Benesse House Guiding Principles
At Benesse House（Naoshima Cultural Village Co., Ltd.）, our mission is to offer our guests an unforgettable, once-in-a-lifetime stay amidst the natural beauty and art of Naoshima. We aim to create a space where guests can reflect deeply on true happiness and fulfillment, while our staff work with vibrant smiles, a sense of personal growth, and a shared perspective of "Benesse" (Well-Being). The physical and mental health of our staff, along with a workplace environment where they can take pride in their work, form the very core of our hospitality. However, in recent times, we have observed instances of "customer harassment"--such as unreasonable demands, abusive language, and intimidating behavior by a small number of visitors--which harm the dignity of our staff and threaten their working environment. While we remain dedicated to welcoming every guest with sincere hospitality, we hereby declare that we will take a firm, organizational stance against any behavior that significantly undermines the human rights and working conditions of our staff, ensuring they are protected at all times.
Definition of Customer Harassment
1. Definition of Customer Harassment
- In accordance with the "Corporate Manual on Customer Harassment" published by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan, we define customer harassment as follows:
Complaints or behaviors from customers where the methods or manners used to achieve the demand are socially unacceptable in light of the validity of the demand's content, thereby damaging the working environment of employees.
2. Behaviors Covered by This Policy
- We sincerely welcome constructive feedback and requests aimed at improving our services. However, the following acts clearly exceed the boundaries of reasonable service provision, and we will not accommodate them:
-Physical aggression: assault, battery, physical violence, or similar acts.
-Psychological aggression: threats, slander, defamation, insults, abusive language, repeated harassment, or persistent verbal reprimands.
-Intimidating behavior: unreasonable demands that are socially unacceptable, including demands for public humiliation or forced apologies.
-Restrictive behavior: refusing to leave, loitering, or persistently detaining employees for extended periods.
-Discriminatory or sexual misconduct: discriminatory remarks or behavior based on personal attributes, or acts of sexual harassment.
-Excessive attacks on individual employees: personal attacks beyond the scope of business matters or invasions of privacy.
-Unjustified demands: demanding monetary compensation or excessive apologies despite the absence of any defect in products or services.
-Other nuisance behavior: defamatory comments, online harassment, or other abusive conduct on social media or the Internet.
3. Our Response to Customer Harassment
- If actions corresponding to customer harassment are identified, we will take the following measures to protect the safety and dignity of our staff:
-Firm and Resolute Action: We will act decisively against harassment, which may include discontinuing service interactions or denying access/use of our facilities.
-Organizational Response: Individual staff members will not be left to handle these situations alone; the management and organization will take full responsibility for resolving them.
-Legal Measures: In cases of malicious behavior or criminal activity, we will collaborate with external experts, including the police and legal counsel, to take strict legal action.
4. A Request to Our Guests
- Benesse House（Naoshima Cultural Village Co., Ltd.）aspires to continue fostering a warm, high-quality relationship where our guests and staff treat each other with mutual respect.
It is precisely because our staff can work with energy, confidence, and peace of mind that we are able to deliver the highest standard of hospitality. This policy serves to safeguard an environment where all our guests can enjoy their stay with peace of mind.
We, the staff of Benesse House（Naoshima Cultural Village Co., Ltd.）, remain wholeheartedly committed to ensuring that your time with us is an irreplaceable experience of "Well-Being."
Naoshima Cultural Village Co., Ltd.
President & CEO Koichi Yoshida
