Committee Hotline in FY2015 that allows employees to report directly to the Audit Committee, which is not under the command of the President and CEO. The Audit Committee Hotline has been established primarily to prevent the emergence of compliance violation risks, such as violations of laws and regulations, and improper transactions, as well as to accelerate the resolution of issues.

In April 2006, Toshiba set up a supplier whistleblower system Clean Partner Line to receive reports from suppliers and business partners to prevent noncompliance and unfair trading practices by employees in charge of procurement.

Toshiba has been responding to human rights-related reports and consultations from its employees and suppliers. In order to receive complaints and grievance reports on business and human rights issues from a wider range of stakeholders*, and to establish a grievance mechanism to resolve those issues, Toshiba joined the Engagement and Remedy Platform operated by Japan Center for Engagement and Remedy on Business and Human Rights (JaCER) in October 2022. JaCER is an organization that aims to provide the non-judicial platform for redress of grievances and to act in a professional capacity to support and promote redress of grievances and remedies by member companies based on the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. Toshiba Group will respond to complaints and grievance reports in an appropriate manner by utilizing the platform to ensure fairness and transparency in the process.

• Group employees are supposed to use the Toshiba Hotline or Audit Committee Hotline, not this platform.

• Risk Management and Compliance

Toshiba Group actively participates in initiatives by international and industrial organizations to address human rights issues.

• Responsible Business Alliance (RBA) -joined in 2011
• Human Rights Working Group held by Business for Social Responsibility (BSR) -joined in 2015, and continued since then
• Human Rights Due Diligence Study Group and ESG Study Group organized by the Global Compact Network Japan (GC-NJ) -joined

• Participation in External CSR and Sustainability Initiatives Organizations