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SUSTAINABILITY

Respect for Human Rights

Suzuki Group's Human Rights Initiatives

Starting in 2021, Suzuki began full-scale efforts to strengthen respect for human rights, establishing the Suzuki Group's Basic Policy on Respect for Human Rights and working to ensure that it is disseminated to all employees. We also ask each of our suppliers to cooperate with our human rights initiatives through our Suzuki CSR Guidelines for Suppliers.

Revisions to Suzuki Group’s Basic Policy on Respect for Human Rights

Based on the advice of external experts, the Suzuki Group’s Basic Policy on Respect for Human Rights (hereinafter referred to as the "human rights policy") was established through a resolution of the Board of Directors in December 2022 and has been posted on the Suzuki website to be widely disseminated to relevant parties. In June 2025, we updated our basic policy by re-clarifying the scope of stakeholders and organizing and clarifying the human rights issues we should prioritize.

Promotion structure

To continuously promote respect for human rights, Suzuki has appointed a person responsible and has begun preparations to employ a system for ensuring all stakeholders respect human rights. We promote human rights due diligence and awareness-raising activities at our domestic and overseas business sites and suppliers. These initiatives will prevent and reduce risks to human rights, and going forward we will report designed systems and plans to the Corporate Governance Committee to establish a company-wide system for responding to risks.

Internal promotion of the human rights policy

Based on the human rights policy published on our company website in February 2023 as a message from the president, we have been working to create a safe working environment throughout the value chain by raising awareness within the Company, implementing harassment prevention training and e-learning, and enhancing the operation of our consultation desk. We revised the human rights policy again in June 2025 to further promote the creation of a culture that respects human rights.

Ascertaining the Status of Respect for Human Rights

Identifying human rights issues and priorities through an expansion of stakeholders

In revising the human rights policy, we have included a variety of stakeholders in the policy's scope, and have sorted through and organized the human rights issues to identify which ones should be emphasized.

  Stakeholders
Employees Suppliers Customers Local community
Key human rights issues Discrimination and harassment 〇 〇 〇 〇
Forced labor and child labor 〇 〇    
Labor environment 〇 〇    
Working hours 〇 〇    
Wages 〇 〇    
Dialogs with stakeholders 〇 〇 〇 〇
Privacy 〇 〇 〇 〇
Products/services
and customers		     〇  
Impact on local communities and society       〇

Human rights due diligence

Suzuki has formulated a company-wide human rights policy that respects the human rights of all stakeholders, and has made this policy known throughout the Company through a message from the president. Based on this policy, we conduct surveys and other activities targeting domestic and overseas Group companies and business partners to visualize potential human rights risks related to stakeholders, and take corrective and preventative measures depending on the size and urgency of the risks, thereby steadily spreading and establishing our philosophy.

Initiatives with Business Partners

On-site inspection of suppliers in Japan

As part of our efforts to create a working environment where a diverse workforce can work with peace of mind, Suzuki conducted on-site surveys at our business partners to identify the various challenges and risks faced by foreign technical intern trainees.

  • In 2022, in cooperation with a human rights NGO, we held a seminar titled "Survey on the Acceptance Environment for Foreign Technical Intern Trainees," and through a questionnaire, we confirmed that approximately one-third of our domestic business partners have technical intern trainees enrolled.
  • To further understand actual conditions, we selected 16 companies in collaboration with the NGO and conducted on-site surveys from December 2022 to March 2024.

Actions to avoid risk

  • Selection criteria: 16 companies were selected based on a combination of 1) many technical intern trainees and 2) a high ratio of transactions with Suzuki.
  • Survey details: Interviews with management, on-site confirmations of worksites and dormitories, checks on treatment and benefits, individual interviews with technical intern trainees (78 trainees from 6 countries), and interviews with supervisory organizations
  • Improvement critiques: On-site issues are identified on the spot and improvements are encouraged. The supervisory organizations are asked to make improvements on issues related to the dispatching organizations.

We are aware of the various challenges and risks facing foreign technical intern trainees, and have conducted a survey of our business partners. This survey was conducted to help us properly understand and manage risks, and is also part of our efforts to create a work environment where an increasingly diverse workforce can work with peace of mind. Going forward, we will continue our efforts to establish working environments where all employees feel respected, safe, and comfortable.

Number of technical intern trainees interviewed

78 total trainees (22 from India, 21 from Indonesia, 16 from Vietnam, 8 from the Philippines, 6 from Myanmar, and 5 from China)

[Improvement Actions]
  • At each host company, areas for improvement are identified on the spot based on survey results and prompt improvements are encouraged
  • Requests for improvements with respect to issues related to the local dispatching organization are sent to the supervisory organizations

Spreading risk avoidance measures

  • In June 2024, we held a briefing session for 84 primary suppliers. Issues, countermeasures, and positive examples identified during the survey of 16 companies were shared at this session, and the participants were presented with standard criteria for companies accepting foreign workers.

Reaching agreement with suppliers on respect for human rights

The Suzuki Group is gradually concluding memoranda of understanding with its suppliers to add agreement terms regarding respect for human rights to basic purchasing contracts concluded by all Group companies, including domestic and overseas subsidiaries. These memoranda include key items that comply with the fundamental conventions of the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, such as the prohibition of child labor and forced labor, the elimination of discrimination and harassment in employment, ensuring fair working hours and wages, the freedom to form labor unions, and the creation of safe and healthy workplace environments. Going forward, we will conclude such memoranda with all companies, primarily through procurement departments, and will further strengthen human rights due diligence throughout the supply chain via regular monitoring and reporting, and discussions on corrective measures as necessary, to establish a sustainable system for respecting human rights.

Initiatives for Suzuki’s own Employees

Employee consultation desk

We opened the Human Capital and Administration Consultation Service as a consultation service that specializes in human capital matters including harassment in the workplace and in consultations relating to safety, health, and mental health. In addition to the consultation service, an Improvement Proposal Box is located at cafeterias and offices, allowing every employee to easily make proposals on work improvements or request consultations.

We have also set up the Mental Health Consultation Room with a psychiatrist and psychotherapist and introduced an external counseling service (EAP).

Initiatives for Customers

Protecting human rights through products

i-Size child seats* complying with the new UN Regulation No. 129 aimed at increasing safety are included as genuine accessories in all passenger vehicles sold in Japan.

Suzuki endorses the Children’s Rights and Business Principles and strives to protect the right of children to safe transportation by ensuring the safety of our products and services.

*UN Regulation No. 129: A regulation aimed at improving child restraints based on the “UN 1958 Agreement” concerning the Adoption of Uniform Technical Prescriptions for Wheeled Vehicles, Equipment and Parts which can be Fitted and/or be Used on Wheeled Vehicles and the Conditions for Reciprocal Recognition of Approvals Granted on the Basis of these Prescriptions. Excludes the WITH series. As of September 2024.

Dialogs with Stakeholders

We at Suzuki value various opinions we receive from shareholders and other investors, customers, suppliers, employees, people from the community, and various other stakeholders. We regularly put out questionnaires or hold meetings so that we can hold direct dialogs with stakeholders about their requests and ideas, and the details are then shared internally to help our efforts to improve our business and services. This kind of bilateral communication will help us create a more accessible and open company.

Suzuki Group’s Basic Policy on Respect for Human Rights