Human Rights Initiatives

Policy and Commitment

Shimizu Group Basic Human Rights Policy

Shimizu pursues initiatives in respecting human rights aimed at being “a company that values people,” as stated in the Code of Corporate Ethics and Conduct. We formulated the Shimizu Group Basic Human Rights Policy in December 2018 as a guide to fulfilling this responsibility, in line with the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.

As a group company with operations around the globe, we aim to contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as well as manage our business by recognizing and addressing relevant environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues. In order to fulfill our responsibility toward a sustainable society, we consider human rights issues from various perspectives.

Shimizu Group Human Rights Policy (PDF：187KB)

Shimizu Group Basic Policy on Customer Harassment

At the Shimizu Group, we believe that securing a sound workplace environment in which the human rights of officers and employees are respected is essential to earning clients' trust and providing high-quality services and products.

Our commitment to sincerely listening to clients' voices remains unchanged. At the same time, we have established this basic policy to address situations in which officers or employees may be subjected to demands or behavior by clients or others that are considered inappropriate by social standards.

Shimizu Group Basic Policy on Customer Harassment

Shimizu Group Basic AI Policy

Recognizing both the potential and risks of AI, the Shimizu Group has established the Shimizu Group Basic AI Policy to promote the responsible use of AI. This policy stipulates that, in the use of AI, we will work to ensure respect for human rights by eliminating discrimination and prejudice caused by bias and by ensuring fairness. We also commit to protecting individual dignity and thoroughly safeguarding rights such as privacy.

Shimizu Group Basic AI Policy

1. Human-centered use of AI
2. Respect for human rights
3. Compliance with laws and regulations and protection of rights
4. Ensuring safety
5. Ensuring explainability and transparency
6. Establishing an AI governance framework and developing human resources

Expectations for Respect for Human Rights by Stakeholders

Shimizu requests that all stakeholders give due consideration to respect for human rights through such policies as the Shimizu Group Basic Human Rights Policy and the Shimizu Group Basic Policy on Customer Harassment. In addition, to build a sustainable supply chain with partner companies, we has established the Shimizu Group CSR Basic Procurement Policy and the Shimizu Group CSR Procurement Guidelines. The Shimizu Group CSR Procurement Guidelines call on partner companies to put the basic policy into practice with respect to matters such as compliance with laws and regulations, the prevention of corruption, respect for human rights, environmental considerations, and quality assurance. We also request that partner companies encourage their own business partners, including second- and lower-tier suppliers, to undertake initiatives aligned with these guidelines.

Basic Rights in Employment and Labor

Shimizu respects the following basic rights in employment and labor and seeks mutual prosperity with employees.

（1）Prohibition of discrimination

Shimizu eliminates all forms of discrimination based on nationality, race, religion, beliefs, gender, age, sexual orientation, disability, or other such factors, and strives to ensure that equal opportunity and equal treatment in employment and work are not impaired.

（2）Prohibition of harassment

Shimizu does not engage in any form of harassment, including sexual harassment and power harassment, against anyone in the workplace. Nor does it tolerate any such remarks or behavior.

（3）Prevention of forced labor and human trafficking

Shimizu eliminates all forms of forced labor and human trafficking and works to prevent them.

（4）Prevention of excessive working hours and reduction of overtime work

With due consideration for employees’ work-life balance and the maintenance and promotion of their health, Shimizu works to prevent excessive working hours and reduce overtime work, while striving to comply with applicable laws and regulations.

（5）Prevention of child labor

Shimizu supports and practices the effective abolition of child labor.

（6）Payment of wages at or above the minimum wage

To help ensure stable livelihoods, Shimizu pays employees wages at or above the minimum wage and strives to comply with laws and regulations concerning wages.

Management System

Shimizu has established the Company-wide Human Rights Education Promotion Committee, under the Sustainability Committee and overseen by the Board of Directors, to formulate and implement annual policies and specific company-wide measures in line with the Shimizu Group Basic Human Rights Policy.

Decisions made by the Company-wide Human Rights Education Promotion Committee are implemented under the supervision of Division Human Rights Education Promotion Committees by employees specifically tasked with human rights promotion at each division. Group companies also work with Shimizu on rolling out various human rights initiatives.

Day-to-day responsibility for respect for human rights rests with the Human Resources Department and other relevant departments, while administrators, promoters, and staff members are assigned to each branch and Group company to advance management across the Group.

Targets and Performance

Education, Training, and Awareness-Raising

Training by Rank

Based on the company-wide human rights education promotion plan, Shimizu provides human rights seminars and group trainings for all directors and employees (including those of subsidiaries). Various themes such as the dowa mondai (a Japanese discrimination issue regarding an ostracized community called the “burakumin”), racism, discrimination against people with disabilities, discrimination against LGBTQ＋ people, harassment, and other topics are trained based on our Human Rights Policy.

In addition, annual lectures and training sessions are provided for division deputy general managers and general manager-level personnel, including instruction on handling reports and cases involving harassment and related issues.

Recipients	Form	Training Frequency	FY 2022 Result	FY 2023 Result	FY 2024 Result
Employees	Group training	Once every two years※	9,516 (Including FY2021 results)	9,595
Officers	Lecture	Annually	52	52	51
Division deputy general managers and general managers			1,008	1,019	1,037
Human rights education promotion leaders	Group training		61	90	93
New employees			361	332	380

※Employees participate once every two years on rotation. Every two years, the course is completed by all employees (excluding deputy general managers and general managers).

Human Rights Education Handbook

Human Rights Week Events

To heighten awareness of human rights, we hold a series of events during Human Rights Week in December of each year. These events include an awards ceremony to recognize the best slogans for raising awareness of human rights, employee training, and production and display of posters that raise awareness of human rights. Human rights awareness-raising slogans are solicited from the entire Group, including Group companies, and we received 3,864 entries from employees and their families in fiscal 2025.

Initiatives

Business and Human Rights Initiatives

Response to the UK Modern Slavery Act

In accordance with the UK Modern Slavery Act 2015, Shimizu publishes a Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking Statement.

Modern Slavery Transparency Statement (PDF: 347KB)

Due Diligence on Human Rights

From a business sustainability standpoint, Shimizu continuously conducts human rights due diligence to identify, prevent, and mitigate adverse human rights impacts in its core construction business.

To date, these efforts have included conducting a questionnaire survey on the acceptance of foreign technical intern trainees and sharing key points requiring attention through training for partner companies. In addition, for materials identified by international organizations as carrying risks of forced labor or child labor, Shimizu conducted traceability surveys to confirm whether any human rights violations were present in the supply chain, from raw material extraction through delivery to worksites. The surveys found no incidents constituting human rights violations.

We also call for our supply chain to support the Shimizu Group Human Rights Policy, and we engage in a wide range of efforts.

Initiatives to Avoid, Prevent, and Mitigate Human Rights Violations

FY 2019

Shimizu conducted a fact-finding survey of human rights risks for foreign technical trainees and other foreign workers who work at construction sites in the construction business, which is Shimizu's main business. This survey was conducted in light of the many reports of human rights infringements relating to foreign technical trainees and students studying abroad. We worked together with a third-party institution to ensure objectivity and neutrality in conducting surveys at 10 subcontractors with which Shimizu does business.

The fact-finding survey consisted of interviewing business owners, verifying documentation, interviewing foreign workers^*1, and verifying their living environment.

A survey showed that there were no major human rights risks, but it did reveal issues such as employment regulations not being available to foreign technical trainees in their native language.

FY 2020

In response to the results of the survey conducted in fiscal 2019, we raised awareness of matters required by law and operational guidelines for hiring technical trainees from abroad and matters requiring improvement by publishing them on a dedicated website for subcontractors and providing training.

A third-party institution was also retained to survey and analyze human rights risks for workers who work at construction sites in the main countries and regions where Shimizu operates overseas. The third-party institution evaluated human rights risks in each country. The evaluation identified five countries in which a high level of human rights risk exists and where Shimizu is expected to have ongoing business operations or will focus on in the future. The five countries identified were China, Thailand, India, Bangladesh, and Myanmar. The survey confirmed a high level of human rights risks, including as child labor, forced labor, and improper payment of wages.

FY 2021

We conducted a survey among our major subcontractors^*2 1,297 companies in Japan on accepting technical trainees from abroad. The results of the survey revealed that 118 companies employ technical trainees from abroad in their companies, and we obtained responses from these 118 companies regarding the status of their acceptance of technical trainees. Although we were able to confirm that each company was properly accepting these trainees for the most part, some needed to make corrections or improvements to their contracts with respect to responsibility for supervision fees and return flight costs, penalties, and compensation for damages.

Results of survey on accepting technical trainees from abroad (Only in Japanese) (PDF:436KB)

1. Interviews were conducted with 30 foreign workers from China, Vietnam, the Philippines, and Myanmar in their native languages.
2. Major subcontractors: Members of our subcontractor organization (Kanekikai)

FY 2022

Based on the results of the survey on accepting technical interns from abroad, we worked to prevent and mitigate human rights risks by raising awareness of matters requiring correction or improvement and best practices through training for subcontractors.

FY 2023

We visited the business sites of group companies that accept foreign technical trainees and conducted reviews and interviews regarding their contracts and working conditions, confirming that the trainees are being accepted appropriately.

FY 2024

For granite and timber (formwork plywood), materials for which international organizations have raised concerns about forced and child labor, we conducted a traceability survey to verify whether any human rights violations occurred in the supply chain from raw material extraction through delivery to work sites. The survey confirmed that no human rights violations were identified.

Initiatives at Overseas Construction Sites

We are also actively engaged in human rights due diligence activities at overseas construction sites.

We carry out human rights due diligence initiatives for employees of foreign nationality by putting up illustrated posters and holding local workshops that encourage respect for human rights, which includes rejecting child labor, forced labor, inappropriate wages, and other human rights violations.

For overseas offices and worksites whose contracts with partner companies did not include provisions prohibiting forced labor and child labor, Shimizu worked with local experts to add those provisions.

In addition, we provide e-learning for overseas employees to promote ongoing awareness of respect for human rights.

Questionnaires and Opportunities for Dialogue

Shimizu conducts questionnaires, evaluations, and dialogue with partner companies, one of its key stakeholder groups. By continuing its engagement with stakeholders, we will work to identify salient human rights issues and prevent and mitigate human rights risks before they arise.

Questionnaire Survey Results on the Status of Initiatives under the Shimizu Group CSR Procurement Guidelines (FY2024)

Questionnaire Survey Results on the Status of Initiatives under the Shimizu Group CSR Procurement Guidelines (FY2024)

Internal Whistleblowing System

Per the Basic Human Rights Policy, which stipulates that “Where we identify that we have caused or contributed to an adverse impact on human rights, we work to provide appropriate remedy,” shimizu has established a system for company officers and employees (including temporary employees) to contact an external expert via email for consultation on or reporting of workplace harassment and other issues. When a user seeks a specific resolution, the wishes of the user are confirmed based on the report from the expert, and the company takes the appropriate steps as required.

Whistleblowers will not be subjected to disadvantageous treatment for seeking consultation and reporting a problem. Whistleblowers information is kept highly confidential. When the company responds as necessary based on a consultation or report, we maintain strict confidentiality of the user, the information provided, and other pertinent information.

We have also set up an external whistleblowing hotline for subcontractors on our website via which employees of subcontractors can report or get help concerning unlawful acts by parties related to Shimizu or the Shimizu Group. Measures are in place to prevent whistleblowers suffering from disadvantage. Anonymous reports are also accepted.

Memberships and Collaborations

Cooperation with Outside Concerning Human Rights

Global Compact Network Japan (GCNJ) Activities

Shimizu participates in Human Rights Education Subcommittee Subcommittee and Alongside other corporate participants, we share and obtain information and insight about the effective implementation of human rights initiatives.

Global Compact Network Japan

Activities of the Industrial Federation for Human Rights, Tokyo

Shimizu is a member of the Industrial Federation for Human Rights, Tokyo, which consists of 120 companies as of April, 2025 most of which are headquartered in Tokyo. We work along with other member companies to contribute to solving various human rights issues through implementation of human rights trainings, raising social awareness of human rights issues, and publicly reporting on these activities.

Tokyo Human Rights Promotion Corporate Liaison Council

Activities of the Construction and Real Estate Human Rights Due Diligence Study Group

We participate in the construction and real estate Human Rights Due Diligence Study Group, which was established by eight general contractors and developers in 2018. In addition to promoting collaborative initiatives with other companies, we share information on individual initiatives and positive examples to address human rights issues common to the industry, such as using sustainable concrete form material and technical trainees from abroad at construction sites.

Moreover, to deepen real estate developers understanding of human rights issues among foreign technical intern trainees, we actively interact by letting them attend to our interviews conducted with subcontractors.