Seven & i Holdings respects workers’ rights such as the freedom of association, the right to organize and collective bargaining. In Seven & i Group Corporate Action Guidelines, we have established the following principle: “The Company respects workers’ rights, such as the right to organize, based on international norms and efforts to further improve the work environment.”

At Seven & i Group, the Group’s 9* labor unions form the Federation of Seven & i Group Labor Unions, which as of July 2023 has approximately 42,000 members in 9 unions and a participation rate of 71.7% (Ito-Yokado labor union). The federation carries out a variety of activities for union members based on the thinking that “no water can be drawn from a dry well.”

It also coordinates activities by holding discussions on organizational management, labor conditions, and other issues pertaining to union members. The member unions autonomously create their own independent organizations, and then they coordinate and join together for common causes. They complement one another’s strengths and also work to improve shared labor conditions on a unified basis, which further reinforces both the individual labor unions and the federation itself. This is the basic approach through which activities are conducted. Seven & i Holdings and the labor unions work through numerous active discussions between labor and management to improve issues related to working conditions and employees’ workplace environments.

For example, at Ito-Yokado, the treatment system and labor conditions for union members and employees are proactively discussed., Consultations between labor and management are considered valuable for solving issues and improving productivity. Promotion of recent workstyle reform is an example of collaboration between labor and management, and Ito-Yokado is taking steps to ensure that working rules are understood by everyone, promote the use of holidays/day-offs and paid leave, improve the labor environment, and achieve a good work-life balance.