Response from Asics

Asics recognizes the value of direct grievance channel to brands, and have started establishing direct grievance channel for a part of factories. Asics started management-training project. The aim of new training project is that the grievance channel should work through production site including trade union, and achieve factory environment to be trusted and workers can rely on factory management. Asics attempts several approach to factory. For example, the communication skill program to factory management and supervisors to promote for smoother communication with workers, Facilitating dialogue among factory management, workers and trade union representatives regarding human resource issues from hiring to termination including work operation and life in the factory. During this session, we expect the related people think about by him or her and find solution by themselves, not imposed solution by Asics. Asics implements an off-site interview to workers to hear their complaints, grievance and opinions regarding factory life after giving understanding of non-retaliation to interviewee. The interview report is shared with factory and discusses how to improve the working conditions.Through these activities sitting in worker's chair, Asics is trying to make a much wider audience aware of the value of worker organization such as factory management, worker and workers representatives and to promoting the workers activity in a long-term approach.Asics is a participant company of Fair Labor Association (FLA) and it helps and strengthens improvement of ethical standard in factories, for examples, we are moving forward through better cooperation with FLA to fill the gap of the grievance channel system.