Respect for Human Rights

Based on the Human Rights Policy established on April 1, 2024, we have established a human rights due diligence system to identify negative impacts on human rights^*1 and to prevent or mitigate such impacts, and we are committed to its continuous implementation and improvement. Specifically, in the mining sector, we conducted questionnaire-based supplier surveys^*2, covering five companies in FY2024 and twenty-five companies in FY2025^*3. Based on an analysis and review of the responses and publicly available information disclosed by each company, we engage in dialogue with suppliers regarding our assessment of their responses and their future initiatives.

We appoint human rights awareness promoters at each works and office and promote human rights awareness activities at each site. In addition, to advance human rights awareness initiatives across the Company, we hold a “Company-wide Human Rights Awareness Promoters Meeting” at the end of each fiscal year, where participants exchange views on human rights awareness education, emerging human rights risks, and other related issues, and discuss the policy for human rights awareness activities for the following fiscal year. Based on these discussions, at the beginning of the fiscal year, we hold a “Company-wide Human Rights and Anti-discrimination Awareness Promotion Meeting,” chaired by the Executive Officer responsible for Human Resources and Labor Relations and attended by the heads of human resources at each works and office, to determine the policy for human rights awareness activities for the fiscal year.

In addition to implementing human rights awareness activities in accordance with the policies decided at the forum, each steelworks and each office are actively engaged in employee awareness–raising activities, including holding workshops on a specific issue of the steelworks or office. We also participate in enlightenment of organizations and activities hosted by public entities and others in each community. We make concerted efforts for human rights enlightenment within the communities.

Along with the group–wide expansion of our efforts to Group companies in Japan and overseas, we routinely carry out monitoring surveys on the status of compliance with labor–related laws and regulations, the establishment of consultation contacts, and other issues via an internal control checklist.

Through these efforts, we are continuously and systematically promoting activities to prevent human rights abuses. These include the understanding of human rights risks that change with the times and the development of a system and a strategy to reduce the risks.

Adhering to international norms concerning forced or child labor, Nippon Steel has a policy of prevention and eradication of both types of labor. We comply with applicable regulations and conduct regular monitoring surveys of our Group companies to prevent such violations in our business activities.

We comply with the laws and regulations of each country and region governing wages, including minimum wages, overtime pay, and equal pay for equal work. In addition, we are committed to providing workers with wages that enable them to maintain an adequate standard of living (living wages).With regard to bonuses, we regularly review practices in different countries, regions, and industries. We also engage in sincere dialogue with labor unions and appropriately return value to employees, taking into account the Company’s business performance and operating conditions.

Based on the policy decided at the “corporate-wide forum of human rights anti–discrimination promotion,” information on human rights awareness is incorporated in training courses for all ranks, from new employees to experienced ones. We also provide education on a variety of subjects, including the issues of harassment and discrimination, understanding of LGBTQ, and human rights issues in the conduct of our business.

Two-way communication with employees based on good labor–management relations is important in order to prevent human–rights abuses. We therefore incorporate education toward building sound labor–management relationships in the training of executives of the Company and the Group companies.

In addition to general education that contributes to the prevention of human rights abuses in workplaces, we also address specific human rights abuse risks in formulating and the oversight of specific work assignments. Examples include education on fair recruitment selection by employees assigned to the tasks of hiring in order to prevent job discrimination, and education on cross-cultural understanding and communication for those assigned to overseas business in the context of preventing human rights abuses (i.e., consideration for each country’s unique traditions, culture, business practices, and labor–management practices).

We have clarified whom to contact for consultation on various compliance issues including human rights. This is a part of the effort to establish a groupwide claims handling mechanism that makes it easy for employees and related personnel to ask for consultation, and that enables the Company to understand and identify incidents of human rights abuses.

Specifically, a Compliance Consultation Room has been established to accept inquiries and reports and give counseling regarding human rights abuses such as harassment, from employees of the Company and Group companies and their families, as well as from employees of business partners. Reports and consultations from various stakeholders are accepted through the Inquiry Form accessible on the website. Regarding the response to these individual incidents, such as internal reports and consultations, we investigate the facts and, if necessary, seek advice from outside parties, including lawyers and outside professional organizations, to protect the privacy of the persons and to ensure that they do not receive unfavorable treatment. We then provide guidance and education to those involved, and strive to appropriately resolve the incidents.

In the event that a target for correction or remedy is identified, we strive to take appropriate measures, and periodically check and verify the effectiveness of the measures through checklists and other means. We also strive to promote dialogue and discussions with internal and external stakeholders regarding our Group’s initiatives for human rights in its business activities.

Furthermore, since labor-management relations play an important role in preventing human rights abuses and resolving related incidents, in the event of disputes concerning the interpretation of collective agreements, labor-management agreements or other rules directly related to them, a grievance committee is established to resolve the dispute, based on the agreement concerning complaint-handling procedures that has been concluded with the labor union. The committee comprises members from both the management and the labor side.