Zenroren urges government to act to have corporations fulfill their social responsibility

The National Confederation of Trade Unions (Zenroren) has called on the government to urge large corporations to fulfill their social responsibilities.

In the statement submitted on May 31 to Health, Labor, and Welfare Minister Sakaguchi Chikara, Zenroren welcomed the labor ministry setting up an in-house research group to have full-scale discussions about corporate social responsibility (CSR). It also proposed that the ministry place CSR issues in the national labor policies; establish guidelines for companies to follow; require companies to build a framework guaranteeing their observance of the laws; and set up a system to protect whistleblowers.

Zenroren also stated that it is essential for the government to require companies to create a workplace enabling workers to work with human dignity, abolish any kinds of discrimination, and comply with the ILO's core conventions.

Since its foundation in 1989, Zenroren has been striving to democratically regulate large corporations, to have them fulfill their social responsibilities, and to establish relevant labor rules.

Public awareness of CSR is increasing because of frequent revelations of scandals and accidents caused by large corporations, including a series of defect cover-ups over the years by Mitsubishi Motors. (end)