Human Rights
We proactively manage human rights risks across a wide range of stakeholders, including employees and business partners.
Establishment of the human rights management system
CJ CheilJedang’s human rights management not only respects and protects the human rights of employees but also all internal and external stakeholders, such as partner companies, consumers, and local residents, etc. We designated 2021 as the inaugural year for promoting human rights management, establishing a governance framework for its implementation and revising our Declaration of Human Rights. Since 2021, we have been conducting human rights due diligence across major business sites and supply chains within each business unit to prevent and promptly identify potential human rights violations, thereby managing potential risks in the area of human rights.
Human rights management policy
CJ CheilJedang strives to respect human rights of all by preemptively identifying various human rights violations that may occur in management activities and trying to improve them. In 2021, we fully revised the Declaration of Human Rights Management to clarify the content and the direction of human rights management, and conducted activities to self-diagnose potential human rights risks that may occur at our domestic business sites. Starting with internal employees, we will further advertise and offer training activities to increase the understanding of human rights management, conduct human rights impact assessments for our partners and overseas business sites, and strengthen relief procedures and processes in the event of violations.
Governance of Human Rights Management ㅣ The Corporate Sustainability Committee under the Board of Directors deliberates and resolves agenda related to ESG including Human Rights, and promotes items related to human rights management through a dedicated department.
Human Rights Management System ㅣ CJ CheilJedang has built and operates a human rights management framework to minimize potential human rights risks.
Human Rights Impact Assessment
CJ CheilJedang conducts human rights impact assessments for both employees and stakeholders, including the supply chain, to prevent and promptly identify human rights violations. Following human rights due diligence at 15 domestic manufacturing sites in 2021, in 2022 we expanded the scope of the due diligence to our global operations. In 2024, we inspected potential labor and human rights issues at four domestic manufacturing sites that operate under production outsourcing and at three independent corporations. Interviews were conducted with stakeholders who may be vulnerable to human rights risks in key areas. Some identified risk factors were assessed as manageable through internal improvement activities, and improvement plans tailored to each site’s situation were established.
To proactively prevent human rights risks, CJ CheilJedang identifies risks that could significantly impact on human rights management. Utilizing sources such as the International Finance Corporation's GMAP tool and the U.S. Department of Labor's List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor, CJ CheilJedang identifies raw materials with high risks potential and integrates these findings into the supply chain management system. Notably, we exclusively purchase RSPO-certified palm oil for domestic use.
Grievance Handling and Reporting System
CJ CheilJedang operates an Online Reporting System accessible to both internal and external stakeholders to identify and respond to various human rights issues that undermine organizational culture, including sexual harassment and workplace bullying. The system ensures anonymity and strict confidentiality for whistleblowers and enforces a whistleblower protection policy that prohibits any form of retaliation. In addition to the internal system, grievance reports can also be submitted through K-Whistle1), an external third-party platform. Reporting procedures are also included in employee training sessions to ensure awareness and accessibility.
1) K-Whistle: An anonymous reporting system based on DB encryption technology, operated by the Korea Business Ethics Institute, a specialized third-party organization handling whistleblower reports
Employee Human Rights Training
CJ CheilJedang provides annual legal training to all employees on workplace bullying prevention, sexual harassment prevention, and disability awareness. In addition, separate training sessions are conducted for managers focusing on the protection of workers’ human rights and labor law compliance.
