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Respecting Human Rights

Basic approach

The HOYA Group respects the human rights of all officers and employees of the HOYA Group and all stakeholders involved in the business activities of the Group. The Group advances efforts on human rights in accordance with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.

HOYA Global Code of Conduct
The HOYA Global Code of Conduct stipulates the basic guidelines to be complied with when performing operations based on the Corporate Mission and values of the HOYA Group. The Code of Conduct clarifies that basic human rights are to be respected and that all forms of discrimination and harassment in connection to race, nationality, gender, religion, belief, birthplace, age, or disabilities are to be eliminated in all corporate activities, and that child labor, forced labor and human trafficking are prohibited. We aim to create a safe and healthy workplace that allows employees to feel secure while they work. The Company will provide equipment, systems, and working conditions so that each and every employee respects and cooperates with each other as the Company strives to create a workplace that is easy to work in.

The HOYA Group takes rigorous measures to ensure Group-wide understanding of its stance on human rights. The Group has developed the Code in 27 languages in view of the status of its global operations, conducts e-learning once a year for all Group employees and tests participants to ensure that they understand the content. We also conduct internal audits to confirm that the procedures described above are followed. Confirmation notices regarding strict compliance with the Code of Conduct for all Group employees were submitted with a 99% submission rate in fiscal 2024.

HOYA Group Human Rights Policy
In October 2022, with the approval of the Board of Directors, the HOYA Group established the HOYA Group Human Rights Policy, spelling out the Group’s stance on respect for human rights in accordance with the Group’s Corporate Mission and Management Principles. The policy includes in its scope all of its partnerships with stakeholders and commits the HOYA Group to complying with a number of international principles and guidelines, including the UN International Bill of Human Rights, the International Labour Organization (ILO)’s Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, the UN Guiding Principles on Business & Human Rights (UNGPs), and the 10 Principles of the UN Global Compact.

Based on the Human Rights Policy, the Group puts its respect for human rights into practice by five means:
･ Conducting due diligence on human rights
･ Relief measures
･ Dialogue with stakeholders
･ Awareness-raising activities and education
･ Disclosure
The Policy on Human Rights is published on the HOYA Group website in Japanese and English and all stakeholders are made aware of it.

Framework for Promoting Response on Human Rights
Under the authority of the Chief Sustainability (ESG) Officer (CSO), the ESG Promotion Office at Group head office coordinates with the Compliance Department, Legal Department, Personnel Department, and other related departments in the head office, proposing policies and plans for the entire Group on human rights and confirming progress in a timely manner. In addition, the Chief Compliance Officer (CCO) oversees an organizational framework for managing compliance risk globally. The CCO responds to the full range of compliance issues, including labor-related compliance, human rights-related issues such as consumers’ (patients’) rights to be safe and informed, protection of privacy and management of personal information, corruption and bribery. On a regular basis, the CCO reports its activities and progress to the Board of Directors and reflects feedback from the Board of Directors in activities.

Due Diligence on Human Rights

Identifying Human Rights Issues (Negative Impacts)
To assess human rights risks in its value chain, the HOYA Group selected four divisions and obtained professional opinions from outside experts on each of them. Selected for the details of their operations in fiscal 2022 and other factors, the four divisions are the Eyeglass Lens Division, the Medical Endoscope Division, Semiconductor Mask Blank Division, and the HDD Glass Substrate Division. The Group also referred to outside data on international compacts and guidelines*1 related to human rights, industry attributes, country risks and so forth, as well as results of hearings with business divisions and other related departments in Group head office. Through these efforts, the Group discovered and categorized potential issues and risks on human rights for each stakeholder. The results of our human rights risk assessment within our value chain indicate that the potential human rights issues related to each identified stakeholder are as shown in the table below.

*1 These include the UN International Bill of Human Rights, the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, the 10 Principles of the UN Global Compact, and OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises.

Potential Human Rights Issues Identified for Each Stakeholder

HOYA Group Due Diligence Policy
In October 2024, we established the HOYA Group Due Diligence Policy to define our basic approach and mechanisms for identifying and assessing potential negative impacts on human rights, and for preventing, mitigating, ceasing, or minimizing such impacts. This complements our ongoing efforts to promote understanding of the Code of Conduct and provide education and training on harassment prevention. The policy was approved by the Board of Directors and has been made publicly available.

Identification and Assessment of Negative Impacts
Some business divisions have taken the lead in identifying and assessing potential negative impacts on stakeholders in their business relationships, ahead of Group-wide initiatives. The MD Division, for example, conducts supplier assessments, including human rights risks, by confirming that each supplier complies with the Responsible Business Alliance (RBA) Code of Conduct*2 at the start of business transactions and on a regular basis thereafter. In addition, the PENTAX Medical Division conducted a pilot questionnaire at selected Europe-based entities prior to global rollout, aiming to identify and assess human rights risks among suppliers. These risks were evaluated based on the presence of human rights policies or declarations and the existence of any negative news. As a follow-up, the division will engage with suppliers and strive to mitigate adverse human rights impacts. Looking ahead, we intend to integrate and expand these divisional initiatives across the Group, placing greater emphasis on identifying human rights issues and promoting collaborative engagement with a broader range of stakeholders.

*2 Standards designed to ensure safe working conditions in the supply chain and to promote responsible, ethical business practices that respect human rights and the environment

Corrective and Complaint Processing Mechanisms

As part of its compliance framework, the HOYA Group has operated the HOYA Help Line since 2003 to receive whistleblowing reports and requests for advice from both internal and external stakeholders, including employees of business partners. This is a framework for early identification of problems when there have been violations of laws, regulations, or the HOYA Global Code of Conduct and smooth communication to top management while protecting whistleblowers. The aim is to ensure the soundness of the global Group through quick and appropriate responses to such issues. In addition, information on whistleblowing complaints is also reported by the CCO to the Audit Committee on a quarterly basis.

We are creating an environment in which advice can be sought easily, including accepting whistleblowing complaints and consultation requests 24 hours a day via the Web in multiple languages, making consultation available in the local languages, and allowing anonymity of whistleblowers. Having established rules on the operation of the HOYA Help Line in compliance with laws and regulations, we protect whistleblowers by prohibiting any acts that constitute the unfair treatment of whistleblowers and respond to escalations by giving consideration to the confidentiality of information to ensure whistleblowers’ anonymity.

In fiscal 2024, there were 297 whistleblowing complaints made to the HOYA Help Line, of which 62% were related to the workplace environment and 17% were queries related to HOYA’s rules and the like. In addition, since fiscal 2023, cases of harassment received by Human Resources Division have also been shared with the Compliance Division to strengthen measures and training.

In fiscal 2024, there were no whistleblowing incidents inflicting a serious impact on HOYA’s businesses.

For details please see “Compliance Organization.”

Employee Education and Training

Once a year, the HOYA Group conducts e-learning and tests all Group employees on their knowledge of the HOYA Global Code of Conduct, ensuring thorough circulation of information within the Group. On harassment, the Group has formulated the HOYA Group Policy and Guidelines on Measures to Prevent Harassment. This document discloses measures and policies to prevent harassment, protect respect for each employee as an individual, and prevent disruptions to workplace discipline and barriers to work. Based on these Guidelines and the laws and ordinances of each country, the Group provides all Group employees with education and training on measures to prevent harassment; in Japan, this training is tailored to each level of management. In fiscal 2024, 88% of employees in Japan underwent training on measures to prevent harassment and were tested on their knowledge of the subject.

Supply Chain Measures

To ensure that our suppliers—who provide us with products and services—share the same standards of legal compliance and ethical practices as the HOYA Group, we have established the HOYA Supplier Code of Conduct. We have requested our suppliers to acknowledge, sign, and comply with this Code. In response to the growing global focus on human rights and environmental issues within supply chains, and reflecting our responsibility to practice responsible procurement as the HOYA Group, we revised the HOYA Supplier Code of Conduct in fiscal 2024. This Code of Conduct calls on all suppliers to prohibit forced labor, child labor, discrimination, harassment, corruption and bribery, and to uphold the principles of freedom of association and right to collective bargaining and secure occupational health and safety. It also sets out responsibilities for environmental protection. The HOYA Group will continue to require its suppliers to comply with this Code of Conduct. Furthermore, to ensure responsible mineral procurement, the Group conducts surveys on conflict minerals and sets targets for suppliers’ rate of response to the survey and the number and percentage of smelters that are compliant with the Responsible Minerals Assurance Process (RMAP). On the basis of these targets, the Group monitors results and promotes efforts to reduce risk associated with conflict minerals.

For details please see “Supply Chain Management.”

Measures to Ensure the Safety of Consumers (Including Patients)

To strengthen its product safety management system, the HOYA Group must ensure rigorous compliance with the standards required of healthcare products in Japan and overseas, laws and ordinances governing product quality and safety, and other norms. For this purpose, in fiscal 2022, the Group launched the Healthcare Compliance Committee, composed of independent directors. The Group obtains objective advice from these independent directors and, when needed, from experts versed in the laws and ordinances of particular countries, as it carries out activities to secure product safety, led by an officer responsible for regulatory compliance.

For details please see “Product Safety Assurance Policy and Structure.”

Protecting Privacy and Managing Personal Information

The HOYA Global Code of Conduct declares the Group’s respect for individuals’ right to protection of privacy and stipulates prudent management of personal information. To prevent information leaks by improving HOYA Group employees’ security mindset, the Group provides cybersecurity training on a regular basis, using e-learning. In 2022 the Group adopted a basic policy for the handling of personal numbers and specified personal information and made clear its stance of strict compliance with related laws and guidelines. In these ways the HOYA Group is working to prevent problems related to the handling of personal information.

Grappling with Bribery and Corruption

Based on the HOYA Global Code of Conduct, in 2021, the HOYA Group moved to strengthen measures to prevent bribery and corruption by instituting the Anti-Bribery and Anti-Corruption Policy. This policy establishes rules for preventing bribery and corruption and stipulates measures such as formation of an internal management framework and provision of training. In addition, the Board of Directors monitors issues related to bribery and corruption as appropriate, and the Group is also continuing to provide employees with education on these issues.

In fiscal 2024, there was one case of a serious violation of anti-corruption and anti-bribery laws that was deemed material and disclosed externally, while there were no political contributions. HOYA Group regards this incident with utmost seriousness and will strengthen our internal governance to prevent recurrence and thoroughly educate our employees on ethical compliance.

Modern Slavery Statement

In accordance with the UK Modern Slavery Act 2015 legislation, the HOYA Group publishes a statement on the steps it has taken to identify and eradicate slavery and human trafficking within its business and supply chains.

Modern Slavery Statement (1,435KB)