Our Approach to Human Rights

In all its business activities in and outside Japan, the ONO Group understands and respects the human rights of each individual in terms of diversity of values, personalities, and characteristics, and we act accordingly. At Ono, we also uphold and respect the International Bill of Human Rights, the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, conventions on the human rights of workers, such as wages and working hours, etc., the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and other international codes of conduct related to human rights, and the Ten Principles of the United Nations Global Compact.

In July 2020, we established the Human Rights Global Policy based on the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. In order for the ONO Group to fulfill its responsibility to respect the human rights of its stakeholders, we apply this Human Rights Global Policy to all executive officers and employees of the ONO Group, and we also encourage all of our business partners involved in the businesses, products, and services of the ONO Group to comply with the policy. This policy has been revised and was disclosed after obtaining the approval of the Board of Directors meeting held in March 2023.

We also consider that respect for human rights by employees is a foundation of business activities, and thus included respect for human rights in the ONO Group Code of Conduct, which all the group’s employees should follow as a guideline in their daily operational activities.

In addition, considering further development of our global business activities, we have revised the Procurement Activities Basic Policy and established the Sustainable Procurement Code for ONO's Business Partners in which we explain the matters concerning global human rights issues, such as forced labor and child labor, for which we need cooperation from our business partners throughout the entire supply chain. With these, we are requesting cooperation of our business partners and strengthening collaboration with them.

Promotion of Human Rights Due Diligence

In the ONO Group, we recognize that we may have adverse impacts on human rights directly or indirectly through our business activities. In accordance with the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, we have established a human rights due diligence system to prevent or reduce adverse impacts on human rights that ONO Group’s business activities may have in society. We continue to implement the system and externally disclose the results as well as its progress.

Assessment of Impact on Human Rights

・Identification of Human Rights Issues

We conducted an impact assessment of potential risks to human rights (human rights risk assessment) in the ONO Group and our value chain in collaboration with the Caux Round Table (CRT Japan Committee) and specified priority human rights issues to address intensively.
To identify these themes, we first conducted a desktop survey* to extract potential human rights risks associated with the ONO Group’s business activities throughout our value chain.
In addition, we held a two-day human rights due diligence workshop with 25 participants in total from relevant departments to find out issues and areas with high potential human rights risks and to identify the ONO Group’s risks.
In the workshop, we considered social requirements and changes, and listed out potential human rights risks that may have impacts on the ONO Group’s business and that may occur among rights holders or anywhere in the value chain.

• Assessment report by PSCI (Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Initiative) and survey by CRT Japan Committee, Nippon CSR Consortium "Important Human Rights Issues for each Industry" (Pharmaceutical Industry), etc.

As a result of the assessment we conducted on the potential human rights risks that are of concern identified through the desktop survey and the human rights due diligence workshop, it turned out that there were some issues for which the details were not known to us. We are currently working together with our group companies and business partners to grasp the actual status regarding the two issues mentioned below. In addition, while implementing preventive and corrective actions as necessary, we are also working to establish a system in which high priority human rights issues and potential future human rights issues can be promptly recognized.

Implementation of Human Rights Impact Assessments, as well as Preventative and Corrective Actions for Risks

As part of our efforts to promote respect for human rights among our business partners, we use the “Ono Pharmaceutical Sustainable Procurement Code for Business Partners”—which summarizes the matters for which we request our business partners’ cooperation—to solicit cooperation and strengthen collaboration. For key business partners, we obtain written consent and request that they undergo risk assessments, such as those conducted by EcoVadis, to verify the status of their sustainability, including human rights. In addition, for business partners whose risk assessment scores fall below our standards, we verify their actual conditions through on-site audits and other means, engage in dialogue with them, and provide support to help them make corrections and improvements.
Please click here for more information.
Furthermore, based on the identified human rights issues, we checked the status regarding labor contracts and work environments for diverse workers in the supply chain. In particular, we focused on packaging-related suppliers who are likely to employ foreign workers using Japan's foreign technical intern training system, and conducted a survey.

・Employee Training

While encouraging each employee to deepen their understanding and acquire correct knowledge regarding human rights, we are striving to create comfortable work environments through training on human rights awareness and other various programs for all the employees aiming to prevent human rights violations including various forms of harassment.

・FY2025 Training Content

• We conducted an e-learning program on the theme of “Business and Human Rights” in the aim of deepening employees’ understanding of international rules on human rights and the ONO Group's efforts based on those rules. (3,555 employees attended the training, which had a 97.7% participation rate)
• With the aim of deepening employees’ understanding of harassment and preventing it from occurring, we conducted an e-learning program on the theme of “Respect for Human Rights in the Workplace” twice in FY2025 (once in the first half of the year and another in the second half). We also conducted workshop training for each department based on case studies on the themes of power harassment, sexual harassment, customer harassment, and harassment related to pregnancy, childbirth, parental leave, etc. A lecture-based training program on the theme of “Harassment in the Workplace” is also provided to new recruits, employees who have been promoted to key positions, as well as newly appointed managers.

Please click here for more information on our efforts against harassment.

・Actions for Urgent Matters Related to Human Rights

We have established a system to take action promptly for high priority human rights issues in cooperation with CRT Japan Committee.

[Forced labor issue at a rubber glove manufacturing plant in Malaysia]

In 2022, Kimberly-Clark Corp (U.S. company) and Ansell Ltd (Australian company) were sued by International Rights Advocates (IRA), a legal support group in Washington, D.C., on the grounds that the abovementioned companies knowingly profited from forced labor at Brightway Holdings, a rubber glove manufacturer and supplier in Malaysia.

Reporting System

We have established internal and external points of contact for reporting to prevent the occurrence and recurrence of compliance violations, including harassment, to secure an appropriate work environment, and to minimize loss and the erosion of public trust by taking swift action and measures in the event of a violation. The external contact point, "ONO Group Compliance Hotline," is available 24 hours a day and can be used by all ONO Group officers and employees, as well as external parties, in multiple languages. Additionally, we have established a system that enables direct reporting and consultation with management, including the Representative Director, President & COO, the Officer in Charge of Compliance, and the Audit & Supervisory Board Member.

Response to Violations and Corrective Actions

The Risk & Compliance Management Department investigates any violations that occur. As a result, those who are found to have violated compliance are subject to disciplinary action, including termination of employment. We are also working to prevent recurrences by strengthening our compliance management system and thoroughly raising employee awareness through training, etc. Please refer to the ESG data for the number of violations.

For details on the reporting system, please see here.