Respecting Human Rights

We strive to build a corporate culture based on high ethical standards and offer a non-discriminatory workplace where people respect diversity and individuality.

Promoting Human Rights Education

As a global corporation, the NTT Communications Group considers one of its missions to be creating a corporate culture that respects human rights, and works to solve human rights-related problems, including discrimination of any kind. To ensure that our corporate culture does not engage in, cause, or tolerate discrimination, one of our basic policies is to solve human rights issues through our daily business activities.
The Human Rights Awareness Committee, which was established to help promote human rights education, performs a range of activities including reporting on educational activities and discussing promotional measures. From fiscal 2009, we have been strengthening our group ties by having employees who are responsible for promoting human rights in Group Companies also acting as members of the Committee.

Maintaining a Business Structure that Respects Human Rights

Human rights are a vital focus for NTT Communications. We aim to maintain a corporate structure that abhors discrimination and fosters bright and energetic workplaces. We treat our regular employees and temporary staff equally, out of trust and respect for diversity and individuality. We work to raise human rights awareness by issuing a monthly in-house e-newsletter that highlights examples of workplace harassment tied to seasonal events, among other related issues.

Human Rights Education

All regular and temporary employees of the NTT Communications Group must attend classes on human rights in the workplace at least once annually. Participants gain basic knowledge about discrimination and how to prevent it. Directors and executives attend an annual class on discrimination and other human rights issues. Such classes heighten their awareness of discrimination and foster a corporate culture that does not engage in, cause, or tolerate discrimination. These classes also facilitate various workplace improvements (management-related). Notably, in fiscal 2010, almost all overseas subsidiaries implemented classes on human rights.
In the area of sexual and power harassment, we have invited an external expert to give an annual class on harassment each year since fiscal 2000. We distribute a monthly e-newsletter to all regular and temporary employees that highlights examples of workplace harassment in an effort to raise awareness about the issue.
We will continue to heighten employee awareness of human rights issues through such educational programs. Through these efforts, we strive to develop workplaces that do not tolerate harassment, as we foster human rights awareness to promote respect for diversity and acceptance of differences. We will thus continue working to develop even brighter and more energetic workplaces.

(Scope: 12 domestic companies of the NTT Communications Group)

Soliciting Human Rights as well as Regulatory Compliance and Ethics Slogans

Human rights and regulatory compliance and ethics memo pad

Human rights and regulatory compliance and ethics calendar

We solicit human rights as well as regulatory compliance and ethics slogans every year to increase understanding of human rights issues.
A total of 26,566 entries from 10,000 people, an all-time high, were submitted in fiscal 2010. The top prize-winning slogan was: “Pass on the baton with a smile. / You are the first runner.” The slogans are collected from all Group employees, including employees of overseas subsidiaries, temporary employees and their family members. In fiscal 2010, a particularly large number of submissions were received from employees of overseas subsidiaries and their family members.
We hope to increase understanding of human rights by publishing the best slogans on calendars and memo pads, then making them available in every workplace so that employees have something close at hand to remind them of human rights.

Experiential Learning

Wearing eyeshades

We conduct an annual experiential learning program to deepen employee understanding of persons with disabilities and the elderly. Employees wear eyeshades, move around in wheelchairs, and simulate the experiences of old age. In fiscal 2010, we held this program on February 14, 18, and 21.
Many participants spoke about how meaningful the experiential learning experience was: “It was a most worthwhile experience. I discovered many new things I never would have in my everyday life”. “It made me realize how important sight really is. I learned more from experiential learning than I would have in a class.” “People who don’t have a disability might think they understand, but to truly understand you really have to experience it”.
In fiscal 2010, participants also spoke directly with people with disabilities about various issues, such as inconveniences in daily life and any requests they may have for non-disabled persons. Through these conversations, participants increased their understanding of people with disabilities.

(Scope: NTT Communications (non-consolidated))

Human Resources Development and Evaluation | A Workplace for Everyone
Maintaining and Improving Employee Health | Relationships with Employees
Respecting Human Rights