Respecting Human Rights

As is evident from the inclusion of human rights as one of the seven core issues cited in the ISO 26000 international standards on social responsibility (published November 2010), corporate activities relating to human rights promotion have become the global norm.
In October 2016, we amended our Group Policy for Human Rights to reflect public concerns about diversity, persons with disabilities, and LGBT issues, where we declare our commitment to respect human rights of all stakeholders. In June 2019, we amended the policy to clearly commit our human rights expectations/demands for suppliers and business partners and human rights due diligence.
Sompo Japan has also established the Human Rights Promotion Headquarters. This allows us to involve management in prompt, centralized decision-making on various issues, including human rights training for employees. Through this organization, they deploy a cross-functional and systematic measures aimed at promoting basic code of conduct on human rights issues at each workplace.
They have also introduced a hot line as a contact point for employees in all offices and accept inquiries by telephone, e-mail, or by letter. CSR seminars (environment, social contribution, human rights) are also implemented for all employees and workplaces every year with the aim of promoting employees’ understanding of human rights and creating a motivating, comfortable, and dynamic work environment.

• Group Policy for Human Rights

Human Rights Risk Identification and Mitigation

Our human rights due diligence process is implemented systematically and continuously based on our Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) and CSR Management System.

Since FY2018, the company-wide risk assessments performed by related departments and Group companies have covered human rights risks, in addition to labor-related risks. We use these risk assessment results to identify risks in our operations that could have an adverse impact on human rights.

Our human rights due diligence process is also incorporated into our group-wide CSR Management System. More detailed risk identification, drafting an annual CSR action plan and conducting half-year and full-year reviews are carried out through a bottom-up approach by related departments and group companies.

• Management System

Human Rights Risk Identification and Evaluation

We identify potential impacts and risks related to human rights for all businesses (Domestic P&C Insurance, Overseas Insurance Business, Domestic Life Insurance Business, Nursing Care & Healthcare Business, and other Strategic Businesses) and business processes through the entire value chain. In identifying human rights risks, we use various international guidelines such as the UNEP FI Human Rights Guidance Tool for the Financial Sector, and the CSR procurement self-assessment questionnaire published by the UN Global Compact Network Japan.

In FY2020 we carried out a risk evaluation on human rights based upon the two axes "Human rights impact (severity, number affected, and likelihood of remediation)" and the “Connection to company”.

＜Results of the Assessment – Human Rights Risk Mapping＞

Mitigating Human Rights Risks

From the midst of FY2019 to the end of FY2020, we are taking the following actions for mitigating human rights risks to address the issues identified in the assessment in FY2019.

• Employee health and safety

• Health and Productivity Management Initiatives

• Long working hours

With regard to the human rights risks of "Long working hours" identified in FY2019’s risk assessment, in FY2020, mitigation measures have taken under the framework of the CSR management system. After detecting this risk on each department and company, covering approximately 87.7% out of all employees, organizations worked on mitigation measures in the Action Plan. Of these, 43.6% of organization showed improvement through the use of the system of telecommuting /flextime as well as the reduction of overtime work through zero-based work review.

• Major ESG Data
• Work Style Innovation

• Inhumane treatment (including harassment) of employees and others

The Sompo Group Compliance Code of Conduct clearly states that all forms of harassment are prohibited, and we are implementing measures such as training on this issue.The "Rules of Employment” was revised in 2020 to set out that conduct falling within or suspected to be power harassment/sexual harassment is prohibited, and to clearly specify that conduct falling within or suspected to be harassment related to pregnancy, childbirth, childcare leave, nursing care leave, etc. is prohibited. In case of incident occurred, effective remedial action has been taken. We aim to improve the quality and availability of protection mechanisms to minimise the risks of the related incident of inhumane treatment including harassment.

＜Our Zero-Tolerance Policing＞
Complying with our “Group Human Rights Policy”, in all facets of labour practices, we will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnic origin, religion, creed, nationality, birthplace, social status, descent, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, sexual expression, pregnancy, marital status, age, disability or any other status.

• Compliance System

The Group has established a Compliance Hotline operated by a third-party body as an internal whistleblowing contact point for the entire Group. We are striving to increase its effectiveness by making the entire Group aware of this contact point and the rules of the whistleblowing system, including the prohibition on treating whistleblowers unfavorably. Since 2019, the company has also been a registered operator of the Self-Conformance Declaration of the Whistleblowing Compliance Management System Certification (WCMS Certification) operated by Consumer Affairs Agency, and is working to expand the scope of cases and protect whistleblowers.

• Overview of the Status of Internal Control System

• Inappropriate disclosure of employee and customer private data / Privacy violations

• Compliance System

• Discrimination related to products and services and other human rights violations

• Raising Awareness on Dementia
• Diversity & Inclusion

• Safety of products and services

• Offering Comprehensive Consulting Service for Food Risk Security
• Reducing the Work Burden on Nursing Care Staff and Improving the Quality of Nursing Care Using a Monitoring System

< Measures to Mitigate Human Rights Risks through Insurance Underwriting and Investment/Loan >

Sompo Japan is working to reduce human rights risks through its financial functions. Since October 2020, we have held dialogues with civil society (NGOs, etc.), experts, and experts, accurately grasping the expectations and requests of stakeholders, and utilizing them in the management of each business including insurance underwriting and investment and financing. We identify businesses that engage in child labor and forced labor as having a negative impact on society and respond carefully.

• Addressing ESG Issues in Sompo Group Business Operations