Introduction
The NRI Group aims to contribute to the creation of a sustainable society by solving social issues, and to achieve sustainable growth for the NRI Group itself. This is the fundamental principle of the NRI Group's sustainability management.
However, in order to achieve this goal, it is essential that we work together with all our business partners, not solely the NRI Group, and therefore your understanding and cooperation is essential.
This “NRI Group Business Partner Code of Conduct” is based on the NRI Group's aspirations for realizing sustainability management and the “RBA Code of Conduct” formulated and published by the RBA (Responsible Business Alliance), and outlines the matters that we would like our business partners to address together with NRI Group.
We will encourage our business partners and suppliers to comply with the NRI Group Policy on Human Rights, the NRI Group’s Environmental Policy and other policies, as well as this Code of Conduct, and to ensure that their own suppliers comply with these Policies.
NRI Group Business Partner Code of Conduct
Items
- A.
Labor
- B.
Health and Safety
- C.
Environment
- D.
Business Ethics
- E.
Management System
A. Labor
We ask our business partners to respect the human rights of workers, and to treat workers with dignity and respect.
*The term workers include all workers regardless of their type of employment such as temporary workers, foreign workers, students, contract workers, and direct employees.
1) Prohibition of Forced Labor (Freedom to Choose Employment)
Under no circumstances is forced, bonded (including debt bondage) or indentured labor, involuntary or exploitative prison labor, nor slavery or trafficking of persons permitted.
Transporting, harboring, recruiting, transferring, or receiving persons by means of threat, coercion, abduction or fraud for labor or services is also not permitted.
2) Prohibition of Child Labor
No work shall be performed by children of an age where work is prohibited.
A child of prohibited working age is defined as “any person under the age of 15, or under the age for completing compulsory education, or under the minimum age for employment prescribed by locally applicable laws, whichever is greatest.”
However, although participation in workplace training programs is permitted as long as all locally applicable laws are complied with, workers under the age of 18 (Young Workers) shall not be permitted to perform work that is likely to jeopardize their health or safety, including night shifts and overtime.
3) Compliance with Working Hours
In compliance with locally applicable laws, workers shall not be allowed to work in excess of the working hour limits set by such laws. In addition, said working hours, rest days, and holidays shall be properly managed.
4) Payment of Wages and Allowances
Wages and other allowances such as overtime pay shall be paid in compliance with locally applicable laws. In addition, when paying wages, workers shall be provided with a wage statement that includes sufficient information to verify accurate compensation for work performed.
5) Prohibition of Inhumane Acts and Harassment
Any inhumane acts or harassment including sexual harassment, sexual abuse, corporal punishment, mental or physical coercion, or verbal abuse of workers is prohibited.
6) Prohibition of Discrimination
Any discrimination based on race, ethnicity, national origin, place of birth, social status, social origin (family origin), gender, marital status, age, language, disability, health, religion, ideology or belief, property, sexual orientation or gender identity, or differences in occupation or employment status in any way including hiring and wages shall not be permitted.
7) Respect for Basic Labor Rights
In compliance with locally applicable laws, the basic labor rights of workers to organize, to bargain collectively, and to act collectively shall be respected.
8) Health Initiatives
In addition to complying with locally applicable laws, efforts shall be made to maintain and promote the health of workers.
B. Health and Safety
We ask our business partners to ensure the occupational safety of workers and to provide them a healthy working environment.
1) Ensuring Safety in the Workplace
The safety of workers is to be ensured by identifying and assessing potential risks in the workplace (chemical, electrical and other energy sources, fire, vehicles, and fall hazards, etc.) and subsequently implementing appropriate risk reduction measures and risk management.
2) Emergency Preparedness
Potential emergency situations (disasters, accidents, etc.) are to be identified and assessed, and their damage minimized by maintaining emergency response measures, procedures, and recovery plans. Such measures, procedures and plans shall focus on minimizing harm to life, the environment and assets.
3) Prevention of Occupational Injury and Illness
Regulations and systems are to be in place to prevent occupational injury and illness, including being aware of the status of any occupational injury and illness, providing necessary medical treatment, investigating cases and implementing corrective actions to eliminate their causes, and facilitating the return of workers to work.
4) Provision of a Hygienic Working Environment
Workers are to be provided with ready access to clean toilet facilities, potable water, rest rooms, and a sanitary eating environment. When providing dormitories, a sanitary and safe living environment is to be provided.
5) Health and Safety Related Communication and Education
Education and training on health and safety, along with the provision of easily understood workplace health and safety information for workers is to be implemented.
6) Ensuring Industrial Hygiene
The safety of workers is to be ensured by identifying and evaluating risks due to chemical, biological and physical substances and so forth, and subsequently implementing appropriate risk reduction measures and risk management.
7) Consideration for Physically Demanding Work
The risk of injury to workers shall be identified and evaluated for physically demanding tasks, such as manual material handling, heavy lifting, repetitive lifting, prolonged standing, highly repetitive tasks, or forceful assembly tasks, and measures shall be taken to prevent or reduce the risk.
8) Machine Safeguarding
The risk of injury to workers shall be identified and evaluated regarding production and other machinery, and measures shall be taken to prevent or reduce the risk.
C. Environment
We ask our business partners to minimize adverse effects on the community, environment, and natural resources, and to ensure a safe environment.
In doing so, please put forth effort to consider the environment using environmental management systems such as ISO 14001 as references.
1) Reduction of Energy Consumption and Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Energy consumption and all relevant Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions are to be tracked, documented, and publicly reported against the greenhouse gas reduction goal. In addition, continuous effort is to be put forth to improve energy efficiency and to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.
2) Water Management
Water shall be managed to reduce water consumption, and wastewater shall be properly treated and managed in accordance with locally applicable laws.
3) Air Emissions Management
Air emissions of volatile organic chemicals, aerosols, corrosives, particulates, ozone-depleting substances, and combustion by-products generated from operations are to be analyzed for content and appropriately treated or controlled as required prior to discharge. In addition, the status of air emission substances shall be monitored and controlled.
4) Environmental Permits and Reporting
In accordance with locally applicable laws, all required environmental permits, approvals, and registrations are to be obtained, maintained, and kept current and to be reported as required.
5) Pollution Prevention and Resource Use Reduction
Effort should be made to curtail or reduce emissions and discharges of pollutants and waste by modifying production, maintenance, and facility processes, or by other means. In addition, effort should be made to curtail or reduce the use of natural resources by practices such as modifying facility processes, use of substitution, re-use, or other means.
6) Hazardous Substance Management
Chemicals, waste, and other materials posing a hazard to humans or the environment are to be identified as well as labeled and managed, to ensure management of their safe handling, movement, storage, use, recycling or reuse, and disposal.
7) Solid Waste Reduction and Management
Solid waste (non-hazardous) is to be identified, appropriately managed, reduced, and disposed of or recycled in a responsible manner.
8) Green Procurement Product Standards
When providing products, the following items should be considered.
- Resource Conservation
Recycled parts and materials are to be used in order to reduce product weight and extend product life. - Energy Conservation
The power consumption of the product during use and whilst on standby is to be reduced to the extent possible. - Ease of disassembly
The product shall have a structure that can be easily disassembled into reusable parts and recyclable materials. - Material Restrictions
Locally applicable laws and customer requirements regarding the prohibition or restriction of specific substances in products and manufacturing (including labeling for recycling and disposal) are to be adhered to. - Ease of disposal
The product shall be designed so that it will have as little impact as possible on the treatment facility and the surrounding environment of the facility when it is finally disposed of. - Packing materials
Environmental considerations by embracing the 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle).
D. Business Ethics
We ask all our business partners to comply with business ethics in order to meet social responsibilities.
1) Business Integrity
Integrity is to be maintained in all business interactions, and a zero-tolerance policy to be upheld prohibiting all forms of corruptive practices such as bribery, extortion and embezzlement as well as any involvement with anti-social forces.
2) No Improper Advantage
Bribes or other means of obtaining improper advantage are not to be used. Monitoring and enforcement procedures shall be implemented to prevent corruption.
3) Disclosure of Information
All business dealings should be accurately reflected on the accounting books and records. In accordance with locally applicable laws and prevailing industry practices, information regarding labor, health and safety, environmental practices, business activities, structure, financial situation, and performance are to be disclosed.
In addition, no falsification of records or other misrepresentation in the supply chain shall be tolerated.
4) Intellectual Property
Intellectual property rights are to be respected in business dealings. Customer and supplier information is also to be safeguarded.
5) Fair conduct in Business, Advertising and Competition
Standards regarding fair conduct in business, advertising, and competition are to be upheld.
6) Protection of Identity and Non-Retaliation
Programs that ensure the confidentiality, anonymity, and protection of supplier and worker whistleblowers are to be maintained. A communicated process for workers and suppliers to be able to raise any concerns without fear of retaliation is to be maintained.
7) Responsible Sourcing of Minerals
Practice responsible sourcing of minerals to avoid complicity in conflict and inhumane activities.
8) Privacy
Privacy and information security laws and regulations are to be complied with when collecting, storing, processing, transmitting, sharing, and disposing of the personal information of all those with whom we have business dealings, including business partners, customers, consumers, and workers.
E. Management Systems
We ask our business partners to adopt or establish a management system to address the content of this Code of Conduct, and to make continual efforts and improvements.
The management system shall be designed to ensure the following:
- Compliance with locally applicable laws and customer requirements related to operations and products
- Conformance with this Code of Conduct
- Identification and mitigation of operational risks related to this Code of Conduct
Please include the following elements in the management system.
1) Company Initiatives
A management system to ensure compliance with this Code of Conduct to be established. The officer in charge shall be clearly designated as the person responsible for the management system and shall carry out continual efforts and improvement activities.
2) Responsibility to Your Business Partners
The matters set forth in this Code of Conduct are to be communicated to your business partners so that they can also understand and practice this Code of Conduct.