1.Assess impacts on stakeholders

Business should assess impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on their stakeholders, including the impacts on workers related with its business and supply chains.

2.Ensure occupational safety and health

Review and ensure occupational safety and health measures for workers from the viewpoint of preventing a COVID-19 infection and maintaining their mental health.

3.Retain employment

Retain workers in employment as much as possible and pay compensations in accordance with the law if furlough is unavoidable. In case it is necessary to consider temporary layoffs, termination of employment or other disadvantageous treatment, endeavor to mitigate, as much as possible, negative impacts on workers through dialogue with trade unions and workers' representatives.

4.Be responsible through supply chains

As much as possible, take measures to mitigate impacts on suppliers (taking actions for subcontractors’ delay in delivery; sharing additional costs appropriately; prompt and flexible payment, and response to cancellation and change of orders). At the same time, encourage suppliers to mitigate, as much as possible, negative impacts on their workers in terms of health, safety, and retaining employment.

5.Give due consideration to workers with unstable labor relations

Acknowledge that workers with unstable labor relations, such as migrant workers, non-regular employees, gig workers, and informal workers, are particularly vulnerable to the COVID-19 pandemic, and seek to mitigate impacts on them.

6. Give due consideration to socially vulnerable groups

Acknowledge that socially vulnerable groups, including children, older persons, women, person with disabilities, foreigners, and sexual minorities, regardless of their employment status, are particularly vulnerable to the COVID-19 pandemic, and seek to mitigate impacts on them. Prevent discrimination and prejudice against them.

7.Strengthen grievance mechanisms

Establish grievance mechanisms or strengthen existing systems to adequately handle complaints and problems addressed by stakeholders, including workers in supply chains, with a view to ensuring access to remedies.

8.Support and respect healthcare professionals and essential workers

Support healthcare professionals by providing them with protective equipment, medical materials, and other goods and services. Consider making intellectual property rights accessible for free for manufacturing therapeutic drugs, vaccines, medical devices, etc. Consider investing in human resources in the healthcare field. Prevent discrimination and prejudice against healthcare professionals and essential workers and disclose measures taken to that end.

9.Protect privacy

In assisting the government’s use of digital surveillance technologies to prevent the spread of the virus infection by providing technical support or information, review the measures from a privacy point of view and ensure transparency of the process.

10.Promote partnership

Collaborate with governments, businesses, civil society and other stakeholders to overcome the COVID-19 crisis. In addition to requesting the government to take measures to protect workers, etc., cooperate in the implementation of the governmental measures by sharing information on social protection measures with workers, etc.