Konica Minolta receives top honour in the Australian Human Rights Commission Human Rights Awards

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14 Dec 2018

Konica Minolta receives top honour in the Australian Human Rights Commission Human Rights Awards

December 14, 2018 – Konica Minolta has been awarded the Human Rights Award 2018 in the Business category, for showing leadership in the people-centred policies that promote human rights in its business and supply chain.

The Human Rights Award is the pinnacle of human rights recognition in Australia, highlighting the outstanding contribution of individuals and organisations in promoting and protecting human rights and freedoms.

Konica Minolta delivers on its commitment to human rights in three key areas:

People – by respecting and promoting the human rights of its employees through its diversity and inclusion strategy, and the implementation of progressive policies such as domestic and family violence support and Indigenous procurement strategies.
Customers – by engaging with human rights in its value chain through the launch and implementation of its ethical sourcing roadmap and supplier code of conduct.
Community – by supporting human rights through its non-profit partners including Breast Cancer Network Australia, Landcare Australia, The Smith Family, and Project Futures, business and human rights networks; and in pursuing its vision of being a business leader in human rights in Australia and the region, advocating for important policies such as the Modern Slavery Act, which was passed by the federal government on November 29, 2018.

Dr David Cooke, managing director, Konica Minolta Australia, said, “Konica Minolta has been actively involved in supporting human rights and has made significant efforts to not only ensure it has practices in place to ensure the ethical management of its own supply chain, but has also provided resources, raised awareness and worked with the government for changes to be made to address the issues of modern slavery in Australia and internationally.

"As well as ongoing community partnership programs, we’re dedicated through our efforts and influence to improve the quality of life for people affected by modern slavery or unfair work practices throughout the supply chain. Increasingly, we’re finding customers and employees are moved to work with companies that have purpose and diversity, and are committed to doing the right thing.

“We’re humbled to have received this Australian Human Rights Commission Award, and we thank all of the nominees for their initiatives and commitment to human rights. Doing what we can to uphold human rights isn’t just the right thing to do, it’s a necessity if we’re going to build a society where every individual is empowered to achieve their full potential.

“This not only provides a platform to demonstrate the inspiring work the team at Konica Minolta is doing, but also to encourage other businesses to look inward at the impact of their core business and operations, as well as those of their suppliers or business partners, to avoid negatively affecting human rights.”