Since 2013, we have been participating in the Stakeholder Engagement Program (Human Rights Due Diligence Workshop) organized by CRT Japan. In fiscal 2022, we participated from May 19 to July 14.

Through discussion on a wide range of human rights issues with participating companies, human rights experts, and representatives of NGOs, NPOs, and other organizations, we acquired knowledge on the human rights required to implement the human rights due diligence demanded by the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. In addition, together with other transport and logistics companies that participated in the program, we reviewed "Human Rights Issues by Sector", which were identified using the human rights guidance tool created by the UNEP FI (United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative), and we deepened our understanding of human rights issues in the transport industry.

On January 25, 2023, NYK held an online dialogue with Mr. Andrew Stephens, Executive Director of the Sustainable Shipping Initiative*, seeking input to support NYK Group's human rights initiatives including human rights due diligence etc. As an external stakeholder working on sustainability issues across the shipping sector, from human rights to decarbonization, Mr. Stephens engaged in a constructive dialogue around the initiatives NYK Group implemented in the fiscal 2022 and discussed the future outlook and the potential entry into force of the Ship Recycling Convention and market discourse around the possible expansion of the number of ship recycling countries.
With regard to formulating our Human Rights Policy, identifying salient human rights issues in NYK Group, and implementing the human rights impact assessment in accordance with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, Mr. Stephens noted the importance of "taking a very forward lead to ensure that things are done right." Mr. Stephens further noted that direct communication with rights-holders and other stakeholders is "the most effective and reliable way", where possible and with freely participating parties, to conduct human rights due diligence, and encouraged NYK to continue to emphasize this in future initiatives.
He further highlighted that it is important to ensure transparency by disclosing human rights policies and initiatives on websites and other media. In particular, ship recycling is carried out by indirect suppliers who may not have a direct contractual relationship with the shipowner, and therefore NYK's influence on its realization may be limited. In addition to continuously monitoring the implementation and compliance of our policy (ship-recycling policy) with these suppliers, he noted that it is important and effective to also ensure transparency and accountability in ship recycling and engage in early discussions with multiple actors, including peers in the sector, to establish shared standards for ship recycling. He additionally encouraged us to share learnings and successes from our initiatives as case studies to contribute to industry learning and support progress.
Finally, he stressed the importance of clearly communicating our position, policies, and principles to suppliers, and continually leading the way by example with steadfast resilience for initiatives to respect human rights.
We continue to promote initiatives to respect human rights, taking advice and feedback from experts and stakeholders.

• *Sustainable Shipping Initiative
  The Sustainable Shipping Initiative (SSI) is a multi-stakeholder collective that brings together leaders across the maritime ecosystem to catalyze change, shed light on emerging issues, and accelerate action toward a sustainable maritime industry. SSI members are shipowners and charterers; ports; shipyards, marine product, equipment and service providers; banks, ship finance and insurance providers; classification societies; and sustainability non-profits. SSI hosted the Ship Recycling Transparency Initiative (SRTI) between 2018 - 2022. On May 11, 2021, NYK became the first Japanese shipping company to join the SRTI.

<Overview>

• Date: January 25, 2023
• Format: Online communication with the expert from NYK head office
• Expert:
  • Andrew Stephens, Executive Director, Sustainable Shipping Initiative
• Participants from NYK:
  • Yuko Tsutsui, Executive Officer, In charge of ESG Management Promotion Group
  • Kenichiro Sutoh, Executive Officer, In charge of Legal & Fair Trade Promotion Group
  • Yoichiro Tatsumi, General Manager, ESG Management Promotion Group
  • Noriko Serita, Manager, ESG Communication Team, ESG Management Promotion Group
  • Hiroshi Horie, ESG Communication Team, ESG Management Group
  • Eriko Yoneyama, Manager, GHR Coordination Team, Human Resources Group
  • Other Member of Human Rights Project from ESG Management Promotion Group, Legal & Fair Trade Promotion Group, and Human Resources Group
• Facilitator:
  • Hiroshi Ishida, Executive Director, Caux Round Table Japan
  • Miho Okada, Director, Caux Round Table Japan

NYK participated in the 2021 Stakeholder Engagement Program (Human Rights Due Diligence Workshops) organized by Caux Round Table Japan (CRT Japan) from July 8 to September 30, 2021.

In this program, company participants, human rights experts, and NGO/NPO representatives engaged in discussions on the latest issues for human rights due diligence set out in the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.

As was done in the previous fiscal year, NYK reviewed with participants from transport and logistics companies the "Human Rights Issues by Sector" formulated with the UNEP FI (United Nations Environment Program / Finance Initiative) Human Rights Guidance Tool. NYK was subsequently able to identify and deepen its understanding of human rights issues in the transportation industry. As a feature of the 2021 workshop, issues related to the impact and response to COVID-19 were shared and discussed, focusing mainly on foreign essential workers and seafarers to identify key human rights concerns.

NYK participated in the 2019 Stakeholder Engagement Program (Human Rights Due Diligence Workshops) organized by Caux Round Table Japan (CRT Japan) from May 20 to July 18, 2019.

In this program, participants from other companies, human rights experts, and NGOs/NPOs engaged in discussions on the latest issues for human rights due diligence set out in the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.

As was done in the previous fiscal year, NYK reviewed with participants from transport and logistics companies the "Human Rights Issues by Sector" formulated with the UNEP FI (United Nations Environment Program / Finance Initiative) Human Rights Guidance Tool. NYK was subsequently able to identify and deepen its understanding of human rights issues in the transportation industry.

NYK participated in the 2017 Stakeholder Engagement Program (Human Rights Due Diligence Workshops) organized by Caux Round Table Japan (CRT Japan) from June 1 to July 13, 2017.

In this program, participants from other companies, human rights experts, and NGOs/NPOs engaged in discussions on the latest issues for human rights due diligence set out in the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.

As was done in the previous fiscal year, NYK reviewed with participants from transport and logistics companies the "Human Rights Issues by Sector" formulated with the UNEP FI (United Nations Environment Program / Finance Initiative) Human Rights Guidance Tool. NYK was subsequently able to identify and deepen its understanding of human rights issues in the transportation industry.

NYK participated in the 2016 Stakeholder Engagement Program (Human Rights Due Diligence Workshops) organized by Caux Round Table Japan (CRT Japan) from June 15 to 27, 2016.
Through dialogues with participants from other companies, NGOs/NPOs, and human rights experts, NYK was able to identify sector-specific human rights issues and priorities for SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals).

More Information:

• CRT "Human Rights Issues by Sector v.5" and "Priorities on the SDGs by Sector"[PDF:1.0MB]

NYK deepened its understanding of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and the SDGs, and was also able to discuss with participants from transport and logistics companies the positive and negative societal and environmental impacts of business activities conducted through the NYK Group's global value chain.

NYK participated in 2016 International Conference on Business and Human Rights held in Tokyo from 15 to 16 September 2016.

Through its participation, NYK deepened its understanding of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and the latest global trends, and was able to review other companies' human rights due diligence processes with overseas human rights experts, NGO/NPOs, and many of the participating companies.

Moreover, NYK participated in discussions on four themes aimed at helping companies to develop business globally, namely promoting responsible supply chains, building effective grievance mechanisms, understanding the trend of corporate assessment, and achieving a success of the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games.

NYK will use its participation in this conference, along with stakeholder engagement, to accurately address human rights issues and actively make efforts for needed resolution.

• *Please refer to the CRT-Japan website for details.

More Information:

• CRT Report on 2016 Business and Human Rights Conference in Tokyo[PDF:1.0MB]

• Date: September 15-16, 2016
• Venue: Tokyo, AP Tokyo Marunouchi
• Hosts:
  • Caux Round Table Japan
  • Institute for Human Rights and Business
  • Business & Human Rights Resource Centre
• Sponsors:
  • Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK)
  • Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd.
  • ASICS Corporation
  • Nippon Express Co. Ltd.
  • ANA Holdings, and others
• Participating overseas human rights groups:
  • Institute for Human Rights and Business
  • Business & Human Rights Resource Centre
  • OECD Working Party on Responsible Business Conduct
  • The Danish Institute for Human Rights, and others

On September 14, 2016, NYK held an exclusive dialogue concerning human rights initiatives in the NYK Group with two overseas human-rights experts from the Institute for Human Rights and Business and the International Corporate Accountability Roundtable.
NYK introduced its specific efforts to ensure human rights, along with the company's achievements involving fair trade products, human resources development, environmental conservation, and safety management using NYK's original unified NAV9000 safety standards.
NYK received useful feedback from the overseas experts and shared the company's latest trends in human rights and human rights issues. The dialog was fruitful, deepening the company's understanding of human rights due diligence and preparing it to pursue an active dialogue with stakeholders.

• Date: September 14, 2016
• Venue: Tokyo, AP Tokyo Marunouchi
• Human rights experts:
  • Lucy Amis, Institute for Human Rights and Business
  • Sara Blackwell, International Corporate Accountability Roundtable
• Participants from NYK's Human Resources Group:
  • Shinji Umehara, General Manager
  • Nobuki Kurosaka, Deputy General Manager
  • Teruhiko Takasaki, Manager
  • Eriko Yoneyama
• Participants from NYK's Corporate Communication and CSR Group:
  • Ushio Koiso, General Manager
  • Naoko Nukiyama, Manager
• Facilitator and interpreter:
  • Hiroshi Ishida, executive director, Caux Round Table Japan
  • Minoru Matsuzaki, secretariat, Caux Round Table Japan

NYK participated in an exclusive dialogue with human rights experts visiting Tokyo as speakers at the 2015 Business and Human Rights International Conference in Tokyo organized by CRT Japan. Through this dialogue, we identified actual and potential CSR risk on human rights due diligence and determined what should be done to reduce or prevent this risk. We continue to deepen our awareness of human rights issues and to enhance our risk management in our business activities.

• Date: September 15, 2015
• Venue: Tokyo, AP Tokyo Marunouchi
• Human rights experts:
  • Ms. Motoko Aizawa, Institute for Human Rights and Business
  • Mr. Allan Lerberg Jørgensen, Danish Institute for Human Rights
  • Mr. Christopher Schuller, German Institute for Human Rights
  • Mr. Dan Murray, Sedex Head of Business Development
  • Mr. Amol Mehra, Director, International Corporate Accountability Roundtable
• Participants from NYK:
  • Mr. Yoshiyuki Yoshida, Director, Managing Corporate Officer
  • Ms. Yuko Tsutsui, Deputy General Manager, Human Resources Group, General Affairs Headquarters
  • Mr. Shinji Umehara, Deputy General Manager, Human Resources Group, General Affairs Headquarters
• Facilitator and interpreter:
  • Hiroshi Ishida, Executive Director, Caux Round Table Japan

NYK participated in a dialogue with human rights experts who had visited Tokyo as speakers at the 2014 Global Conference on CSR and Risk Management. Our aim was to identify any actual or potential adverse human rights impacts, either through our own activities or as a result of our business relationships, by drawing on independent external human rights expertise, a procedure recommended in clause 18 of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.
Experts raised three points as material human rights issues in the marine industry: (1) protecting mariners' health and safety, (2) ensuring transparency in cargo clearance, and (3) actively embracing public policy to respect human rights. Related to these issues, we discussed concerns regarding human rights abuses resulting from business relationships, such as cargo transportation in areas in conflict, and the health and safety of shipbreaking workers and workers at terminals.
We indicated our mindset and actions to address and mitigate these adverse human rights impacts, including our participation in a joint shipping initiative consisting of seven multinational shipping companies to support building projects in Somalia. Giving serious consideration to the findings we obtained through this dialogue, we will take appropriate action to ensure a respect of human rights.

• Date: September 3, 2014; 16:00 to 17:30
• Venue: Kwansei Gakuin University, Tokyo Marunouchi Campus, Lambuth Hall
• Experts
  • John Morrison, Executive Director, Institute for Human Rights and Business
  • Amol Mehra, Director, International Corporate Accountability Roundtable
  • Cathrine Poulsen-Hansen, Adviser, Human Rights and Business Department, Danish Institute for Human Rights
• Participants from NYK
  • Mr. Yoshiyuki Yoshida, Corporate Officer, General Affairs Headquarters
  • Ms. Yuko Tsutsui, Deputy General Manager, Human Resources Group, General Affairs Headquarters
  • Ms. Tsugiko Odaka, Deputy Manager, HR Coordination Team (Office for Corporate Citizenship), Human Resources Group, General Affairs Headquarters
• Facilitator and Interpreter
  • Hiroshi Ishida, Executive Director, Caux Round Table Japan