The DOWA Group respects the human rights of all stakeholders involved in its business activities. Through Group-wide management, we are strengthening our response to human rights issues, while working to raise awareness of human rights and prevent human rights violations. Respect for human rights is the foundation for creating a prosperous society and is one of our most important initiatives, as well as being indispensable to our corporate activities. In March 2022, we established the DOWA Group Human Rights Policy, based on the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, in order to fulfill the responsibility to respect human rights that is required of all companies.
The Human Rights Policy clearly supports the International Bill of Human Rights (the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenants on Human Rights), the International Labour Organization (ILO) Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, and the Children’s Rights and Business Principles formulated by the UN Global Compact, among others. We support and respect fundamental rights at work, including freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining; the elimination of all forms of forced or compulsory labor; the effective abolition of child labor; the elimination of discrimination in respect of employment and occupation; and the provision of a safe and healthy working environment.
The DOWA Group upholds “respect for diversity and individuals” as part of its Values, and its Code of Conduct clearly states our commitment to respecting the rights of all people, avoiding discrimination on any grounds, and never engaging in unlawful or unreasonable acts such as forced labor, including child labor, inhumane treatment, or harassment. In addition to the Japanese version, the DOWA Group’s Values and Code of Conduct have been translated into English, Chinese, and Thai as part of our efforts to ensure that these principles are shared throughout the entire Group.
Furthermore, respect for human rights and the elimination of child labor are clearly stipulated in the DOWA Group CSR Procurement Policy and CSR Procurement Guidelines, and we are promoting initiatives to protect human rights throughout the supply chain.
Resource development can have significant impacts on local communities and the environment, and there is a risk of infringing upon the rights of Indigenous peoples, who are often in a vulnerable position as the original inhabitants of the land. It is therefore essential to build long-term, trust-based, and mutually beneficial relationships with Indigenous peoples.
In accordance with international standards such as the principle of Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) and the Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Convention (ILO Convention No. 169), the Group strives to give due consideration to the human rights and cultures of Indigenous peoples.
The Group engages security companies at some of its business sites to ensure the safety of its operations. We recognize that security activities carry the risk of causing human rights violations through the excessive use of force. Accordingly, when engaging security companies, we comply with the laws and regulations of the relevant countries and regions and establish security arrangements in line with international guidelines, including the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights.
To strengthen sustainability activities, including our response to human rights, the Group established the Sustainability Committee, which is chaired by the President and Representative Director, and under its umbrella, the Sustainability Subcommittee, which is chaired by the director in charge of corporate strategy. The Sustainability Subcommittee monitors the status of human rights initiatives through the sectional meeting of the human rights and reports matters of high importance to the Sustainability Committee. Furthermore, significant issues related to management risks and opportunities are brought before and reported to the Board of Directors. Additionally, under the umbrella of the Sustainability Subcommittee, the sectional meeting of the human rights has been established. This meeting is led by the operating companies and HD departments deeply related to human rights (Sustainability Section, Human Resources Department, General Affairs & Legal Department, etc.), and it works to strengthen and advance our human rights response through group management based on the human rights policy. It also establishes a regular preventive system to ensure that human rights are respected by all stakeholders involved in our business activities.
Under Medium-term Plan 2024, we began building a management framework for all of our companies to strengthen human rights measures throughout the Group. We also formulated a specific action plan according to the DOWA Group Human Rights Response Roadmap and the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights in fiscal 2023, and are working to spread awareness of human rights and prevent human rights violations. Under Medium-term Plan 2027, we have set respect for human rights as a materiality item, and will further strengthen human rights measures throughout the Group, centering on our sectional meeting on human rights, to fulfill the Group’s responsibility to respect human rights.
Under the Roadmap, from FY2023 through FY2024, we are conducting risk assessments regarding human rights to identify significant human rights issues, and working to establish a management system for comprehensive monitoring and review. From FY2025 onward, we will implement full-scale group management to address significant human rights issues and work to expand our response to human rights issues to include our value chain.
We developed a specific action plan based on the Roadmap. The plan incorporates the three perspectives of ” Policy Commitment,” “Human Rights Due Diligence,” and “Remedies” as outlined in the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. Based on this plan, we will steadily implement a series of group management activities, including the expansion of human rights education and the restructuring and operation of our complaint handling mechanism.
Under our Human Rights Policy and management system for responding to human rights issues, we will conduct human rights due diligence and communicate appropriately with stakeholders involved in the Group’s business activities. We will also engage in appropriate monitoring and conduct reviews to continuously improve the Group’s management of human rights issues.
The Group is advancing the assessment of human rights risks that may cause or contribute to human rights violations through its business activities. Taking into account the countries and regions in which we operate, we are conducting surveys to identify human rights risks of particular concern within our value chain (significant human rights issues for the Group).
Since fiscal year 2023, we have begun conducting concrete risk assessments based on the Manual for the Practice of Human Rights Due Diligence published by Global Compact Network Japan. In fiscal year 2023, we assessed risks at domestic business sites; in fiscal year 2024, we assessed risks within the domestic supply chain; and in fiscal year 2025, we are assessing significant risks at overseas business sites and within the overseas supply chain.
Through these ongoing risk assessments, we will continue to identify salient human rights issues across our value chain. Once such salient human rights issues are identified, we will proceed with monitoring and review of the relevant risks, as well as implementing appropriate responses and engagement.
To promote sustainability across the entire supply chain, the Group has established the DOWA Group CSR Procurement Guidelines for its business partners. These Guidelines set out the Group’s basic approach and code of conduct for CSR procurement and request that business partners understand and comply with sustainability requirements, including respect for human rights and labor, occupational health and safety, environmental conservation, and social and community engagement.
The Guidelines are distributed throughout the supply chain at the start of the annual CSR procurement questionnaire process as well as at the commencement of new business relationships, and the Group works to ensure that they are thoroughly communicated and understood.
Based on these Guidelines, the Group monitors suppliers’ human rights initiatives through the CSR procurement questionnaire, covering areas such as freely chosen employment, humane treatment, the prohibition of child labor, the prohibition of unfair discrimination, wages and benefits, working hours, and freedom of association.
In addition, for overseas resource development activities, the Group has established a Responsible Mineral Procurement Policy and continuously conducts assessments of the impacts of its business activities on the human rights of relevant stakeholders. These efforts are subject to third-party assurance, and the results are disclosed.
To ensure appropriate respect for human rights, a proper understanding of human rights is essential. Accordingly, the Group is strengthening human rights education to enhance employees’ human rights literacy. In fiscal year 2023, we conducted stress check training, DEI (*) training, and harassment prevention training for managers across the Group. From fiscal year 2024 onward, we will expand our training framework and develop structured education programs to further improve human rights literacy among Group employees.
(*)DEI: Acronym for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. The concept that making the most of the diverse individuality of each employee in corporate management will lead to higher value creation for the company.
If it is found that the DOWA Group has caused or contributed to negative impacts on human rights in its business activities, we will protect the human rights of our stakeholders by taking appropriate remedies, preventive, and reduction measures to correct the situation.
To identify human rights risks and potential impacts associated with corporate activities and to aim for a safer and more comfortable work environment for employees, we have established the DOWA Consultation Desk, where employees can consult directly with outside attorneys. Confidentiality and no disadvantageous treatment of whistleblowers is guaranteed, and the Company makes these known through the intranet, posters, Group newsletters, and other media. In order to build healthier partnerships with suppliers and subcontractors, we have also opened this DOWA Consultation Desk contact point outside the company and made it available to all stakeholders affected by our business activities, including employees of suppliers and subcontractors. The desk maintains confidentiality related to the consultations and opinions received and responds to them promptly and appropriately.
