Bridgestone Costa Rica maintains the highest ethical standards, guaranteeing compliance with applicable regulations at both the national and international levels. In the daily operation, the company encourages and strengthens best practices that seek to ensure fair trade and market competition.

Code of Conduct

The Code of Conduct sets out the guidelines for promoting respect and tolerance in the workplace. The expected behaviors are specified in the Code of Conduct of the Bridgestone Americas Compliance Center (BACC). Thanks to it, the most important issues on the subject matter are prioritized with the ethics guidelines established to ensure that all Bridgestone Costa Rica employees could make sound decisions.

Ethics Committee

Ensuring compliance with the Code of Conduct is a priority for Bridgestone Costa Rica and therefore there is an Ethics Committee made up of representative of all the areas of the subsidiary. The main function of this Committee is to address all doubts and concerns that come up with respect to any breach or interpretation of the guidelines established by internal policies or procedures. The committee had six members who met four times in 2017.

The company implemented several related actions in 2017, such as the delivery of information leaflets to all employees to reinforce the culture of ethics and the standards established in the Code of Conduct.

Ethics training was also offered to service providers and technical consultants in Central America and the Caribbean. Ethics Week was held as it has been every year. Its main objective is to reinforce knowledge and train all employees on key issues such as the Code of Conduct and the complaint reporting procedures.

Corporate Ethics Program

The Corporate Ethics Program comprises various initiatives at the organizational level to ensure management of ethics and regulatory compliance. This program makes it possible for Bridgestone Costa Rica to consistently maintain and reaffirm the culture of ethics with each of its employees. Primary components of the program include:

• Conducting investigations into complaints on ethics through the Compliance Committee, as well as the implementation of corporate policies and follow-up on issues related to ethics presented by the Ethics Committee.

• Live training on the Code of Ethics for new workers, suppliers, and other specific groups within the company.

• The launch of online BACC courses for directors, administrative staff, managers and department heads.

• Annual Ethics Week.

• Support and follow-up on the implementation of new corporate policies related to ethics.

• Availability of the 800 hotline for complaints and questions related to ethics.

Code of Conduct Trainings

Bridgestone Costa Rica maintains a firm commitment to training its employees on matters concerning the Code of Conduct. In 2017, 99% of the employees completed training on aspects related to rights and responsibilities in a work environment based on ethics.

The ethical culture starts from the moment the employee enters the company and receives basic training in the induction process, which is reinforced day by day during their stay in the company.

In addition, 29 collaborators, including directors, managers and area representatives, were trained in additional topics to BACC such as electronic communications and ethical compliance.