Respect for Human Rights Throughout the Value Chain

Hitachi respects international human rights norms in every country and region and strives to continuously and thoroughly
implement those norms. Along with putting into practice the Hitachi Group Human Rights Policy and other guiding
principles, we are implementing educational activities targeting company executives and employees at each Group
company on an ongoing basis. At the same time, company executives are taking the lead in analyzing potential risks
within the business process and creating an organization in which human rights infringements do not occur.
We also have been putting in place a system for implementing human rights due diligence from the perspective ofpreventing any involvement with human rights violations, and in fiscal 2015 we expanded the system to include oursupply chain.

Human Rights Initiatives

officer in charge of human capital chairs this body, whose members

In May 2013, we adopted the Hitachi Group Human Rights Policy

include representatives from sales, procurement, human capital,

to supplement the Hitachi Group Codes of Conduct, drawn up inCSR, and other corporate units. Hitachi is improving its Group-wide

fiscal 2010. In this policy, we clarify our understanding of human

human rights awareness based on the guidelines discussed andrights as being, at a minimum, those outlined in the International

written by the Corporate Human Rights Promotion Committee.

Bill of Human Rights and the International Labour Organization’s

Information from deliverations is shared with all employees

Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work. This

through business units and business site committees, led by busi-policy shapes Hitachi’s approach to meeting the responsibility toness unit presidents and division heads. Business units provide con-respect human rights, including implementing human rights due

sultation services through which employees can seek consultation

diligence*1 in line with the UN Guiding Principles on Business andon issues such as sexual harassment and are working to ensure

Human Rights,*2 providing appropriate education to employees,that those coming forward are treated with respect and dignity.

adhering to national laws and regulations in all the regions andIn a practice launched in fiscal 2014, we distribute a humancountries where we operate, and seeking ways to honor therights message by Representative Executive Officer, President, andprinciples of international human rights when faced with conflicts

CEO Toshiaki Higashihara every year on December 10, Humanbetween internationally recognized human rights standards andRights Day. In fiscal 2015, approximately 148,000 executives andnational laws.

employees at Hitachi, Ltd. and Group companies in and outside

In fiscal 2014, Hitachi added the perspective of Business andJapan received an e-mail message regarding global trends in

Human Rights to its existing structures and policies and developed

human rights, Hitachi’s human rights policy and activities, anda guidance on human rights due diligence that explains proce-the importance of individual employees respecting human rights

dures for everyday business practices. Based on this guidance, inin their work.

fiscal 2015 we initiated human rights due diligence in procurement, assessing and prioritizing human rights risks in the supply
chain and considering measures to reduce these risks.
*1 Human rights due diligence: An ongoing process to identify and assess potential andactual human rights impacts, integrate findings, and take appropriate action to preventor mitigate potential impacts or to provide for or cooperate in remediation of actualimpacts. The processes also cover tracking the effectiveness of actions to address
impacts and communicating externally.
*2 UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights: Included in the March 2011
Report of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on the issue of humanrights and transnational corporations and other business enterprises, John Ruggie(A/HRC/17/31).

Hitachi Group Codes of Conduct

Hitachi, Ltd. Framework for Promoting Respect for
Human Rights
Corporate Human Rights Promotion Committee
Chairperson
Members

Executive officer in charge of human capital
Personnel in charge of corporate divisions such as
sales, procurement, human capital, and CSR

Business Unit and Business Site Committee
Chairperson

Business unit presidents anddivision heads

Members

Division managers

http://www.hitachi.com/corporate/about/conduct/index.html
Business Unit and Business Site Committee

Hitachi Group Human Rights Policy
http://www.hitachi.com/csr/renew/pdf/human_rights_policy.pdf

Framework for Human Rights
Hitachi, Ltd. established the Corporate Human Rights Promotion
Committee in fiscal 1981 to gauge the impact of business activities
on stakeholders’ human rights and to deliberate on mechanisms
and policies for preventing human rights violations. The executive46

Chairperson

Business unit presidents anddivision heads

Members

Division managers

Business Unit and Business Site Committee
Chairperson

Business unit presidents anddivision heads

Members

Division managers

Hitachi, Ltd. | Integrated Report 2016Engaging in Responsible
Procurement
As a company that procures products and services from suppliers in regions and countries around the world, Hitachi wasquick to introduce policies on CSR and green procurement.
Moreover, Hitachi has taken the lead in responding to theissue of conflict minerals, which has been the focus of public
interest in recent years, by scrutinizing the countries whereraw materials are mined in order to prevent the infringements on human rights by countries engaged in conflict.

Raising Human Rights Awareness Among
Executives and Employees

CSR Supply Chain Management Framework

Hitachi conducts regular group training and seminars and uses

likelihood of supply chain risks creating management problems, andvideos to educate employees in each business unit and Group

we are working hard to identify and mitigate these risks beforehand

company. The target is for each employee to attend these sessions

as much as possible. We established a CSR/Ecological Procurement

at least once every three years (equivalent to a yearly participation

Promotion Center within the Hitachi headquarters in fiscal 2011.

rate of 33.3%). In fiscal 2015, the participation rate came to 71.8%

We have also established the Hitachi Group CSR Green Procurementat Hitachi, Ltd. and 46.0% among Group companies. We also

Committee, which includes committee members from in-houseoffer an e-learning program on business and human rights,

and key Group companies. This completes a framework that will

launched in June 2013; as of March 2015, approximately 187,000

enable our CSR supply chain management and green procurement

Group employees in Japan and elsewhere had taken the pro-philosophy and initiatives to be shared throughout the Group.

gram. Using educational materials developed in line with theGiven the global reach of Hitachi’s business, there is a growing

In order to share the philosophy of Hitachi among our suppliers,

Hitachi Group Human Rights Policy, adopted in May 2013, thein fiscal 2015 we also introduced a new initiative to provide sup-program aims to ensure that employees understand Hitachi’spliers directly with information in a face-to-face format, in addi-

human rights policy and act accordingly. The training is provided

tion to the information shared on the Hitachi website as well as

to all employees once every three years on average, taking into

our CSR monitoring, CSR audits, and other measures. The first ofaccount human rights trends worldwide.

these face-to-face events was held in January 2016 at a CSR andIn July 2015, moreover, 25 Hitachi, Ltd. executive officers

green procurement seminar held in Shanghai for Hitachi Groupparticipated in an officer training session on the theme of humanpartners in China. The event was attended by 15 people from 12

rights in global businesses, led by Takaji Hishiyama of the Centercompanies, primarily suppliers in eastern China. At the seminar,for Corporate Behavior. Touching on several cases, Hishiyama dis-Hitachi explained topics including its fundamental CSR philosophy,

cussed what the international community expects of corporations

the CSR audit situation, regulatory trends under Chinese environ-

regarding respect for human rights and how human rights risks

mental laws, and Hitachi’s related policies. Feedback from partici-translate into business risks, among other topics.

pants included a comment from one person who was “impressedby the emphasis the Company places on not only monozukuri
craftsmanship but also on fulfilling its social responsibility in arange of areas.” Another participant “gained a sense that profitability is not the sole aim and that it is important to adhere toenvironmental laws.” As reflected in the comments, the seminarserved to deepen the understanding of Hitachi initiatives related
to CSR and green procurement.
Guidelines for Procurement Activities
http://www.hitachi.com/procurement/policy/__icsFiles/afieldfile/2010/08/30/
guidelines.pdf
Procurement Policy
http://www.hitachi.com/procurement/policy/index.html

A scene from the officer training session.

CSR/Green Procurement
http://www.hitachi.com/procurement/csr/index.html
47