Norwegian transparency act statement

Norwegian transparency act statement

for

Miki JFC AS

(01.04.2023 – 30.06.2024)

1                 Introduction

In Miki JFC AS («Miki JFC» or the “Company”) we’re committed to conduct our business in a sustainable manner, in accordance with socially responsible and ethical principles. We strive to be a responsible buyer and supplier and conduct regular due diligence in line with the Norwegian Transparency Act and the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises, to identify and handle any negative impacts on fundamental human rights and decent working conditions related to our operations or our supply chain. The result from our due diligence is accounted for in our Human Rights Due Diligence Report which is published on our website annually. Requests for information from the public regarding how we address any adverse impact on human rights and/or decent working conditions can be submitted using our contact form at our website.

2                 Key Information about the company

2.1            About the Company, ownership structure and organisation

Miki JFC AS with registration number 994 796 518 is a private limited liability company. Validly registered and existing according to Norwegian company law.

The Company was established in Norway and is fully owned by JFC INTERNATIONAL (EUROPE) GmbH located in Germany. JFC INTERNATIONAL (EUROPE) GmbH is part of Kikkoman group.

The Company is located in Bærum municipality and have 13 employees.

2.2            Products, services and market

Miki JFC’s primary business is the importation and distribution of oriental food products and in particular, Japanese food productions, in the Norwegian market.

2.3            Person responsible for this report

The person responsible for the due diligence assessment in Miki JFC and this report is:

Hitoshi Fukuhara, General Manger, e-mail: oslo@jfc.eu.

2.4            Our policies and procedures for managing risks related to human rights

The following guidelines and procedures help us conduct our business in a responsible manner:

  • Kikkoman Group Management Principles included in the Kikkoman Group Corporate Report.
https://www.kikkoman.com/en/csr/corporatereport/
  • Kikkoman/JFC EU Group Code of Conduct
  • The Kikkoman Group Human Rights Policy
https://www.kikkoman.com/en/csr/management/pdf/humanrightspolicyEN.pdf
  • The Kikkoman Group is a signatory of the United Nations Global Compact. As a member of the Kikkoman Group, the Company support ten universal principles in the areas of human rights, labor standards, the environmental and anti-corruption.
https://unglobalcompact.org/what-is-gc/participants/5822-Kikkoman

2.5            Supply chain

The company sources a wide range of products from suppliers around the world including related companies within the Kikkoman Group and third-party suppliers. The company sources a wide range of products and services from suppliers and business partners around the world including related companies within the Kikkoman Group and third-party suppliers. Approximately 70 % of our products and services are sourced from Norwegian and European suppliers and business partners, while approximately 20 % is sources from suppliers and business partners from Asian countries.

3                 mapping and Risk assessment

3.1            Methodology and findings

We conduct our Human Rights Due Diligence assessment by forming an overall risk profile of our upstream and downstream activities, and then we prioritize the most significant risk areas for more thorough mapping and handling of findings. The assessment and prioritisation of risk is based on the severity and likelihood of adverse impacts.

No actual adverse impacts were identified. However, potential significant risks for adverse impacts were identified in the suppliers located in China and South Korea (with a high risk of workers and human rights violations) for food/beverage and seafood items in the areas of forced labour, child labour, wages and environment/health/safety because of its geographical and industrial nature and situation.

4                 Measures to stop or limit risks

4.1            Methodology and chosen measures

The potential risk of adverse impacts on fundamental human rights and decent working conditions identified in section 3 shall be addressed by implementing appropriate measures to cease actual adverse impacts or mitigate significant risks of adverse impact. In the assessment of which measures to implement, we have been considering our connection to the negative impacts and our ability to influence them.

As part of our initiative to cease or mitigate risk, we acknowledge that we need more information about our suppliers in high-risk countries and industries, and we’re planning to conduct even more detailed mapping of the suppliers in/with the highest risk.

To increase employee awareness, the Kikkoman Group Code of Conduct has been prominently posted within the office to help ensure an understanding of internal policies.

We have established a contact point for customers, suppliers and the public to contact us with any requests regarding the Norwegian Transparency Act. Such requests can be submitted using the contact form easily available on our website.

5                 Contact

For questions about this report or how we work to respect fundamental human rights and decent working condictions, please contact Hitoshi Fukuhara, General Manager by email: oslo@jfc.eu.

***

Bærum,  27/06/2024

On behalf of Miki JFC AS

The board of directors:

Toshiyuki Ogawa, Chairman

Harald Niclas Tøsti, Board member

General Manager:

Hitoshi Fukuhara