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Human Rights
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We are committed to operating as a sustainable, responsible corporate citizen that respects human rights.
Our Approach & Principles
Based on our LIXIL Human Rights Principles, we strive to uphold the human rights of all stakeholders, including customers, business partners including suppliers, residents living near our factories and offices, and our employees.
Human Rights Principles
LIXIL business activities are built on a fundamental respect for human rights. The LIXIL Human Rights Principles align with international standards, including the International Bill of Human Rights, the International Labour Organization (ILO) Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, the United Nations (UN) Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, as well as being based on the approach of the UN’s Children’s Rights and Business Principles. We seek to instill a solid understanding of the principles among all officers and employees.
If there are any discrepancies between the internationally recognized human rights standards and the laws and regulations of individual countries or regions, we adhere to the higher commitment. If any contradictions exist, we seek a way of respecting internationally recognized human rights standards while complying with local laws and regulations.
LIXIL Human Rights Principles (A new page will open) PDF: 171KB >
LIXIL will periodically review and evolve its Human Rights Principles to continue to become a better protector of human rights. In June 2021, we reviewed the principles we had formulated in FYE2016 according to the process displayed on the right and subsequently submitted revised principles that were approved by the Board of Executive Officers.
Particularly, we specified in more detail our governance structure led by the executive officer overseeing legal and compliance matters, LIXIL’s key human rights issues determined in FYE2021, and our human rights due diligence process as well as our concern-raising system and overall commitment to reducing human rights risks based on those frameworks.
Human Rights Principles Revision Process
Other Principles
LIXIL bases the formation of its corporate principles upon a fundamental commitment to uphold human rights.
In our relationships with business partners including suppliers, LIXIL respects human rights based on our Supplier Code of Conduct.
Our System
LIXIL established the Human Rights Due Diligence Task Force in FYE2018, comprising members from a broad range of departments including Corporate Responsibility (CR), Human Resources, and Compliance, with the aim of strengthening and ensuring strict adherence to our human rights due diligence process* as a company that operates globally.
In line with our Human Rights Principles revised in June 2021, we set up a new governance structure led by the executive officer in charge of legal and compliance matters who also oversees human rights issues. Going forward, we will extend the scope of this process to the entire group of companies and provide transparent reports on our performance.
LIXIL has signed the UN Global Compact, and is a member of the Human Rights Due Diligence Working Group of the Global Compact Network Japan.
* Human rights due diligence: To put in place measures that identify, prevent, reduce, or respond to any negative impact on human rights caused by the activities of a company or its related companies, and to regularly monitor their effectiveness.
Our Human Rights Due Diligence Process
We seek to reduce human rights risks by analyzing and assessing potential risks using the following human rights due diligence process. Please refer to the following pages for details on each step in that process.
Human Rights Risk Management Process
Commitment: Human Rights Principles and Key Human Rights Issues
In addition to formulating our Human Rights Principles, LIXIL has identified areas requiring focused action to reduce potential human rights risks. By addressing these key human rights issues, we aim to strengthen our human rights due diligence. We will review these issues based on the results of regularly scheduled human rights risk assessments.
Progress So Far
- FYE2016: Formulated Human Rights Principles
- FYE2017:
• Our CR Committee (comprising executive officers in charge of different head office functions and representatives of each of our technology businesses) mapped human rights risks with reference to international human rights and labor standards guidelines.*1
• We invited the human rights NGO Business for Social Responsibility (BSR)*2 to give a lecture on business and human rights. We then identified human rights risks across LIXIL product lifecycles. - FYE2018:
Our Human Rights Due Diligence Task Force prepared a 76-item survey sheet and conducted a test run of a human rights risk assessment across our head office functions. - FYE2019–FYE2020:
We investigated and scrutinized the impact of our business on human rights based on the above results, LIXIL’s Code of Conduct, and global human rights trends. - FYE2021:
Our Human Rights Due Diligence Task Force identified seven key issues (shown on the right) as focus areas for reducing potential human rights risks. These seven issues were reported to and approved by the CR Committee, Board of Directors, and Board of Executive Officers. - June 2021: Revised Human Rights Principles.
*1 Including International Bill of Human Rights, the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, and the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.
*2 BSR: A global non-profit organization committed to developing sustainable business strategies and solutions.
LIXIL’s Key Human Rights Issues
(1) Provide equal opportunity and prohibit discrimination
Providing fair and equitable employment and other opportunities irrespective of race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, ancestry, age, disability, gender, pregnancy, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, political or personal belief, or union membership, and prohibiting discrimination on these grounds.
(2) Prohibit forced and child labor
Prohibiting forced labor, bonded labor and other forms of labor by restraint, indentured labor or prisoner labor, and labor procured through slavery or human trafficking. Child labor is also prohibited.
(3) Respect freedom of association and collective bargaining
Guaranteeing employee freedom of association and approving the exercising of collective bargaining.
(4) Ensure decent wages and working hours
Paying wages that meet statutory standards, and prohibiting exceeding the statutory maximum number of working hours.
(5) Ensure occupational health and safety
Providing employees, customers, visitors, business partners, and anyone else on our business premises with a safe and hygienic working environment that fulfills international, national, and/or industry-defined standards.
(6) Prohibit harassment
Providing a working environment that is free from discrimination, harassment and bullying of any kind, and any other offensive or disrespectful conduct.
(7) Legal, fair, and transparent acquisition and use of personal data
Complying with laws and regulations, internal rules, and relevant guidelines relating to personal information. Ensuring personal information is obtained fairly and lawfully and is stored and handled in such a way as to prevent improper acquisition, use, transfer, disclosure, or leakage.
Assessment: Specifying Human Rights Risks
We are introducing several methods, centered primarily around the investigations by our Human Rights Due Diligence Task Force, to enable us to fully understand and address potential human rights risks. We did not identify any items requiring an urgent response in FYE2021, but we are working on improvements to help reduce potential future risks.
| Assessment method for identifying human rights risks (relevant department) |
Assessment overview | LIXIL key human rights issues | Assessment's major target stakeholders |
|---|---|---|---|
| Human rights risk assessments (Human Rights Due Diligence Task Force) |
* Including International Bill of Human Rights, the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, and the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. |
(1)～(7) | Employees |
| Occupational safety audit (Quality Assurance division) |
We conduct an annual occupational safety audit of Japanese bases through checklists, questionnaires, and onsite visits to confirm compliance status primarily with laws and regulations relating to the key human rights issues. We audited 67 Japan bases in FYE2021. We are working on any necessary responses based on the audit results, and holding information-sharing meetings beteen LIXIL Housing Technology (LHT) Japan and LIXIL Water Technology (LWT) Japan. |
(2)(4)(5) | Employees, foreign-national technical apprentices in Japan |
| LIXIL VOICE employee opinion surveys and D&I awareness surveys (Human Resources function) |
We conduct the LIXIL VOICE employee opinion survey of all global employees on a quarterly basis. We use the survey results to identify issues early on, formulate prompt improvement measures in each function, and reflect the findings into our global strategies and initiatives. In FYE2021, we also conducted our first D&I awareness survey, the results of which are being reflected into our D&I Strategy and initiatives. We will continue to conduct such surveys on a regular basis. Employee Opinion Surveys > D&I Awareness Survey > |
(1)(4)(5)(6) | Employees, women |
| Community dialogue (Corporate Responsibility office) |
We have held more than 130 community dialogues with local stakeholders over the past nine years at Japan-based factories and sales and retail locations. Community briefings are one way we continue to promote dialogue to better understand human rights and other risks. Local Community Engagement: Key Stakeholders > |
(1)(2)(7) | Local communities, customers, business partners |
| Responsible procurement surveys (Indirect Procurement・Procurement Management department) |
We confirm the status of human rights-related initiatives by asking our suppliers to complete a questionnaire. The surveys not only consider human rights issues, but also cover areas of CSR management, fair business, labor, occupational health and safety, conservation of the global environment, and contribution to the community. Conducting and Following Up on Responsible Procurement Survey > |
(1)～(7) | Business partners including suppliers |
Other relevant activity: Group enterprise risk management(ERM)
Remediation: Measures to Reduce Human Rights Risks
In FYE2021, we conducted a human rights risk assessment that targeted all staff at leader level or higher in departments that are closely linked to our key human rights issues. Although we received very few negative or “Not sure” responses, we are taking the following measures to address issues highlighted by the assessment.
Education
• Compliance education and training for all employees
• Information security awareness education for all employees
• Convey human rights-related information on internal social media that all employees can access
• Hold seminars in the CR Committee run by human rights NGO BSR
Preventing Human Rights Violations at Factories, Bases, and Business Partners including Suppliers
• Correct problems discovered during occupational safety audits
• Respond to opinions voiced through community dialogues (reduction of noise, improvement of factory working environments, etc.)
• Confirm status of human rights initiatives through responsible procurement surveys
Concern-Raising System
• Concern-raising system that is available to all group employees, including those at subsidiaries outside Japan
We receive concerns through LIXIL Compliance Hotline – Speak Up!, which is available online in 17 languages. In Japan, we also have a direct reporting process for voicing concerns to managers and compliance officers as well as an option to report concerns via a third-party law firm.
Concern-Raising System >
• Receive reports from external stakeholders such as business partners including suppliers
We receive reports from around the world via the LIXIL Compliance Hotline – Speak Up! In addition, in Japan, we have established a contact point via an external law firm.
Receiving Compliance Information from Business Partners >
Future Plans
Human Rights Risk Assessment and Initiatives to Reduce Risk
We will conduct human rights risk assessments as detailed below, pinpointing issues that require addressing to reduce potential risks, and take action.
FYE2022:
• Implement measures to reduce risks, including initiatives in line with our D&I Strategy, based on the results of the FYE2021 human rights risk assessment for all staff at leader level or higher who work in departments closely linked to our key human rights issues.
• Conduct a human rights risk assessment for all employees.
Re-Examining Key Human Rights Issues
FYE2023:
After conducting the above-mentioned assessments, we will re-examine the validity of the key human rights issues, taking into account the type, scale, and impact of potential human rights risks.
Internal and External Information Sharing and Dialogue
We inform and pursue dialogue with employees and other stakeholders about key human rights issues and related topics that LIXIL is working to address. In FYE2022, we plan to have dialogues with external stakeholders who specialize in human rights.
- Corporate Responsibility Report 2021
Human Rights (A new page will open) PDF：3.9MB、P. 85～91＞ - Our Approach & Principles
- Our System
- Our Human Rights Due Diligence Process
- Commitment: Human Rights Principles and Key Human Rights Issues
- Assessment: Specifying Human Rights Risks
- Remediation: Measures to Reduce Human Rights Risks
- Future Plans
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