Regulations Concerning Prevention of Harassment
Konishi Sangyo Corporation (hereinafter referred to as “the Company”) regards the prevention of harassment as an important matter and has established and implemented the “Regulations Concerning the Prevention of Harassment” as follows.
Article 1. (Purpose)
In accordance with Articles 24 through 26 of the Employment Regulations and the Equal Employment Opportunity Law, these rules stipulate the items to be observed by employees in order to prevent harassment in the workplace, as well as employment management measures regarding problems arising from sexual language and behavior.
Article 2. (Definitions)
Harassment shall mean the following acts:
(1) Harassment related to pregnancy, childbirth, and childcare leave, etc., shall be defined as any harassment in the workplace by supervisors or coworkers of all employees, including managerial employees and temporary employees (hereinafter referred to as “employees”). Harassment related to pregnancy, childbirth, childcare leave, etc. means that a supervisor or colleague harms the working environment of an employee by saying or doing something about the use of systems or measures related to pregnancy, childbirth, childcare, etc. by all employees (hereinafter referred to as “employees”), including management employees and dispatched employees, in the workplace, or harms the working environment of female employees by saying or doing something about pregnancy and childbirth, etc. In addition, from the viewpoint of work assignment, safety considerations, etc., if the words or actions are objectively based on business necessity, they do not fall under harassment related to pregnancy, childbirth, or childcare leave, etc.
(2) Sexual harassment is defined as any harassment that disadvantages an employee’s working conditions due to the employee’s response to sexual harassment in the workplace, or any harassment that harms the working environment of other employees due to sexual harassment. In addition to being unrelated to the sexual orientation or gender identity status of the other employee, the term applies not only to words or actions toward the opposite sex, but also to words or actions toward the same sex. The term “other employees” in this item shall not be limited to the victim who is the direct recipient of sexual harassment, but shall include all employees whose working environment is impaired by sexual harassment.
(3) Power harassment means, as a general rule, any verbal or physical harassment in the workplace that infringes on the personality or dignity of an individual employee against the background of his/her position such as authority or superiority in the workplace, thereby causing physical or mental distress to that employee or other employees, or deteriorating the employee’s health or working environment.
2. “Workplace” in the preceding paragraph shall mean not only the place of work but also any place where an employee performs his/her duties, and shall include not only during working hours but also any time outside of working hours that is regarded as effectively an extension of the workplace.
Article 3. (Compliance)
All employees shall not engage in harassment or suspected harassment in the course of their work.
Managers shall not tolerate harassment or suspected harassment while acknowledging the fact that it has occurred.
Any employee who actually recognizes harassment or suspected harassment in the workplace shall endeavor to promptly report the same to management or the consultation service, etc., as stipulated in Article 6.
Article 4. (Prohibited Acts)
All employees shall recognize other employees as equal partners in the performance of their duties and shall be obligated to maintain sound order and cooperative relationships in the workplace, and shall not engage in any of the following acts in the workplace.
(1) Harassment related to pregnancy, childbirth, childcare leave, etc.
(i) Language or actions that suggest dismissal or other disadvantageous treatment with respect to a subordinate’s pregnancy, childbirth, or use of systems or measures related to childcare or nursing care
(ii) Words or deeds that hinder subordinates or coworkers from using systems or measures related to pregnancy, childbirth, childcare, or nursing care
(iii) Harassment of a subordinate or colleague for using systems or measures related to pregnancy, childbirth, childcare, or nursing care
(iv) Words or behavior suggesting dismissal or other disadvantageous treatment of a subordinate due to pregnancy, childbirth, etc.
(v) Harassment due to the pregnancy or childbirth of a subordinate or colleague
(2) Sexual harassment
(i) Unnecessary questions or remarks concerning sexual or physical matters
(2) Reading, distribution, or posting of obscene pictures
(iii) Spreading rumors
(iv) Unnecessary physical contact
(v) Sexual language or behavior that discourages other employees from working and prevents them from exercising their abilities
(vi) Forcing employees to associate or have sexual relations
(vii) Acts of giving disadvantages such as dismissal, unfair personnel evaluation, or reassignment to an employee who protests or refuses to accept sexual words or actions.
(viii) Any other sexually explicit behavior that makes the other party or other employees feel uncomfortable.
(3) Power harassment
(i) Verbal or physical violence that is offensive to the personality of the employee.
(ii) Persistently and unilaterally blaming an employee for a work-related mistake, or continuously blaming the employee in front of a large number of employees.
(iii) Shouting loudly.
(iv) Banging the desk violently.
(v) Deliberately denying work.
(vi) Ignoring an employee.
(vii) Forcing an employee to do something that is against the law.
(viii) Forcing an employee to resign or transfer unfairly.
(ix) Making a threat of dismissal.
(x) Unilaterally assigning duties that are clearly impossible to accomplish.
(xi) Intentionally withholding necessary information or communication.
(12) Forcing employees to do things that are not necessary for work (e.g., running private errands).
Article 5. (Disciplinary Action)
Any employee found to have committed any of the prohibited acts listed in the preceding article shall be subject to disciplinary action in accordance with Article 13 of the Employment Regulations.
Article 6. (Consultation and Response to Complaints)
A consultation desk for consultation and handling of complaints concerning harassment shall be set up at each workplace, and a person in charge of the consultation desk at each workplace shall be designated, his/her name shall be made known to all employees, and necessary training shall be provided to the person in charge.
2. All employees, not just victims of harassment, may offer consultation and complaints to the person in charge of the consultation counter if they fear harassment may occur.
3. The person in charge of the consultation service shall, after confirming the facts from the person who has asked for help, make a report to the head of the department at each workplace. Based on the report, the section manager shall interview the offender, the victim, the supervisor, and other employees, etc., as necessary, while considering the human rights of the person making the report. 4.
4. An employee who is requested to make an inquiry as described in the preceding paragraph may not refuse to do so without justifiable reason.
5. If an employee is found to have engaged in harassment, the company shall take necessary measures to improve the working conditions and working environment of the victim, such as disciplinary action and transfer of the harasser, in order to solve the problem.
6. In responding to consultations and complaints, the privacy of those involved shall be protected, and no disadvantageous treatment shall be given to them on the basis of their having sought advice or having cooperated in confirming the facts.
7. When an incident of harassment occurs, appropriate measures shall be taken to prevent recurrence, including re-enforcing public awareness, conducting training, and identifying the causes of the incident and preventing its recurrence.
Article 7. (Obligation to Prevent Recurrence)
When a case of harassment arises, the director shall take appropriate measures to prevent recurrence, such as reemphasizing public awareness, conducting training, and identifying the causes of the case and preventing its recurrence.
Article 8. (Obligation to Prohibit Retaliatory Activities)
1. For those who are found to have committed misconduct as a result of an investigation, procedures shall be followed in accordance with the employment regulations, and the utmost care shall be taken after the investigation to prevent retaliatory activities from being carried out by these persons.
2. Those who have committed acts in violation of the preceding paragraph shall be subject to disciplinary action, including termination of employment.
June 1, 2022
Konishi Sangyo Co.
Representative Director Eiji Konishi
