Approach to Human Rights
With the aim of realizing a Well-being society, the Rohto Group conducts
business activities not only in Japan but also throughout the world.Respect
for human rights forms the very foundation of all our business activities.
Recognizing that our operations may directly or indirectly impact human
rights, we observe and respect international standards for human rights,
including the United Nations International Bill of Human Rights, the ILO
Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work of the International
Labour Organization (ILO), conventions related to workers’ rights such
as wages and working hours, and the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises.
In the course of pharmaceutical research and development activities, we
also respect and protect the human rights of patients and research subjects
in accordance with the Ethical Principles for Medical Research Involving
Human Participants (Declaration of Helsinki).
We have established the Rohto Group Human Rights Policy and are advancing
initiatives to respect human rights throughout the Group. By doing so,
we strive to contribute to building a sustainable society of Well-being.
Human Rights Due Diligence
Based on the principles of the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs), our Group established a Human Rights Policy in 2022. Under this policy, we are building a human rights due diligence framework to respect the human rights of all stakeholders. Since fiscal year 2023, we have continuously conducted supplier CSR assessments to identify and address human rights risks. In fiscal year 2024, with the aim of identifying, preventing, and mitigating adverse human rights impacts in our Group’s business activities and value chain, our internal teams carried out due diligence investigations—including desktop research, questionnaires, and interviews—targeting Rohto Pharmaceutical (non-consolidated), domestic Group companies, and Group companies in overseas priority regions. These efforts resulted in the creation of a human rights risk map*.
＊For details, please refer to "Human Rights Impact Assessment (Implemented in FY2024)" below.
Going forward, we will continue to promote human rights due diligence efforts
and, based on our philosophy of Well-being management, work to create working
environments where diverse talent can maximize their potential.
Promotion System and Process of Human Rights Due Diligence
Sustainability Promotion System
In our Group, sustainability-related initiatives—including respect for
human rights—are promoted mainly by the Sustainability Committee. Overall
plans regarding respect for human rights and identified significant human
rights violation risks are reported and discussed at the Sustainability
Committee, which serves as the decision-making body for sustainability
management issues, and the contents are reported to the Board of Directors.
As a process, human rights risk identification and assessment are first
conducted. This is implemented through risk extraction as well as quantitative
and qualitative analysis. The results of the survey are shared with the
Sustainability Committee and the Board of Directors, and issues that should
be addressed as priorities are identified. For these priority issues, preventive
measures and corrective measures are considered and implemented, and the
progress is followed up and monitored.
In addition, the status of the promotion of these activities is regularly
checked and discussed at the Sustainability Committee and the Board of
Directors. Through these processes, we will continue initiatives aimed
at further mitigation of human rights risks and report and disclose progress
and outcomes both internally and externally.
The Process of Rohto Group Human Rights Due Diligence
Human Rights Impact Assessment (Implemented in FY2024)
1. Scope: Examination of the Overall Framework and DD (Due Diligence) Methods
Based on various guidelines and desktop research, our Group organized its
business activities into the following four categories, examined approaches
for identifying human rights risks in each category, and defined the scope
for the assessment.
- a) Rohto Pharmaceutical (standalone) and b) Domestic Group companies: The
entire value chain—including research and development, procurement, manufacturing,
logistics, marketing and sales, and consumption—was set as the area for
investigation.
- c) Overseas Group companies: By analyzing international human rights-related
reports such as the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) and the U.S. Department
of State Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, we prioritized regions
with higher human rights risks in our business activities.
- d) Domestic Suppliers: Since FY2023, we have included human rights items
in the annual "Procurement Self-Assessment" and continue to review
them every year.
Procurement Self-Assessment
2. Identification, Extraction, and Evaluation (Quantitative and Qualitative
Analysis) of Human Rights Issues (Risks)
To identify human rights risks, we conducted questionnaire surveys and
interviews, as well as research using external reports. The following steps
were taken to assess the risks:
-
Desktop Research
We conducted a broad survey of domestic and international human rights
issues based on international standards, trends in the manufacturing, pharmaceutical,
and cosmetic industries, and region-specific human rights risk indicators.
In Japan, we extracted human rights issues in comparison with international
human rights standards and considered specific cases that could potentially
occur within the company.
-
Questionnaires and Interviews
- Domestic (a, b, d): Human rights risk questionnaires and interviews were
conducted with all department heads and responsible persons in our company
as well as 13 domestic Group companies.
- Overseas (c): Based on information obtained from desktop research, regions
with high risk (such as Asia, Africa, Brazil, etc.) were selected, and
actual conditions were grasped through interviews with local representatives.
3. Identification and Analysis of Issues
Based on the results of these investigations, we identified human rights
issues that may affect rights holders. For each rights holder group, we
confirmed the "impact on human rights (severity)" and the likelihood
of occurrence, and created a risk map. For the priority issues (risks)
identified through these investigations, we are considering and implementing
appropriate actions and countermeasures.
Human Rights Risk Map
Efforts in Respect for Human Rights
ROHTO Group clearly declares its commitment to respecting human rights
in the "Rohto Group Human Rights Policy." In addition, the "ROHTO
Group Action Agenda for Compliance "expresses our commitment to respecting
the human rights of employees and business partners, and to fulfilling
our responsibilities as a member of society.
With our business partners, we conduct transactions in accordance with
the "Rohto Group CSR Procurement Guidelines" and strive to achieve
sustainable procurement practices that take human rights into consideration.
Furthermore, we are a member of the RSPO (Roundtable on Sustainable Palm
Oil) and are actively promoting the procurement of sustainable palm oil
with due consideration for both human rights and the environment.