Human Rights and Equal Opportunities

The Sony Group is committed to creating a workplace where human rights are respected and to providing equal employment opportunities that allow all individuals to make the most of their capabilities. In light of the increasing diversity of human rights issues facing corporations, Sony believes it is crucial to address these issues appropriately by building a common awareness among employees.

The Sony Group Code of Conduct states Sony's global policy on respect for human rights.
Our Code also includes our policy on equal opportunity in employment and non-discrimination and expressly provides: "Sony strives to promote diversity and seeks to create a culture that allows all Sony Personnel to contribute their unique talents and skills so as to provide the best products and services to our customers, and Sony is committed to recruiting, hiring, training, promoting and otherwise treating applicants and employees without discrimination based on factors that are unrelated to Sony's legitimate business interests.

Sony's transactions with suppliers must comply with provisions in the Sony Group Code of Conduct. Sony has established The Sony Supply Chain Code of Conduct, which covers human rights issues that could potentially arise at production facilities operated by suppliers and outsourcing partners concerning labor conditions (e.g. discrimination, child labor, and work hours, and freedom of association).

• Sony Group Code of Conduct

• Responsible Sourcing and CSR in Supply Chain Management

Sony's Organization for Ensuring Respect for Human Rights

All Sony Group companies in Japan have a Diversity Committee, which discusses outstanding issues and conducts workshops on human rights, diversity, and other such matters.

Hotline Service for Employees

At each Sony Group company in Japan, an in-house equal employment opportunity hotline has been established to advise employees and to enable immediate action in cases of possible human rights issues, including various forms of harassment. Access to such services outside the Group has also been set up. Together, these approaches make consulting conveniently available to employees. Additionally, Sony provides counseling to address employee concerns regarding work-life balance, parenting, caregiving, LGBT issues, and broad access to equal opportunities. These counseling services work to respond quickly and appropriately while giving full consideration to personal privacy. Sony strictly enforces confidentiality and ensures that employees are not subject to reprisals after reporting through the services. To ensure that counselors fully understand these matters, Sony provides manuals and holds seminars.

Education and Training

The Sony Group offers an e-learning course on compliance annually for all employees and provides programs for raising awareness of human rights, including training on human rights and harassment. In Japan, an e-learning course focusing on human rights is held for all employees of Sony Corporation and 26 group companies. In addition, a program on human rights and diversity for newly hired employees, and various programs on human rights for managers au regularly offered. Sony also addresses various human rights issues at the regional level by adhering to laws, regulations, and standards in the regions where it does business.

Sharing of Activities

Coinciding with Human Rights Week in December every year, each Sony Group company in Japan holds an event to award public recognition of especially successful efforts within the Group to promote diversity. The purpose of this event is to share best practices in diversity promotion. Also, the Group shares information on its global activities by holding workplace excellence awards ceremonies to reward production sites around the world that have done an especially good job of promoting human rights and diversity.

In addition, Sony Group in Japan has established a communication practices study group composed of Sony personnel working in advertising and communication practices. The study group meets regularly to share information, hold study sessions, and enhance people's knowledge of communication practices related to human rights.