Statement from McWane President Ruffner Page

As recent events increase our awareness of hard realities around us, we must let that awareness motivate us to build and inform better behaviors for our future.  In the first half of 2020, we all have faced unprecedented times due to the ongoing challenges of COVID-19 and the ongoing struggle in our communities to ensure all people are treated equally, with deep respect and care. 

The pandemic certainly has forced us to review how we manage our operations.  It also provides many great examples of coming together to ensure that we, as a designated essential business, continue to produce and ship product that is critical to infrastructure and the well-being of our communities.  So many in our Company have stepped up to support each other and ensure that we are protected from a virus that remains a threat to people in our workplace, in our communities, and around the world.

That same need to come together is required to recognize, to understand, and to acknowledge that discrimination in our society is real.   There remain people in our communities who are vulnerable—because of where they come from, the color of their skin, their sexual identity, gender, or faith. 

That is unacceptable. 

As leaders in McWane, our entire management team and I have an opportunity and a responsibility to listen, to act, and to be accountable for our actions and words.  And a collective effort from all of us—individually, organizationally, and communally—is required to confront discrimination and fear with humanity, empathy, and caring.  Good intentions are a start but we all need to listen and learn from the experiences of our colleagues and community members.    

We want to do that together.  The McWane Way Compass we share outlines the principles, values, and behaviors to which we are committed.  We will manage this business and treat all of our 6,700 team members in accordance.  Principles such as People First and Win Together remind us that we have to Step Up to build the fair, inclusive, and just workplaces and communities we all deserve.  All of us have a stake in this and we must always be working to be better while building—not breaking—our relationships and commitments. 

Our Company strives to create an environment in which everyone receives competitive compensation, excellent benefits, and a positive, safe workplace.  We want to do even more to support one another and work to eliminate racism and injustice.  We can continue to use these principles as we examine how our team is facing up to racism and discrimination, and consider more ways our Company can take constructive actions consistent with our values.