Human Rights

Our Approach

The shared values articulated in the Code of Conduct of the Fujitsu Way are guidelines for each employee to follow when conducting their daily business operations. Prime among them is "We respect human rights", a principle that underpins all our corporate activities. We are working to ensure that this concept becomes an integral part of the day-to-day actions of all employees in the group.

In December 2014, the Fujitsu Group released the “Fujitsu Group Human Rights Statement” to promote activities that respect human rights in accordance with this Code of Conduct, as set out in the Fujitsu Way. The statement has revised in December 2022, and has been prepared in 21 languages, including Japanese and English, with the aim of ensuring that it becomes embedded in the corporate culture of all our group companies.

Fujitsu has publicly announced its support for the ten principles of the United Nations Global Compact (*1) based on universal principles regarding human rights and rights at work, such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Labour Organization’s (ILO) Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work. We will continue to drive management practices that respect human rights.

In the Fujitsu Group’s CSR Procurement Guidelines, we have also adopted the Responsible Business Alliance (RBA) Code of Conduct and promote the Human Rights Enlightenment Structure among our suppliers and throughout our supply chain.

• （*1）
  Ten principles of the United Nations Global Compact:
  The compact identifies ten principles that corporations should uphold in four areas: human rights, labor practices, the environment and anti-corruption.

• Fujitsu Group Human Rights Statement
• Fujitsu Group Human Rights Statement APPENDIX
• For other languages
• Supply Chain Policy
  https://www.fujitsu.com/global/about/csr/procurement/#anc-01

Organizational Structure and Regular Reviews

The Fujitsu Group promotes “human rights due diligence” in accordance with the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGP).

As part of this activity, we interviewed personnel across a wide range of departments in Fujitsu and exchanged ideas with Japan-based as well as international experts. In doing so, we identified three key areas where our business activities have a major impact: supply chain, employees, and customers and end users. We are now engaged in activities to address human rights issues in these areas.

In order to further drive Human Rights Due Diligence, within the Human Rights and Diversity pillar of our global responsible business activities, we have established a structure of regular meetings for those responsible for promoting human rights in each of Fujitsu’s operating regions. We will monitor the progress being made toward achieving our goals and KPIs in this area and continue to exchange ideas on Human Rights Due Diligence.

Activities to Raise Awareness of Human Rights

The Fujitsu Group has established a Human Rights Promotion Committee which is chaired by the board member in charge of human resources, that will take advantage of a range of opportunities to undertake research and awareness raising activities.

To implement activities that promote respect for human rights, we have set up Regional Human Rights Promotion Committees comprising regional workplace representatives in each Fujitsu work location in Japan. We also collaborate with the committees in Fujitsu Group companies within Japan.

The status of activities and issues within the areas in Japan and in group companies is regularly reported to the head office of the Human Rights Promotion Committee. Findings are used by the Human Rights Promotion Committee to summarize activities and set policy directions on an annual basis to drive ongoing, structured educational activities that promote respect for human rights. We are also members of the Industrial Federation for Human Rights, Tokyo, a voluntary organization, and work on mutual training with many of the member enterprises to make respect for human rights an integral part of our corporate culture. And from our standpoint as a company, we engage in activities that help to raise community awareness.

Promotion of Human Rights Due Diligence

In accordance with the "Fujitsu Group Human Rights Statement", the Fujitsu Group promotes “Human Rights Due Diligence” that identifies the human rights impacts of our business activities throughout the entire global value chain, while also preventing or mitigating any negative impacts.

In 2017, with the cooperation of the Business for Social Responsibility (BSR) international NPO, we undertook an evaluation of the human rights impacts of Fujitsu’s business activities, identifying issues such as employees’ working hours, workplace health and safety, the use of forced or child labor in supply chains, as well as data privacy and data security in our businesses.

As part of its human rights due diligence, the Fujitsu Group conducts ongoing internal surveys based on the ISO 26000 standard in order to check the progress of our human rights initiatives. In FY2021, we conducted surveys at 87 global group companies and 7 facilities to assess the progress of human rights and work practices programs with the aim of pinpointing problems and helping to expand such programs company-wide. We also conducted a survey of 21 overseas group companies in FY2020 looking at working hours, wages, privacy and reporting systems.

The human rights due diligence initiatives in the Fujitsu Group supply chain are conducted based on the RBA Code of Conduct. When Fujitsu makes a new corporate acquisition, we carry out due diligence with respect to sustainability, including human rights. We also take steps to minimize any risk of human rights violations and ensure that the Fujitsu Group human rights initiatives are fully embraced.

• Supply Chain
  https://www.fujitsu.com/global/about/csr/procurement/

Education on Human Rights

Based on the policy directions set by the Human Rights Promotion Committee, the Fujitsu Group conducts education and training activities using course content that is common across the company as well as content targeting issues specific to a region or group company. There are training programs that all employees undertake when joining the company and upon promotion, as well as other training programs held year-round. These training programs cover various human rights issues, including discrimination against minorities, workplace harassment, understanding of LGBTI+ issues, and human rights issues related to business operations. At Fujitsu, we believe it is crucial for a culture of understanding to be championed by senior management in order to instill respect for human rights. Therefore, we conduct training for newly appointed executives in Fujitsu and our group companies in Japan that teaches them our approach to corporate activities based on international human rights standards. In FY2021, the Fujitsu Group implemented an e-learning program on "Business and Human Rights” in FY2016 that was intended for all group employees and aimed to heighten awareness about human rights issues for every member of staff. The course was attended by 92% of all group employees.

Framework for Reporting and Consulting on Human Rights Issues

The Fujitsu Group conducts its business activities worldwide in close collaboration with local communities. Working with these communities, we have established systems to engage in human rights-related consultations and information gathering both inside and outside the company, in order to listen to and understand the opinions of various parties.

The Fujitsu Group has created an intranet-based system to consult with and accept input from all Fujitsu Group employees on human rights-related issues. Within Japan, Fujitsu has set up Human Rights Consultation Service facilities in 16 locations. The matters discussed are reported to the Human Rights Promotion Committee and regularly communicated to auditors, with careful consideration given to ensuring that personal information and privacy are respected. The objectives are to understand the utilization status of this consultation service and to put in place initiatives designed to prevent recurrences of any breaches.

Through the Compliance Line/Fujitsu Alert structure, the Fujitsu Group receives reports and offers consultations related to compliance issues, including human rights issues, for all Fujitsu Group employees, customers, suppliers and other third parties globally. The Fujitsu Group has also set up the Compliance Line for Suppliers in Japan as a channel for receiving reports from suppliers in Japan regarding any actions that are potential or actual instances of non-compliance in our purchasing activities.

• Global Compliance Program
  https://www.fujitsu.com/global/about/csr/compliance/#anc-02

Initiatives to Prevent Forced Labor and Child Labor

The Fujitsu Group has stipulated that it will not use forced labor or child labor, and it conducts written CSR surveys based on the ISO 26000 standard in order to check on our initiatives for preventing forced labor and child labor.

We also make our stakeholders aware of the Fujitsu Group CSR Procurement Guideline, which includes provisions on the elimination of forced labor and child labor. Furthermore, we request that our suppliers complete a written survey on the status of CSR initiatives including steps to eliminate forced labor and child labor.

• Supply Chain Management
  https://www.fujitsu.com/global/about/csr/procurement/

Initiatives on AI Ethics

The Fujitsu Group has long advocated a ‘human centric’ approach and argued that information technology should fundamentally be used to focus on, and to benefit, people. In March 2019, as a reflection of the rapid recent development of AI technologies, the Fujitsu Group formulated and announced the "Fujitsu Group AI Commitment". As the companies which carry out AI-related businesses including research, development, implementation and operation activities, we aim to emphasize the importance of communication with a wide range of stakeholders in the community, including users and consumers, as we distribute the enormous value of AI to the society. For that purpose, the commitment outlines our promises with the customers and the community.

• Fujitsu Group AI Commitment

In line with the Fujitsu Group AI Commitment, the new “AI Ethics Governance Office”, established in February 2022, plays a strategic leadership role in programs for an ethical approach to AI and other cutting-edge technology. The office is also establishing an in-house governance framework that brings together the research divisions that have the “Research Center for AI Ethics”, the government relations office, which deals with government, the legal compliance division which handles legal issues, and the business divisions that engage with users installing AI systems. As well as ensuring that ethical approaches are embraced throughout the Fujitsu Group organization, the AI Ethics Governance Office also manages the “Fujitsu Group External Advisory Committee on AI Ethics” and the “'Human Centric AI' Working Group”, andpromotes initiatives such as expanding collaboration with communities outside the company. Those committee and group are detailed below.

• Fujitsu Establishes AI Ethics and Governance Office to Ensure the Safe and Secure Deployment of AI and Leading-edge Technologies in Society
  https://www.fujitsu.com/global/about/resources/news/press-releases/2022/0128-01.html

The Fujitsu Group has set up the Fujitsu Group External Advisory Committee on AI Ethics, which is made up of outside experts in the field, to have our practices on AI ethics objectively evaluated. Discussions by this committee are shared with the Board of Directors, that is, we are incorporating the group's efforts for AI ethics into its corporate governance regime and allowing for ongoing review and improvement.

• Fujitsu Establishes the Fujitsu Group External Advisory Committee on AI Ethics to Ensure the Safe and Secure Deployment of AI in Society
  https://www.fujitsu.com/global/about/resources/news/press-releases/2019/0930-01.html

The members of this committee include experts from a wide range of fields to provide ample diversity. As well as AI, these fields include law, biomedicine, zoology, the SDGs, and the administration of consumer affairs.

Fujitsu’s internal 'Human Centric AI' Working Group acts as an in-house channel for ethical consultation and is made up of specialists in areas such as technology, business, and law. In areas such as human rights, privacy and ethics, this group works diligently to study and assess the likely impacts of actual AI research, development, implementation and operation, including problems between consumers and the businesses using AI. The group then works to prevent problems before they arise.

The Research Center for AI Ethics has also developed the “Fairness by Design” AI development method, in which fairness that differs according to culture and business customs is considered from the design stage. The goal of this approach is to help achieve a fairer and more equal society through fair AI development.

• Development of the “Fairness by Design” AI Development Method, Which Considers Fairness Dependent on Culture and Business Customs From the Design Stage
  Design Methods for Artificial Intelligence Fairness and Transparency
  Simone Stumpf , Lorenzo Strappelli , Subeida Ahmeda , Yuri Nakao*, Aisha Naseer*, Giulia Del Gamba and Daniele Regoli
  Joint Proceedings of the ACM IUI 2021 Workshops, April 13–17, 2021, College Station, USA

More broadly, the Fujitsu Group is taking steps to ensure that AI ethics are embraced by society as a whole, not just within the group. Our efforts also include distributing content that will help to promote community-wide consideration of AI ethics, including the free public release via the Internet in February 2022 of a system for assessing the ethical impact of AI systems.

• Fujitsu Delivers New Resource Toolkit to Offer Guidance on Ethical Impact of AI Systems
  https://www.fujitsu.com/global/about/resources/news/press-releases/2022/0221-01.html

For detailed information on Fujitsu’s AI ethics initiatives, visit the following website.

• AI Ethics AI Ethics from Principles to Practical Implementation Trustworthy AI Design & Auditing
  https://www.fujitsu.com/global/about/research/technology/aiethics/