Dialogue on Business and Human Rights with Stakeholders

Major Activities in FY2021

Dialogue on Business and Human Rights with Overseas Stakeholders

In October 2021, the ANA Group held an online exchange of views on the progress of the ANA Group's ESG management with stakeholders well-versed in the field of "Business and Human Rights" with whom the ANA Group has engaged in regular dialogues.

Theme: Progress of Initiatives Relating to the ANA Group's Business and Human Rights

Date and Time: October 19, 2021, 18:00-19:30

Stakeholders participated online:
Pauliina Murphy (World Benchmarking Alliance Engagement Director)
Neill Wilkins (Institute for Human Rights and Business)
Camille Le Pors (World Benchmarking Alliance / Lead Corporate Human Rights Benchmark)

General Coordination
Caux Round Table Japan
Hiroshi Ishida (Executive Director)
Hitoshi Morotomi
Yukiko Sato

ANA HOLDINGS INC.
Chikako Miyata (Senior Vice President, Director of Corporate Sustainability), and others

Main Opinions from Stakeholders

Grievance Mechanism

  • One of the disadvantages of receiving reports from individuals is that companies become passive. It is important for the ANA Group to actively approach workers in the supply chain by means such as holding dialogues with rights holders in the field and to gain the trust of workers as they are the users of the grievance hotline.

Procurement Policy

  • Many companies tend to focus only on pressing issues, but it is also important for companies to think about what they want to be in a few years. For example, reviewing contracts and codes of conduct to check whether or not there are any problems is something that can be done now.
  • Engagement is important, and companies are expected to take initiatives for sustainable procurement that expand improvement measures in cooperation with industries and organizations to meet social expectations.

Human Rights and the Environment

  • Even in a just transition*, it is important to consider the impact on human rights. Considering climate change and human rights together is very complex, but it is an issue for the ANA Group to address, and it is necessary to consider how climate change affects working conditions and the working environment.
  • It is important to understand what kinds of impacts there are on communities, land, indigenous peoples, and rights holders, etc. for society as a whole through dialogue with vulnerable rights holders. It is also important to consider how people are affected not only locally but also globally.
  • A just transition is one in which the objective is to ensure that the substantial benefits of the transition to a green economy are widely shared and to support those who are in a position to suffer economic disadvantages.

Importance of Cooperation

  • Human rights violations by foreign governments and problems involving technical interns are not issues that can be dealt with by one company, so it is expected that companies will expand their influence by cooperating with other companies and organizations. At the same time, it is important to continue dialogue with the rights holders who are actually affected.
pagetop