Compliance

RMWe, the Sanyo Chemical Group, declared in our Code of Corporate Ethics that it is essential corporate behavior to ensure
legal compliance and to fulfill corporate social responsibility, which has been implemented to take the lead in the realizationof a sustainable society. With good sense and integrity, we are committed to improving our society and are following ourcompany mission, “Establish a better society through our corporate activities.”

Compliance system

accordance with the internal Whistleblowing Regulation.
The General Manager of the Auditing Division, who isWe have appointed a Director in charge of corporate eth-a member of the Compliance Committee Secretariat,

ics and established the Compliance Committee, which isserves as the internal contact point for whistleblowing.

under the direct control of the Board of Directors.

The corporate lawyer is available for the contact point

The Compliance Committee is a deliberative andoutside the Company. We operate the regulation requir-decision-making body on the basic policy and measures

ing that the whistleblowers’ confidentiality be carefullyregarding compliance. The committee holds regular

protected to prevent the identification of whistleblowers.

meetings. In FY2022, the committee studied the content

In FY2022, four reports in total were submitted throughto be learned by employees at corporate ethics study

the compliance hotline. All of these reports were related

meetings, which are held on a company-wide basis,to harassment. The facts were investigated with utmost

identified important risks that can be reduced throughcare so that whistleblowers would not be disadvantaged.

compliance activities, and formulated countermeasures.

For problems identified, guidance was offered and dis-

We have also set up the Auditing Division under theciplinary action was taken for target individuals, anddirect control of the President, so as to strengthen oureducation was offered to correct the situation. Previous-internal auditing function.

ly, the Sexual Harassment, Maternity Harassment, andLGBT Contact Points dedicated to harassment problems

Structure
Board of Directors

were in place separately from the whistleblowing contact
Compliance Committee
Secretariat:
Auditing Division General Manager,
Legal Affairs Department Manager

President

Auditing Divisionpoints. In April 2023, a consultation desk for harassment
problems was newly established outside the Company. A
mechanism will be created so that the whistleblowing contact points and the consultation desk are readily accessible to whistleblowers (employees seeking consultationservices). The status of operation of the whistleblowing

Business Auditing Department
Technical Auditing Department

Internal auditing
The Auditing Division conducts internal auditing. It objective-contact points is reported to the Compliance Committee.
Number of cases for which the hotline was used（FY）

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

141

2

4

Education and awareness-raising activities

ly inspects and evaluates the business management andoperation systems and the status of business execution in

Every year, the Sanyo Chemical Group holds sessions

terms of legitimacy, effectiveness, and efficiency. Based on

to study corporate ethics across all departments withthe results, it makes proposals for improvement or correc-

the objective of preventing the occurrence of corporate

tive recommendations, in order to facilitate the Company’smisconduct. In recent years, these sessions have placed

sound management and sustainable development.

particular focus on the kind of corporate culture that may
form the background to corporate misconduct. Partic-

Internal whistleblowing system

ipants learn that corporate culture reform leads to improved compliance by watching videos (short dramas).

51

If an employee becomes aware of a compliance prob-

In FY2022, participants watched a video on the themelem, the employee should basically discuss it with his/herof “a workplace where negative information is reported”

supervisor and/or the personnel concerned. However,and held group discussions. In total, 1,885 participants

if the problem cannot be resolved through such discus-

joined the sessions. After the sessions, a questionnairesions, the whistleblowing contact points (compliancesurvey was conducted to evaluate the overall compli-hotline) that conform with the Whistleblower Protection

ance activities of the Group and reflect the results on theAct are set up both inside the Company and outside ineducation activities in the following fiscal years.

Sanyo Chemical Group Integrated Report 2023