Compliance
Meiji Group complies with the laws, regulations and social rules of each country in order to ensure all transactions are proper and to promote fair, transparent, and free competition. To increase awareness and strengthen compliance further, we established internal regulations based on our Corporate Behavior Charter and work to improve internal training. We conduct business holding ourselves to high ethical standards and shall continue to develop to be a company trusted by society.
Management System
Meiji Group has Compliance Regulations as well as related rules and committees in place, and implements/introduces a whistle-blowing system.
At Meiji Co., Ltd., our approach is based on the idea that risk management and compliance are closely related to one another, and we have set up a Compliance & Risk Management Committee to promote a variety of activities and programs. We promote activities to nurture and foster compliance awareness to ensure that compliance is the cornerstone of our operations and that those operations are conducted fairly and faithfully. Meiji Seika Pharma Co., Ltd. has established the Compliance Program Guidelines and the Meiji Seika Pharma Code of Practice. As professionals who work in a business and with products that concern the health and lives of people, we require all executives and employees to act in accordance with high ethical standards.
KM Biologics Co., Ltd. has established a Compliance Committee and a Risk Management Committee chaired by the president to promote compliance and manage risks. The "Compliance Program Guidelines" stipulate that as a person engaged in a life-related company that handles products related to people's health, we should act with a high degree of ethics, including bioethics, as well as legal compliance. Also, The KM Biologics Co., Ltd. is accelerating the project to win back trust in order to raise compliance awareness among workers on site. We implemented a structural reform in order to strengthen the auditing function, ensure independent auditing, clarify responsibilities and authority by introducing Meiji-style plant management systems and clarify the reporting and communication routes. These reforms will help the organization identify and address issues early on. As a member of the Meiji Group, we will establish compliance system with higher standards.
Contact Information for the Compliance Counseling Desk
Meiji Group provides contact information for our compliance counseling desk to respond to whistling-blowing and provide consultation via various methods (including telephone, postal mail, e-mail, etc.). Meiji Group outlines privacy protection in internal regulations to ensure that whistleblowers and people seeking consultation are not subjected to any unfair treatment.
Compliance Awareness
Employees carry our Compliance Card, which includes the Corporate Behavior Charter and the contact details for our compliance counseling desk. The Meiji Group ensures strict adherence to the Corporate Behavior Charter. At the same time, the group cultivates and entrenches compliance awareness by enhancing in-house education and training and disseminating information through our intranet.
Compliance card carried by Meiji Group employees
An Ethical and Transparent Pharmaceuticals Company
Pharmaceuticals segment has established a Code of Practice for all officers and employees. As a pharmaceuticals company, Meiji Seika Pharma is committed to meeting society's expectations through the highest standards of ethics and transparency. The company promotes accountability through ongoing dialogue with associated researchers, healthcare practitioners, and patient groups. Pharmaceuticals segment has also established Guidelines on Transparency of Relationships between Corporate Activities and Medical Institutions. Based on these guidelines, the company discloses details of the academic research grants it provides. These disclosures help illustrate the ways in which we contributes to progress in the life sciences, while adhering to the highest ethical standards.
Anti-Corruption
The Meiji Group formulated the Meiji Group Anti-Corruption Policy in March 2019 in order to remain a transparent and sound corporate group that is trusted by society. In May 2019, we became a signatory to the UN Global Compact and we comply with Principle 10: Business should work against corruption in all its forms, including extortion and bribery. We translated this policy into English, Chinese, Spanish, Thai, Indonesian and Hindi to raise employee awareness, not only in Japan but overseas as well. We will continue internal training and other efforts to improve employee understanding.
Meiji Group Anti-Corruption Policy (PDF: 14KB)
Tax Compliance
Regulatory compliance and risk management are becoming increasingly important as the Meiji Group becomes more globalized and conducts more international transactions, and tax authorities in each country strengthen taxation. We therefore pay taxes properly and comply with Transfer Pricing Guidelines. We formulated the Meiji Group Tax Policy in March 2019 to comply with the tax laws and regulations of each country and region in which we conduct business. We communicate this information to relevant departments and Group companies, make the information publicly available, pay appropriate taxes and minimize tax-related risks. Our tax staff attend external training to increase their knowledge about taxation.