１．Introduction
This statement, hereafter the FY2022 statement is reported in accordance with Section 54 of theUK’s Modern Slavery Act 2015 and Section 14 of the Australian Modern Slavery Act 2018 (Cth).
Osaki Electric Co., Ltd. (hereinafter “the Company”) is committed to ensuring that we do not violate human rights and that we are not complicit in the violation of human rights through the company and its group companies (hereinafter “Osaki Group”) or our supply chains. We recognize that slave labor and human trafficking are major global issues, and that they could occur in the form of forced labor and child labor in relation to our business activities. The Osaki Group also supports and respects international codes of human rights, including the United Nations International Bill of Human Rights (The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights), the United Nations Global Compact, and the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work.
We have outlined below our initiatives for ensuring that we do not allow any violation of human rights such as modern slavery or human trafficking, either directly or indirectly, in the business conducted by the Osaki Group.
２．Business and Organization of the Osaki Group
The Osaki Group’s vision is to be a “Global Energy Solution Leader.” We manufacture and sell energy meters such as smart meters, and provide energy management services that utilize energy measurement and control technologies, as well as solutions utilizing IoT. The Osaki Group has companies based in 13 countries worldwide, with 3,000 consolidated company employees providing products and services to over 100 countries.
The Company is listed in the Prime Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange and is the parent company of the Osaki Group, conducting business operations in Japan.
Overseas businesses are promoted by the EDMI Group owned by parent company EDMI LIMITED, and The Company. controls the EDMI Group through its overseas holding company OSAKI United International Pte. Ltd. In the UK, business operations such as the development and sales of smart meters and communications hubs are handled by EDMI Europe Limited. In Australia, business operations such as smart meters and solution services are handled by EDMI Pty Limited and EDMI GAS Pty Limited.
The Osaki Group’s Vision
https://www.osaki.co.jp/en/profile/message/vision.html
Osaki Group companies and businesses https://www.osaki.co.jp/en/group.html
3．Policy and Initiatives Regarding the Prevention of Slave Labor and Human Trafficking
In preparing this statement, the Company consulted and collaborated with the Group companies it owns or controls.
Our measures and actions are listed below:
1) Establishment of a Human Rights Risk Monitoring System
We incorporated human rights risks into the Compliance Committee’s risk management system. The committee is composed of management members and oversees group-wide activities.
2) The Osaki Group’s Charter of Corporate Behavior
The Osaki Group states in “The Osaki Group’s Charter of Corporate Behavior” outlining the guidelines for corporate behavior, that the group shall “conduct business that respects the human rights of all persons and take no part in any discriminatory action at all phases of our businesses,” “pursue work practices that help our employees to develop their career and capabilities and provide them with fair working conditions and opportunities to grow professionally,” and “build effective corporate governance system for the conduct of business, strive to raise awareness of the Charter's principle throughout the group, and encourage behavior in its supply chain based on the principle of this Charter.”
The Osaki Group’s Charter of Corporate Behavior
https://www.osaki.co.jp/en/profile/message/charter.html
- Compliance rules / instruction manuals
The “Compliance Manual” outlining operational guidelines in accordance with the Osaki Group’s Charter of Corporate Behavior, specifies “Compliance with legal requirements,” “Respect for human rights and prohibition of discrimination,” “Prohibition of harassment,” “Safety and health in the workplace,” and “Compliance with labor laws.” In addition, the handbook for this manual, “The Osaki Group’s Compliance Handbook” (“EDMI General Compliance Rule” within the EDMI Group) is utilized for the education of group employees.
- Internal Audit Response
The Company added 5 items related to human rights protection to the Risk Self-Inspection list. In FY2022, self-inspection was carried out based on the list at OSAKI Electric and its group companies, and found no evidence of wrongful doings. We continue to conduct self -inspection across OSAKI Electric and its group companie.
EDMI conducted a self-inspection on human rights violation at its main manufacturing site in November,2022 and found no evidence of wrongful doings. EDMI will formulate company regulations with regards to human rights protection and will conduct on-site inspections at their manufacturing plants in accordance with the regulations.
- Establishment of a helpline
The Osaki Group has established a reporting system through a helpline (whistle blowing) that serves as the contact for reports and consultations including those relating to human rights for all group employees both within and outside Japan, with the aim of identifying and correcting any issues at an early stage. Within Japan, we have also established an external reporting contact through a third- party institution to allow reports to be made anonymously. In addition, whistle-blowers are protected by stipulating that the termination of employment or any other disadvantageous treatment on the grounds of such reports is prohibited.
- Supply chain management
The Company formulated a Basic Procurement Policy that incorporates the content of human rights compliance disclosed the Policy on our website in FY2022. We encourage our supplier to acknowledge and comply to the policy the OSAKI group announced.
OSAKI Basic Procurement Policy
https://www.osaki.co.jp/ja/sustainability/main/05/teaserItems1/00/linkList/03/link/Procurement%20Policy.pdf (in Japanese only)
We have also incorporated questions related human rights in the survey sent to our suppliers. We will further address on the confirmation of no human rights violation in the supply chain at quality audits by adding audit items related to human rights protection.
EDMI Group has formulated risk management rules for the process of selecting business partners. Accordingly, EDMI completed investigation on top 40 customers with regards to human rights violations, and we received responses from 80% of the customers in subject. Out of those responded, 90% were aware of the Modern Slavery Act and have conducted employee training, 70% conducts audit regularly. EDMI Group will continue to carry out an investigation on suppliers with business transaction over US 100, 000 dollars. EDMI plans to add audit items relating to human rights protection during regular supplier or outsourcer audits. Furthermore, EDMI will identify suppliers at countries and regions where human rights risks are considered high and plans to carry out onsite inspections of the suppliers in those countries and regions. Through these surveys described the above, no case of forced labor, child labor, or trafficking in the supply chain has been recognized at this time.
As for other group companies, we will continue to consider effective methods in assessing the issue. We will continue to assess the effectiveness of the Group's human rights risk management and appropriately identify human rights risks in the supply chain by continuing to implement the initiatives described above,
- Training and education
In aim to enhance employee awareness, an article on human rights was published in an in-house magazine. Furthermore, educational programs on human rights were provided to employees of domestic Group companies.
The Company conducted an anti-harassment online training course all managers and higher. We carried out actions to raise awareness for human rights among employees by issuing educational booklets which include self-check for human rights protection on the in-house intranet. The printed booklets were circulated among employees at the group companies. We will continue to expand training on human rights groupwide.
ENEGATE, a domestic group company, conducts human rights education every year and continues its efforts to raise awareness on the human rights issues. In FY2022, ENEGATE included human rights policy to the Charter of Behaviors and posted various articles with related topics to their internal in-house newsletters.
EDMI group conducted human rights training including educating code of conducts and the modern slavery act to their employees. In FY2022, 90% of all employees have taken the training course. EDMI regularly hosts training programs for those employees who have not completed the training or those who have joined EDMI recently. EDMI is committed to provide human rights education to its employees to further raise human rights awareness among the group.
This statement was approved by the company’s board of directors on 26th May, 2023 and signed off by President and COO (Representative Director) Mitsuyasu Watanabe. 25th, May, 2023
Mitsuyasu Watanabe
President and COO
Osaki Electric Co., Ltd.
