The MITSUI-SOKO Group considers the protection of the dignity and respect for the rights of all people in society to be an important element underlying all of its business activities. In our efforts, we support and respect international norms on human rights, including the International Bill of Human Rights (Universal Declaration of Human Rights, International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights), the International Labour Organization (ILO) Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, and the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises, and promote them in accordance with the framework of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. Specifically, we prohibit child labor and forced labor; respect the right to freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining; observe the minimum wage in each country; protect the right to a living wage, including the promotion of equal pay for equal work; and eliminate all discrimination related to race, nationality, ethnicity (indigenous people), language, gender, and ideology, such as religious belief and sexual orientation. We thereby are committed to respecting the human rights of all our stakeholders, not just our Group's workers.

We comply with all applicable laws and regulations in the countries and regions where we operate. When faced with conflicts between internationally recognized human rights norms and national and local laws and regulations, we will seek ways to maximize respect for internationally recognized human rights norms. As indicated in the MITSUI-SOKO Group Human Rights Policy below, this is the foundation for all of the Group's efforts to respect human rights, and is also the natural premise for individual initiatives to respect human rights, such as the prohibition of child labor and forced labor, and the protection of the right to a living wage.

The Group has formulated the MITSUI-SOKO Group Human Rights Policy (hereinafter the "Policy") in compliance with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights as a means of organizing and expressing to society its stance and initiatives regarding respect for human rights not only within the Group but also throughout its supply chain. Based on this Policy, the Group works with various parties to respect the human rights of all stakeholders related to its business activities, fulfills its social mission, and contributes to the realization of a sustainable society. The Policy was developed based on advice from outside experts with expertise and practical experience in human rights, and was approved by the Board of Directors. We will continue to engage in discussions with stakeholders and outside experts on an ongoing basis, and will reflect the results of these conversations in the Policy and respect for human rights initiatives as necessary.

In order to fulfill our responsibility to respect human rights in accordance with this Policy, we implement the Group Basic Procurement Policy to ensure responsible procurement, and also request our partners (including subcontractors and other suppliers) to understand and implement the policy. For details, please refer to the Group Basic Procurement Policy page.

In promoting our commitment to respect for human rights, we have assessed the impact of our business activities on the human rights of our stakeholders, and identified the prohibition of forced labor and child labor, prohibition of all forms of discrimination, prohibition of harassment, provision of a safe working environment, appropriate management of working hours, and guarantee of rights of foreign workers as important human rights issues. The following process is used to identify key human rights issues, and risk assessments are in progress around the identified human rights issues. Since the situation surrounding human rights is constantly changing, we will review the key human rights issues based on continuous research, information gathering, and discussions with stakeholders and external experts.

The Group conducts human rights due diligence in order to fulfill its responsibility to respect human rights. Human rights due diligence is an ongoing process of investigation, remediation, disclosure, and dialogue with stakeholders to identify adverse human rights impacts in business activities and supply chains and to prevent, mitigate, and address them. The Group conducts human rights due diligence on domestic and overseas Group companies and business partners, and strives to resolve human rights issues in conjunction with education and training related to respect for human rights and the establishment of an effective remedy system.

For more details on the scope and results of the latest Human Rights Due Diligence, please refer to Sustainability Data Book.

If it becomes clear that the Group has caused, contributed to or is otherwise involved in any adverse human rights impacts, the Group will work to correct and remedy the situation through appropriate means. All employees of the Group (employees, fellows, contract employees, seconded employees, temporary employees, contract employees, and subcontractor employees) have anonymous access to the consultation service in the event of human rights-related concerns, such as harassment and lack of occupational health and safety. We will also establish a contact point to receive feedback from everyone in our supply chain, including our customers and business partners.

With the aim of proactively avoiding and preventing the emergence of significant human rights issues such as child labor, forced labor, and overwork, and mitigating and minimizing their impact, the Group conducts human rights-related education and training. For more information about the implemented latest Education and Training, please refer to Sustainability Data Book.