January 25th is Compliance Review Day. ~ Building an Organization Connected through Two-Way Communic

Dear employees, January 25th of each year is Compliance Review Day.
This year marks the 14th anniversary of the event. As as January 25th falls on a Sunday, the lecture will be held on Friday, January 23rd, starting at 3:00 p.m.
As with last year, the lecture will be held in person at our Komaki Head Office and Plants, so I hope you will all join us.
This year, we have invited Attorney Akira Takeuchi, Managing Partner of Proact Law Office, to give a lecture on the theme of "Creating a resilient organization that can detect and correct misconduct early."
Executive officers, section managers and department general managers, and designated compliance leaders (CLs) of Sumitomo Riko and domestic Group companies are asked to participate in the meeting either in person or online.
Participation is optional for employees of overseas Group companies, and those who are unable to attend on the day can watch the video on the intranet at a later date.

What does Compliance Review Day mean?

On January 25, 2012, our company and employees at Matsusaka Works (now Matsusaka Plant) were referred to prosecutors for violating reporting obligations under the Industrial Safety and Health Act.
The violations were due to the company prioritizing production by carrying out equipment renovation work without submitting the necessary notifications, as well as delays in reporting and responding to legal violations after becoming aware of them.
This incident teaches us that "following the rules" and "on-site judgment" are inseparable.
To ensure that this lesson is not forgotten, our Group has designated January 25th of each year as "Compliance Review Day," using it as an opportunity to reexamine our "Safety, Environment, Compliance, and Quality (S.E.C.Q.)" policies.

Rethink Compliance

Compliance is more than simply adhering to laws and company regulations.
Compliance includes acting ethically in order to live up to the trust placed in us by society and stakeholders.
Society's values and laws are constantly changing.
Continuing to stick to traditional ways of doing things can unknowingly increase risks.
Please take this opportunity to reflect on whether the way you and your team conduct business is in line with current rules and societal expectations.

Three Requests to Prevent the Recurrence of Corporate Misconduct

I have three requests for you.

First, I would like each and every employee to view compliance as a personal issue.

The company's credibility is supported by the accumulation of decisions and actions made on a daily basis at the workplace.

Second, I would like all key management members to value two-way communication.

Our Group has adopted "Bad News First & Thanks" as one of its global compliance guidelines.

The earlier we share negative information and swiftly correct it, the more we can protect the entire organization as a result.

According to the results of a compliance survey conducted in fiscal 2025, the percentage of people who answered that they are unable to take a “Bad News First” approach has decreased, but there are still many people who feel that "it is difficult to tell their superiors what they need to know."

This shows that not only the reporting system but also the daily attitude of those receiving the reports has a significant impact.

I would like all of you in key position members to be grateful to your subordinates for reporting issues and to practice the attitude of using dialogue to lead to corrections.

The third point is that I would like you to actively make use of our consultation services.
If you have any issues or concerns that you find difficult to discuss at work, rather than keeping them to yourself, share them as an issue that the company needs to address.
As a company, we will implement appropriate systems and operations to ensure that those who file a report or seek advice are not treated disadvantageously, so please feel free to use the system.

Looking ahead

Compliance is not something we only think about on special occasions, but something we practice in our daily work.

ring even the smallest discomforts at an early stage, discussing them as a team, and making improvements will lead to a stronger organization.

When in doubt about what to do, return to the Sumitomo Spirit of "Banji-nissei," "Shinyo-kakujitsu," and "Fusu-furi" and choose actions that will earn the trust of society.
I look forward to working with you to build a healthier and stronger organization.