The Panasonic Group has established the Panasonic Group Human Rights and Labour Policy (Human Rights and Labor Policy), which refers to the content of the following international standards and incorporates the opinions of outside experts. The policy is predicated on compliance with international standards and the applicable laws in countries where we do business and includes our commitment to respecting internationally recognized human rights to identify, prevent, and correct risks related to human rights, to promote remedies for people affected by those risks, to create working environments where people are fulfilled by their work, and to engage in dialogue related to these topics with all our stakeholders. In accordance with this policy, we have established internal rules to develop a promotion system and promote specific initiatives for respecting human rights and creating working environments where people are fulfilled.

The Panasonic Group Code of Ethics & Compliance (Code of Ethics & Compliance) stipulates the promises that each employee must fulfill while also including respect for human rights as a part of our social responsibilities, and we are making efforts to raise awareness of them among all our employees.

Panasonic Energy has established a Human Rights Due Diligence system based on the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights to respect and ensure the human rights of people associated with our business activities, products, services, and transactions. The system is intended to identify, prevent, and reduce negative impacts related to human rights with regard to the relevant business, correct issues, and explain the response results to the relevant stakeholders. Reflecting the issues that have been identified based on the requirements of society and the operation of the system, we continuously implement and improve the system with the advice of outside experts.

From fiscal 2022, we utilized a self-assessment tool—based on the international standards of the Responsible Business Alliance (RBA) and the adaptation to our Company—to conduct self-assessments related to human rights and labour at our Group’s manufacturing companies. In fiscal 2023, we conducted a self-assessment focused on the International Labour Organization (ILO) core labour standards by using the questionnaires that we reviewed to identify issues more clearly, achieving that both the implementation and correction rates were 100%. In fiscal 2024, we conducted a self-assessment of our manufacturing sites in Japan (5 sites) in addition to our Group’s manufacturing companies outside of Japan (10 sites).Through this self-assessment, it was confirmed that there were no events that could be considered forced labour or child/juvenile labour. In the years to come, we will promote initiatives geared toward the prohibition of forced labour, the protection of children and young workers, the appropriate management of working hours and wages as well as the prohibition of discrimination to improve the working environment on an ongoing basis.

We provide training in 22 languages of our Code of Ethics & Compliance, including “Respecting Human Rights,” and provide regular opportunities (including when first starting work and upon promotion) to ensure employees know about the topic of respect for human rights included in the Code. In fiscal 2023, we revised the Code of Ethics & Compliance and began conducting training on the Panasonic Group Code of Ethics & Compliance for all employees. The training has been conducted regularly since fiscal 2024, and the course completion rate has reached 100% for two consecutive years. We also provide training to all individuals, including executives, who will be dispatched from Japan to overseas posts before their assignment begins. Training is given on international standards and national laws regarding corporate responsibility to respect human rights.

In addition, as part of our efforts to improve understanding of ESG issues, we conducted video-based training on social issues related to human rights and our initiatives. A comprehension test will also be administered, which will then be used to plan future training programs.