Compliance Committee

Our Compliance Committee, established in 2000, is composed of independent outside experts. This committee regularly meets with directors of Yakult Honsha to discuss such themes as the compliance promotion situation of each department. Members provide wide-ranging opinions and recommendations related to overall corporate activities from the perspective of compliance, as well as practical advice regarding the theme of each meeting. In fiscal 2021, the committee met in September to discuss the status of accounts and finances as well as the Yakult Group Global Vision 2030, and again in February to discuss the Yakult Group Environmental Vision.

Corporate Ethics Committee

Our Corporate Ethics Committee, established in 2002, is primarily composed of independent outside experts. This committee convenes regularly for checking on the implementation status of our corporate ethics activities (such as refusing to engage with organized crime groups). Through oversight by committee members, we work on ensuring sound management. In fiscal 2021, this committee held a meeting in November.

Internal reporting system

We set up the Yakult Compliance Hotline in 2006 as an internal reporting system for quickly discovering and correcting any violations of laws and internal rules during the execution of business.
The system is intended for directors and employees (including contract employees and part-time workers) at Yakult Honsha, Group companies and associations. We have established internal and external (consulting law office) contacts to operate the hotline, and have ensured the protection of whistleblowers through Internal Reporting Regulations that assure the confidentiality of reported information and prohibit the adverse treatment of whistleblowers.
Employees are informed about this system during training for new employees and level-specific training. We also gather feedback from workers by regularly conducting compliance surveys.
Outside Japan, we have established internal reporting systems at Group companies in Guangzhou and the United States. At Yakult S.A. de C.V. (Mexico), reports are accepted from both inside and outside the company, including from customers and suppliers, and can be filed by email via a website. Depending on the content of the report, the reporter may be contacted by the Auditing Department for discussion or to confirm details, after which the matter is reported to the Internal Control Committee and swift action is taken.