Supply Chain Management

The Yamato Group has established the "Yamato Group Responsible Procurement Policy" in order to conduct responsible procurement that takes the environment and society into consideration together with business partners based on fair, equitable and honest transactions. The policy has been approved by resolution of the Board of Directors and shows the Yamato Group's commitment to sustainability actions.

The Yamato Group expects its business partners to meet not only economic standards but also social, ethical, and environmental standards, as well as standards related to corporate responsibility. Details of these expectations are clearly set forth in the Yamato Group Business Partner Guidelines. These were set in January 2022, based on the Yamato Group’s internal regulations, all laws and regulations in the countries where we do business, and the main internationally-recognized standards regarding sustainability.
We ask all our business partners to refer to these guidelines whenever we initiate a new transaction and when the guidelines are revised.

Yamato Transport endorses the aims of the Council on Promoting Partnership Building for Cultivating the Future, promoted by the Cabinet Office of Japan and the Small and Medium Enterprise Agency, and has announced our Partnership Establishment Declaration.The Declaration of Partnership Building aims to create new partnerships by advancing collaboration, co-existence, and co-prosperity between customer supply chains and companies who try to create value.

The Yamato Group conducts an annual questionnaires of approximately 5,500 business partners, including outsourcing providers for delivery, suppliers of equipment and supplies, and others, to confirm the status of our dealings. The results are reported to management and we work to maintain good relationships with our business partners by undertaking improvement activities and strengthening communication based on issues identified.

In addition to the annual business partner survey, the Yamato Group has also established a consultation center to receive requests for consultation on a day-to-day basis. We strive to identify and resolve problems at an early stage. At this consultation contact desk, we protect the privacy of those using the consultation center and ensure that they are not treated unfairly due to the content of their consultations.

Around 180,000 stores nationwide (including convenience stores and shops) act as important partners connecting customers with Yamato Transport.
Yamato Transport conveys information on the Group's business activities, new services, and local information through daily visits to stores. We also strive to deepen the level of two-way communication and improve our services, such as by listening to opinions and requests of customers, who use TA-Q-BIN, received from stores.

Yamato Transport outsources part of its trunk-route transportation and other operations to general cargo trucking companies. We conclude outsourced service agreements with all transportation business operators.
We regard our transportation partners as partners in carrying and delivering important parcels to customers as a team. Based on this idea, we actively provide safety measures and safety training to ensure that our subcontractors implement safety first, which is the top priority in the logistics field.
Furthermore, given issues such as the declining working population, rising fuel prices, and workstyle reforms for drivers, we have established a dedicated division to see that we deal with appropriately, mainly with transportation partners.

Yamato Transport outsources some of its last-mile delivery operations to delivery partners, mainly concerning products delivered for e-commerce. We aim to create permanently-sustainable business with our delivery partners, building sound business relationships with them and two-way communication through regular meetings in an effort to provide stable delivery quality.

The Yamato Group selects its major business partners each year in each department. In the fiscal year ended March 31, 2024, we selected 84 companies as major business partners. Selection is based on the following criteria.
・Being irreplaceable
・Supplying products and services that are essential to business continuity
・Having a large amount and value of transactions

In June 2023, with the aim of forming a common understanding with its business partners, Yamato Transport implemented Supply Chain Management Briefings about the Yamato Group’s ideal supply chain management for major business partners. Centered mainly on the Yamato Group Business Partner Guidelines, the briefings covered topics that have recently been gaining global attention, such as human rights and environmental response, as well as the Yamato Group’s sustainability initiatives.

Starting in the fiscal year ended March 31, 2024, the Yamato Group has received responses to regular sustainability surveys from its 84 major business partners in order to assess and evaluate the status of its business partners’ initiatives on sustainability.
The survey is made up of questions aligned with the Yamato Group Business Partner Guidelines. By having its business partners answer the survey, the Group obtains their agreement to collaborate on working toward sustainable growth and realizing a sustainable society.
After answering the survey, the Group conducts a feedback session by way of dialogue with the responsible department, confirming the strengths and weaknesses of each partner with regard to sustainability. To ensure that this effort leads to continuous improvement, the Group identifies the business partner’s risks related to business sustainability through the survey and engages in constructive dialogue.

The Yamato Group considers it essential for procurement officers to recognize social and environmental issues in the supply chain if we are to realize a sustainable company across the entire supply chain. Led by the departments responsible for dealing with our major business partners, we have established a supply chain management task force, which examines our business partner surveys and holds study sessions regarding sustainable procurement.