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- List of Policies Established by the Kobe Bussan Group
List of Policies Established by the Kobe Bussan Group
Here are the policies and norms established by the Kobe Bussan Group. Click below to see details on each policy.
- Sustainability Basic Policy
- Quality Policy
- Privacy Policy
- Human Rights Policy
- Supply Chain Code of Conduct
Sustainability Basic Policy
The Kobe Bussan Group's mission is to deliver delicious and excitement to customers around the world through "professional-quality products at affordable prices" and "integrated food production & distribution operations" while contributing to customers' rich life filled with smiles. We work to solve issues faced by customers and society through food, aiming to achieve a sustainable society and the sustainable growth of our group with the following policy:
- Work together with customers and local residents to address issues, helping to develop the local society through safe and reliable food.
- Respect a diversity, develop human resources, and improve working environments under the concept that the foundation of our business growth is physical and mental health and safety of our employees.
- Build supply chains based on sincere and fair business practices to aim for mutual sustainable growth, valuing trust with our business partners, such as our franchisees and suppliers.
- Build trust with all stakeholders based on appropriate discussion with them and timely and appropriate disclosure to aim to improve our corporate value through our long-term stable growth.
- Respect human rights, do not discriminate, and do not allow child labor or forced labor in any form.
- Strive to consider the nature and the global environment, to prevent global warming, and to form a recycling-based society.
- Conduct business activities sincerely and fairly, complying with international norms as well as laws and regulations of the countries and regions where we operate.
- Achieve sound and effective management by the proper governance system.
Quality Policy
Supply of Safe & Reliable Products
We implement quality control thoroughly in the all processes from raw material procurement to manufacturing, distribution, and sales to deliver safe and high-quality products.
Compliance with Laws and Regulations
We provide safe and reliable food products in accordance with laws and regulations and our internal standards.
Enhancement of Customer Satisfaction
We offer our products and services to contribute to our customers' health and their enjoyable and rich diet.
Privacy Policy
In the information society, Kobe Bussan Co., Ltd. and its group companies (referring to "Our group companies with which we share personal information" below, and collectively referred to as the "Group") are fully aware of the importance of protecting and handling personal information. We are committed to maintaining the security of all personal information handled in the course of business as set out in our Privacy Policy below.
Compliance with Laws and Regulations
Regarding handling of personal information, the Group complies with the Act on the Protection of Personal Information of Japan and other applicable laws and regulations.
Security Control Measures
The Group takes appropriate security control measures from physical, technical, and administrative aspects to help safeguard your personal information from unauthorized access, loss, destruction, modification, leakage, etc. We also take appropriate human-based programs to protect personal information, such as providing the education and awareness-raising training for all board members and employees who deal with personal information.
Provision of Personal Data to Third Parties
The Group does not provide your personal data to any third party other than our authorized partners without your prior permission, except in the following cases:
- when required by laws and regulations
- when it is necessary to protect a person's life, body and property, and when it is difficult to obtain your prior express consent
- when it is reasonably necessary to improve public health or to promote sound growth of children, and when it is difficult to obtain your prior express consent
- when we are required to cooperate with a government agency, a local government, or a person entrusted by them in performing affairs prescribed by laws and regulations, and when obtaining your consent may interfere with execution of such affairs
Notwithstanding the above, we may provide your personal data to our business partners, such as our franchise stores, product and raw material suppliers, store equipment manufacturers, maintenance agents, etc. if we determine that it is appropriate for them to respond directly to your inquiry. In this case, we consider that you consent to the provision and use of your personal data received by us for the purposes described in this Policy.
Purposes of Using Personal Information
The Group will not collect personal information by unlawful or unfair means, and will specify the purposes of collecting personal information as explicitly as possible. Except as required by law, we will use your personal information with your prior consent only within the scope necessary to achieve the intended purpose. The followings are the specific purposes for which the Group collects personal information:
1. Personal information about customers:- To respond to inquiries from customers regarding the products which a customer has purchased
- To deliver our products and services, including shipping products purchased from our online shop and reaching purchasers
- To operate membership system for customer management
- To deliver our e-newsletters and e-notices
- To offer reward points, coupons, or other benefits
- To introduce, advertise, and promote our group's products and our stores
- To plan our promotional campaign and conduct a questionnaire survey, including promotions and surveys of stores
- To complete payment transactions in terms of sensitive financial information provided for us, such as a credit card number and an expiry date
- To fulfill a purpose of customer surveys and questionnaires
- To review conversations with customers and to prevent or detect a crime in terms of recording telephone conversations with customers and recording video with surveillance video cameras in our retail stores
- To provide other contents related to products and services offered by the Kobe Bussan Group
- To contact or inquire of business partners, conclude business contracts, and confirm business-related matters
- To verify a business partner's identity when the person enters premises of the Group in order to maintain internal order and protect assets and business confidentiality
- To comply with legal obligations and regulatory requirements
- To exercise the legal rights of shareholders and fulfill obligations towards them under the Japanese Companies Act
- To hold shareholders' meetings and keep accurate records of such meetings
- To provide various conveniences for shareholders from our company
- To manage information in accordance with applicable laws and regulations, including data creation
- To contact with or provide necessary information to job applicants, or to use in relation to our recruitment activities
- To contact with or provide necessary information to retired or separated employees
Sharing of Personal Information
The Kobe Bussan Group may share your personal information with our group companies as below, after taking appropriate measures to protect the personal information.
1. Personal information to be shared:Name, address, birthday, gender, phone number, e-mail address, and any other information provided to us
2. Our group companies with which we share personal information:Kobe Bussan Foods Co., Ltd.
Ostern Foods Co., Ltd.
Termelt Foods Co., Ltd.
Kobe Bussan Eco Green Hokkaido Co., Ltd.
Hata Foods Co., Ltd.
Masuzen Co., Ltd.
Nikunotaiko Co., Ltd.
Miyagi Seifun Co., Ltd.
Mugipan Koubou Co., Ltd.
Green Poultry Co., Ltd.
Coffee Mame Koubou Co., Ltd.
Toyota Nyugyou Co., Ltd.
Sekihara Sake Brewery Co., Ltd.
Kikukawa Co., Ltd.
Asabiki Wakadori Co., Ltd.
- To conduct market research and data analysis to innovate and develop new products and services
- To introduce our products and services via direct mail or other means
- To transfer and hand over your inquiry about our products or services to the company in charge within the Group
- To communicate with our customers in an effective and smooth manner
Continuous Improvement of Management Systems to Protect Personal Information
In order to enhance the protection of personal information, we regularly review and continue to improve our personal information protection management systems.
Use of Cookies
Some of our web pages (at https://www.kobebussan.co.jp/english/) use a technology called "Cookies" to provide an enhanced customer service experience. Cookies are text files that send data to your web browser from web servers when you visit Internet sites and do not collect any personal information. You can disable cookies depending on the setting of your browser; however, please note that some services or functions on the website may not be available.
Inquiry about Personal Information
If you have any questions about how we handle your personal information, please email us through the Contact Us form.
Kobe Bussan Human Rights Policy
The Kobe Bussan Group (the "Group") has hereby established the Kobe Bussan
Human Rights Policy (the "Policy") to promote its commitment to respecting
human rights of all our stakeholders based on our corporate philosophy.
1. Nature of the Policy
The Policy sets out the Group's most fundamental policy regarding respect for human rights. We will put this policy into practice by making specific efforts to respect human rights in our business activities through our individual documents about approaches to respecting human rights (such as the Kobe Bussan Group Supply Chain Code of Conduct and other policies and guidelines).
2. Scope of application and statement of expectations for respecting human rights
The policy applies to all directors and employees of the Group, and we also expect all our business partners, including suppliers, to understand and support the Policy.
3. Declaration of a commitment to respecting internationally recognized human rights
The Group respects human rights recognized internationally in documents including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
4. Responsibility to respect human rights and legal compliance
We at the Group comply with laws and regulations of each country or region where we operate. However, when faced with any discrepancy between these laws or regulations and international human rights standards, we will seek ways to respect internationally recognized human rights.
5. Priority issues
Prohibition of child labor
We do not employ children under the minimum age for employment, complying with the laws and regulations of countries and regions where we operate.
Terms of employment for those under the age of 18
When employing young people under the age of 18, we do not engage them in work that may harm their health, safety or morals, complying with the laws and regulations of countries or regions where we operate.
Prohibition of forced labor
We do not engage in involuntary labor, such as forced labor and labor through human trafficking by means of threats, physical/sexual violence, seizure of identification documents, restrictions on movement, non-payment of wages, debt bondage, etc.
Prohibition of oppression and harassment
We do not engage in any acts that aim to cause or may cause physical, psychological, sexual or economic damage, including sexual harassment or workplace bullying, as well as cruelty, threat, intimidation, retaliation and oppressive acts, including bullying, corporal punishment and torture.
Elimination of discrimination
We do not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, gender, color, nationality, age, ethnicity, religion, work experience, sexual orientation, disability, thought, belief, social origin and any other factors.
Excessive and unreasonable working hours
We guarantee breaks, leaves, and holidays, and do not force employees to work excessive or unreasonably long hours or long hours that are harmful to health, complying with applicable laws and regulations regarding working hours and overtime in countries or regions where we operate.
Wage payment
In agreement with the terms of an employment contract, we pay wages, overtime pay and statutory benefits not less than the minimum wage in accordance with the terms of the contract, complying with applicable laws and regulations in countries or regions where we operate.
Occupational health and safety
We are committed to provide our workers with a safe and healthy working environment and maintain their health.
Recognition of freedom of association and collective bargaining
With respect to freedom of association, we recognize the right of employees to organize and bargain collectively, and we do not discriminate, harass, annoy, or otherwise retaliate against members, representatives, or others of the union, complying with applicable laws and regulations in countries or regions where we operate.
6. Our approaches to implementing efforts to respect human rights
The Group promotes respect for human rights through dialogue and collaboration with our stakeholders, aiming to prevent and mitigate any adverse impacts on human rights by conducting human rights due diligence in accordance with the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. If any event is found to have caused or encouraged an adverse impact on human rights, we will fulfill our responsibility for respecting human rights by taking suitable measures to redress or remedy the problem.
October 2024
Hirokazu Numata, President and Representative Director
Kobe Bussan Co., Ltd.
Kobe Bussan Group Supply Chain Code of Conduct
Based on our corporate philosophy, we at the Kobe Bussan Group aspire to
achieve a sustainable society and sustainable growth of our business by working
to solve social issues through our business. In solving these issues, we believe
that it is essential to address sustainability throughout the entire supply chain
with the understanding and cooperation of not only Kobe Bussan Group
companies but also our suppliers and business partners (collectively, the
“Business Partners”). Therefore, we have established the Kobe Bussan Group
Supply Chain Code of Conduct (the "Code”) as basic guidelines for transactions
and procurement activities in the Kobe Bussan Group's supply chain.
We would like to thank our valued Business Partners, for having supported and
cooperated with us and continuing cooperation in building a sustainable supply
chain based on better partnerships.
1. Scope of application and statement of expectations
The Code applies to all directors and employees of the Kobe Bussan Group, and we also expect all the Business Partners and their own business partners to understand and practice the Code.
2. Basic guidelines
Compliance with laws, regulations, and social norms
We comply with all laws, regulations, ordinances, and rules applicable in countries and regions where we operate and respect international norms.
Prohibition of child labor
We do not employ children under the minimum age for employment, complying with the laws and regulations of countries and regions where we operate.
Terms of employment for those under the age of 18
When employing young people under the age of 18, we do not engage them in work that may harm their health, safety or morals, complying with the laws and regulations of countries or regions where we operate.
Prohibition of forced labor
We do not engage in involuntary labor, such as forced labor and labor through human trafficking by means of threats, physical/sexual violence, seizure of identification documents, restrictions on movement, non-payment of wages, debt bondage, etc.
Prohibition of oppression and harassment
We do not engage in any acts that aim to cause or may cause physical, psychological, sexual or economic damage, including sexual harassment or workplace bullying, as well as cruelty, threat, intimidation, retaliation and oppressive acts, including bullying, corporal punishment and torture.
Elimination of discrimination
We do not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, gender, color, nationality, age, ethnicity, religion, work experience, sexual orientation, disability, thought, belief, social origin and any other factors.
Excessive and unreasonable working hours
We guarantee breaks, leaves, and holidays, and do not force employees to work excessive or unreasonably long hours or long hours that are harmful to health, complying with applicable laws and regulations regarding working hours and overtime in countries or regions where we operate.
Wage payment
In agreement with the terms of an employment contract, we pay wages, overtime pay and statutory benefits not less than the minimum wage in accordance with the terms of the contract, complying with applicable laws and regulations in countries or regions where we operate.
Occupational health and safety
We are committed to provide our workers with a safe and healthy working environment and maintain their health.
Recognition of freedom of association and collective bargaining
With respect to freedom of association, we recognize the right of employees to organize and bargain collectively, and we do not discriminate, harass, annoy, or otherwise retaliate against members, representatives, or others of the union, complying with applicable laws and regulations in countries or regions where we operate.
Environmental considerations
In consideration of effects on local communities and biodiversity, we are mindful of energy consumption efficiency, climate change issues including greenhouse gas emissions, effective use of resources, and environmental impacts through, for example, waste; pollution of air, soil and rivers; and water use.
Commitment to anti-corruption
We do not, directly or indirectly, engage in any act of abusing our authority to obtain wrongful gains (bribery, facilitation payments or conflicts of interest to obtain a wrongful gain, giving or receiving excessive entertainment, gifts, or other benefits, embezzlement such as the improper receipt of rebates or kickbacks, illegal or improper donations or contributions, collusion or other unfair competition, extortion, fraud, obstruction of justice, insider trading, money laundering, tax evasion, etc.).
October 2024
Hirokazu Numata, President and Representative Director
Kobe Bussan Co., Ltd.