The Nissui Group's long-term vision is to be “a leading company that delivers friendly foods for people and the earth.”An indispensable condition for achieving this vision is respect for human rights throughout the value chain. Given that the seafood supply chain is exceptionally long and complex, the Nissui Group recognizes that the risk of human rights violations is high, carrying significant risk of impact on continuity of Group operations. We believe that, as customer awareness of human-rights issues grows, ensuring respect for human rights up and down the value chain presents a way to expand business opportunities and sharpen competitiveness.
In September 2020, the Nissui Group formulated the "Nissui Group Human Rights Policy" in compliance with the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights in order to further clarify its approach to respecting human rights in all value chains associated with its businesses.

The Human Rights Subcommittee, guided by the “Nissui Group Human Rights Policy,” which is the basic framework for all business activities, strives to promote a culture of respect for human rights throughout the supply chain by promoting common understanding and thorough implementation.

Sustainability Committee

• Chair: President & CEO
• Members: All of the Executive Officers and the Outside Directors
• Secretariat: Sustainability Department
• Report to: Board of Directors
• Holding frequency: Six times a year

Human Rights Subcommittee

• Chair: Executive Officer (in charge of Risk Management, Human Resources Department, Corporate Communication Department, Marine Business Strategy Department)
• Members: Senior Managing Executive Officer (CFO), Executive Officer (In charge of Quality Assurance Group, Sustainability Department), Legal Department, Sourcing and Procurement Development Department, Food Products Production Promotion Department, Convenience Store Sales Department, Marine Products Business Department 4, Marketing Planning Department
• Secretariat: Sustainability Department, Human Resources Department
• Holding frequency: Four times a year

Human Rights Risk Assessment

The Nissui Group conducted a human rights risk assessment in the form of a cross-departmental workshop in December 2020, in order to get a grasp of potential human rights risks in its value chains. This involved identifying risks in each process of its value chains from two perspectives, namely, “general and cross-industrial human rights risks” and “human rights risks specific to the fisheries industry and the Nissui Group,” and in particular, analyzing the latter risks while incorporating the viewpoint of risks by country and risks by fish species as well. Risks were narrowed down by conducting an “impact assessment” with respect to the identified risks, based on likelihood and severity in the event that the risks are materialized.

State of workshop

Having identified the following three risks as items of importance to be addressed specifically as a matter of priority, the Nissui Group launched specific initiatives from Fiscal 2021 onwards in order to confirm their actual situation and mitigate such risks.

[Identified potential human rights risks]

1) Forced labor and child labor relating to raw materials of marine products (from procurement of raw materials to production)
2) Work environment of foreign technical intern trainees in Japan(production)
3) Labor Safety and Health (fishery and aquaculture)

Respect Human Rights in our supply chain

The Nissui Group has been promoting the procurement of raw materials, supplies, and products while seeking the understanding and cooperation of our business partners in accordance with the “Nissui Group Basic Procurement Policy.” To ensure sustainable procurement and mitigate human rights risks at every stage of the supply chain, stronger collaboration with our business partners is essential. As a result, we revised our Supplier Guideline in April 2022. This revised edition includes sections on “Compliance with Laws and Regulations,” “Respect for Human Rights,” “Safety and Health,” and “Environmental Consideration,” with a strong emphasis on the prohibition of forced labor and child labor, as well as a strong requirement not to handle catch and raw materials obtained through IUU (Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated) fishing, which is known to be associated with forced labor.
In fiscal 2022, Nissui distributed and explained the Supplier Guideline (including explanatory videos) to its 470 Tier-1 suppliers and collected signed confirmation forms to ensure their agreement. In fiscal 2023, the SAQ (Note) will be required to be answered in accordance with the new guideline.
In the future, we will extend our efforts to our Group suppliers and conduct assessments of Tier-2 and subsequent suppliers, taking into account any identified human rights risks, with the aim of reducing human rights risks throughout our expanding global supply chain. This effort will be led by the Sustainable Procurement Subcommittee in close collaboration with the Human Rights Subcommittee.

(Note): Self-Assessment Questionnaire

Sustainable Procurement

Monitoring the Working Environment of Foreign Workers

Nissui performs an annual survey on the labor conditions of foreign workers at our directly-operated plants and domestic Group companies.

Survey Summary in FY2022-2023

(Note 1): The questionnaire prepared based on the “Guidelines on Improvement of Working Environment for Migrant Workers in Supply Chains,” developed by the Business and Human Rights Lawyers Network Japan, Lawyers Network for Foreign Workers, and Lawyers’ Network for Foreign Technical Interns.
(Note 2): The questionnaire prepared based on the Nissui Group Supplier Guideline.

[Survey Results and Response]

After analyzing the self-assessment responses and conducting interviews with each office, conducted in fiscal 2022, no significant signs of human rights violations were identified. Due to the challenges posed by certain business sites with respect to foreign workers, notifications have been communicated to all companies in the Group. In February 2023, a review of the situation at each business site was conducted, and in May, the Human Rights Subcommittee disseminated the results to all domestic Group companies. We will promote a unified group-wide response and confirm the status of the response at the Human Rights Subcommittee.
The work environment survey will be conducted throughout fiscal 2024, and the possibility of combining the survey with workplace reviews and audits will be explored to ensure effectiveness.

Human Rights Subcommittee

Issues Identified in Certain Sites

• Contract with an intermediary lacks clear provisions explicitly prohibiting the collection of fees from foreign workers by the intermediary.
• Failure to provide employment contracts and pay slips in a language that foreign workers can understand.
• Training is not provided in a language that foreign workers can understand on safety and hygiene standards, as well as evacuation routes in the event of a fire or emergency.

Details of Notifications to Group Companies

• Include a provision in the contract to be entered into with intermediaries (including supervising organizations in the Technical Intern Training Program and hosting/registration support institutions in the Specified Skilled Worker System) for the employment of foreign technical interns or specified skilled foreign workers that clearly states the prohibition on collecting fees, deposits, or penalties from foreign workers.
• Ensure that employment contracts with foreign workers are written in a language they understand. (Note)
• Ensure that the information contained in the foreign worker’s wage statement is provided in a manner that is understandable to the individual. (Note)
• Conduct training for all foreign workers in a language they understand, covering safety and hygiene standards, evacuation routes in the event of a fire or emergency, and job-specific requirements.

(Note): Templates in English, Chinese, Portuguese, Spanish, and Vietnamese have been created and shared.

Multilingual Support at Production Facilities

The Nissui Group’s production facilities employ people of many nationalities, and the number of languages that need to be supported is growing. Efforts have been made to provide multilingual support through the implementation of signage in various languages at these plants. The introduction of multilingual tools using visuals such as pictures and images for clear explanations is being actively pursued to improve the safety of foreign employees and their understanding of work procedures and rules.

Educational tool for foreign employees in factories

For ease of understanding by foreign employees, the desired messages to be conveyed for each theme are consolidated onto a single sheet, and visual illustrations are used to demonstrate the “do’s” (desired actions) and “don’ts” (prohibited actions) for better visual understanding. The languages used are English, Vietnamese, and Chinese, with blank spaces provided at each plant to allow additional languages to be added as needed.
In addition, a total of 35 instances of educational content were created to support quality education for foreign employees in factories, and these materials were distributed to production plants within the Group and major partner plants.

Example of educational tool

Use of pictograms

The active use of pictograms has been implemented since fiscal 2021 to increase the visibility of areas with potential accident risks and to promote universal understanding and awareness, regardless of language. To ensure workplace safety, foreign employees who have a limited understanding of Japanese and are not sufficiently aware of workplace risks are encouraged to recognize risks and take safe actions, thereby contributing to the maintenance of workplace safety.

Pictograms example (Wearing protective gear, handling of chemicals)

Pictograms example (fall)

Pictograms example (Caught in machinery)

Occupational Safety and Health​

Safety at Fisheries and Aquaculture Sites

The promotion of occupational safety in aquaculture is handled by the Occupational Safety and Health Subcommittee under the Risk Management Committee. In fiscal 2022, the focus was on minimizing occupational accidents, particularly the prevention of diving accidents, at the Group’s domestic aquaculture companies, which involved organizing special regular meetings and conducting cross-patrols. In fiscal 2023, initiatives are planned to improve safety management in diving operations, including the organization of diving study sessions. In addition, we are promoting “smart aquaculture” by implementing technologies such as automated feeding systems and AI/IoT-based fish length measurement, with the aim of minimizing human involvement in operations at sea and underwater and reducing the risk of occupational accidents.

Occupational Safety and Health​

Within our fishing operations, we actively work at the level of each Group company to ensure a safe working environment for employees involved in fishing activities. Labor practices on fishing vessels take place in an environment that is not easily visible from the outside, and the fishing industry is generally recognized as having a high risk of human rights abuses. We prioritize the safety of crew members on fishing vessels and strive to improve the working environment, while ensuring third-party monitoring to increase transparency.

Oceania

Sealord Group Ltd., a New Zealand-based fishing company, demonstrates its commitment to fostering a favorable working environment on fishing vessels by voluntarily engaging in observer boarding and comprehensive inspections of labor conditions conducted by the Ministry of Primary Industries, ensuring unbiased assessments. Australian Longline Pty Ltd., which conducts Patagonian toothfish fishing (subject to Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification) activities in the Antarctic Ocean, was the first company in the world to achieve the RFVS certification (Note), a standard with a strong focus on protecting the human rights of crew members, in January 2021, and has now secured this certification for all of its fishing vessels.

(Note): Responsible Fishing Vessel Standard (RFVS): A certification program run by the Global Seafood Alliance (GSA) as part of its “Best Seafood Practices” third-party certification program launched in 2021, which focuses specifically on protecting the human rights of crew members. The RFVS is comprised of the two core principles of “vessel management and safety systems” and “crew rights, safety and wellbeing.” Based on the provisions of the Work in Fishing Convention and other relevant international agreements, the standard emphasizes the protection of crew members’ rights, including adequate training, a safe working environment, and provisions for wages, meals, and rest periods.

RFVS Certification

The vessel Antarctic Aurora
(Australian Longline Pty Ltd.)

North America

In North America, the At-sea Processors Association (APA) (Note1), of which Glacier Fish Company, LLC is a member, became the second organization in the world to be certified by the FISH Standard for Crew (Note2), an independent third-party certification program for labor practices on fishing vessels, in August 2022. The certification audit process includes vessel inspections, interviews with crew members, and a review of company hiring practices, payroll records, and complaint records.

(Note1) APA (At-sea Processors Association): Trade association representing five member companies that own and operate 14 U.S.-flagged capture/processor vessels operating in the Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands for the Alaska pollock fishery.
(Note2) FISH Standard for Crew: The FISH (“Fairness, Integrity, Safety, and Health”) Standard for Crew is a voluntary and independent third-party certification program for labor practices on fishing vessels worldwide, with a particular emphasis on promoting fair and ethical labor practices onboard.

FISH Standard for Crew Certificate（PDF）488KB

The Nissui Group has been engaged in numerous external communications with stakeholders and promoting activities while reminding ourselves to not become complacent. Since the first stakeholder dialogue held in 2016, the Nissui Group has held a stakeholder dialogue five times in total, including human rights in the fisheries industry's supply chain in its theme.

Stakeholder Dialogue

Japan Platform for Migrant Workers towards Responsible and Inclusive Society (JP-MIRAI)

In September 2022, Nissui joined the Japan Platform for Migrant Workers towards Responsible and Inclusive Society (JP-MIRAI) for the purpose of participating in the Collaborative Program on remedy and collecting information for the working environment improvement for foreign workers.
In fiscal 2023, through participation in the“Collaborative Program for Companies Responsibly Hosting Foreign Migrant Workers 2023” provided by JP-MIRAI, we are promoting the introduction of a grievance mechanism for foreign workers at Nissui and group companies in Japan.

Japan Center for Engagement and Remedy on Business and Human Rights (JaCER)

In April 2023, Nissui joined the Japan Center for Engagement and Remedy on Business and Human Rights (JaCER), an organization that aims to provide a non-judicial "Engagement and Remedy Platform" for redress of grievances and to act in a professional capacity to support and promote redress of grievances by member companies based on the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, as a regular member. In addition to using the Engagement and Remedy Platform provided by JaCER, we will deepen our understanding of engagement and remedy practices through participation in training for member companies.

Contact points for employees

The Nissui Group has established a whistleblowing system in which internal and external points of contact are made available to receive reports. Consultation requests, opinions, reports, etc. from employees are accepted regarding acts in breach of the Code of Ethics, acts in violation of laws and regulations and acts in breach of internal rules, including irrational discrimination and harassment based on race, religion, sex, age, nationality, social status, etc. The confidentiality of the whistleblower is protected and unfair treatment of the whistleblower is prohibited under the provisions of Nissui Group's regulations.

Initiatives to Identify Compliance Issues

Contact points for Foreign Workers 

In fiscal 2023, Nissui group introduced a grievance mechanism specifically for foreign workers in Nissui and group companies in Japan, through participation in the“Collaborative Program for Companies Responsibly Hosting Foreign Migrant Workers 2023” provided by Japan Platform for Migrant Workers towards Responsible and Inclusive Society (JP-MIRAI).

Based on the "UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights," this system supports the resolution of issues faced by foreign workers in our supply chain. It serves as a low-barrier consultation desk where foreign workers can seek assistance, covering everything from labor-related problems to daily life concerns.
Languages support: Easy Japanese and 21 languages (English, Chinese, Korean, Thai, Vietnamese, Indonesian, Malay, Tagalog, Nepali, Burmese, Khmer, Mongolian, Sinhala, Hindi, Bengali, Portuguese, Spanish, German, French, Italian, Russian)

Contact points for stakeholders

The Nissui Group is set to join the Japan Center for Engagement and Remedy on Business and Human Rights (JaCER) (Note) from fiscal 2023, and has established a grievance and reporting channel
for stakeholders with respect to issues concerning business and human rights (languages supported: Japanese and English). This channel functions as a platform to receive grievances and reports from rights holders or their representatives and organizations who have reasonable grounds to believe that they have been or may be adversely affected from a human rights perspective. It addresses issues related to business and human rights, including cases that raise concerns about potential violations of international norms such as the International Bill of Human Rights (the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and International Covenants on Human Rights (International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights/International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights)), as well as the domestic regulations of each country. Furthermore, anonymous reports are also accepted.

(Note) Japan Center for Engagement and Remedy on Business and Human Rights (JaCER) aims to provide a non-judicial platform for grievance redress and to act in a professional capacity to support and promote redress of grievances by member companies based on the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.

JaCER Grievance Report

Participation in External Initiatives

Code of Ethics Awareness

The Guidelines of Ethical Conduct set out in Nissui’s Code of Ethics states “respect our frank and openhearted communication environment and make an effort to maintain a sound and effective system of internal checks and balances,” and to respect fundamental human rights of individuals as well as prohibit all forms of discrimination and harassment. This Code of Ethics is posted on Nissui’s internal portal site and shared with its employees to instill awareness of the prevention of discrimination and harassment among them.

Measures Against Harassment

In order to prevent incidents of harassment, harassment study groups (seminars, E-learning, and similar) are being conducted. A Harassment Desk has also been set up for employees to consult, and a structure to handle any problems has been established.
On June 1, 2020, the revised power harassment prevention law (Act on Comprehensively Advancing Labor Measures, and Stabilizing the Employment of Workers, and Enriching Workers' Vocational Lives) came into force; in conjunction with this, the President delivered a message to all employees of the Nissui Group in Japan, strongly urging them once again to eliminate workplace harassment. On April 1, 2022, when the power harassment prevention law became applicable to small and medium-sized enterprises as well, the President newly announced "Nissui's Declaration to Eliminate Harassment," taking it as an opportunity to send an even stronger message than before, including Group companies. Nissui also conducts harassment-related training targeted at department/section heads, distributes a handbook on the prevention of harassment to employees and holds read-through sessions in each department, among others.

Occupational Safety and Health​ > Preventing Harassment

Internal Awareness Raising on Business and Human Rights

We conduct business and human rights training, lectures, and meetings for executives, managers, and those in charge of business operations, not only to prevent discrimination and harassment in the traditional workplace, but also to raise employees’ awareness of the importance of, and their responsibility for, respecting human rights throughout the value chain of our operations.
Since fiscal 2021, we have been working on promoting internal awareness, starting with the executive team, followed by department managers and operational staff. In fiscal 2023, we conducted training sessions for all employees, and additionally, we provided training for our group companies in Japan.

The Nissui Group has formulated its “Human Rights Policy” based on the understanding that respect should be given to human rights as a matter of top priority in all value chains relating to its businesses. The Nissui Group supports human rights set forth in the “International Bill of Human Rights” and the “International Labour Organization (ILO) Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work” and is engaged in initiatives to put them into practice, based on the United Nations’ “Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.”​

Nissui has formulated the “Nissui Group Basic Guidelines for Receiving Foreigners” in support of the “Basic Guidelines for Receiving Foreigners” established by the Federation of Consumer Goods Industries & Consumer Associations (Seidanren), of which Nissui is a member.

Seidanren “Basic Guidelines for Receiving Foreigners (in Japanese)”​ (342KB)