Respect for Human Rights

NHK Spring Group, based on the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, supports international norms related to human rights and implements initiatives geared to respecting the human rights of all stakeholders involved in the Group's business activities.

NHK SPRING Group Human Rights Policy

NHK SPRING Group Human Rights Policy

We, the NHK SPRING Group (NHK SPRING CO., LTD. and its group companies, hereinafter referred to as "NHK SPRING Group") aims to continue to be an essential part of the society by providing " indispensable key components" in the fields of automobiles, data communications, and industry and life style, making full use of the metal heat treatment and processing technologies cultivated in the automotive parts business, and the metal bonding technologies used in parts for the information and telecommunications field.

In order to continue to be such a presence, NHK SPRING Group has established the "NHK SPRING Group - Global CSR Basic Policy" to "protect human rights, advocate human diversity, care for others, and nurture people" in order to build and practice good relationships with various stakeholders around the world.

In order to further embody this policy and deepen our efforts to respect human rights, we have established the " NHK SPRING Group - Human Rights Policy (hereinafter referred to as the "Policy")," and based on the Policy, we will promote efforts to respect human rights in the NHK SPRING Group supply chain and strive to fulfill our responsibility to respect the human rights of people involved in all of NHK SPRING Group's business activities. NHK SPRING Group will strive to fulfill its responsibility to respect the human rights of people involved in all of its business activities.

1. Commitment to Respect Human Rights
NHK SPRING Group supports the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and will work towards its implementation. NHK SPRING Group also respects international norms on human rights, including the International Bill of Human Rights (Universal Declaration of Human Rights and International Covenants on Human Rights), the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, and the Principles on the Rights of the Child and Business.

NHK SPRING Group will not engage in any discrimination or harassment based on nationality, race, ethnicity, creed, ideology, gender, social status, religion, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, mental or physical disability, illness, or place of origin. NHK SPRING Group will also strive to respect the human rights of all people in its business activities by prohibiting forced labor and child labor, managing working hours appropriately, guaranteeing freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining, ensuring minimum and living wages, and providing a safe, hygienic and healthy working environment.

In addition to the above, we respect the following with regard to human rights.

・NHK SPRING Group shall fulfill its responsibility to respect human rights by ensuring that the human rights of those affected by its business activities are not infringed upon and that negative impacts on human rights are not caused or encouraged.

・NHK SPRING Group shall respect its employees and those who work with them, promote the creation of a rewarding and comfortable workplace in which diverse human resources can play an active role, and shall not tolerate harassment of any kind.

・NHK SPRING Group respects the human rights of its business partners and other related parties and requires them to respect and refrain from infringing on human rights when their negative impacts on human rights are directly related to NHK SPRING Group's business, products, or services. In addition, NHK SPRING Group will encourage its business partners to prevent or mitigate negative impacts on human rights even when the relationship in the supply chain is indirect.

・NHK SPRING Group understands that its business activities may have an impact on people in local communities, and will strive to coexist in harmony with local communities.

NHK SPRING Group will comply with the laws and regulations of each country and region. In cases where international norms on human rights differ from the laws and regulations of each country or region, NHK SPRING Group will seek ways to respect higher standards or internationally accepted norms to the maximum extent possible.

2. Scope of Application
This policy applies to all officers and employees of NHK SPRING Group (including regular employees, contract employees, and temporary employees). NHK SPRING Group also expects all business partners to understand and comply with this policy and will work together to respect human rights.

3. Human Rights Due Diligence
NHK SPRING Group shall establish a human rights due diligence mechanism to identify, prevent or mitigate any apparent or potential negative human rights impacts related to NHK SPRING Group's business activities, and shall continuously endeavor to implement this mechanism.

4. Remediation
NHK SPRING Group will take appropriate steps to correct and remedy any negative human rights impacts that its business activities have caused, or have directly or indirectly contributed to, through appropriate procedures.

5. Education
NHK SPRING Group shall continuously educate and enlighten its officers and employees, as well as business partners as necessary, to ensure that this policy permeates throughout its business activities and is effectively implemented.

6. Information Disclosure
NHK SPRING Group shall disclose the progress and results of its efforts to respect human rights in a timely manner on the NHK SPRING Group website and other media.

7. Dialogue and Consultation with Stakeholders
In implementing this policy, NHK SPRING Group will utilize outside expertise and engage in sincere dialogue and consultation with relevant stakeholders.

8. Management System
NHK SPRING Group's human rights initiatives are overseen by the Executive Vice President in charge of sustainability policy, who discusses them at the Sustainability Committee and then submits them to the Corporate Strategy Committee and the Board of Directors for discussion and reporting.

The above policy was approved by the Board of Directors of NHK SPRING on August 7, 2024.

Date of Approval August 7, 2024
Representative Member of the Board, President
sign_KazuhisaUemura

 

Promotion Structure

The NHK Spring Group promotes human rights initiatives across the entire Group, primarily through the Human Rights Subcommittee, which operates under the Sustainability Promotion Committee. Matters discussed by the Human Rights Subcommittee are reported to and deliberated by the Sustainability Promotion Committee, chaired by the Executive Vice President and Representative Member of the Board, and are submitted to or reported to the Management Committee and the Board of Directors as necessary.
Decisions made by the Sustainability Promotion Committee, the Management Committee, or the Board of Directors are implemented and monitored by the Human Rights Subcommittee or the relevant departments as initiatives toward stakeholders.

Promotion Structure

 

Human Rights Due Diligence

At the NHK Spring Group, all employees, including executive officers, are working to deepen their understanding of human rights and to contribute to the realization of a society in which human rights are respected in line with the NHK Spring Group Human Rights Policy. We are also strengthening our frameworks and systems in preparation for the implementation of human rights due diligence.

Human Rights Due Diligence Process

 

Human Rights Risk Assessment

At NHK Spring, we conduct human rights risk assessments to identify potential adverse human rights impacts, including latent risks, that may arise within our own business activities and across our supply chain, and to analyze and evaluate their impact and significance.
  In conducting this analysis and evaluation, we first gain a comprehensive understanding of human rights risks within the NHK Spring supply chain by drawing on interviews with relevant NHK Spring departments, risks identified by international organizations and NGOs, and cases of risk materialization within the industry. Based on this, we perform a screening process to identify and evaluate the specific human rights risks that require priority action.

Addressing Priority Human Rights Risks through Prevention and Mitigation

Based on the results of the assessment, we have identified priority human rights risks and are advancing new measures to prevent and mitigate these risks, while further strengthening our existing initiatives.

Addressing Priority Human Rights Risks through Prevention and Mitigation

 

Remediation Measures (Grievance Mechanisms)

NHK Spring has established separate grievance mechanisms for both suppliers and employees to appropriately handle complaints regarding human rights violations or unfair treatment. Upon receiving a report, we investigate and verify the facts, provide feedback on the results to the reporter, and implement corrective measures as necessary to ensure proper resolution.

Partner Compliance Reporting Desk

Internal Training and Awareness

NHK Spring promotes training and awareness-raising activities with the aim of fostering correct understanding and heightened awareness of human rights among executive officers and employees.

Internal Training and Awareness

 

Other initiatives

Adopting

Participation in "My Declaration of Human Rights”

In July 2021, we joined the "My Declaration of Human Rights" project, an initiative of the Ministry of Justice, which aims to realize a society where everyone respects human rights. In doing so, we made the following declaration:
We will continue to respect human rights for all people and society involved in our business activities.

My Declaration of Human Rights