Group Shared Policy on Human Rights

Ajinomoto Group
Established on : March 1, 2018
Revised on : April 1, 2020
Revised on : November 1, 2022
Revised on : April 1, 2024

The Ajinomoto Group supports international standards for human rights including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Labor Organization Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work and its Follow-Up, and the United Nations Global Compact. Based on the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, this Policy has been established to ensure that, as a corporate group that conducts business globally, all companies of the Ajinomoto Group and their officers and employees shall respect internationally recognized human rights and comply thoroughly with international human rights obligations and related laws and regulations of the countries where they do business.

This Policy shall apply to Ajinomoto Co., Inc. and its subsidiaries as well as their officers (including persons equivalent thereto) and employees (including employees engaged for a specified period such as fixed-term contract, part-time or temporary employees) (hereafter, collectively, “officers and employees”).
In addition, we encourage all parties involved in the Ajinomoto Group’s value chain (including upstream supply chain) to support this Policy and to work together with us to promote and respect human rights.

The Ajinomoto Group shall not infringe upon the human rights of others and shall remedy any adverse human rights impacts of our business activities. Even if the Ajinomoto Group is not directly involved, in the event that upstream supply chain are linked to an adverse impact on human rights, the Ajinomoto Group shall use our leverage to mitigate or eliminate the impact.

In order to best fulfill our obligation to respect human rights, the Ajinomoto Group shall set forth and continuously implement a process for human rights due diligence. By human rights due diligence, we mean actions taken to proactively identify, prevent or mitigate any adverse human rights impacts that the Ajinomoto Group may have on society.

If it becomes clear that the Ajinomoto Group has caused or contributed to an adverse impact on human rights, we will seek to remedy the situation through the appropriate means.

The Ajinomoto Group shall publish reports on the progress of our efforts to respect human rights pursuant to this Policy on the Ajinomoto Group website and elsewhere. In addition, the Ajinomoto Group shall conduct education and training programs for officers and employees to ensure effective compliance with this Policy.

In addressing actual or potential impacts on human rights, the Ajinomoto Group shall establish opportunities for dialogue with relevant stakeholders and consult with them in good faith.

The Ajinomoto Group shall adopt and effectively implement the addendum “Ajinomoto Group Key Human Rights Issues”, having established a process for human rights due diligence pursuant to this Policy.

The key issues shall be revised as needed based on societal changes, business trends and other factors.

The Ajinomoto Group does not engage in discrimination, harassment or any other affronts to the dignity of individuals on grounds of race, ethnicity, national extraction, religion, creed, sex, age, disability, sexual orientation, or other identifying characteristics.

The Ajinomoto Group does not accept any form of child labor, forced labor, bonded labor, or trafficking.

The Ajinomoto Group respects fundamental labor rights including freedom of association, workers’ right to organize and collective bargaining rights.

The Ajinomoto Group provides all employees with adequate wages and reasonable working hours.

The Ajinomoto Group provides a safe, hygienic and comfortable working environment and endeavors to promote the health and well-being of all workers worldwide.

The Ajinomoto Group understands the importance of work-life balance and endeavors to make this possible for workers across the globe.

The Ajinomoto Group strives to enhance diversity by respecting the diverse characteristics and perspectives of each individual so that workers all over the world can flourish regardless of factors such as race, nationality or sex. The Group also works to support, empower, and protect the human rights of members of vulnerable, marginalized or under-represented groups, such as people with disabilities, migrant workers, or LGBT people.

The Ajinomoto Group adheres to the Act on the Protection of Personal Information and applicable laws and regulations and we are committed to proper safeguarding of all personal information we handle.