CSR Reporting

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, enacted in May 2003, contains articles related to respect for human rights and maps out global policies that guide human rights-related rules and activities throughout the Sony Group. The article in the Code concerning equal opportunity in employment lays down the Group's policy for recruiting, hiring, training, promoting and otherwise treating applicants and employees without regard to non-business-related characteristics, including race, religion, skin color, nationality, age, gender, or physical limitation. These provisions are based on existing international standards, including the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Sony's transactions with suppliers must comply with provisions in the Sony Group Code of Conduct. Sony has established the Sony Supplier 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).

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.

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 harassment issues, including sexual harassment or human rights violations. Access to such services outside the Group has also been set up. Together, these approaches make consulting conveniently available to employees. In addition, Sony has created a counseling service specializing in work-life balance issues in order to handle questions concerning childcare and nursing care. 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.

The Sony Group (global) offers an e-learning course on compliance annually for all employees, and each regional company 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 is offered to newly hired employees, various programs on human rights are regularly held for managers.

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.