Human Rights Due Diligence
We have established a human rights due diligence framework and are actively engaged in addressing human rights issues.
Mizuho's human rights management system
Mizuho has put in place a framework to promote initiatives for respecting human rights in line with the UNGPs. Specifically, under the policy, we have established a human rights due diligence process and grievance mechanism, implement the identification and assessment of salient human rights issues, prevent and mitigate adverse impacts, implement monitoring of the response status and ensure transparency though public disclosure. We are also enhancing the effectiveness of policies, HRDD and remediation through stakeholder engagement. For more details, please see our Human Rights Report.
Human rights due diligence approach (PDF/2,704KB)
For Employees
We provide a healthy and safe working environment for our employees. We are also committed to offering equal employment opportunities to all and promoting success for every employee , and do not tolerate discrimination or harassment of any kind. We have established a Human Rights Education Committee, and will work diligently to enhance the awareness of each employee with respect to our own rights and those of others.
Elevating individual employees' capabilities
Supporting success for every employee
Pursuit of employee well-being
Human Rights Awareness Promotion and Activities
For Clients
We recognize that, as a financial services provider, we can contribute to or be linked with adverse human rights impacts by way of our business relationships in every sector. We strive to perform adequate due diligence to prevent or mitigate adverse human rights impacts associated with our business operations, using our leverage where appropriate. We perform enhanced due diligence whenever we find any human rights issues in a business partner.
Performance of enhanced due diligence (PDF/2,704KB)
We are committed to protecting the privacy of our clients and promoting responsible financing that takes into consideration social and environmental impacts.
Responsible financing and investment
Taking into consideration the impact on human rights at developing new product and service
At the time of introducing a new product or service, Mizuho puts in place a mechanism for adequate assessment of potential impacts on human rights to ensure customer-oriented business operation. In developing a new product or service to individual customers, we assess the risk of adverse impacts on human rights for prevention and mitigation purposes.
Procedures to oversee advertising and promotional materials
Mizuho Bank, Mizuho Trust & Banking, and Mizuho Securities have put in place a mechanism to check advertising, promotional materials to clients, and in-house corporate communication magazines to ensure that there are no controversial expressions from the perspective of human rights, and to correct any such expressions.
For Suppliers
We request that suppliers of goods and services understand Mizuho's human rights policy and strives to encourage them to respect human rights at the same level as Mizuho. At Mizuho, we have established a Procurement Policy in order to enhance responsible procurement, which emphasizes ESG perspectives. The policy clarifies our basic approach to procurement and our requirements for suppliers from the perspectives of consideration for the environment (E); respect for human rights (S); and compliance and information management (G).
We provide our Procurement Policy, Human Rights Policy, and Environmental Policy to our primary suppliers and request for understanding. For certain suppliers, we also confirm the status of their response to human rights issues. We will continue to strengthen initiatives for ensuring respect of human rights within our supply chain.
Procurement Policy (PDF/144KB)
Responsible procurement
Mizuho's business operations are supported by the cooperation of suppliers providing office supplies, IT systems, outsourcing, and other goods and services.
Mizuho recognizes that procurement operations entail the risk of causing adverse human rights impacts with respect to suppliers' employees, as well as to the environment and society. We have established a Procurement Policy, which clarifies our respect for human rights within procurement operations. The policy also establishes supplier compliance items in the Supplier Guiding Principles, for which we request the understanding and cooperation of all suppliers.
The policy clarifies our basic approach to procurement and our requirements for suppliers from the perspectives of consideration for the environment (E); respect for human rights (S); and compliance and information management (G).
Based on this policy, we are practicing responsible procurement and urging our suppliers to pursue ESG initiatives in their business operations. In doing so, we aim to contribute to the development of a sustainable society together with our suppliers.