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Human Rights & Diversity
Basic Approach
The Yamato Group's Corporate Stance under its Group Corporate Philosophy advocates respect for human rights in all business activities. As a signatory of the UN Global Compact, we also support and respect The Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact and international norms* regarding human rights. In addition to engaging in business activities that take the human rights of all stakeholders into consideration, we also prohibit any and all forms of discrimination or harassment based on the guidelines for recognizing, accepting and utilizing individual differences (including age, gender, nationality, disabilities, sexual orientation and gender identity) and values.
The social environment is currently undergoing major changes, and the needs of society are diversifying rapidly. In order for us to respond flexibly to these changes, it is necessary to increase the diversity of human resources active within our organization.
By promoting diversity and respect for human rights, we aim to be an internationally competitive corporate group that is resistant to market changes.
- *The U.N. Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, International Bill of Human Rights, Declaration On Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, etc.
Main Targets of the Sustainable Medium-Term Plans 2023
- Ensure 100% attendance rate in human rights training for all employees
- Ensure percentage rate of employees with disabilities is 2.5%
- Double number of female managers (executives) compared with fiscal 2020 and ensure 10% of all managers are female
For detailed targets and results, please refer to Sustainability Strategies, Goals and Results.
Promotion Structure
The Yamato Group has established the EX Promotion Committee (Workstyle Reform Committee) and the Human Rights and Diversity Subcommittee to further promote respect for human rights. The Managing Executive Officer in charge of human resources is responsible for, and serves as the chairperson for, these committees. The committees consider and check the progress of strategy measures relating to human rights issues within the Yamato Group, and strive to raise awareness with regard to such.
Policies on Human Rights and Diversity
Yamato Group Human Rights Policy
The Yamato Group established the "Yamato Group Human Rights Policy" in 2021 based on the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, with the aim of realizing a enriched society as stated in the Group's Management Philosophy. This commitment indicates the Yamato Group's intention and direction to respect human rights through a resolution of the Board of Directors. Based on this policy, we will strengthen our efforts to respect human rights.
Yamato Group Human Rights Policy[PDF:512KB]Basic Policy on Diversity
We have established a Basic Policy on Diversity with the aim of creating a workplace environment that respects the diversity of employees, fosters diverse human resources, and enables them to engage in active roles. Based on the Yamato Group's "DNA" and core value of management by full participation (we all represent the company), we promote diversity throughout the Group by creating a workplace environment where diverse human resources can play an active role and fostering diverse human resources.
Human Rights Due Diligence
The Yamato Group has been working to create a workplace environment that offers greater ease of working and job satisfaction for employees through work style reforms.
In order to instill these ideas more deeply, both within and outside the company, we have started to implement human rights due diligence based on the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. In fiscal 2020, we conducted sustainability management training on human rights for a total of 574 executive and management personnel (management executives) to further promote understanding of human rights issues. Participants learned about overseas trends in human rights issues, and the human rights due diligence demanded of companies. In fiscal 2022, we expanded the scope of training on human rights to management (operational managers) with the aim of cultivating a corporate culture that respects human rights and also aiming to raise awareness of the Yamato Group Human Rights Policy. Furthermore, we adopted human rights as a common issue within our Operations Improvement Meeting, and are spreading awareness among all employees.
Training on Human Rights and Diversity
Harassment Prevention Training
The Yamato Group distributes mini-booklets explaining its Group Corporate Philosophy to all employees, to enlighten them about the Group's stance on human rights and the importance of respecting human rights.
We also distribute a group-wide harassment handbook, and conduct training to prevent harassment at each Group company. In particular, we educate management personnel, using videos, to enable them to respond appropriately when they receive a report or consultation on human rights issues, including bullying or harassment.
Note: In fiscal 2021, we conducted a survey of all employees on the actual state of harassment in the workplace (twice a year). We have set action targets for creating workplaces that are free of harassment (on an individual workplace basis) and created opportunities to implement them (once a year).
Participation in Yamato Original Universal Manners Test
Yamato Transport has implemented a universal manners test for all managerial personnel (managerial personnel and operational managers) to enhance the universal manners of employees and contribute to achieving a society that respects human rights and diversity. In addition to enabling education on issues faced by people with disabilities and on appropriate support, the unique curriculum follows daily operations, covering aspects of how to receive and dispatch parcels. Going forward, we will continue to expand the scope for participants.
Note: Universal manners cover the mindset and actions necessary for helping diverse customers, including older people and people with disabilities.
The Universal Manners Test (held by Miraro Inc.*) is a test to systematically acquire the knowledge about the mindset and actions needed for universal manners.
* The Yamato Group concluded an agreement for business collaboration and capital alliance with Mirairo Inc. in 2021.
Human Rights and Diversity Initiatives
Yamato Group: Initiatives on Respect for Human Rights
The Yamato Group engages with outside experts on human rights risks and considerations in its business activities. At a stakeholder dialogue held in November 2019, Ryusuke Tanaka, Program Officer of the International Labour Organization (ILO) office in Japan, gave opinions on human rights issues across a wide range of topics, such as labor and supply chain. Going forward, we will continue to incorporate valuable opinions from third-party perspectives into the identification of material issues and consideration of strategies, and make use of them in future initiatives.
Promotion of the understanding of LGBTQ issues
It is said that many sexual minorities work in the transportation industry because the differences in the appearance of uniforms worn by male and female employees are minor in comparison with other industries. In FY2019 (the fiscal year ended March 31, 2019) we conducted executive training, with members of LGBT minorities taking to the stage to speak to executives, in order to help create a workplace environment where sexual minorities can engage in active roles in the future.
To solve concerns that LGBTQ people have and create work environments where employees can work energetically, we have established an external LGBTQ consultation desk. At the consultation desk, external counselors who have knowledge and understanding of LGBTQ (LGBTQ people and professional counselors) provide consulting services so that privacy will be taken into consideration and the desk will be user-friendly.
- *LGBTQ is a general term for sexual minorities. It is an acronym for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning.
Empowerment of Women in the Workplace
As a measure for promoting women to management roles, we implemented a training program for women aiming to be sales office managers in fiscal 2022. Through group mentoring, we have implemented follow-up consultations with superiors and external mentors to eliminate concerns that could arise upon becoming managers.
Additionally, we have created development plans and implemented training for managers under the theme of eliminating unconscious assumptions and bias to support the development of women who aim to become sales office managers in collaboration with their superiors.
Going forward, as well as holding consultations for those eligible to participate in the program regarding advancing their careers, we aim to increase the number of women in management by introducing systems that support diverse workstyles through the Company intranet and sharing information about female manager role models through the utilization of in-house newsletters.
Employment of Persons with Disabilities
The Yamato Group continues to create employment opportunities for persons with disabilities based on our Corporate Stance, which states that we will actively support the independence of persons with disabilities and other socially vulnerable people. Yamato Transport has assigned personnel in charge of promoting the employment of persons with disabilities nationwide, and holds monthly meetings on a regional basis to share issues and examples of good initiatives for promoting employment, engage in recruitment activities, and provide support to help employees stay in their jobs.
As of March 2023, the number of Group employees with disabilities was 2,951, and the employment rat was 2.85%. We will create opportunities for people promoting the employment of people with disabilities to learn, including training with external experts, to deepen their understanding of working with people with disabilities and enhance systems in the workplace. We will strive to promote the employment of people with disabilities.
Establishment of Universal Guidelines
The Yamato Group has established universal design guidelines to design facilities that customers and employees can use more at ease and more comfortably.
Workplace Environments with Active Roles for Non-Japanese Employees
The Yamato Group employs approximately 8,000 non-Japanese employees. We provide multilingual documents and notices about employment and safety and work manuals for non-Japanese employees in English, Chinese, Nepali, and Vietnamese. We also provide multilingual support in our employee awareness survey, investigate opinions on job satisfaction and ease of working for non-Japanese employees, and reflect our findings in efforts to improve the workplace environment.
To develop a working environment that enables non-Japanese employees to demonstrate their skills with peace of mind and ensure they are not the only person left behind, we set up a consultation center (available in English, Vietnamese, and Nepali) on a trials basis in the Kansai area from April 2023 and in the Tokyo area from May 2023.
We will expand this nationwide based on the results of the trial.
Post-Retirement Life Plan Support
We organize the Yamato Life Plan Seminar, which provides employees approaching retirement about pension plans, how to work after retirement, and financial planning after retirement. Employees can participate in the seminar with their spouses, and receive assistance for them and their families to transition smoothly to their second life after retirement.
Points of Contact for Consultations
The Group's common compliance consultation desks (Corporate Fraud Report Desk, Compliance Hotline and Opinions Box) are available to all Group employees, and also accept reports and consultations on human rights issues, including discrimination and harassment. In all cases, the department in charge investigates in line with internal reporting regulations, taking care to ensure that whistleblowers and consulting employees are protected and do not suffer disadvantages, and taking appropriate measures and action based on internal regulations. The contents of reports by whistleblowers are reported to the Compliance and Risk Committee, and to the Board of Directors on a regular basis.
We have also established a call center and inquiry desk for customers to contact us by phone and e-mail, and an inquiry desk for shareholders and investors on our website.