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Sustainability
Social

Sustainability Action Guidelines
for Supply Chains

We adopted the "Sustainability Action Guidelines for Supply Chains" to clarify and communicate the sustainability concerns we expect our suppliers to address. We will take the necessary measures to communicate and cooperate with our suppliers to ensure responsible management of the following items. Suppliers shall comply as follows;

  • 1

    Abuse and Harassment

    Respect the human rights of all of its employees and not engage in inhumane treatment, including discrimination, harassment, abuse and corporal punishment.

  • 2

    Forced Labor and Child Labor

    Prohibit forced labor or child labor including the employment of children under the minimum working age.

  • 3

    Discrimination

    Prohibit employment discrimination based on characteristics including but not limited to gender, race, and religion.

  • 4

    Suitable Remuneration

    Comply with statutory minimum wages, strive to exceed living wages, and not unjustly reduce wages.

  • 5

    Freedom of Association and Collective Bargaining

    Respect the freedom of association and right to collective bargaining of its employees and ensure that labor-management discussions on working conditions and environment are held, as appropriate.

  • 6

    Working Hours

    Comply with statutory working hour restrictions. Properly manage its employees' working hours, provide holidays and paid leave as necessary and strictly prohibit excessive overtime work.

  • 7

    Safe and Healthy Working Environments

    Take necessary measures to provide a safe, hygienic and healthy working environment to its employees.

  • 8

    Environment

    Consider potential and existing impacts on local communities and the environment with regards to its business activities – such as impacts on nearby biodiverse habitats or pollution of the local ecosystem. Take the necessary measures to reduce its consumption of energy, water and other natural resources, as well as its emissions of greenhouse gases and waste.

  • 9

    Quality

    Continuously provide products satisfying quality requirements and quality standards to meet customer expectation.

  • 10

    Anti-Corruption

    Comply with all applicable local and international laws and regulations. Ensure its compliance with fair business practices and anti-corruption.

  • 11

    Information Disclosure

    Disclose information on all items listed above in a timely and appropriate manner.

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Our Social Action Program

1

Disaster Relief Assistance

  • ・ We provided support through volunteer activities for the Noto Peninsula Earthquake that occurred on January 1, 2024, and the heavy rain in the Noto Peninsula in September of the same year. A total of 46 Itochu employees participated in the activities from September to November 2024 in six parts and helped remove rubble and mud. We will continue providing support for the reconstruction of the Noto Peninsula.
  • ・ We donated one million yen through the Japanese Red Cross Society for the Noto Peninsula Earthquake that occurred on January 1, 2024.
  • ・ We donated a total of one million yen combining the one from volunteer employees to the Japanese Red Cross Society, Tokyo Branch, as funding for COVID-19 infection prevention activities in November 2021.
  • ・ We donated masks, which were urgently imported from our associated companies, to Kawasaki City in Kanagawa Prefecture under the strains in the mask supply in Japan as a part of COVID-19 infection prevention activities in February 2021.
  • ・ We supported through donations for the heavy rain disaster in western Japan that occurred in July 2018.
  • ・ We provided volunteer activities and donations for the Kumamoto Earthquake that occurred in April 2016. Our employees locally participated in volunteer activities, provided donations by employees, and the same amount in donations from the company for the recovery support.
  • ・ We provided volunteer support for the Great East Japan Earthquake that occurred in March 2011. Our employees also participated in volunteer activities for the recovery from the Great East Japan Earthquake held by the Itochu Group and removed debris and mud.
2

Regional Contribution and the Next Generation Development Activities

  • ・ We started voluntarily participating in the local clean-up activities in September 2023. We participate in the local volunteer clean-up activity of the Akasaka and Aoyama: Beautiful Town, Town of Manners Campaign held by Minato City, engage in the contribution activities to Minato City where the Tokyo head offices are located, and have communication with the local people.
  • ・ We make donations to the Itochu Foundation to support the sound development of young people.
    The Itochu Foundation was established in 1974 for the purpose of the sound development of young people and provides support activities that include subsidizing the development of children's literature collections, running children's centers, and providing outdoor education.
3

Environmental Conservation

  • ・ Our Tokyo head office obtained ISCC PLUS certification, one of the international certifications for sustainable products, in April 2023.
    ISCC (International Sustainability and Carbon Certification) is a certification that controls and secures sustainable products including biomass materials produced based on the mass balance method and recycled materials on the supply chain.
    The Itochu Group extends the value chain of mass balance promoted by synthetic resin and basic chemicals to special chemicals that include our hygienic materials, polyurethane starting material, paint, adhesive materials, and epoxy in the downstream.
    Our Tokyo head office promises and declares that we will follow the ISCC's latest rules and comply with the ISCC PLUS requirements.
  • ・ We provided joint support for the Activities to Restore the Tropical Rainforests and Conserve Borneo's Ecosystem, a social contribution program for the 150-year anniversary of Itochu Corporation. Our employees also participated in the local planting support activity as a member of the Itochu Group.