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How We Govern ESG

Whirlpool Corporation’s long-standing commitment to the highest standards of ethical and legal conduct and sustainable operations has allowed us to stand the test of time and continue to create shareholder value. Our strong risk management, commitment to ethics and compliance, and values-driven culture of integrity is how we earn and keep trust.

ESG Governance

Oversight of ESG is inextricably linked to the oversight of our company. Our Board of Directors operates pursuant to a set of Corporate Governance Guidelines that provides that the Board will periodically review the company’s ESG policies, initiatives and objectives. This approach allows us to uncover new issues, address rising topics and respond to the evolving needs of our stakeholders.

In addition to the Board of Directors, we have ESG oversight across our leadership teams, including Executive Committee members. There is additional oversight at the management and functional levels which supports the execution of key ESG initiatives. Our current ESG Task Force includes representation from:

  • Communications
  • Compliance
  • Corporate Social Responsibility
  • Environment, Health and Safety
  • Finance
  • Global Information Systems
  • Global Product Organization
  • Global Product Quality
  • Global Product Safety and Regulatory
  • Global Strategic Sourcing
  • Government Relations
  • Human Resources
  • Integrated Supply Chain
  • Investor Relations
  • Legal
  • Manufacturing
  • Marketing
  • Risk Management
  • Sustainability
  • Tax
  • Treasury

Our ESG Governance

Board of Directors

  • Oversees the integration of ESG principles throughout Whirlpool Corporation
  • Reviews and receives updates on sustainability strategy
  • and key long-term ESG initiatives annually
  • Oversees risk management

Board Committees

  • Audit Committee monitors ethics and compliance risks
  • Human Resources Committee reviews human capital management metrics
  • Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee monitors governance trends and shareholder feedback
  • Finance Committee reviews transactions related to ESG strategy

CEO/Executive Committee

  • Sets ESG strategic priorities throughout the organization
  • Sponsors ESG Councils.

ESG
Councils

  • Composed of regional business leaders and senior leaders from our key operational and corporate functions
  • Evaluates our strategic priorities on relevant ESG issues based on results of our ESG Materiality Assessment1 and input from our ESG Task Force

ESG Task
Force

  • Responsible for planning, communication, education, prioritization and reporting around key ESG matters and for monitoring emerging ESG trends
  • Oversees progress against the strategic priority framework established by our ESG Councils
  1. “Materiality,” as used in this report and our ESG materiality assessment process is different from the definition used in the context of filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Our latest Proxy Statement contains information on Board tenure, experience and diversity.

Board of Directors

Our Board of Directors sets the tone and leads our values-driven culture, which is critical to how we operate sustainably and create shareholder value. Our Board is composed of 14 directors, including an independent Presiding Director and one employee director who is our Chairman and CEO, Marc Bitzer. Our Board includes leaders with expertise in areas critical to our business operations and strategy, such as product development, innovation, human capital management and cybersecurity. The Board operates under a set of corporate governance guidelines, and each committee — Audit, Corporate Governance and Nominating, Human Resources and Finance — operates under a charter that directs each committee’s activities. The Board regularly evaluates its leadership structure to confirm it is operating effectively.

Risk Management and Resilience

With oversight from our Board of Directors, Whirlpool proactively manages potential risks across the organization and aids in alignment with our core values. This includes a focus on strategy and the most significant risks facing Whirlpool, including climate and water risk. The Board also receives risk management updates in connection with its general oversight and approval of significant matters. This has resulted in a strong track record of successfully managing and mitigating risk.

Our risk management, internal audit and compliance teams serve as the primary monitoring and testing functions for company-wide policies and procedures. This team is also responsible for managing the day-to-day oversight of the risk management strategy for Whirlpool Corporation, including:

  • Enterprise Risk: Part of our plan to deliver long-term value to our customers and shareholders is our strong oversight and risk management approach. Our enterprise risk management (ERM) process involves systemic risk identification and mitigation, covering enterprise, strategic, financial, non-financial, operational, compliance and reporting risks. The Board of Directors oversees the ERM process and reviews a comprehensive enterprise risk assessment and prioritization process each year.
  • Climate Risk Management: Climate change poses a risk to all businesses and communities. A changing climate and its impacts create risk throughout our operational footprint, from more frequent and severe fires, to earthquakes, floods or other natural disasters. Our Board of Directors oversees ESG strategy and initiatives, while the Risk Management and Sustainability teams assess climate risks and opportunities. Our Sustainability team collaborates across internal functions to monitor environmental metrics and track progress toward achieving our science-based emissions-reduction goals.

For more information on our Climate Risk Management, please refer to our TCFD Appendix. For more information on Business Risk Management, please refer to our 10-K, Annual Report and Proxy Statement.