Nisshin Seifun Group

Group Policies

Corporate Governance

Corporate Governance Policy (131.0KB)

Fair Business Practices

Responsible Procurement Policy

Responsible Procurement Policy (189.5KB)

The Nisshin Seifun Group (the “Group”) believes that it is essential to promote our initiatives for social responsibility based on dialogue between all executives, employees and our business partners, including suppliers, in order to contribute to the sustainable development of the society.

The Group has established this policy based on the “Corporate Code of Conduct and Employee Action Guidelines”, and the “Sustainability Principles”. With the cooperation of our suppliers, we are committed to responsible procurement activities based on fair and ethical transactions.

  1. Our Responsibility toward Consumers; Quality Assurance
    In our procurement activities, we make it a top priority to ensure the safety of our products from the consumer’s perspective and provide quality assurance that allows consumers to feel more secure.
  2. Legal Compliance and Ethical Transactions
    Our procurement staff do not engage in procurement activities that violate laws, ethics, or business integrity.
  3. Promoting Businesses Rooted in Local Community
    We will make efforts to promote procurement from local suppliers so that we can contribute to local community development through local businesses.
  4. Human Rights
    In accordance with the “Nisshin Seifun Group Human Rights Policy”, we will put said policy’s approach into practice and work together with our suppliers to integrate human rights protections.
  5. Global Environment
    Based on the “Nisshin Seifun Group Environmental Policy”, we will work with our suppliers to conduct procurement activities in an environment-friendly manner.
  6. Mutual Trust and Co-Prosperity with Our Suppliers
    Under the principle of fair and free competition, we aim to achieve co-existence and coprosperity with our suppliers based on mutual trust, respecting our suppliers’ positions and sharing in the resultant achievements with them.
  7. Establishing Management Systems

    (1) Education and Training
    We will appropriately provide education and training programs for our employees to raise awareness and thoroughly implement this policy.

    (2) Monitoring, etc.
    We will periodically monitor the status of compliance with this policy, and will establish internal systems including reporting mechanisms necessary to thoroughly implement it.

Effective Date: March 26, 2019

Request to Our Valued Suppliers (Supplier Guidelines)

Request to Our Valued Suppliers (Supplier Guidelines) (286.8KB)

The Nisshin Seifun Group (the “Group”) has recently established the “Nisshin Seifun Group Responsible Procurement Policy” based on the “Corporate Code of Conduct and Employee Action Guidelines” and the “Sustainability Principles”. The Group believes that collaboration across our entire supply chain is essential to realize the sustainable development of society.

We respectfully request that each of our valued suppliers understand the purpose and content of these guidelines and put them into practice in your business. We also request our suppliers to encourage your own suppliers to operate within these guidelines.

  1. Legal Compliance
    1. (1) Legal Compliance
      Ensure legal compliance with all relevant laws and regulations applicable to supplier’s business activities.
    2. (2) Respect for International Norms of Behavior
      Respect international norms of behavior in countries and/or regions where supplier operates, even if such laws and regulations are not formally in place.
  2. Respect Human Rights and Workers’ Rights
    1. (1) No Discrimination
      Do not discriminate on the basis of gender, age, nationality, ethnicity, race, place of origin, religion, belief, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, etc.
    2. (2) No Child Labor / Forced Labor
      Do not tolerate the use of child labor under legal working age, any form of forced labor, slave labor, and labor through human trafficking.
    3. (3) Respect for Workers' Rights
      Respect fundamental principles and rights applicable to workers, such as freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining, in accordance with the laws and regulations of each country.
    4. (4) Fair Wages and Appropriate Management of Working Hours
      Pay fair wages in excess of the minimum wage and living wage and manage working hours appropriately, in accordance with the laws and regulations of each country.
    5. (5) Ensuring Employees’ Health and Safety
      Provide a safe and healthy working environment in compliance with the laws and regulations of each country.
    6. (6) No Harassment
      Do not harm the dignity of individuals through harassment.
    7. (7) Respect Rights of Local Peoples
      Respect the rights of local and indigenous peoples in the regions where Supplier conducts business.
  3. Global Environment
    1. (1) Climate Change Actions
      Take action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through activities such as energy conservation, low-carbon and/or decarbonized energy use.
    2. (2) Recycling Resources
      Promote efforts to reduce, reuse and recycle resources in order to promote efficient use and recycling. Also promote the use of materials and raw materials that have less environmental impact.
    3. (3) Appropriate Use of Water
      Promote efficient and recyclable use of water resources.
    4. (4) Pollution Control
      Prevent air, water, and soil contamination in accordance with relevant laws and regulations. Conduct appropriate management of chemical substances and appropriate disposal of waste.
    5. (5) Biodiversity Conservation
      Conduct business activities that take into account the impact on vulnerable plants and animals and their habitats.
    6. (6) Procurement of Raw Materials
      Strive to conserve resources by using farmed or procured raw materials with due consideration to the conservation of resources.
  4. Ethics
    1. (1) Anti-Corruption
      Maintain fair business practices, eliminate any corruption and maintain corporate conduct based on sound ethical standards.
    2. (2) Ethical Behavior
      Endeavor to: protect intellectual property rights, conduct responsible marketing, appropriately disclose information, maintain confidentiality, protect privacy - including personal information, and avoid antisocial forces.
    3. (3) Animal Welfare
      Endeavor to adopt sound treatment of animals, taking into account animal welfare.
  5. System to Promote Guidelines
    1. (1) Education and Training
      Conduct appropriate education and training for employees to raise awareness of guidelines and content.
    2. (2) Monitoring and Reporting System
      Establish internal systems, including for monitoring the status of compliance with guidelines and reporting mechanisms.

Effective Date: March 26, 2019

Anti-Bribery & Anti-Corruption Policy

Anti-Bribery & Anti-Corruption Policy

Anti-Bribery & Anti-Corruption Policy (178.0KB)

The basic stance of the Nisshin Seifun Group (the "Group") is to comply with laws, corporate ethics and social norms, to maintain social order, and to promote fair and ethical business practices in accordance with the “Corporate Code of Conduct and Employee Action Guidelines”.
Our Group has established this policy to prevent corruption in all forms such as bribery and comply with related laws and regulations.

  1. Scope
    This policy applies to the officers and employees of Nisshin Seifun Group Inc. and its subsidiaries.
  2. Prevention of Corruption
    Our Group prohibits and strives to prevent corruption by persons abusing their job authority or position for the benefit of individuals or organizations, including through bribery, embezzlement, breach of trust, obstruction of justice, money laundering and insider trading.
  3. Prohibition on Bribery
    Our Group prohibits any form of bribery such as providing, receiving, subscribing to, or promising illegal payoffs in order to solicit or cause inappropriate conduct that violates laws, ethics, or integrity through the abuse of the person’s authority or position.
    1. (1) Prohibition of Bribery to Public Officials, etc.
      Our Group does not allow the provision of improper entertainment, gifts, benefits, etc., or other economic advantages, offers, or commitments to public officials or equivalent (hereinafter, "Public Officials, etc.") in Japan or overseas.
    2. (2) Payments to Agents, etc.
      Our Group will not make payments to outside business consignees, agents or consultants, etc., if we believe that part of the payment will be, or likely will be, used in illegal activities involving Public Officials, etc..
    3. (3) Entertainment and Gifts to Business Partners other than Public Officials, etc.
      Any provision of entertainment, gifts, benefits, or other economic advantages to officers and employees of business partners whom are not Public Officials, etc. shall only be made if in compliance with the laws of each country and within the scope of social norms.
    4. (4) Donations
      Donations, including charitable and political contributions, must comply with relevant laws and regulations and must be above any suspicion of bribery. We will also ensure the appropriateness of donations.
    5. (5) Entertainment and Gifts
      We do not accept excessive entertainment or gifts from business partners that go beyond the scope of social courtesy.
    6. (6) Records Management
      Accounting records are prepared and maintained in a timely and accurate manner for all transactions and asset disposals.
  4. Dissemination and Implementation
    To ensure implementation of the Policy, we will appropriately educate our employees and make them aware of the policy herein.

Effective Date: March 26, 2019

Information Security

Privacy Policy (Japanese)

Information Disclosure and Dialogue

Disclosure Policy (Japanese)

Respect for Human Rights

Human Rights Policy

Human Rights Policy

Human Rights Policy (106.6KB)

The Nisshin Seifun Group (the “Group”) respects the human rights of all people involved with our Group's business. In accordance with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, this policy is designed to respect human rights as defined in international norms including: the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR); International Covenants on Human Rights (International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights); and the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, and to ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations of countries where the Group operates. In the event that in some countries or regions there is a gap between local laws and international norms, the Group will make every effort to respect international norms where possible.

Scope

This policy applies to Nisshin Seifun Group Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries. Further, based on this policy, if our business partners and other stakeholders associated with the Group's businesses are involved in actions that negatively impact human rights, our Group will encourage these partners to respect human rights and not infringe on them.

Human Rights Due Diligence

The Group will establish and continue to implement mechanisms necessary to identify potential and actual human rights risks and take actions to prevent or mitigate those risks.

Access to Remedies

If it becomes clear that the Group has caused or is involved in negative impacts on human rights, we will strive to remedy them through our appropriate internal and external procedures. In addition, we will establish and maintain grievance procedures necessary for this purpose.

Education

Our Group will periodically provide appropriate education programs to executives and employees to ensure that this policy is integrated into all the activities of Nisshin Seifun Group Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries.

Stakeholder Dialogue

Our Group will engage in dialogue and consultation with relevant stakeholders on our measures to deal with potential and actual impacts on human rights.

Information Disclosure

Our Group will disclose information appropriately to maintain full accountability for the Group’s efforts based on this policy, as well as our responses to potential and actual human rights impacts.

Establishing Appropriate Systems

Based on this policy, the Group will establish systems necessary for promoting business activities that respect human rights.

Appendix

The appendix specifies the Group's priority issues on human rights. These priority issues will be reviewed as necessary taking into account changes in the Group's business and social circumstances.

Effective Date: December 21, 2018

Appendix: Priority Issues on Human Rights

Appendix: Priority Issues on Human Rights (107.2KB)

Appendix: Priority Issues on Human Rights

No Discrimination

We do not tolerate any discrimination based on gender, age, nationality, ethnicity, race, place of origin, religion, belief, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, etc.

No Child Labor / Forced Labor

We do not tolerate the use of child labor under legal working age, any form of forced labor, slave labor, and labor through human trafficking.

Respect for Workers' Rights

We respect fundamental principles and rights concerning workers, such as freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining, in accordance with the laws and regulations of each country.

Fair Wages and Appropriate Management of Working Hours

We will pay fair wages in excess of the minimum wage and living wage and manage working hours appropriately, in accordance with the laws and regulations of each country.

Ensuring Occupational Health and Safety

We will provide a safe and healthy working environment, in accordance with the laws and regulations of each country.

No Harassment

We do not tolerate any harassment that violates the dignity of individuals.

Respect Rights of Local Peoples

We respect the rights of local and indigenous peoples in the regions where Supplier conducts business.

Respect for Privacy

We respect privacy, including the protection of personal information, in accordance with the laws and regulations of each country.

Responsible Marketing

We do not tolerate any discriminatory expression or harmful influence on children in our marketing activities.

Consumer Safety

We will prevent any adverse effects from our products and services on consumers' health, etc.

END

Environment

Environmental Basic Policy

Environmental Basic Policy

Environmental Basic Policy (122.8KB)

Our Philosophy

Global environmental protection is an important issue for the whole of society toward human existence and prosperity, and the most critical management issue for companies doing business as a member of society.

Under a corporate principle of “contributing to a healthy and fruitful life for all” which is founded on the guiding philosophies of “the basis of business is built on trust” and to be “in tune with the changing climate”, Nisshin Seifun Group conducts our free and active business with deep understanding as a member of the global community for environmental protection.

Philosophy Guideline

  1. We will work on the development and design of products, and production and facilities technologies that take into account the life cycle in order to reduce environmental impact at all stages, from raw material sourcing, manufacturing, and distribution to consumption, and disposal.
  2. We fully comply with environmental legislations and regulations under our Group Corporate Code of Conduct and will seek to contribute to achieve environmental policies that local governments, international organizations, and administrative authorities are promoting.
  3. In all of our business activities, we will work on climate change through contributing to building a decarbonized society and addressing climate change adaptation, biodiversity conservation, and effective use of water resources, which are recognized as challenges facing humanity to realize a sustainable society.
  4. In our business activities, we will work to reduce our environmental impact through energy savings, reuse and recycling of resources, and reduction of waste and water use, and utilization of recycled and biodegradable material in order to reduce our environmental impact and achieve a circular economy. We will also work on the prevention of air, water and soil pollution, including appropriate management of chemical substances.
  5. We improve the workplace environment and foster a corporate culture that is always aware of environmental protection through providing information and training to employees.
  6. We disclose environmental information to our stakeholders, including our performance around any environmental incidents and our response and mitigation efforts in an appropriate manner.
  7. As a member of the community, we engage stakeholders to learn about local environmental issues, needs and expectations to contribute to a healthy and fruitful life for all people at all our business locations.
  8. To meet the Group Environmental Basic Policy, we promote continuous improvement including review and revising our activities through stakeholder engagement. Finally, we will conduct regular environmental audits to confirm proper implementation.

(Set in 1999 and revised in 2019)

Sustainability in the Nisshin Seifun Group