CS News

Cooper Standard was honored with the Ford Motor Co.’s WIN (Widening the Inclusion Network) award after two years of exceeding deliverables in the WIN program. This is just another example of the Company living its value “Diversity Makes Us Stronger” and our dedication to fostering a culture that values diversity, inclusion and belonging in the workplace. Ford’s WIN program is designed to further grow supplier diversity efforts and develop its supplier and diversity programs through coaching, mentorship and thoughtful discussion with other diverse businesses. Cooper Standard is proudly one of five Tier-1 suppliers participating in this elite program.

Since joining the program, Cooper Standard and Ford established short-, medium- and long-term goals in four key pillars: Diverse Spend; Advocacy Group Involvement; Workforce Diversity; and Community Outreach. Cooper Standard has since established many initiatives since joining the WIN program, including:

• Widening alliances with diverse material suppliers with the expertise and raw materials needed to develop our products and meet our sustainability needs. 
• The founding of the Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging Action Group in 2020, a group of employees responsible for bringing greater focus to these areas in the Company.
• The development of a network of certified diversity recruiters with a mission to onboard diverse candidates that offer talent and fit job requirements.
• Community outreach programs that support Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging joining forces with the Cooper Standard Foundation, established to support community involvement, such as charities, educational support, health and wellness and neighborhood revitalization.
• Goals and objectives through strategic leadership discussions that align with promoting diversity, inclusion and belonging at global locations.
• Community events and panel discussions led by employee resource groups that employees can get involved in. Each topic and panelists offer different perspectives, followed by open Q&A.
• Strategic written communications in over 12 languages on multiple channels, including the Company website and CS Connect (internal portal).
• The launch of the Cooper Standard African American Network, a newly founded employee resource group for employees to join and learn about African American history and culture.
• Veteran-focused programs that help military veterans integrate back into civilian life.
• Recognition and celebration around the diversity calendar, such as Pride month and Juneteenth with local events and communications that share more information about each highlighted date.
• Mandatory trainings around unconscious bias and workplace behavior that employees must follow. These requirements align with the culture that Cooper Standard works every day to build.
• Relationships with diverse material suppliers globally with the expertise and raw materials needed to develop our products and meet our sustainability needs.
• A dedicated focus on this being a priority as part of the Company’s corporate responsibility, outlined in the 2021 Corporate Responsibility Report.  
• These initiatives offer opportunities for minority groups and categories, such as Veterans, women, the LGBTQ community, individuals with disabilities, etc.
• Providing a way for employees with a way to self-identity through Workday. 
• The WISE Mentoring Program with a goal to provide networking and growth opportunities for women in the workplace. Last year, WISE helped facilitate over 120 mentoring relationships.

Ford Motor Co.’s WIN program and award aligns with Cooper Standard’s diversity, inclusion and belonging (DIB) initiatives and its goal of “Valuing the Perspectives and Leveraging the Strengths of All Employees.” The Company’s focus on a diverse workforce and our dedication to employee development that makes us a more innovative team and enables us to grow and expand our business globally. To learn more about Cooper Standard’s Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging efforts, visit: https://www.cooperstandard.com/company/our-social-responsibility-commitment/diversity-and-inclusion. 

# # #