MULTI-YEAR U.S. ACTION PLAN

Our Pledge to Equality & Fairness

In summer 2020, Whirlpool Corporation committed to our Racial Equality Pledge. This Pledge is an extension of our company’s enduring values of Inclusion & Diversity, with a clear focus on ensuring equality and fairness.

We are now three years into our five-year Pledge timeline. While we have seen some meaningful progress we also recognize that some of the actions contained in this Pledge require longer-term sustained and systemic changes to deliver the intended impact.

Whirlpool Corporation is committed to staying the course to drive sustainable positive impact both within our four walls and in our communities, in hopes this will be a ripple into the broader U.S. community.

Marc Bitzer, Chairman & CEO

Racial Equality Pledge Commitments & Progress

The work of the Racial Equality Pledge is split into what we can drive within our company and what we can influence within our communities.

The following updates highlight some of the work that has been done as part of the Racial Equality Pledge to promote inclusive environments where all can thrive.

EQUALITY & FAIRNESS WITHIN OUR COMPANY

Unconscious Bias & Empathy Training

Pledge Commitment Met.

Starting in late 2021, a three-part Unconscious Bias & Empathy training course was deployed to all U.S. based people leaders. Over 1300 employees attended this training.

While this Pledge commitment was met in 2022, our learning journey continued into 2023 with global deployment of training materials and a 2nd phase for U.S. based people leaders to continue the conversation. We will continue to incorporate inclusion & diversity learning materials across the company as these remain part of Whirlpool’s Enduring Values.

Pay Practices

Pledge Commitment Met.

A review of pay practices to ensure fairness and equality was completed and has been incorporated into our ongoing HR processes.

Juneteenth Day of Impact

Pledge Commitment Met.

In ongoing conversations with Benton Harbor city officials & residents, participants identified that one of the best ways Whirlpool could positively impact the community and support the city’s plan was by revitalizing the city’s parks.

HBCU Student Support & Recruiting

Pledge Commitment in Progress

In 2022, Whirlpool Corporation formalized a relationship with Florida A&M University (FAMU) to provide scholarship funding, appliances, mentoring partnerships, and engagement with Whirlpool employees for students in the College of Engineering.

Employee Development Opportunities

Pledge Commitment Met.

At Whirlpool, providing professional and personal development is part of our commitment to our employees’ well-being. Opportunities such as mentoring, upskilling through virtual learning, educational reimbursement programs and more are available…

Inclusion & Diversity are enduring values for Whirlpool Corporation. Because of our actions to create a culture where employees feel welcomed, valued, respected and heard, we believe employees of all backgrounds will be more apt to join and stay with Whirlpool. And this, in turn, will help us deliver products that improve life at home. We will continue to take actions to listen to our employees and evolve our talent processes and expect this will continue to build and sustain an employee base that represents the diversity of our talent pools.

Whirlpool’s Global Headquarters is based in Southwest Michigan with offices in both Saint Joseph and Benton Harbor – often referred to as the “Twin Cities”. Whirlpool has been here for over a century and is invested in building a community where employees and residents can all thrive:

 

Pam Klyn, Sr. VP, Communications, Public Affairs & Sustainability, Whirlpool Corporation


Whirlpool Corporation has a long history of working with the city of Benton Harbor and our surrounding communities to drive progress and to make our communities a great place to work and live.
– Pam Klyn, Executive Vice President Corporate Relations & Sustainability

We want this community to work for all of us. This means …

Supporting students to achieve their hopes and dreams for the future.
Investing in infrastructure where families can come together to laugh, grow and learn.
Being a partner to the city to support their vision for the future.

The following initiatives are intended to support the areas where residents, city officials and employees told us it is needed the most.

EQUALITY & FAIRNESS WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY

Benton Harbor High School Mentoring

Pledge Commitment in Progress

Building a strong foundation and a vision for the future for high school students is one key to future success. To facilitate a mentoring program at Benton Harbor High School, Whirlpool employees partnered with Jobs for Michigan’s Graduates (JMG)…

Apprenticeship Programs

Pledge Commitment in Progress

Whirlpool Corporation supports three state-certified apprenticeship programs providing opportunities for on-the-job experiences and educational success. Participants in these programs work through a structured rotation of roles to gain exposure to…

Berrien County Internships

Pledge Commitment Met.

After a successful pilot program in 2021, the Possibilities at Home (P@TH) internship program launched in 2022 with 10 interns and expanded to 12 interns in 2023. In the first three years of this program, these students had a broad range of…

Boys & Girls Club Technology Programming

Pledge Commitment in Progress

For many years, Whirlpool Corporation has been a corporate sponsor of the Boys & Girls Club of Benton Harbor and their now expanded footprint as the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Southwest Michigan. As we look to how the Boys & Girls Club can…

Benton Harbor Area Schools

Pledge Commitment in Progress

Investing in the area’s youth is investing in the future of the region. By partnering with Benton Harbor Area Schools, Whirlpool employees and the Whirlpool Foundation have been able to provide support in several critical areas:

Expand Housing

Pledge Commitment Met.

After breaking ground in 2021, construction began on the waterfront multi-family housing complex situated in Benton Harbor across the street from Whirlpool’s North American Headquarters and Benton Harbor Technology Center. Named after Benton…

Supplier Diversity

Pledge Commitment Met.

Whirlpool actively tracks and invites diverse suppliers to bid on our portfolio of work, promoting diverse vendors as a key component of our supply base. To enable this, we maintain partnerships with community organizations and supplier…

Entrepreneur Microgrants

Pledge Commitment Met.

Businesses owned by local entrepreneurs that have won prizes in the micro-grant pitch nights hosted by Emerge Innovation Hub, in collaboration with Whirlpool and Mosaic CCDA:

Whirlpool Corporation and City of Benton Harbor Team Up to Revitalize Community Park for Third Consecutive Year

Whirlpool Corporation celebrated its third annual “Day of Impact'' with more than 100 employees and elected officials volunteering to make improvements to Charles Yarbrough Park in Benton Harbor, Mich. Nestled along the St. Joseph River, in walking distance from...
Racial Equality Pledge News
Whirlpool Corporation Named A Top Corporate Citizen of 2024

Whirlpool Corporation Named A Top Corporate Citizen of 2024

Whirlpool Corporation has been recognized by 3BL, a leading sustainability communications partner, as one of the 100 Best Corporate Citizens of 2024. Inclusion on this list acknowledges Whirlpool Corporation’s commitment to transparency and performance among the...

Whirlpool Employees Help Improve Homes and Lives in Colombia

Whirlpool Employees Help Improve Homes and Lives in Colombia

In celebration of the 25th anniversary of Whirlpool Corporation’s support of Habitat for Humanity, a team of 25 employees supported a life-changing project to impact 25 families in a new Latin American market for Habitat for Humanity International. The Whirlpool...