Constructing a sustainable supply chain is an important issue for realizing the growth of a corporate group and a sustainable society.

The JVCKENWOOD Group is actively promoting sustainable procurement on a global basis, recognizing the importance of sustainable procurement in fulfilling its social responsibility in the supply chain, while considering social needs such as the environment and human rights.

JVCKENWOOD Group Procurement Policy (Japanese) (PDF:151KB)

JVCKENWOOD Group Procurement Policy (Chinese) (PDF:114KB)

To ensure sustainable procurement, the JVCKENWOOD Group confirms not only the quality, cost, turnaround time, and technological capabilities of its suppliers, but also seeks to ensure respect for human rights and proper labor practices. This includes the prohibition of child and forced labor and the establishment of appropriate wages and working hours.

To achieve these goals, we will promote the following items.

We have New Supplier Selection Standard that address not only quality, cost, turnaround time, technological capability, and the ability to maintain a stable supply but also the sustainable use of resources, chemical substance management, and other aspects related to the environment, human rights, and occupational safety. 

When we start transacting with new suppliers, we make them aware of the JVCKENWOOD Group Procurement Policy, the JVCKENWOOD Group Human Rights Policy, and the JVCKENWOOD CSR Procurement Guidelines. Also, as part of our communication with global business partners, when opening a new account, we request that they adhere to our CSR Procurement Guidelines, and collect signatures from all business partners signifying their endorsement of our CSR Procurement Guidelines.

Constructing a sustainable supply chain is an important issue for realizing the growth of a corporate group and a sustainable society. The JVCKENWOOD Group is actively promoting sustainable procurement on a global basis, recognizing the importance of sustainability. In March 2022, we performed a major update of the SAQ based on the "Responsible Business Conduct Guidelines" published by the Japan Electronics and Information Technology Industries Association (JEITA), an organization for the domestic electronics industry.

The new self-assessment questionnaire (SAQ) consists of eight items related to compliance with laws and regulations and respect for international norms, human rights and labor, safety and health, environmental conservation, fair trade and ethics, and the establishment of a management system. The form asks about the existence of policies, regulations, and systems and the implementation of specific initiatives.

We encourage business partners to actively submit reports and implement initiatives to reduce their impact, as part of our efforts to reduce our environmental and social impact across the supply chain as a whole.

In May 2024, we sent the new SAQ to all of our suppliers, and received responses from 100%.

We submit written requests for improvement to business partners that, through these SAQs, we consider to be at high risk and requiring improvement based particularly on their response to items that may be linked to material violations of laws and regulations related to human rights, health and safety, and the environment, "forced labor and child labor," which we identified as an outstanding human rights issue in FY2023, and information security, an area where we have been strengthening our countermeasures. We also promote rectification measures, such as checking the status of improvement.

Special effort was made to quickly reduce risks in the supply chain by drafting the requests in the languages of the recipients.
We will study the potential for confirmations with on-site audits and changes to transactions if, despite ongoing requests for improvement, there is no improvement seen, or there are material violations of law. We will continue to take initiatives to avoid, prevent and mitigate risks in human rights and other areas of sustainability through ongoing efforts to seek and guide improvements.

As a new initiative since FY2024, we have begun collecting primary data by requesting that some business partners cooperate with CO2 emissions surveys, to enhance the accuracy of emissions calculations for Scope 3 Category 1.

The JVCKENWOOD Group implements supplier continuous evaluations and follow-ups in order to identify risks in its supply chain. We use evaluation results as one of the factors in selecting new suppliers and in determining whether or not to continue doing business with suppliers.

The JVCKENWOOD Group is strengthening communication with business partners in order to realize sustainable procurement together with them. At the annual Partners Meetings, we inform our suppliers of the JVCKENWOOD Group Procurement Policy, JVCKENWOOD Group Human Rights Policy, and JVCKENWOOD CSR Procurement Guidelines and explain specific CSR procurement initiatives, based on the understanding that building a sustainable supply chain is an important issue not only for corporate growth but also for the realization of a sustainable society.

We have prepared Japanese, English, and Chinese versions of the "JVCKENWOOD CSR Procurement Guidelines," and we ensure that our global business partners enhance their understand of CSR procurement.
We will continue to create opportunities for communication with business partners.
We also operate an educational program for suppliers that mainly uses e-learning and focuses on various themes related to CSR as a whole and ESG. In addition to explaining specific procurement initiatives, we also focus on supplier capacity building by sharing good examples among suppliers. We will continue working to strengthen the foundations of our supply chain through integrated activities with business partners.

The JVCKENWOOD Group spreads awareness among business partners of our basic environmental policy, "JK Green 2030," as well as the "JVCKENWOOD Group Procurement Policy" and the "CSR Procurement Guidelines," and we require cooperation with these policies from business partners. As part of this, we require cooperation with four important items related to the environment: "responses to climate change," "effective use of resources," "environmental conservation and management," and "conservation of biodiversity."

In addition to publicly disclosing our basic environmental policy "JK Green 2030" and our "CSR Procurement Guidelines" at all times on our corporate website, we also provide explanations to business operators as necessary when entering into transactions, etc., and create opportunities to train employees at business partners in partners meetings. In these ways, we take steps to ensure the further dissemination of our environmental policy.

The Company has declared that it will work to build new partnerships by promoting cooperation, co-existence, and co-prosperity with suppliers in the supply chain and businesses that are striving to create value.

The JVCKENWOOD Group has multiple points of contact for receiving concerns and complaints from stakeholders. In case that we are found to be involved in a negative impact on human rights, we take appropriate measures to remedy the situation.

JVCKENWOOD Group is a regular member of the Japan Center for Engagement and Remedy on Business and Human Rights (JaCER), which provides the "Engagement and Remedy Platform" in accordance with the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. This platform allows any stakeholder in the supply chain to report violations or suspected violations of international and national codes of conduct. With JaCER's professional support, we will implement fair, transparent and appropriate responses. In addition, when accepting reports, we will ensure the anonymity of the whistleblower and the confidentiality of the content of the report.

For details, please see JaCER

To promote sustainable procurement on a global basis, JVCKENWOOD continues to work to establish a responsible supply chain and ensure responsible mineral sourcing based on its policy of not using any components or parts that may contain four minerals (tin, tantalum, tungsten, and gold) from regions that finance or benefit armed groups, and source from Conflict Free Smelters (CFSs).

Significant human rights violations and environmental destruction by armed groups in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and surrounding countries have been broadly recognized as serious issues in the international community. While it has been noted that the minerals produced in this region finance or benefit armed groups, the U.S. Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd–Frank Act) names four minerals (tin, tantalum, tungsten, and gold) produced and refined in this region as conflict minerals and requires companies to disclose information on the smelters and refiners that supply components and parts that contain these minerals. Since 2014, we have conducted a Conflict Minerals Survey on subject parts, and continue to procure minerals responsibly with the cooperation of our suppliers. JVCKENWOOD has been promoting the following initiatives.

A proactive approach to conflict minerals is important for establishing a responsible supply chain. Due attention should be paid so that we will not become complicit in human rights abuses or other violations in the course of sourcing materials. The JVCKENWOOD Group will continue its group-wide efforts to address the issue of conflict minerals in collaboration with various other stakeholders, including public and private sector partners engaged in the establishment of responsible supply chains for minerals.

"The JVCKENWOOD Group participates in the CSR Committee of the Policy and Strategy Board of the Japan Electronics and Information Technology Industries Association (JEITA). The CSR Committee is an organization that addresses issues common to the industry related to CSR, and conducts surveys, research, information dissemination, and makes external proposals from a professional CSR perspective.

As part of the CSR Committee's initiatives, a Responsible Supply Chain Working Group has been established to improve the efficiency of CSR procurement management, and the JVCKENWOOD Group serves as a member.

Within the working group, the JVCKENWOOD Group participates in a task force that formulates and maintains the ""Responsible Business Conduct Guidelines"" and the supplier SAQ based on the Guidelines, through which member companies share issues they face in building sustainable supply chains and consider solutions."

In the future, we will consider participation in such partnerships as the Responsible Business Alliance (RBA) and utilization of global frameworks.

As an environmental initiative related to the supply chain, we are a corporate member of the Joint Article Management Promotion-consortium (JAMP). JAMP is an organization whose objective is to create and popularize concrete mechanisms for appropriately managing information on chemicals, etc., in articles (components, molded items, etc.), and smoothly disclosing and communicating it within the supply chain.

Among supply chain-related initiatives, particularly those related to the environment, JVCKENWOOD participates as a member of the Global Environmental Committee and the Environmental Laws and Regulations Expert Committee of the Japan Machinery Center for Trade and Investment (JMC). Regarding trends in environmental impact in the supply chain, the committee brings together information on trends in overseas product-related environmental laws and regulations, and exchanges opinions on the interpretations and responses of member companies.

Green Procurement