At Dow, we believe that respect for the dignity, rights and aspirations of all people is a cornerstone of business excellence. Dow has an unwavering commitment to ethical behavior and stands in opposition to any form of sexism, racism, discrimination, or harassment, including sexual harassment, and commits to providing a work environment where everyone feels valued and can accomplish their full potential.
Dow’s Respect and Responsibility Policy sets expectations for how to respect each other in the workplace to achieve Dow’s goals and maintain our high ethical standards, and extends globally to every Dow employee and subsidiaries and other entities that have adopted Dow's Code of Conduct (“Code”), and will conform to applicable laws, directives, regulations and/or labor agreements and may be supplemented by an area or country specific policy as necessary. We also expect our business partners to commit to similar values and standards.
A summary of Dow’s Respect and Responsibility Policy is as follows:
- We expect our leaders, employees, and representatives to actively oppose inequities and injustices in the workplace and employment actions.
- Employees and representatives at all levels of the organization have a responsibility to support and contribute to a respectful work environment, which includes avoiding any participation in unacceptable behavior, implied or explicit.
- Employees and representatives will refrain from behaviors in the workplace, such as, including but not limited to, bullying, belittling, berating, physical or verbal intimidation, name-calling, humiliation, or engaging in any other unprofessional behavior.
- Dow strictly prohibits and does not tolerate any disrespectful, discriminatory or exclusionary behavior, based on a protected status such as age, race, color, national origin, sex, sex characteristics including intersex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, physical or mental disability, religion, genetic information, military or veteran status, marital or familial status, or any other factor protected by applicable law, against employees, applicants, customers, vendors, or any other third party individuals in any work-related context.
- Dow strictly prohibits and does not tolerate any form of harassment based on a protected status such as age, race, color, national origin, sex, sex characteristics including intersex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, physical or mental disability, religion, genetic information, military or veteran status, marital or familial status, or any other factor protected by applicable law, against employees, applicants, customers, vendors, or any other third party individuals in any work-related context
- Dow strictly prohibits and does not tolerate any form of sexual harassment. Sexual harassment means any harassment based on an individual’s sex, sex characteristics including intersex, gender identity, or gender expression, regardless of the harasser’s sex, sex characteristics including intersex, or gender. It includes harassment that is not sexual in nature (for example, offensive remarks about an individual’s sex, sex characteristics including intersex, or gender), as well as any unwelcome sexual advances or requests for sexual favors or any other conduct of a sexual nature.
- Employees and representatives should promptly address and report potential violations of discrimination, harassment, or retaliation through the designated resources.
Dow’s Compliance and Reporting Process
Our position includes acting to promptly report any conduct inconsistent with the Code, our Values or the law. All reports of misconduct are taken seriously and are treated confidentially, consistent with a full and fair inquiry. In the event an employee or other interested party has any concerns, we have several processes in place to report, investigate, and resolve these matters.
Any report of inappropriate behavior under Dow’s Respect and Responsibility Policy will be taken seriously, promptly reviewed, and appropriately investigated consistent with the global investigation process and the requirements of any applicable laws, directives, regulations, and/or applicable labor agreements. A substantiated violation of Dow’s Respect and Responsibility Policy will result in the adoption of disciplinary measures up to and including termination, appropriate under the circumstances, in conformance with applicable laws, directives, regulations, and/or applicable labor agreements.
Employees and other interested parties can seek advice and report potential violations by telephone or in writing via the internet. The Dow EthicsLine is a toll-free help line, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week that is also available in multiple languages. The list of toll-free telephone numbers available by location is available at www.dowethicsline.com. Translation services are available if you prefer to speak in your native language. The communications specialists who answer your call are employed by an independent company and are trained to handle your call confidentially. In some countries, you may call the Dow EthicsLine anonymously if you prefer.
The Dow EthicsLine is also available in multiple languages on the web for individuals who may be more comfortable reporting their concerns in writing. The same confidentiality safeguards that are in place for telephone reporting are also applicable for written reports. Alternatively, you can call the Office of Ethics and Compliance directly at +1-989-636-2544. Emails may be directed to Ethics@Dow.com. Dow employees can also report to a leader, a Human Resources representative, or any other appropriate designated resource for the location/country (e.g., Regional Ethics and Compliance Committee member, an attorney in the Legal Department, or Diversity and Inclusion representative).