Human Rights

Basic Policy for Human Rights

The Sumitomo Pharma Group uphold respecting human rights as one of the Material Issues that contribute to building a sustainable society as well as the sustained growth of the Group. In the "Declaration of Conduct: Item 5. Respect Human Rights," we clearly support the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Core Labour Standards and, in conformance with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, articulates our commitment to complying with laws pertaining to labor and employment in our countries and regions of business.

As for measures that concern respecting human rights, in the "Compliance Standard: Item 25. Respect for Human Rights, Prohibition of Discrimination and Harassing Behavior, and Prohibition of Harassment", we clearly reject any discrimination or harassment based on race, nationality, ethnic or social origin, ancestry, ethnicity, age, religion, faith or belief, sex and gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, academic background, disability, disease, employment status, or any other status.

To prevent and mitigate the human rights risks throughout Sumitomo Pharma Group's business activities, a resolution was passed by the Board of Directors that led to the SMP Group Human Rights Policy. The policy was established and put into force on March 1, 2022, and serves as high-level guidelines for all documents and rules pertaining to efforts aimed at respecting human rights throughout the Group.

Respecting Human Rights Promotion System

On September 1, 2022, we established and endorsed the Rules for Promotion of Respecting Human Rights, which stipulates systems and procedures for each department to appropriately promote respect for human rights. Efforts for respecting human rights are shared with the compliance promotion system and the risk management promotion system, and reported to the Board of Directors on a regular basis (at least once a year) for supervision.

To ensure a comprehensive understanding of these systems and efforts, as well as the internal dissemination of our basic policy for human rights, we conduct annual e-learning training on "Business and Human Rights" for all employees, around the time of Human Rights Week in December. In fiscal 2024, we focused the training on the theme of labor and child labor.

Respecting Human Rights Promotion System Chart
Respecting Human Rights Promotion System

Establishing and Operating a System for Human Rights Due Diligence

In accordance with the Rules for Promotion of Respecting Human Rights, we have set up a secretariat, which is headed by the Executive Officer in charge of promotion of respecting human rights, at the Corporate Governance Department, and have established a system that promotes respect for human rights in each department, including conducting due diligence*. The secretariat assists our departments in their efforts to respect human rights as well as monitors the Group's activities to promote respect for human rights, providing guidance and advice. As a grievance handling mechanism, we have set up a compliance hotline that accepts human rights-related inquiries, both from within the company and from external parties.

  • *A series of processes for assessing adverse impacts on human rights, responding to survey results, conducting follow-up surveys, and disseminating information about response methods.

Under the respecting human rights promotion system, since fiscal 2022, we have conducted human rights risk assessments for the Group engaging external consultants, as part of our human rights due diligence. By the end of fiscal 2024, we carried out human rights risks survey using a Self-Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ), including matters related to the prohibition of forced labor, child labor, and discrimination, fair treatment, wages and working hours, freedom of association, and respect for indigenous peoples' lives and local communities. This survey targeted 14 group companies, including Sumitomo Pharma. As a result, although several risks were identified, no serious human rights risks requiring urgent action were identified, as efforts to mitigate these risks had already been implemented. In fiscal 2025, we expect to conduct company-specific questionnaires and interviews as a follow-up to this survey. Moreover, to deepen the Group's efforts to respect human rights, we will strengthen our group-wide system for promoting respect for human rights and also enhance employee education and awareness-raising, as well as engagement with stakeholders.

For our business partners, we have initiated a "sustainability survey in fiscal 2023" based on our "Sustainable Code of Conduct for Business Partners" and are advancing collaboration with our business partners to achieve a sustainable society and environment throughout the value chain. The Sustainability Survey also includes matters related to respect for human rights as mentioned above. Therefore, we also conduct assessments from the perspective of preventing and mitigating negative impacts on human rights, taking into account the human rights due diligence process. Of the 10 major domestic primary suppliers surveyed in fiscal 2023, none were judged to be high risk in the overall assessment. In fiscal 2024, we held an evaluation results briefing session for these 10 companies and provided feedback. We also expanded the scope of the survey to 30 major domestic primary suppliers and asked them to respond to the sustainability survey, receiving responses from 27 companies. In fiscal 2025, we will analyze the responses, provide feedback on the evaluation results, and request the development of improvement plan as necessary. Furthermore, we intend to continue the cycle of sustainability assessments in the future.

For more information on the Sustainability Survey, please see "Together with Business Partners."

Consultation and Reporting on Human Rights Issues

Sumitomo Pharma has established a Compliance Hotline that is available not only to officers and employees of our Group companies, but also to family members, business partners, and all other persons who are involved in any way in the business of our Group companies to consult or report any adverse impacts or concerns regarding human rights. If you would like to use the Compliance Hotline, please see "Inquiries about Privacy Practices and Compliance."

Initiatives to Prevent Harassment

Sexual harassment and abuse of authority in the workplace, as actions that hurt the dignity of individuals, are important issues related to the infringement of human rights. Sumitomo Pharma has a clearly stated anti-harassment policy in its employment regulations, which specifies that violations of this policy will be subject to disciplinary action.
In our in-house training, we provide education on the relationship between our business activities and human rights, deepening the understanding that each individual employee has about human rights. In our new employee training, we aim to foster awareness that respect for human rights as a company engaged in drug research and development, manufacture and sales. Moreover, we thoroughly ensure that employees acquire proper knowledge and raise awareness of preventing harassment through grade-specific training and training for managers.

In fiscal 2024, we gave all employees e-learning harassment training on themes of understanding abuse of authority and sexual harassment and important points to keep in mind when receiving reports.

consultation desks

We operate consultation desks and hotlines to ensure a workplace environment in which every employee is able to concentrate on his/her work with a sense of security. Our consultation services are equipped with a duty of confidentiality, and protect the consulters' privacy. We also take measures to provide a safe and comfortable environment for consultations, protecting the consulters from any disadvantageous treatment such as retaliation or harassment.
We have designated personnel in charge of consultation services at our main business sites, including our head offices, creating an organization that can respond promptly and considerately to complaints and inquiries. The entire company is committed to preventing any harassment.

For more information on consultation desks, please see “Health, Safety, and Welfare of Employees."

Relationship with the Workers Union

Sumitomo Pharma Workers Union comprises employees from the Sumitomo Pharma. As regular workers-management consultation bodies, the Workers Union and the company proactively exchange opinions based on each perspective on human capital management and workplace health and safety.

Other Human Rights