Initiatives for Respect of Human Rights and Creation of a Lively Working Environment

In accordance with the Sumitomo Spirit and the SEI Group Corporate Principles, which declare respect for human resources, Sumitomo Electric outlines its respect for human rights and establishment of safe and sound workplaces in the SEI Group Charter of Corporate Behavior. In keeping with the Charter, the Company strives to develop a lively working environment where diverse employees can demonstrate their capabilities.

The SEI Group Charter of Corporate Behavior (excerpt)

9. Safe, Sound Workplace and Employees' Growth and Development We respect the rights of all individuals and will endeavor to make our workplaces safe, sound and energetic. We will strive to respect the personalities and individuality of employees and support their professional development and careers to enable self-realization.

Human Rights Initiatives

The SEI Group Compliance Manual outlines our respect of human rights and prohibits discrimination, and we are making continuous efforts for human rights enlightenment and education to solve various human rights issues including discrimination and sexual harassment and to ensure thorough adherence to the manual.
In Japan, we participate in human rights organizations including the Osaka Enterprise Liaison Committee for Social Integration and Human Rights. In cooperation with relevant governmental agencies and other organizations, Sumitomo Electric works toward the realization of a society in which human rights are guaranteed for all.
Various internal training programs are systematically organized every year, including position-based training for all classes from executives to newly-hired employees, education at the worksites provided mainly by Human Rights Task Committee members, cross-sectional training by subject, and in-house contests for human rights slogans. In addition, we have set up internal and external sections in charge of consultation and reporting on any human rights violations as well as counseling services in regard to sexual harassment. Sumitomo Electric has also established a system to quickly gather information on any human rights violations and take appropriate measures against them.

System for Listening to Employee Opinion

● Implementation of Questionnaire Surveys of Employees

With an aim to create a "lively working environment," Sumitomo Electric conducted a questionnaire survey of about 15,000 employees including those of Group companies in 2006 to assess the liveliness of employees and workplaces. The survey has been conducted every year since then. We are monitoring annual changes in employee liveliness, activity levels of organizations and effects of personnel-related measures, and are using the results for future planning. We will also feed back the results and continuously promote division-based measures.

● Town Meeting and Informal Meeting to Create a Lively Working Environment

Town meetings are held with the attendance of executives including the President, administrative members and manufacturing site managers. They involve vigorous exchange of opinions on the direction the company should take and problems to be solved, such as how managers should train subordinates and younger employees and how the workplaces should be operated. We also hold informal meetings to create a lively working environment, at which the HR & Administration Department holds dialogues with younger staffs and listens to their voices directly, on personnel issues including progress in reduction of working hours at the respective workplaces, the personnel evaluation system and career building. We use these meetings to improve personnel-related measures, deepen young employees' understanding of the personnel system, and enhance motivation.
The results of these town meetings and informal meetings to create a lively working environment are reported to all employees through in-house magazines.

Discussion Between Labor and Management

Sumitomo Electric believes that the development of a company goes hand-in-hand with the improvement of the living standards of its labor union members. On the basis of this belief, Sumitomo Electric strives to address various relevant issues by thorough discussion between labor and management, each party appreciating the other's standpoint.
The Central Management Council Meeting, in which representatives of labor and management meet for opinion exchange concerning business environments and managing conditions, is held four times a year. This meeting has a history of more than 60 years.
We have also set up task forces of various kinds, such as the Working Time Reduction Task Force and the Health and Welfare Task Force. To facilitate adaptation to diverse work styles and create an environment where all employees can work lively with smiles, we are improving various working　systems and reinforcing monitoring functions.