Respect for Human Rights and DE&I

Respect for human rights is a universal value and is consistent with the practice of the TechnoPro Group Purpose. Therefore, we stipulate the following in this TechnoPro Group Human Rights Policy as a guideline to promote respect for human rights throughout the group and to fulfill our responsibilities in this area.

TechnoPro Group Human Rights Policy

1. Basic Approach to Human Rights

• Respecting the dignity and rights of every human is our basic stance. We do our best avoid direct involvement, as well as indirect influence through relevant external parties, in any abuse of human rights in our business activities.

2. Respect for Norms and Standards

• We comply with social rules, including domestic and international laws and regulations, engaging in fair and honest business activities based on social norms.
• We support and respect international norms related to human rights. These norms include the United Nations International Bill of Human Rights (the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights), the International Labour Organization (ILO) Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, and the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. Furthermore, we comply with the principles of the United Nations Global Compact as a signatory.
• In the event that we face discrepancies in the internationally recognized human rights norms and the laws and regulations of any relevant country or region, we follow the higher standards. In cases of conflicting standards, we pursue ways to honor the principles of internationally recognized human rights.

3. Key Human Rights Issues

• Based on the items and content related to human rights in the TechnoPro Group Code of Conduct and the United Nations Global Compact, we identify those key issues with a particularly high potential for impacting human rights on which we should focus to mitigate human rights risks.
• We review these key human rights issues in response to changes in international norms, social conditions, and our business activities.

[Key Human Rights Issues]

(1) Prohibition of Discrimination

• We prohibit unfair discrimination for any reason, including but not limited to nationality, race, age, place of birth, occupation, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, ideology, creed, religion, disability, social status, or family origin.

(2) Prohibition of Harassment

• We prohibit harassment, slander, or defamation of any kind based on gender, social status, or other factors.

(3) Prohibition of Forced Labor and Child Labor

• We prohibit inhumane practices such as forced labor and other forms of labor procured through slavery or human trafficking. Child labor is also prohibited.

(4) Achieving Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)

• We provide fair and equitable opportunities of employment, assignments, promotions, and other treatments, regardless of gender, nationality, age or other attributes of the individual.
• We foster a corporate culture and organizational climate that respects and accepts diversity in innate attributes, backgrounds, characteristics, personalities, values, etc., allowing each individual to express their abilities fully.

(5) Respect for Freedom of Association and the Right to Collective Bargaining

• We respect the right of employees to form labor unions of their own free will and to choose to participate or not participate. We also allow for the exercise of rights to collective bargaining.
• As a company, we will negotiate in good faith through constructive dialogue with labor representatives.

(6) Appropriate Wages and Work Hour Management

• We comply with laws and regulations applicable to compensation (including minimum wage, overtime pay, and legally mandated benefits and wage deductions). We also give consideration to the payment of a living wage.
• We comply with applicable laws and regulations to manage working hours and holidays appropriately. We promote work-life balance for employees.

(7) Ensuring Employee Safety, Hygiene, and Health

• We provide employees with comfortable working environments in consideration of the physical and mental health and safety.

(8) Protecting Freedom of Expression and Privacy

• We recognize the importance of protecting freedom of expression in communications and privacy, taking care to avoid violations of these principles.
• We handle personal information in a fair and appropriate manner in compliance with relevant laws, regulations, and internal rules.

4. Fulfilling Responsibilities Regarding Respect for Human Rights

• We engage in human rights due diligence and other efforts to identify, prevent, and mitigate negative impact on human rights.
  We strive to provide appropriate remedies and corrective actions when there has been a clear negative impact on human rights, whether caused directly or contributed to indirectly.
• We have established an internal reporting system and a harassment consultation desk, to receive reports and consultations from employees regarding acts that may have a negative impact on human rights. We operate this system in an appropriate manner.
• We disclose on our corporate website our progress and the results of our efforts in respecting human rights. We engage in dialogue with stakeholders regarding the content of these disclosures.
• We strive to communicate proactively regarding respect for the human rights of people in the local community.
• We provide education and enlightenment to our executives and employees for the purpose of understanding promotion and penetration of this policy, as well as for the effective implementation of this policy in our business activities.
• Our efforts to respect human rights based on this policy apply to all TechnoPro Group executives and employees. In addition, we seek to gain an understanding and the cooperation of our stakeholders, including customers, suppliers, business partners, and other members of the supply chain. In this way, we strive to contribute to the creation of societies in which human rights are respected and protected.

Established: October 29, 2021

Governance Structure

Issues that may have impact on respecting for human rights are discussed at the Sustainability Committee, which is chaired by the President, Representative Director and CEO, and the details of discussions are regularly reported to the Board of Directors. Specific initiatives, including health management and diversity promotion issues, are overseen by the Human Resources Department.
Sustainability Promotion System Structure

Initiatives

Non-discrimination and Non-harassment

In addition to clearly stating that harassment is prohibited in our work rules, we are creating a comfortable workplace, maintaining an environment where workers can easily have regular consultations by ensuring that the laws and our group policies are well known, and by implementing ongoing improvement via training. In the event an incident occurs, a specialized department will investigate and take appropriate action.

Harassment counselling
We have established contact points for harassment both externally and internally to make them accessible to our employees.The in-house contact point consists of counselor representatives who are qualified as anti-harassment consultants, senior industrial counselors,and psychological counselors, etc. These offices provide consultation on various types of harassment.

Training for employees
Training on workplace harassment prevention is provided to employees. In addition, training on workplace harassment response, power harassment prevention, and sexual harassment prevention is provided to executives and managerial employees as part of regular training programs.

Publication of Booklet
We have published a booklet entitled "STOP! Harassment Book" to educate our employees.

Disability Inclusion

Special Subsidiary

*1：2018-2023 results in the TechnoPro Group, consolidated (cf. ESG Data Book: Percentage of employees with disabilities)

Initiatives to Improve Job Satisfaction
TechnoPro Smile has established a personnel system that appropriately evaluates the efforts and achievements made by its employees and rewarding them with salary increase based on it. In the evaluation process, TechnoPro Smile values not only results but also processes. To this end, it has adopted “Goal Management System,” which sets goals in consideration of individual characteristics, and “Daily Work Report,” which monitors daily achievements. Furthermore, employees with special skills are entitled to have job titles, receive allowances and recognition awards based on their contributions and performance. These initiatives are designed to clarify the goals that they should aim for and to enhance their motivation to achieve them. TechnoPro Smile works to provide environment where each employee can hone own skills and continue to grow, with the meticulous support of work instructors “Smile Coaches,” who carry out training and skill assessment.

Addressing Social Issues
The number of people with disabilities employed by private companies in Japan has been increasing for 20 consecutive years. However, ratio of physical disabilities, intellectual disabilities, and mental disabilities is 56%, 24%, and 20%, respectively (based on Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare: “2023 Employment of Persons with Disabilities”), representing the insufficient job opportunities, despite showing increasing trend, for people with mental disabilities. Employment of people with mental disabilities in society still remains low, since it requires appropriate support based on the understanding of the diverse characteristics of disabilities. At TechnoPro Smile, however, we employ a significantly higher percentage of individuals with mental disabilities compared to the private companies. In addition to Smile Coaches in workplace, Consultation Office team, which is a permanent department, provides care and follow-up to employees and related parties such as employment support facilities, ensuring an environment where independence and growth can be achieved through their work.

Ratio of people with disabilities employed (As of July 2023)

*2 Based on Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare: “2023 Employment of Persons with Disabilities”

Work Environment
Individual circumstances of people with disabilities, such as difficult to commute for long hours (no job opportunities within commuting distance) or uncomfortable working with many people, may hinder them from working even though they have sufficient job capabilities. TechnoPro Smile proactively provides work opportunities for those with job suitability and has established “Telework Center” in 2019 to enable telecommuting to ensure a remote environment for employees.
In recent years, TechnoPro Smile also focuses on accepting graduates from special needs schools, strengthening collaboration with employment support facilities across Japan, thereby aiming to improve working environments and creating job opportunities. Many employees with disabilities are working nationwide, including each service centers in Sapporo, Tokyo, Yokohama, and Fukuoka, as well as remote workers from Hokkaido in the north to Okinawa in the south.

Across gender, nationality, and generations

Support the success of women in the workplace

Sponsorship for the Waffle Camp

Waffle Camp aims to “eliminate feelings of weakness in IT and science and increase interest in IT” through a program that combines website creation courses and career lectures by working adults working in fields such as IT.

ESG Data Book: Percentage of female employees

Employment of Foreign Engineers

ESG Data Book: Number of non-Japanese engineers working in Japan

Japan’s leading company at the number of mid-career recruitment

ESG Data Book: Percentage of mid-career hires

Promoting the success of senior generations

ESG Data Book: Employment of people aged 60 or more