Respect for Human Rights
Commitment to Human Rights
The Aozora Bank Group Human Rights Policy clearly states that the Group intends to fulfill its responsibility to eliminate from its business operations any activities that are in opposition to the protection and promotion of human rights as well as any exploitative practices, including slavery, human trafficking, forced labor and child labor, while remaining dedicated to complying with applicable laws and regulations in the regions where it conducts business.
Raising awareness of respect for human rights
The Aozora Group has established the Code of Ethics and Conduct, which sets standards of conduct for officers and employees as a guide to everyday decision-making and actions. In the Code of Ethics and Conduct, the Aozora Group states that it understands and respects the dignity and human rights of every person, including customers as well as officers and employees, and eliminates all forms of discrimination, thereby promoting the importance and awareness of respect for human rights among officers and employees.
Human Rights Due Diligence Initiatives
We identified and evaluated human rights issues with a high potential negative impact and developed a human rights issue map. We have been continuously inspecting and reviewing the map in accordance with changes in the business environment and other factors.
Overview and positioning of corporate efforts to respect human rights
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- Created by Aozora Bank mainly based on the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry’s "Guidelines on Respecting Human Rights in Responsible Supply Chains"
Identification and Evaluation of Human Rights Issues with a High Negative Impact
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Response to Human Rights Issues with a High Negative Impact
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Human Rights Issue |
Current Response |
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① ⑦ ⑪ |
Our Investment and Lending Policies regarding Environmental and Societal Issues ban investments and lending sector-wide for businesses engaged in child labor, forced labor, and human trafficking. When considering investments and lending to businesses that may violate human rights in conflict areas or aid in doing so, we examine whether customers have made efforts to reduce and avoid risks and make decisions on transactions with caution. |
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⑫ |
Aozora determines a policy for responding to each individual case according to reputational information and other matters related to individual business partners. |
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⑧ ⑬ |
We create a basic check sheet regarding outsourcing management for annual reviews of whether there is negative or reputational information related to matters such as outsourcees’ violation of human rights. Furthermore, when we place an order for construction, etc., we also produce an outside vendor risk evaluation check sheet to examine and evaluate risks related to the environment and human rights. |
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⑨ |
Aozora has formulated the personal information protection policy (Privacy Policy) and disclosed it at branches and on its website, while implementing organizational, personnel, and technical safety management measures such as the establishment of rules for managing personal data, training, and system improvements. |
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⑩ |
Aozora’s Code of Ethics and Conduct, which sets ethical and behavioral standards for our officers and employees, declares efforts to create workplaces free of discrimination and harassment, and we produce and disseminate a Compliance Handbook. We also regularly conduct training covering the various forms of harassment. |
Approaches to customers
The Aozora Group works to improve its branch operations and online service accessibility to ensure that financial services are made available equally to all customers.
We also strive not to provide inappropriate responses that may have a negative impact on the human rights such as discrimination and an invasion of privacy.
Approaches to officers and employees
Based on the Aozora Bank Group Human Rights Policy, the Aozora Group provides training on the prevention of workplace harassment as well as on a range of human rights issues, including people with disabilities, non-Japanese, elderly people, gender diversity, and the ostracized social groups (so-called “Dowa problem”). We also work to raise awareness of respect for human rights by providing information and events.
＜Training Programs＞
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Name of training |
Target |
Content |
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New employees training |
All new employees |
Basics of human rights |
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Mid-career hires training |
All mid-career hires |
Aozora Bank's human rights initiatives, etc. |
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Human Rights Awareness Promotion Leaders Training* |
Human Rights Awareness Promotion Leaders |
Awareness of human rights in general |
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E-learning on human rights |
All officers and employees |
Business and human rights, LGBTQ+ and human rights, etc. |
- Human Rights Awareness Promotion Leaders in each division/branch/office participate and provide feedback on the training to their divisions/branches/offices.
Creating a comfortable workplace for employees with disabilities
The Aozora Group considers the individual needs of employees with disabilities based on their specific disabilities and provides an environment where these employees can work like other employees. In recognition of this, we received the Tokyo Metropolitan Government’s “Excellent Company Award for the Employment of People with Disabilities.” The rate of retention for new employees after one year has stayed at 100%. Moving forward, our goal is to promote efforts aimed at creating an even more comfortable workplace for employees.
Promoting the understanding of LGBTQ+
The Aozora Group implements initiatives to facilitate the proper understanding of LGBTQ+ as a means to create a comfortable workplace for all officers and employees, including employees who identify as LGBTQ+. In addition to providing an e-learning course that is designed to deliver essential knowledge, we held an event to watch an LGBTQ+ themed movie for the first time in FY2025, and the participants exchanged their feelings about the movie in the follow-up discussion.
Scenes from the event to watch the movie “Kalanchoe”
Scenes from the follow-up discussion
Remedial Initiatives (Grievances)
In addition to the customer complaint desk, the Aozora Group has established the Aozora Hotline Program for officers and employees to receive consultations and file reports on human rights issues. The scope of this system was expanded from officers and employees to suppliers and job-seeking students.