Realizing ever greater levels
of food safety and reliability.

Basic Policy on Supply Chains

The Yokorei Group believes that building a sustainable society that seeks to address problems concerning things such as human rights, labor, and the environment are important management priorities.
In order to provide a stable supply of food and build a sustainable supply chain, we practice procurement that follows the guiding principles below while encouraging our suppliers to be familiar with and implement the policy, as well.

Guiding Principles

1. Legal compliance

   We comply with laws, ordinances, and international agreements.

2. Environmental conservation

   We strive to curb greenhouse gas emissions, reduce resource and energy usage, effectively utilize resources, reduce water usage and waste, prevent environmental pollution, and preserve the global environment. We also preserve biodiversity with regard for our impact on ecosystems.

3. Respect for human rights

   We prohibit forced labor, child labor, discrimination, and inhumane treatment of people such as through abuse or harassment; and strive to properly manage work hours and pay appropriate wages. We also respect the basic rights of employees, including the freedom to bargain collectively and unionize, as set forth in international agreements and the laws of each country and region.

4. Safety and health

   We strive to provide employees with safe and healthy work environments.

5. Fair trade and corruption prevention

   We strive to practice fair, transparent trade and prevent corruption.

6. Quality control

   We strive to ensure the quality and safety of our products and services.

7. Information disclosure

   We disclose information concerning the above in a timely and appropriate manner.

Supplier Guidelines

At Yokorei Group, we understand that initiatives throughout the supply chain are important to contribute to bringing about a sustainable society. We have forumulated Supply Chain Guidelines based on the above Basic Policy on Supply Chains. We make sure all our suppliers understand the spirit and contents of these Guidelines and ask all of you for your cooperation and implentation throughout your entire supply chains.

Supplier Guidelines

Efforts Toward Sustainable Procurement

[Handling volume of MSC/ASC certified marine products, and CoC certification]

As a procurer of food ingredients from around the world, Yokorei takes steps to enhance the sustainability of its procurement operations with a view to the importance of sustainable procurement that is fully mindful of the environment and society. Yokorei has obtained MSC and ASC CoC certification, a certification for processing and logistics process management, and works to sustainably procure and supply marine products.
Our MSC certified marine product handling volume has risen gradually of late: of marine products procured in FY2023, almost every flounder and pacific ocean perch were MSC certified.
In 2017, Norway-based salmon processor Hofseth International AS, a partner company, became the first trout farming company in Norway to obtain ASC certification for an aquafarm. The company currently has ASC certification for all of its trout farms.

Certified marine product procurement
[Tons and certified marine product ratio]

Initiatives to Increase Efficiency of Logistics

At Yokorei, we also work to reduce the environmental impact in the process of distributing procured merchandise and to resolve issues facing the logistics industry.
Specifically, at multiple refrigerated warehouse locations, we are advancing our efforts in cooperation with transport companies to increase the efficiency of logistics and reduce CO₂ emissions. These initiatives have been certified by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism as a Plan for Advancement of Integration and Streamlining of Distribution Business, based on the Act on Advancement of Integration and Streamlining of Distribution Business, and five of the Company's business locations are currently certified.

Example: Yokorei Tokyo Haneda Logistics Center

In the past, transportation of imported food cargo, etc. was inefficient due to the decentralized distribution bases. However, in collaboration with K Line Service Inc., the decentralized bases were consolidated into the Tokyo Haneda Logistics Center, enabling efficient transport. This initiative is expected to reduce CO2 emissions by approximately 34%. In addition, the introduction of a truck reservation system contributes to reducing truck waiting time by approximately 90%, which is also effective in addressing the year 2024 issue (a year when various problems will arise in the logistics industry in Japan due to the enforcement of laws related to work style reforms, such as an upper limit on overtime work) and a shortage of drivers, among others.