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Meeting expansive capabilities with important responsibilities

Woodbridge’s commitment to Social Responsibility is embedded in all aspects of our organization, which includes our Mission Statement, Purpose, Values and Guiding Principles, Code of Business Conduct and Ethics, corporate policies and related standards, as well as the way that we do business and interact with the community. Woodbridge continues to drive continuous improvement, conducting its business centered around economic prosperity, social responsibility, and environmental stewardship.

2022 Woodbridge Sustainability Report

Our Corporate Social Responsibility program includes the following five pillars:

Environmental Sustainability

As a manufacturing company, we understand the need to minimize the impact of our operations and our products on the environment:

Our Products - We are committed to sustainability by continuously improving our technologies and reducing precious resource consumption. Our strategy is to expand development of lightweight products for better vehicle fuel economy and reduced emissions utilizing environmentally friendly materials and technologies.  In support of this initiative, we develop products that deliver attributes including Comfort, Lightweight, Craftsmanship, Clean, Utility, Structure and Acoustics.  A few select products that deliver environmentally impactful results include:

  • Low VOC Products: Woodbridge has developed products designed around the need to reduce or eliminate exposure to harmful Volatile Organic Compounds (“VOCs”), such as formaldehyde and benzene. VOC minimized products from Woodbridge are available in everything from seat pads and trim to headliners and storage parts. Products such as TrimVisible LE™ black foam also provides enhanced aesthetics while reducing harmful emissions to vehicle occupants.

  • Lightweight Products: This broad class of products allows vehicle components to shed weight and to meet the ever more stringent fuel consumption limitations set by various governments. A great example is StructureLite™, a structural foam composite technology that allows for the elimination of heavy, complex components such as metal frames, while providing passenger safety and support.

  • Bio-based Polyol Technology: Allows for the replacement of petrochemicals with bio-based material in the manufacture of polyurethane foam.

Our Operations - Woodbridge believes that protection of the natural environment is of utmost concern in the operation of our business. We strive to have everyone within the organization take responsibility to comply with all applicable environmental laws, regulations and standards in our product development and manufacturing activities. It is the policy of Woodbridge to actively pursue process innovation and fundamental research to prevent environmental pollution through the reduction and elimination of all forms of waste from our operations, including the reduction of energy consumption and the resultant release of greenhouse gas emissions.  Our commitment to the environmental can be seen in:

  • Our core Value of “Health, Safety & Environment.”
  • Our ISO 14001 certified Environmental Management System.

As such, Woodbridge is committed to:

  • Actively pursue process innovation and fundamental research to prevent environmental pollution through the reduction and elimination of all forms of waste from our operations, including the reduction of energy consumption and the resultant release of greenhouse gas emissions; 
  • Routinely review and assess our operations for the purpose of making health, safety and environmental improvements beyond those legally required, where such enhancements provide significant benefits; and
  • Comply with all Woodbridge HS&E Management System requirements, applicable laws, regulations and standards in its product development, manufacturing, marketing and distribution activities.

We employ five guiding principles in order to implement our Health, Safety and Environmental Policy:

  1. All incidents and accidents are preventable.
  2. Our commitment to health and safety is based on caring.
  3. Managers and supervisors are responsible and accountable for health and safety.
  4. We are ALL personally accountable for our own health and safety.
  5. Safety is a condition of employment.

Community Involvement

Woodbridge believes that each and every person can and should have a positive impact on the world.

WoodbridgeCARES is a global initiative aimed at inspiring our Teammates to contribute to the communities in which we operate through volunteerism and philanthropy. This global effort aims to empower individual Teammates, larger teams, entire locations, and all regions to develop initiatives that hold special meaning for them. WoodbridgeCARES looks to reach out at a grassroots level and inspire Teammates to get involved and feel good about contributing to their local communities. Examples of Teammates supporting charities throughout the world, include MOvember, Jake’s House for Children with Autism, the Salvation Army, the FIRST Robotics Competition, OntarioTech Women in STEM, Red Cross, The Walnut Foundation, a myriad of hospitals and universities, and dozens of local charities.

The Charter of the WoodbridgeCARES Community Involvement Committee is:

“To further our commitment to deliver products in a socially responsible way, we commit to look at ways we can continue to inspire and give back to the communities where we work and live. The committee will provide guidance and support to our teams regarding local community involvement, volunteerism, and philanthropy.”

WoodbridgeCARES has four main principles:

PARTICIPATION: Improve the communities in which we operate through volunteerism and philanthropy.

  • Start with our own Teammates and their families.
  • Expand to our immediate local communities.
  • Participate in worthwhile global initiatives.

EMPOWERMENT: Empower and support individual Teammates, groups of Teammates, locations and regions to develop initiatives that hold special meaning for them.

  • Adopt a grassroots / local approach.
  • Engage corporate to provide support for those local initiatives.

INSPIRATION: Track, share and recognize success stories in order to inspire others.

  • Track dollars, volunteer hours and impact.
  • Communicate internally and externally.
  • Recognize the accomplishments of individuals, Teammates, locations, and regions.

ENGAGEMENT: Enhance Teammate work experiences through community involvement.

  • Feel good while doing rewarding work for the community.

In an effort to inspire all local teams, the WoodbridgeCARES Founder’s Award is presented annually to a location that best demonstrates outstanding contributions to the community in which it operates, through volunteerism and philanthropy. 

For initiatives that are above and beyond what is available locally, local teams are encouraged to request additional financial support from the WoodbridgeCARES Charitable Fund which has a substantial annual budget.

Teammates

At Woodbridge, we believe that our Teammates are our most important resource. From the beginning of the company’s existence, the corporate Purpose has been “to deliver safe workplaces and the profitability required to create and sustain rewarding jobs.”  Over forty years later, our Purpose is as relevant now as it was then. 

We provide particular focus on the following:

Safety – Safety is our number 1 Value and an unquestioned top priority in Woodbridge. All Teammates, both corporate and facility, are responsible for the aspects of health and safety over which they have control, including compliance to our health and safety policies, procedures and requirements.  Teammates effectively participate in the HSE Management System, at all levels of the organization, through their local Joint Health and Safety Committee. This provides our Teammates with the time and resources required to participate in, at a minimum, planning, implementation, evaluation, corrective and preventive action, timely access to information relevant to the HSE Management System and identifying and removing obstacles or barriers to participation. This can be seen in:

  • Our core Value of “Health, Safety & Environment”; and
  • Our world-class Health and Safety Management System which is certified under ISO 14001.

Workplace, Fairness, Respect and Anti-Violence: We are deeply committed to protecting our Teammates’ human rights by promoting and ensuring non-discrimination and diversity in the workplace, as evidenced by:

  • Our core Value of “Respect People & Diversity”.
  • Our Workplace Fairness, Respect and Anti-Violence Policy which provides our Teammates with comprehensive protections relating to discrimination and various forms of harassment.  Specific training includes: Sexual Harassment, Gender Identity and Workplace Fairness, Respect and Anti-Violence programs.
  • Our Equal Employment Opportunities Policy Statement that says, in part, that:
  • “It is the policy of Woodbridge to continue to provide equal employment opportunity to all applicants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, protected veteran status, or any other protected characteristic.”
  • Our Open-Door Policy sets out our longstanding system which allows all Teammates to take any concerns through all levels of the Woodbridge management group up to and including the CEO. Additionally, Woodbridge provides an internet and telephone-based hotline reporting system called SpeakUP! where Teammates can confidentially report any issues they may encounter.
  • The voice of our Teammates is heard through the execution of a global Teammate engagement survey which is conducted approximately every 18 months resulting in actions and dialogue to address issues as they arise and to ensure a continuously improving workplace.

Teammates’ Rights – Woodbridge is committed to maintaining global working conditions and standards that result in dignified and respectful treatment of all Teammates within all our global operating locations. As such, we make the following commitments to our Teammates in our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics:

  • Child labor shall not be utilized.
  • Any form of forced or compulsory labor is prohibited.
  • Teammates, without fear of reprisal, intimidation or harassment, have the right to communicate openly with management regarding working conditions.
  • Teammates also have the right to associate freely and join labor unions and workers’ councils in accordance with local laws.
  • Teammates shall be protected against any form of harassment and discrimination in any form, including but not limited to gender, sex, age, religion, disability and political beliefs.
  • Teammates shall have a safe and healthy workplace that meets or exceeds all applicable standards for occupational health and safety.
  • Teammates shall be compensated with wages and benefits that are competitive and comply with local law, including minimum wages, overtime hours and legally mandated benefits.
  • Woodbridge will treat all Teammates with dignity and respect.
  • Working hours shall comply with all applicable local laws regulating hours of work.

Youth Employment – We have maintained a longstanding commitment to fostering employment opportunities for young people through, amongst other things, an extensive engineering co-op student program.

Teammate Investment – Woodbridge believes in continuous improvement in developing our talent.  In addition to ongoing “on the job training” and current compliance training (i.e. Workplace, Fairness, Respect & Anti-Violence), Woodbridge also provides support for continuing education and development.

Code of Business Conduct and Ethics

In addition to complying with all laws, we firmly believe in conducting our business with honesty, integrity, fairness and respect throughout the organization.  We require that our Teammates respect and act in a manner sensitive to the cultures and customs of the countries in which we operate, as well as the communities and environment where we conduct business.

Our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics is a comprehensive guide for all of our Teammates related to various legal, social and ethical matters and contains, among others, requirements relating to the following:

  • Compliance with Laws
  • Health, Safety and Environment
  • Respect for People and Human Rights
  • Teammates’ Rights
  • Conducting Business with Honesty, Integrity, Fairness and Respect
  • Open Door Policy
  • Protection of Personal Privacy and Stakeholder Information
  • Financial Reporting
  • Compliance with Antitrust and Competition laws
  • Use of Confidential Information
  • Company Records
  • Bribery and Corruption
  • Inside Information
  • Conflict of Interest
  • Reporting and Compliance Procedures

In addition, we have implemented comprehensive corporate policies and related standards and procedures that give specific guidelines related to the following:

  • Our Global Anti-Bribery and Corruption Policy which provides strict directions regarding bribery, extortion and corruption;
  • Our Competition Law and Antitrust Compliance Policy which requires that all of our operations globally comply with applicable competition laws;
  • Our Conflict of Interest Policy which requires all Teammates, officers and directors to avoid any potential conflicts of interest;
  • Our Workplace Fairness and Respect and Anti-Violence Policy which requires that our operations are committed to creating and maintaining a work environment that is characterized by fairness and respect, free from harassment, discrimination and/or violence, for all of our Teammates
  • Our Open-Door Policy which provides for all Teammates open lines of communication to take any concerns through all levels of the Woodbridge management group, up to and including the CEO.

Our Global Corporate Compliance Committee is responsible for implementing and maintaining a global corporate compliance program and consists of discipline and regional leaders.

We encourage all Teammates to use our SpeakUP! Hotline to report any violations of the Code of Business Conduct and Ethics or any policies or standards. The Hotline is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and is administered by an independent third party to ensure anonymity, if requested. We expressly prohibit any retaliation against any Teammate who reports genuine concerns in good faith.


Woodbridge Code of Business Conduct and Ethics 

Woodbridge Code of Business Conduct and Ethics (English version).pdf

Woodbridge Code of Business Conduct and Ethics (Chinese version).pdf

Woodbridge Code of Business Conduct and Ethics (Portuguese version).pdf

Woodbridge Code of Business Conduct and Ethics (Spanish version).pdf

Supply Chain

Woodbridge works closely with its supply base to ensure that its principles regarding working conditions, business conduct and diversity sourcing are shared by its suppliers:

People - Woodbridge is committed to maintaining global working conditions and standards that result in dignified and respectful treatment of all Teammates within all our global operating locations, as well as those of our supply chain. Our expectations of our suppliers are clearly laid out in our Standard Terms and Conditions and our Supplier Requirements Manual. In particular, we expect that our suppliers will have appropriate policies, procedures and systems in place to support the following standards:

  • Child labour shall not be utilized.
  • Any form of forced or compulsory labour is prohibited.
  • Workers, without fear of reprisal, intimidation or harassment should be able to communicate openly with management regarding working conditions. They shall also have the right to associate freely and join labour unions and workers’ councils in accordance with local laws.
  • Workers shall be protected against any form of harassment and discrimination in any form, including but not limited to gender, sex, age, religion, disability and political beliefs.
  • Workers shall have a safe and healthy workplace that meets or exceeds all applicable standards for occupational health and safety.
  • Workers shall be compensated with wages and benefits that are competitive and comply with local law, including minimum wages, overtime hours and legally mandated benefits.

Working hours shall comply with all applicable local laws regulating hours of work.

Code of Business Conduct and Ethics - All Woodbridge suppliers are required to comply with Woodbridge's Code of Business Conduct and Ethics and its Global Anti-Bribery and Corruption Policy and all applicable federal, provincial, state and local laws, ordinance, rules, codes, standards and regulations.

Conflict Minerals - All materials used by Woodbridge’s suppliers in their goods or in their manufacture must satisfy governmental and safety constraints on restricted, toxic and hazardous materials as well as environmental, electrical and electromagnetic considerations that apply to the country of manufacture, sale or destination, including conflict minerals. 

Certificate of Compliance – We require suppliers to furnish Woodbridge with certificates of compliance, which may include but not limited to insuring compliance to all applicable laws, ingredients, materials, goods and services, consumer protection and conflict minerals.

Diversity Sourcing – We have committed to the sourcing of goods and services from minority and women-owned businesses and have established a Diversity Supplier Development Council which is charged with the responsibility of developing and administering the Diversity Supplier Development Program.

  • Our Diversity Supplier Development Policy states that:

“It is the policy of Woodbridge to encourage opportunities for minority and women-owned business organizations in order to promote economic development.  Woodbridge recognizes its responsibilities to the customers that it serves and the communities in which it conducts its business.  The sourcing of goods and services from minority and women-owned businesses must be a function of our routine purchasing practices at all levels of our organization.  No potential supplier will be precluded from consideration on the basis of race, colour, religion, sex, age or national origin. Every Teammate who is delegated the responsibility of either directly or indirectly expending corporate funds for the purchase of goods or services is charged with the task of adhering to this policy.”  

Annual Validation – Suppliers are required to annually complete Woodbridge’s online Sustainability Supplier Assessment form to ensure ongoing compliance to the provisions of this Corporate Social Responsibility Policy.

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