In addition to the changes underway in our North American operations, sourcing and sales trends mean Ford is operating in a greater number of emerging economies. Whether doing business in Michigan or Malaysia, we seek to respect and make a positive contribution to our host communities. Operating in emerging economies, however, does bring with it some new community issues for us to understand and manage.
One of these issues is human rights. Specifically, we must ensure that our products, no matter where they are made, are manufactured under conditions that demonstrate respect for the people who make them. We also must respect the rights of people living in the communities around our facilities, as well as our suppliers' facilities, who may be affected by those operations.
Human rights is a universal concept – not unique to emerging markets – and Ford is committed to respecting and supporting human rights everywhere we operate. The legal structures governing working conditions and levels of enforcement vary across the countries in which we operate, however. In some locations, therefore, we must dedicate additional resources to ensuring we are meeting our commitments in this area. We view respect for human rights as not only a core operational issue, but also as a key to maintaining the trust and respect of local communities. That trust is critical if we want to continue to operate and, increasingly, sell our products in those locations. See Human Rights for more information.
The anticipated changes in the market for our products also have implications for how we engage with local communities. The mobility needs of potential customers in emerging markets differ in some fundamental ways from those in the developed markets the auto industry has primarily served to date. Local community engagement is a key strategy Ford is using to learn about and understand how best we can meet the needs of these critical and fast-growing markets. See Mobility for more information.
