Respecting Human Rights
NSK's Approach
NSK creates value that contributes to solving social issues, such as outstanding products and services that help create a smoother, safer society and protect the global environment. For the Company to grow sustainably, we believe that it is important to respect the individuality and potential of each employee and to create engaging workplaces.
To that end, NSK supports and respects international norms, such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. Also, the NSK Human Rights Policy as well as NSK Code of Corporate Ethics stipulates what officers and employees of the NSK Group should practice regarding human rights and labor, and requires them to respond. We also promote initiatives, such as diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I), to create an organization and culture in which diverse employees can demonstrate their abilities. Furthermore, we aim to reflect the content stipulated in the NSK Human Rights Policy and the NSK Code of Corporate Ethics in the NSK Supplier CSR Guidelines and work with our suppliers to address human rights and labor issues.
System
The NSK Group’s efforts related to human rights and labor range widely from proper management of working hours and prevention of unjust discrimination and harassment in the workplace to the creation of safe, comfortable workplaces. We recognize that it is important to address these issues not only internally, but also across our supply chain. Accordingly, we ask our suppliers to carry out similar activities. Within the NSK Group, the CSR Division HQ as well as departments related to human resources, safety, procurement and more are advancing pertinent initiatives.
NSK Group Initiatives
In addition to stipulating “prohibition of discrimination, cultivation of a sound workplace” and “respect of fundamental rights at work” in its Code of Corporate Ethics, NSK publishes the NSK Compliance Guidebook, which explains the matters to be observed in the languages of each country. The Guidebook is distributed to officers and employees. We also regularly hold in-house training to promote understanding.
Compliance Guidebook
Compliance Hotline (Whistleblowing System), Corrective Mechanisms
NSK aims to identify and correct illegal and fraudulent activities at an early stage. If an employee or officer discovers illegal or potentially fraudulent activity, the Company requests that he or she makes a report to the internal or external whistleblowing points of contact. The whistleblower can make a report anonymously so that he/she will not face any repercussions. Any act that violates relevant laws and regulations or the NSK Code of Corporate Ethics will be subject to disciplinary action based on company regulations. In addition, the risk assessments conducted annually for all business establishments include items such as risks related to acts that violate laws and regulations and the NSK Code of Corporate Ethics, and risks related to occupational safety and the supply chain. As a result of these assessments, we take measures to mitigate the risk for items that are judged to be of high importance.
Compliance (related site)Labor-Management Relations Based on Dialogue
For NSK to grow sustainably as a corporate group committed to high-quality manufacturing, we believe it important to look at employment from a long-term perspective and to continuously hire and develop outstanding human resources in the countries and regions where, for example, our production, sales, and development sites are located.
Hiring employees in an appropriate manner in accordance with international norms and local laws, the NSK Group regards a healthy relationship between labor and management as indispensable. We guarantee the right of employees to communicate directly with management (labor-management dialogue) without fear of retaliation, intimidation, or harassment. Also considering it important to create a work environment where each employee feels motivated and can develop, we carry out employee awareness surveys, which are aimed at measuring employee engagement and compliance awareness and take measures to address identified issues.
Creating Workplaces Where Diverse Human Resources Can Demonstrate Their Abilities
NSK clarifies its prohibition of all forms of discrimination, including that on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identification (SOGI*1), in the NSK Compliance Guidebook, which explains the items stipulated in the NSK Code of Corporate Ethics. The NSK Guidelines on Creating Accommodating Workplaces for Transgender Employees encourage understanding of LGBTQ+ (SOGI) issues and explain considerations to prevent outing*2 and SOGI-related harassment. In fiscal 2020, we also promoted awareness through in-house newsletters and held online events on LGBTQ+ issues to help create a culture that is accepting of hidden diversity.
*1 The English abbreviation for Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity. LGBTQ+ is an abbreviation that indicates personal attributes, but SOGI refers to sexuality-related concepts.
*2 Without consent, communicating someone else’s sexual orientation or gender identity to a third party.
Supporting Hidden Diversity: LGBTQ+ (SOGI)Supply Chain Initiatives
NSK distributes copies of its NSK Supplier CSR Guidelines, which contain the matters to be observed regarding human rights and labor, to all its suppliers and requests implementation by them. In addition to asking all suppliers who have a direct business relationship with the NSK Group to take their own actions and promote procurement activities that take human rights into consideration, by means of these guidelines we are aiming to further advance our efforts to upstream suppliers. In addition, we regularly conduct CSR self-assessments and provide feedback to everyone about any issues that have come to light so that they can help improve the level of their activities.
Supply Chain Management (related site)Addressing Conflict Mineral Issues
As a policy, NSK prohibits the use of conflict minerals*3 in its products. Conflict minerals are those which come from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and its neighboring countries which can be the source of funding and benefits to illegal armed groups that violate human rights. Moreover, whenever investigation reveals concerns about conflict minerals in the supply chain, we take measures to prevent the use of the relevant parts or raw materials.
Some NSK products, including electronic components used in vehicle electric power steering systems, contain metals such as tin and tantalum. These materials are subject to the US conflict minerals rule*4. For this reason, NSK conducts annual conflict mineral surveys in cooperation with relevant parts and raw material suppliers. This includes tracing relevant materials back through the supply chain to the refineries and countries of origin. The NSK surveys conducted up through fiscal 2020 have revealed no presence of conflict minerals that could be a source of funding for armed conflict.
*3 Four conflict minerals (tantalum, tin, tungsten, and gold) originating in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and surrounding countries, which can be the source of funding for the activities of illegal armed groups in the region.
*4 A rule that requires companies listed in the United States to investigate the potential use of conflict minerals in products, and to officially submit the results and publicly disclose them every year. While NSK is not listed in the United States where the rule applies, we still conduct conflict mineral surveys and share the information with customers.