Responsibility to Employees

Yamabiko Group Basic Policy on Customer Harassment

Under its corporate philosophy, “Create the bridge that bonds people and nature with the future,” the Yamabiko Group aims, through the growth of its business, to create a better future for the natural environment around the world and for everyone who shares in that journey. Guided by its commitment to creating products that exceed customer expectations, rather than merely meeting customer requirements, the Group believes that its reason for existence is to continue providing products and services that are recognized as the finest in the world in every respect, including performance, functionality, quality, safety, environmental compatibility, design, price, and service.

To this end, the Group sincerely considers the feedback it receives from customers each day and works to improve the quality and ensure the stable supply of its products and services, so that all customers can enjoy more convenient and comfortable lives and use the Group’s products and services with satisfaction.

As a fundamental premise, the Group considers respect for human rights to be essential in all its business activities. The Group has established the “Yamabiko Group Code of Conduct Detailed Rules,” which requires the Group to act with respect for the human rights of all people connected with it, including employees, business partners, and customers. Furthermore, in 2024, the Group established the “Yamabiko Group Human Rights Policy” to further advance its human rights initiatives.

Based on the “Yamabiko Group Corporate Philosophy,” the “Yamabiko Group Code of Conduct Detailed Rules,” and the “Yamabiko Group Human Rights Policy,” the Group has established this Basic Policy to protect the human rights of all stakeholders, including shareholders, business partners, and customers (collectively, “stakeholders”), and of its employees, in the event of customer harassment between stakeholders and employees. Customer harassment means demands, language, or conduct that exceed the bounds of what is considered reasonable under generally accepted social norms.

This Policy is intended to clarify the measures that the Group, as an employer, is required to take in terms of employment management under the amended Act on Comprehensive Promotion of Labor Policies, and to establish the Group’s commitment, as the responsible entity, to preventing customer harassment.

If a Group employee experiences customer harassment by a stakeholder, the Group will respond firmly and on an organizational basis. The Group also makes clear that, as an employer, it has a responsibility to address and prevent customer harassment proactively and continuously. At the same time, the Group will provide thorough education to its employees to ensure that they do not engage in customer harassment toward stakeholders.

Examples of Conduct That May Constitute Customer Harassment
・Physical attacks, including assault or injury, such as throwing objects, striking, kicking, or forceful pushing
・Verbal or psychological abuse, including threats, defamation, insults, attacks on an individual’s character or dignity, or abusive language
・Intimidating language or conduct
・Demands for a kneeling apology or another degrading form of apology
・Repeated or persistent language or conduct
・Restrictive conduct, including refusing to leave the premises, remaining on the premises without justification, confinement, or unnecessarily prolonged telephone calls
・Discriminatory language or conduct
・Inappropriate remarks or conduct of a sexual nature
・Attacks on, or demands directed at, an individual employee
・Excessive demands for the exchange of products or goods, monetary compensation, or an apology
・Defamatory or abusive statements concerning employees on social media or the internet
・Posting information on social media or the internet that infringes an employee’s privacy, including the employee’s name, photograph, or a video showing the employee’s face

This Policy applies to all employees of the Group. Employees of contractors and other individuals engaged in the Group’s operations are also entitled to respect and protection under this Policy.

The Group regards inquiries, opinions, and requests received from stakeholders as valuable opportunities to obtain information that may help improve the quality of its products and services, and responds to them sincerely. However, where a stakeholder’s demands, language, or conduct are grossly unreasonable in light of generally accepted social norms, they may harm the dignity of Group employees and adversely affect their physical or mental well-being. Furthermore, if the Group’s operations are disrupted, other stakeholders may also be inconvenienced.

The Group believes that maintaining a working environment in which Group employees can perform their duties with confidence and peace of mind also helps the Group build stronger relationships of trust with its stakeholders. If the Group determines that a stakeholder’s demands, language, or conduct constitute customer harassment, the Group may discontinue further communication or decline to provide further assistance. If the Group determines that the demands, language, or conduct are malicious, it will take appropriate measures, including reporting the matter to the police and taking legal action, and will respond firmly to the customer harassment.

・The Group will communicate this Basic Policy to all Group employees and ensure that it is thoroughly understood.
・The Group will establish methods and procedures for responding to customer harassment and provide education to Group employees.
・The Group encourages employees who have experienced customer harassment to report the matter to, or consult with, their supervisors or other appropriate persons. The Group provides a designated point of contact for consultation by employees who have experienced customer harassment. When a report or consultation is made, the Group will respond on an organizational basis and give the highest priority to supporting the employee concerned. The Group will not subject any employee to adverse treatment in relation to performance evaluations, job assignments, terms and conditions of employment, or otherwise on the grounds that the employee made a report or sought consultation.
・The Group will educate its employees to ensure that they do not engage in customer harassment toward stakeholders.
・Where the Group determines that conduct involving customer harassment is particularly unjustified or malicious, it will work with external experts and authorities, including the police and legal counsel, to resolve the matter.

The Group will comply with this Basic Policy and endeavor not to engage in customer harassment toward stakeholders. We respectfully ask all stakeholders for their understanding of and cooperation with this Basic Policy.

This Policy will be reviewed as necessary in light of social conditions, amendments to laws and regulations, the occurrence of customer harassment, and other relevant factors.