Compliance

For the SoftBank Group to continue to grow and bring happiness to people around the world for the next 300 years and beyond through the Information Revolution, it is essential that we conduct our business in accordance with not only the law but also the highest ethical standards.

Compliance and integrity must be the foundation for all our business activities. We always take action as we ask ourselves “Is this the right thing to do?” “Am I doing anything to deceive others?” and “Can I hold my head high when talking to my family?”

The SoftBank Group appoints a Group Compliance Officer (GCO) who is ultimately responsible for compliance on a Group-wide basis, and a Chief Compliance Officer (CCO) who has responsibility for compliance at each Group company.

Concentrating the authorities makes it possible to address compliance issues quickly and with flexibility. The GCO and CCOs plan and execute the necessary initiatives for the establishment and strengthening of the compliance structure to engage in corporate activities that adhere to high social ethics, in cooperation with compliance chiefs who undertake monitoring and education of each department in day-to-day operations.

The GCO and CCOs cooperate as appropriate to promote the establishment of a system or initiatives that raise compliance awareness and enables the identification and resolution of compliance-related issues.

The SoftBank Group believes that it is extremely important to create an environment in which employees feel safe to raise genuine concerns. This plays a vital role in maintaining an ethical workplace. The SoftBank Group leaders are responsible for creating an environment where people report problems and concerns easily.

All of the SoftBank Group employees have access to multiple channels to report a concern. In addition to helplines at each Group company, the SoftBank Group Ethics Helpline has been established by SoftBank Group Corp. as a secondary channel for reports and issues arising from all Group companies’ directors, officers and employees. Any director, officer or employee who may be uncomfortable using their company’s helpline may raise their concerns to the SoftBank Group Ethics Helpline, especially for those situations that may have a serious adverse effect on the entire Group. The Ethics Helpline accepts anonymous reporting and has multilingual support. Through this helpline, directors, officers and employees can raise and consult on compliance issues and concerns that happened at the workplace, such as financial and accounting fraud, human rights infringement and harassment, all forms of corruption (misappropriation, bribery, etc.), conflicts of interest, and insider trading.

Status of consultations and reports to the SoftBank Group Ethics Helpline in fiscal year 2024 was as follows.

The SoftBank Group conducts timely and appropriate investigations of whistleblowing cases, verifies the facts, and takes corrective and relief measures as necessary. The SoftBank Group also takes appropriate actions on those disclosure cases and reports. We have no tolerance for any form of retaliation against those who raise genuine concerns, participate in an investigation, or who refuse to participate in misconduct.

This Ethics Helpline is available not only to the SoftBank Group directors, officers and employees, but also to people outside the group. In the event the SoftBank Group or its directors, officers or employees discover acts that violate laws or ethics or that might lead to such violations, please use the following link.

SoftBank Group companies conduct compliance training at the director, officer, manager, new recruit and mid-career hire levels, and by department on varying themes. As an initiative to foster Group-wide compliance awareness, we hold training sessions for Group companies’ directors and officers and Compliance Awareness Month for directors, officers and employees annually.

The SoftBank Group aims to improve ethical and compliance awareness of all directors, officers and employees by deepening their understanding of the Group‘s Code of Conduct. Related topics, including human rights, harassment and anti-corruption, are covered in training sessions for different levels such as director, officer, manager, new and mid-career employees, as well as in programs offered by departments or under specific issues, to promote adherence to ethical and compliance requirements in the Group.

Compliance Awareness Month is held annually for all Group companies’ directors, officers and employees to raise compliance awareness. Throughout the month, the SoftBank Group offers e-learning lectures based on tangible and relevant cases for directors, officers and employees, as well as participatory events to increase knowledge and understanding of compliance matters. Every year many Group companies’ employees participate in these activities.

Under the supervision of the Board of Directors, the SoftBank Group promises in its “Anti-corruption Policy” to conduct business ethically, to be intolerant of any form of bribery and corruption, and to comply with all applicable laws prohibiting bribery and corruption.