Our company is forced labor!

??

Human rights risks of companies that must be dealt with June 9, 20:11

"No way, we are forced to work !?"

You may suddenly hear such a scream at your workplace.

As business globalization progresses, Japanese companies are under pressure to take measures against human rights risks.

The background is the growing awareness of human rights worldwide.

They are strictly required to check whether forced labor or child labor is occurring not only in their own company but also in overseas business partners and raw material production areas.

(Reporter, Economic Department, Shuntaro Hayakawa / Director, International Program Department, Ryo Matsumura)

Sudden crisis

Children's clothing brand MIKI HOUSE was suddenly denounced by a human rights group made up of lawyers and others four years ago.

In a statement, it was pointed out that Myanmar's garment factories continue to engage in illegal activities in "forced long working hours" and "poor working conditions."

The brand image, which was taken up by major media and built up over nearly 50 years, stood on the brink of serious damage.

Mr. Taizo Ueda, General Manager of Quality Control Department, who was busy responding, recalls.

Ueda Quality Control Manager

"I never imagined that our company would be pointed out about human rights issues. At first I didn't know what to do with my first experience. There was a sense of crisis that could lead to a boycott. Was

Behind the problem was the difficulty of understanding the product supply network, the so-called supply chain.

In this case, the subsidiary places an order with a Japanese trading company.

It was this specialized trading company that had a contract with a factory in Myanmar.

To make a piece of clothing, you need various materials such as cloth, buttons, and threads.

The company has a wide range of business partners, and the company was unable to grasp the transactions with the factory that had the problem.

"I don't know, it doesn't work"

Upon being pointed out, the company immediately conducted a field survey in Myanmar.

What was revealed there was the appearance of many employees working in a room without air conditioning in an environment like midsummer in Japan.

In the survey, we also checked pay slips and time cards in detail, and improved the situation where employees were not paid properly as well as the work environment.

The series of responses received a certain amount of evaluation from the human rights groups that pointed out.

The company has also introduced an app called "Workers Voice" that scoops up the true intentions of employees.

With this app, you can directly consult with a third-party human rights group regarding treatment and working environment.

It supports eight languages, including Chinese and Vietnamese, so that it can be used by business partners around the world.

Ueda, General Manager of Quality Control Department

"I thought it was important to have a system in which employees could directly express their opinions if something happened. I don't know what it is, I think it's a world that doesn't work right now. think"

New initiatives in the chocolate world

The same can be said for food as well as clothes.

In the world of chocolate we often talk about, there are efforts to work with overseas human rights groups to reduce human rights risks in the countries that provide the ingredients.

According to a survey by the US government and others, it is estimated that about 770,000 children are involved in the production of cacao, a raw material for chocolate, in Ghana, Africa.

It has also been reported that child labor deprives educational opportunities and is involved in dangerous labor such as the use of pesticides.

Under these circumstances, what is currently attracting attention is a mechanism by which the Swiss NGO International Cacao Initiative (ICI) cooperates with local farmers to prevent child labor.

First, ask a cacao farmer who understands human rights issues to act as a patrol of the area.

The patrols visit multiple farms individually several times a week to see if the children are working and attending school properly.

If child labor is confirmed, the details will be immediately reported to the NGO through a dedicated system using smartphones.

NGOs will share the information with chocolate makers and others who have contracts, and work together to consider support measures for children to attend school.

Nick Wetherill, executive director of the NGO, said:

Nick Wetherill

"Through this mechanism, companies have the opportunity to take action, reduce child labor and show that they are acting responsibly."

The price of cacao using this mechanism is about 3% higher per ton.

However, if it can reduce human rights risk even if it is expensive, Lotte, a major confectionery maker, plans to increase the procurement of this cacao.

Lotte Iida,

"The most important thing in handling chocolate is dealing with the problem of child labor. In cooperation with related organizations, we will continue to procure cacao in a sustainable and stable manner. I want to take measures against these problems. "

Human rights measures accelerating in each country

In Western countries, there is an accelerating movement to formulate legislation that obliges companies to comply with human rights.

It reflects the movements of the United Nations and others to clarify corporate responsibilities and encourage them to take measures.

The United Kingdom enacted the "Modern Slavery Act" in 2015.

We are requesting companies that operate in Japan and have sales exceeding a certain scale to check whether there is forced labor or human trafficking, including business partners, and announce it every year.

Similar legislation has been passed in some states in the United States, France, Australia, and the EU.

If a Japanese company based in such a country or region is suspected of having a human rights risk, a detailed explanation will be required in accordance with the law.

In some cases, the local government may impose large fines or suspend bids.

Japan's human rights measures that rely on corporate autonomy become "self-reliance"

The Japanese government also announced the "Action Plan on Business and Human Rights" last October.

Among these, what is encouraging companies is the introduction of "human rights due diligence."

This means that companies will investigate for risks of human rights violations such as forced labor, child labor, and harassment, take countermeasures, and disclose necessary information.

However, since the action plan is not legally binding, it is up to the autonomy of the company to expand such efforts.

Keisuke Hanyuda, a management consultant who is familiar with corporate human rights measures, warns of the current situation in Japan.

Mr. Hanyuda:

“The treatment of foreign technical intern trainees is being scrutinized from overseas, and it is safe for many companies to be pointed out at any time. It is necessary to recognize and take appropriate and prompt measures. "

Actually, this human rights risk is not limited to major companies that have overseas bases or business partners.

In the future, if major companies take full-scale measures, there is a possibility that contracts will be terminated if small and medium-sized enterprises operating in Japan also have human rights risks.

It seems that many Japanese companies will be required to take measures as their own.

Reporter of the Ministry of Economic Affairs

Shuntaro Hayakawa

Joined the

station in

2010.

After working at the

Yokohama station, Gifu station, and

Nagoya station, he is currently affiliated.

Ryo Matsumura,

Political Economy / International Program Department

Joined in 2012

After working at Fukushima Station and Tokyo Metropolitan Broadcasting Center, he is currently affiliated from 2019.