Black & Decker’s mission is to provide quality products that improve people's lives, and by doing so, to create value for our stockholders. We believe that acting as a responsible corporate citizen supports this mission. This report describes our philosophy on corporate citizenship and how we put our principles into practice.

We recognize that a healthy environment is integral to the long-term sustainability of Black & Decker. Therefore, we are committed to reducing the impact of our business on the environment. We go beyond compliance with laws in areas such as battery recycling, product packaging, purchasing and manufacturing practices. Reducing waste and energy usage serves the dual purpose of helping the environment and lowering our costs. Our customers are increasingly interested in the environmental aspects of our products, and we will continue to innovate by utilizing design-for-environment principles in research and development. One example of this effort is our expanding line of electric-powered outdoor equipment.

Black & Decker depends on contributions from more than 25,000 employees worldwide to deliver results. It is critical that we hire from the broadest possible talent pool, using a process free of discrimination. We strive to provide our employees with a working environment that is clean, safe and respectful. To continually improve the company, we have strong systems for training, development and recognition of outstanding performance. Our community giving program, with an emphasis on revitalization and education, helps sustain the areas where our employees live and work.

In addition to our employees, we rely on a global network of suppliers, and our responsibility extends to their employees working on our behalf. Therefore, we have developed a supplier accountability program to convey our expectations for employment policies, environmental practices and employee safety. . Through communication, rigorous on-site auditing and documentation of corrective actions, significant improvements have been made. We believe this program places us ahead of other companies in our industries.

Finally, the importance of strong corporate governance and high ethical standards cannot be overstated. We seek to hire and retain people of outstanding character, and reinforce an ethical culture through internal communications such as the “Doing What’s Right” brochure and a “Live the Code” email campaign.

We hope this report provides valuable insights into Black & Decker’s corporate citizenship, and how these efforts will help the company to remain a leader well into the future.



Nolan D. Archibald
Chief Executive Officer