2024 Sustainability ReportResponsible Sourcing
Through our responsible sourcing strategy, we work to align purchasing practices with Whirlpool Corporation's overall environmental, social and governance strategy, promote compliance and enable sustainability through our supply base.
Supplier Engagement
We follow sourcing standards that promote human rights and the responsible production of materials and components. Our Supplier Code of Conduct (SCoC) helps ensure our suppliers stay aligned with our values and high standards, and our compliance program governs responsible sourcing and mitigates compliance risks associated with third-party providers. We conduct due diligence and auditing activities through our SCoC auditing, third-party due diligence screening and conflict minerals tracking programs to support compliance with our high standards.
In 2024, we implemented an updated SCoC into the on-site audit process. While the values in the SCoC remain the same, the updated code promotes robust alignment with current corporate social responsibility standards and expectations consistent with Our Integrity Manual. This includes additional content and clarity around worker health and safety, forced labor and environmental management. We use screening and risk assessment criteria to prioritize frequency and cadence of audits across our supply base. If an issue arises, we can quickly identify it and provide remedial support.
Expanding Supplier Sustainability Assessments
In collaboration with EcoVadis, we assess the overall sustainability performance of our suppliers to learn more about their environmental, social and ethical business practices. We provide suppliers with education and capability-building opportunities, including working with lower-performing suppliers to improve in targeted areas. Additionally, for suppliers that operate in areas with higher labor-related risks, we leverage the assessments to evaluate labor, human rights and supply chain practices. We also assess actions related to carbon emissions management. To enhance visibility and better inform purchasing decisions, we have developed an internal dashboard for supplier sustainability performance for our global procurement team.
Supply Chain Emissions
In 2024, we took a significant initial step forward by collecting from our suppliers their scopes 1 and 2 emissions. This initiative will help us better understand our current scope 3 category 1 emissions landscape and support the development of future emissions reduction strategies. We’ve seen a strong initial response, with data covering over 60% of our estimated direct supplier emissions, providing a solid baseline to drive meaningful progress toward our sustainability goals.
2024 Highlights:
271 SCoC audits performed
100% of high-risk suppliers screened and dispositioned
53% increase in supplier participation in sustainability assessments
>60% of estimated supplier emissions data collected
See our Supplier Code of Conduct for more detail.
Enhancing Supplier Discovery
We believe that a diverse pool of suppliers results in innovative ideas, high-quality products and greater representation for our ever-growing diverse consumer base. We encourage inclusive procurement practices that widen the pool of potential suppliers, promote competition and improve results.
One way we advance inclusive procurement practices is through internal trainings. To further grow and diversify our supplier network, we are investing in pipeline-building initiatives. Our sourcing processes include mechanisms to encourage greater inclusion for all suppliers in business opportunities.
Conflict Minerals Management
Managing conflict minerals is a key component of our responsible sourcing efforts. Conflict minerals — 3TG minerals (tantalum, tin, tungsten, gold) — are commonly mined in areas associated with significant human rights and environmental concerns, as well as extraction practices not in alignment with our own standards of safety and ethics. These metals are essential to many products we use daily. Whirlpool actively engages with suppliers to support adherence to our conflict minerals policy. We conduct an annual review of our supply base to communicate with vendors that may handle 3TG minerals and survey our vendors to learn about their individual practices and better understand their exposure to known areas of concern.
In 2024, we continued to survey suppliers on vendor practices regarding conflict minerals. We reached out to a greater number of suppliers than in 2023, receiving 22% more responses, which provided more visibility into our supply chain.
