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WNC has a zero-tolerance attitude towards corruption, and has formulated internal rules and regulations such as the Code of Ethical Conduct, Ethical Management Best Practice Principles and WNC Whistleblowing and Handling Measures. The rules and regulations clearly disclose the Company’s ethical management policy and require the Company and its subsidiaries to comply with regulations related to their overall operations, including the US Federal Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), The UK Bribery Act of 2010, and other anti-corruption regulations. The Company and its subsidiaries are committed to abiding by high ethical standards, avoiding engaging in unfair competition, fulfilling tax obligations, preventing bribery and corruption, and establishing appropriate management systems to create a level playing field.

 

 

WNC’s Legal & IP Division is charged with enhancing integrity management operations, and an Integrity Investigation Office has been established to conduct due diligence investigations, organize relevant training courses and investigate reported cases, with the Chairman having final decision-making authority. The Chief Legal Officer reports on the execution status to the Board of Directors on a regular basis (at least once a year). Labor and ethical risk assessments at all major manufacturing locations are conducted every year. Assessment results for 2023 revealed no high-risk items or instances of corruption.

Due Diligence

WNC requires all WNC directors and top-tier managers to sign the Declaration of Ethical Management; in 2023 all of the aforementioned personnel signed the declaration. WNC also requires all new employees and major suppliers to sign the company’s Code of Ethical Conduct, making a commitment not to offer or accept any bribes or illegal profits in any other form; all new employees in 2023 have signed the code. We also require employees who directly deal with or exert substantial influence over customers, suppliers, and contractors (including high-level executives, sales personnel, PMs, all employees of the purchasing unit, supplier quality management unit, general affairs unit and the facility unit, and department-level managers and above in the legal, MIS, and R&D units) to answer an annual self-evaluation questionnaire on compliance with the Code of Ethical Conduct. In 2023, 2,298 WNC employees completed the survey and filled out the questionnaire, with a completion rate of 100%.

Subject Requirements
WNC directors and top-tier managers Sign the company’s Declaration of Ethical Management
New employees and suppliers Sign the company’s Code of Ethical Conduct
Employees who directly deal with or exert substantial influence over customers, suppliers, and contractors Answer an annual self-evaluation questionnaire on compliance with the company’s Code of Ethical Conduct.

Grievance and Consultation Mechanism

WNC has established a public stakeholder mailbox and a mailbox for reporting violations for internal and external stakeholders to file complaints and report violations in a named or anonymous manner.

 

In 2023, five complaints related to personal integrity were reported. Three cases were closed due to a lack of evidence. After investigation, the content of the other two cases were confirmed to be true, and disciplinary actions have been taken in accordance with company regulations. Other cases related to the management of each department were transferred to the respective departments for handling as none involved illegal matters.

Stakeholder mailbox: [email protected]

This email is provided for all stakeholders to raise issues or provide suggestions with regard to WNC’s corporate social responsibility policies and practices.

Mailbox for reporting violations: [email protected]

This email is provided for employees and all pertinent parties to file complaints and report violations in a named or anonymous manner.

Training and Promotion

To boost employees’ understanding and implementation of ethics and integrity issues, the most updated promotional resources are provided on our internal website, and the Legal & IP Division holds Ethics and Anti-Corruption Code of Conduct online training for current employees every year, and said training is included in compulsory courses for new employees. The aforementioned resources and training will help employees understand the actions they should adopt when company rules conflict with social mores, corporate interests, and private interests or when they find any wrongdoings. In 2023, a total of 6,840 employees at WNC’s Taiwan sites and major manufacturing sites in China and Vietnam took the WNC Ethics and Anti-Corruption Code of Conduct online course for a completion rate of 100%.

 

The WNC Reporting and Handling Procedure stipulates handling procedures to address violations and confidentiality obligations for individuals responsible for receiving and investigating the reports, and prohibits any adverse actions or consequences against the reporting parties to safeguard their work rights. The Integrity Office is tasked with establishing a task force to handle reports and perform investigations.  The reporting procedures are described briefly as follows:

Personnel shall, in a named or anonymous manner, provide specific evidence that can be verified, such as the date and the facts of the violation.

After the case is accepted, the task force will handle the case immediately and complete an investigation report within a reasonable time.

After completing the investigation, the task force proposes measures to address the issue to the CEO for a final decision. The task force will notify the reporting party of the conclusions following the decision of the CEO.

  • WNC ensures that the identities of the reporting parties are kept secret and that they are not at risk of retaliation.
  • WNC will not terminate or transfer any employee or cause any other unfavorable result to occur due to their reporting an issue unless that employee has violated the law.
  • Task force members and related members participating in the investigation ensure and maintain the confidentiality of the incident throughout the entire investigation.
  • The task force records how the reported issue was handled in written form, and this written report is sealed and archived for five years.
  • If the reported issue(s) involve WNC directors or high-level managers, the task force should report the investigations results to independent directors.