Corning holds its Suppliers accountable to implement and maintain (as applicable) management systems that enable compliance with laws to identify, mitigate, and monitor operational risks to sustainability regulations.
Suppliers shall adopt or establish a management system with a scope that is related to the content of this Code. The management system shall be designed to ensure: (a) compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and customer requirements related to the Suppliers’ operations and products; (b) conformance with this Code; and (c) identification and mitigation of operational risks related to this Code. It shall also facilitate continual improvement.
1. Company Commitment
Suppliers shall establish statements affirming their commitment to meeting high standards for environmental and social responsibility, ethical conduct, and continuous improvement that is endorsed by executive management. Statements shall be made public and in a language workers can understand.
2. Management Accountability and Responsibility
Suppliers shall identify company representative(s) with authority to be responsible for ensuring implementation and annual review of the management systems and associated programs. The designated employee(s) will report to the executive management on the status of the management systems. This management system(s) will include the process to identify, monitor, and understand applicable laws and related customer requirements.
3. Risk Assessment and Risk Management
Suppliers shall establish and maintain a process to identify the legal compliance, environmental, health and safety, 1 labor practices, and ethics risks, including the risks of severe human rights and environmental impacts, associated with their operations. Suppliers shall determine the relative significance for each risk and implement appropriate procedural and physical controls to minimize the identified risks and ensure regulatory compliance.
4. Improvement Objectives
Suppliers shall establish written performance objectives, targets, and implementation plans including a periodic assessment of their performance in achieving those objectives.
5. Training and Communication
Suppliers shall establish and maintain training programs for managers and workers to meet applicable legal and regulatory requirements.
Suppliers shall have a process for communicating clear and accurate information about their performance to their policies to workers and sub-tier suppliers.
6. Worker / Stakeholder Engagement and Access to Remedy
Suppliers shall establish processes for ongoing two-way communication with workers, their representatives, and other stakeholders where relevant or necessary. The process shall aim to obtain feedback on operational practices and conditions covered by this Code in order to foster continuous improvement. Workers shall be given a safe environment to provide grievances and feedback without fear of reprisal or retaliation.
7. Audits and Assessments
Suppliers shall conduct periodic self-evaluations to ensure conformity to legal and regulatory requirements, the content of this Code, and any customer contractual requirements related to social and environmental responsibility.
8. Corrective Action Process
Suppliers shall have a process for timely correction of deficiencies identified by internal or external assessments, inspections, investigations, and reviews.
9. Documentation and Records
Suppliers shall maintain appropriate documents and records to ensure regulatory compliance.
10. Supplier Responsibility
Suppliers shall establish a process to communicate these Code requirements to their suppliers and to monitor supplier compliance to the Code.
1 Areas to be included in a risk assessment for environmental health and safety are production areas, warehouse and storage facilities, plant / facilities support equipment, laboratories and test areas, sanitation facilities (bathrooms), kitchen / cafeteria and worker housing / dormitories.
