Human Rights Initiatives

The azbil Group considers respect for human rights as one of its management priorities. We adhere to laws and regulations with a strong sense of ethics, build trust with stakeholders, and fulfill our responsibility to respect human rights. As part of these efforts, since FY2024, we have built and put into practice a human rights due diligence framework related to our own corporate activities, based on the azbil Group Basic Policy on Human Rights.

azbil Group Basic Policy on Human Rights and Promotion Framework

We have established the azbil Group Basic Policy on Human Rights in accordance with the United Nations’s Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. We work to spread awareness of this policy among all azbil Group officers and employees, and promote initiatives to respect human rights. At the same time, we also encourage understanding and support from customers and business partners.

Furthermore, as part of our annual CSR training initiatives, we conduct e-learning programs and facilitate group readings of our codes of conduct at each workplace. Through these efforts, we provide continuous education to all employees on the Guiding Principles for azbil Group Business, the azbil Group Code of Conduct, and the azbil Group Basic Policy on Human Rights.
In addition, our annual compliance awareness survey includes regular monitoring of issues such as forced labor and child labor. If any potential risks are identified, we take appropriate action on a case-by-case basis.

azbil Group Code of Conduct Related to Human Rights

As part of our CSR activities, the azbil Group CSR Promotion Committee endeavors to maintain and enhance our efforts aimed at respect for human rights by formulating plans and continuously monitoring their progress.

Human Rights Due Diligence and Priority Human Rights Issues

In order to appropriately manage human rights risk and engage in responsible corporate activities, the azbil Group promotes human rights due diligence. We identify human rights risks across the value chain as a whole, assess their severity and the likelihood of occurrence, and create a human rights risk map. Then, we identify priority human rights issues and proceed to respond to the issues. In the supply chain, the azbil Group also implements risk assessments related to human rights violations and strives to promptly correct any identified risks. We continuously revise our priority human rights issues and response policies, taking into account the business environment and the views of stakeholders. These initiatives are deliberated at Azbil’s Management Meeting and reported to the Board of Directors, and we also endeavor to disclose information transparently.

Dialogue With Stakeholders

Ms. Akiko Sato
Attorney-at-Law, Kotonoha Sogo Law Office
Deputy Secretary General, Certified NPO Human Rights Now

We prioritize dialogue with stakeholders in our initiatives related to respect for human rights. We engaged in dialogue with Ms. Akiko Sato, an attorney who is an expert in the field of business and human rights, and is also active at one of our stakeholders, a human rights NGO, concerning human rights due diligence processes, priority human rights issues, and other matters.

About the process: the azbil Group very carefully considers and steadily implements its process, taking into consideration the views of people working on site. A key point is the fact that it has identified risks in a way that is both wide-ranging and detailed.
Identification of human rights risks: The good point about this is that the azbil Group has used a human rights risk map to consider the connection between health and the environment as a human rights risk.
For the future: It is important that the azbil Group continues to promote human rights due diligence, while also deepening understanding of structural human rights issues such as the governance gap, across the supply chain as a whole, including overseas. Additionally, the azbil Group continuously engages with a diverse range of stakeholders, which will contribute to effective prevention, mitigation, remedy, and remediation.

Establishment of Aid Mechanism

We have established a contact point available to all stakeholders, and we are working to prevent, quickly discover, and address the occurrence of any negative impact on human rights.

Consultation and reporting on human rights issues, laws, and ethics violations

Promoting Social Conduct That Respects Human Dignity

Respect for Freedom of Association and the Right to Collective Bargaining

Azbil and the Azbil Labor Union uphold the spirit of dialogue enshrined in the 1978 Joint Labor-Management Declaration on Productivity. In accordance with the labor agreement, the labor union retains the rights to collective bargaining and to take industrial action. To enhance productivity, improve employee working conditions, and strengthen the company’s management foundation, various labor-management councils—including the Management Council—are convened to discuss a wide range of issues.
Through sincere and constructive dialogue, both parties build a relationship based on mutual understanding and trust, enabling them to recognize and share current challenges and work together to develop and implement effective solutions.

Fair Evaluation and Compensation

We are committed to providing fair compensation to our employees based on objective evaluations of both work processes and outcomes. In accordance with laws and guidelines concerning minimum wage and equal pay for equal work, we ensure that all employees receive appropriate compensation.
In our annual wage revision discussions, we strive to set wages that exceed the statutory minimum wage, aiming to maintain and improve the standard of living for our employees through constructive labor-management dialogue.

Protection of Freedom of Expression and Privacy Rights

The azbil Group is committed to respecting and protecting the freedom of expression and the right to privacy, as recognized in international norms such as the International Covenants on Human Rights. We take care to ensure that no human rights violations occur in relation to these fundamental rights.