Ford Reaffirms Commitment to Corporate Responsibility in Its Supply Chain, Becoming First Automaker to Join EICC

Ford Motor Company is proud to be the first automaker to join the Electronic Industry Citizenship Coalition – a nonprofit group of leading electronics companies dedicated to improving the social, environmental and ethical conditions of their global supply chains.

Joining the coalition strengthens Ford’s commitment to respect human rights and improve basic working conditions at its global supplier facilities. It enables Ford to further the promise in its corporate responsibility policy that guides the company’s code of human rights, basic working conditions and corporate responsibility, and to hold its suppliers accountable for meeting those standards.

“At Ford, we have a commitment to conducting business responsibly in an ethical and transparent manner,” said Hau Thai-Tang, Ford group vice president, global purchasing. “Working with the Electronic Industry Citizenship Coalition and other industry leaders enables us to further improve the way we work together with our suppliers to address sustainability-related issues such as human rights, working conditions and environmental responsibility.”

Full membership requires Ford to identify its own high-risk facilities as well as supplier facilities, and to conduct audits on at least 25 percent of those. Ford agrees to actively support the Electronic Industry Citizenship Coalition and the goals of the organization’s code of conduct in its own operations – progressively implementing the coalition’s approach and tools in the spirit of common industry goals.

“We are excited to have Ford as a full member of the Electronic Industry Citizenship Coalition,” said Rob Lederer, the organization’s executive director. “Ford is our first automotive company member, and we are looking forward to collaborating and building on its unique global experiences and supplier relationships, as well as the growing convergence between the automotive and electronics industries.”

Along with fellow members, suppliers and stakeholders, Ford will collaborate with the coalition to improve working and environmental conditions by adhering to leading standards and practices. Operating on a global scale, the Electronic Industry Citizenship Coalition is recognized as a sustainability leader by industry and cross-industry organizations, and by nongovernmental organizations and governments alike.

“Since 2003, Ford has been training and auditing suppliers on our expectations for human rights, working conditions, business ethics and the environment,” said Mary Wroten, senior manager, Ford global purchasing supply chain sustainability. “Joining the Electronic Industry Citizenship Coalition will enable Ford to share our automotive experiences, collaborate with industry leaders, and utilize the coalition’s common tools, such as its validated audit process.”

The organization is comprised of more than 110 electronics companies representing 17 sectors. As the first automaker member, Ford joins a coalition made up of about 15 percent of its own suppliers.

As the company continues to invest in its Ford Smart Mobility plan and new technologies to become a leader in connectivity, mobility, autonomous vehicles, the customer experience, and data and analytics, joining the Electronic Industry Citizenship Coalition is a natural progression.

“At the end of the day, this is not about industry competition – it’s about doing the right thing,” said Kim Pittel, Ford vice president, sustainability, environment and safety engineering. “By joining the coalition, we will have support from the world’s most respected, sustainable companies to ensure responsible business practices and ethical standards throughout our supply chain.”

About Ford Motor Company

Ford Motor Company is a global automotive and mobility company based in Dearborn, Michigan. With about 199,000 employees and 67 plants worldwide, the company’s core business includes designing, manufacturing, marketing, financing and servicing a full line of Ford cars, trucks, SUVs and electrified vehicles, as well as Lincoln luxury vehicles. At the same time, Ford is aggressively pursuing emerging opportunities through Ford Smart Mobility, the company’s plan to be a leader in connectivity, mobility, autonomous vehicles, the customer experience, and data and analytics. For more information regarding Ford, its products worldwide or Ford Motor Credit Company, visit www.corporate.ford.com.

About EICC

The EICC is a nonprofit coalition of leading electronics companies dedicated to the social, environmental and ethical responsibility of their global supply chains. EICC members commit and are held accountable to a common Code of Conduct and utilize a range of training and assessment tools to support continuous improvement. The EICC is comprised of more than 110 electronics companies, representing 17 different sectors from consumer brands to smelters, with combined annual revenue of greater than $3 trillion, and directly employing over 5.5 million people. For more information, visit www.eiccoalition.org and follow @EICCoalition.

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