Responsibility
Our values drive and determine how we do business
CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY AT GENERAL DYNAMICS
Our 2023 Corporate Sustainability Report shows how we are working to reduce our environmental impact, protect human rights, promote a diverse and inclusive workforce, and support the welfare, health and safety of our 106,500 employees worldwide.
Governance | People | Environment | Ethics | Communities
“At General Dynamics, our Ethos is our moral code. It demands that we treat each other with respect, humanity and dignity.”
- Phebe Novakovic, General Dynamics Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Gulfstream Completes World's First Trans-Atlantic Flight On 100% Sustainable Aviation Fuel
Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. announced the successful completion of the world’s first trans-Atlantic flight using 100% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).
General Dynamics Mission Systems Volunteers with Habitat for Humanity
Mission Systems employees in Bloomington, Minnesota, partnered with Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity to build two homes, contributing a total of 224 volunteer hours.
Strong and Diverse Supply Chain
General Dynamics is committed to working with small and diverse businesses as a critical part of maintaining our competitiveness in the global marketplace.
More than 5,000 of our business partners are minority-, women- or veteran-owned and 22,000 of our 35,000+ suppliers are small businesses.
Reducing Our Environmental Impact
Minimizing the impact our business has on the environment is a priority across all levels of our company. We constantly evaluate how our business strategy interplays with maintaining sustainable environmental practices over the long term. We seek to minimize waste and emissions, maximize recycling, and reduce the use of carbon-based energy. Our business strategy considers these objectives when reviewing site and programs to establish goals for continuous improvement.
As part of this effort, we have made a commitment to a science-based, companywide goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 40% by 2034, placing us on a path to be carbon neutral before 2060.
Investing in Our Communities
Our business units’ community service programs align with local community needs and use employee-formed committees and employee input to bring together financial and volunteer resources. Our employees participate in STEM initiatives, gather donations for those in need and pitch in to support our communities where they need it most.
Additional Resources
Human Rights
GENERAL DYNAMICS CORPORATION POLICY STATEMENT ON HUMAN RIGHTS
General Dynamics Corporation recognizes the fundamental human dignity of all people. As a company with operations and suppliers around the world, we appreciate the importance of ensuring that basic human rights are respected in our business activities. This core value is embedded at all levels of our business.
We believe that corporate values are best measured by the conduct of the corporation and its employees, not words on the page. That is why our corporate Ethos is the single most important element of our culture. It undergirds all of our actions. Through our Ethos, we commit ourselves to transparency, trust, honesty and alignment in all things, at all times: between fellow employees; with our customers; and toward anyone with whom we interact. It is our fundamental moral character.
These fundamental values demand responsible and ethical practices, including regarding human rights. We respect the dignity of the work on our behalf. We do not discriminate, and we value the diversity of our workforce and business partners. We respect the rule of law. We recognize the special responsibilities that come with products and services with lethal capabilities, and we rigorously comply with applicable laws and requirements regarding product safety and end use.
In our complex and international business, some circumstances may be subject to potentially competing imperatives. In carrying out our core commitment to human rights, our North Star is the law and policy of the U.S. government. Given our role as a core supplier to the United States government and military, we are legally, ethically and morally bound to support the foreign and defense policy of the United States.
General Dynamics Corporation holds itself accountable to these fundamental commitments. The Board and senior management retain direct oversight of our material risks, including those related to human rights. If there is a problem, we want to know about it so that it may be properly addressed.
It is a privilege to support the U.S. government and our customers around the world. If we do not do what is right, we will lose the right to do it at all.
Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking Policy
General Dynamics is a publicly traded global aerospace and defense company listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
The company consists of 10 business units, which are organized into four operating segments: Aerospace, Marine Systems, Combat Systems, and Technologies. Each business unit is responsible for the development and execution of its strategy and operating results. Through our business units, we offer a broad portfolio of products and services in business aviation; combat vehicles, weapons systems and munitions; information technology (IT) services; C4ISR solutions; and shipbuilding and ship repair.
Our primary customers are the U.S. government and allied countries. In 2020, General Dynamics employed over 100,000 employees in all 50 states and in over 65 countries. We achieved total revenue of $37.94 billion. The company is headquartered in Reston, Virginia.
GENERAL DYNAMICS CORPORATION POLICY ON MODERN SLAVERY AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING
As a corporation with operations and suppliers around the world, we recognize the importance of ensuring that respect for human rights and dignity is embedded at all levels of our business. Strict adherence to these values, as well as to applicable laws, are expected by us everywhere we operate. General Dynamics does not tolerate human trafficking, child labor or forced labor anywhere within our businesses or supply chains.
SUPPLY CHAIN STANDARDS
General Dynamics companies have large, complex and global supply chains. Many of our suppliers are located within the United States, but significant numbers are located outside the United States. The risks related to forced labor or human trafficking can vary depending on location and task.
Wherever their location and whatever their role, we expect our suppliers to uphold the same high standards we hold ourselves. Putting a stop to human trafficking and child labor, respecting human rights and obeying applicable laws are important parts of our supply chain management process.
Our businesses have sophisticated supply chain management processes to ensure our supply chain meets these standards. Our supply chain management strategy includes a companywide Supply Chain Management Council to share best practices and processes; innovation networks to foster collaboration and communication; and risk-based due diligence to identify and address risks among potential suppliers.
Each business unit is responsible for implementing its own supply chain management process, tailored to the specific supply chain needs of the business unit’s operations. This ensures that the processes, procedures and training of each of our business units are each designed to address the specific needs and risks presented by their unique supply chains.
US GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS
Many General Dynamics prime contracts with the U.S. Government contain Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) clause 52.222-50 Combating Trafficking in Persons (48 C.F.R. § 52.222-50). We comply with this clause and flow it down to our suppliers where appropriate.
CORPORATE ETHICS AND COMPLIANCE PROGRAM
General Dynamics companies maintain robust corporate ethics and compliance programs. We provide employees with regular training on our Ethos and our Standards of Business Ethics and Conduct. Enterprise-wide and business unit audits also play a vital role in measuring the effectiveness of the company’s risk mitigation and compliance with policies, procedures and processes.
We encourage our employees who have concerns about a potential violation of our commitments on forced labor, child labor, human trafficking, or any of our corporate policies or standards, to report it, including through our ethics program or Helpline.
For more information, please refer to our, Code of Business Ethics and Conduct, our Human Rights Policy Statement and Sustainability Report.
Landmines and Cluster Munitions
General Dynamics is not, to the best of our knowledge, involved in activities prohibited by the provisions of the two principal international accords related to landmines and cluster munitions, the Convention on Cluster Munitions (“CCM”) and the Convention On The Prohibition Of The Use, Stockpiling, Production, And Transfer Of Anti-Personnel Mines And Of Their Destruction of September 18, 1997 (“Mine Ban Treaty”).
Our responsibility is to conduct business ethically, to provide our shareholders with a fair return and to fulfill our commitments to our customers.
Our primary customer is the U.S. government. We believe decisions about what types of weapons to buy, where to sell them and how to use them are inherently governmental responsibilities.
Conflict Minerals
As part of our commitment to responsible sourcing, we work with our supply chain to trace potential sources of minerals such as tantalum, tin, gold or tungsten, which are known to help finance conflict and contribute to the humanitarian crisis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. We routinely conduct inquiries of our suppliers to identify potential use of these conflict minerals.
In line with U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) requirements, we submit a Specialized Disclosure Report and a Conflict Minerals Report. In our report to the SEC, we address our efforts to understand the presence of these minerals in our supply chain, including:
- Surveying and working with our suppliers to identify the presence of conflict minerals in products that are supplied to us.
- Engaging with many of our suppliers about the potential presence of conflict minerals in materials.
- Introducing contractual terms and conditions as appropriate to urge suppliers to report responsibly.
Political Engagement
General Dynamics Corporation does not make political contributions.
We offer eligible employees (as determined by federal election laws) in the United States the opportunity to make political contributions through a political action committee (PAC). The General Dynamics employee PAC is organized and operated on a strictly voluntary, nonpartisan basis and is registered with the Federal Election Commission.
Our employee PAC invests contributions in candidates based on:
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Support for national security and aerospace
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Representation in districts/states where General Dynamics facilities, suppliers or employees are located
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Membership on key committees legislating issues important to General Dynamics
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Leadership positions
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Prior military or aerospace industry experience
The PAC’s political contributions are reported monthly to the Federal Election Commission, where they become a matter of public record and are available for review online. PAC contributions are subject to a robust internal review process to ensure they represent the best interests of the company, its employees and its shareholders. In addition, internal financial controls exist to ensure company compliance with federally mandated contribution limits.
As a guiding principle of our employee PAC, we stay above the normal fray of partisan politics, remaining focused on national security and on advocating for success of General Dynamics and our employees. That means we give to members of both parties, and we delink our support from issues unrelated to our core business. That philosophy has served our industry well over the years, as we have enjoyed strong bipartisan support.
We do not contribute to presidential campaigns, “super PACs,” or other 527s not focused on direct candidate support, or 501(c)(4) organizations. Our employee PAC will not support members of Congress who provoke or incite violence or similar unlawful conduct.
To ensure compliance with all applicable laws relating to political activities and effective corporate governance, we follow a strict policy governing lobbying practices. This includes tracking and reporting lobbying costs and expenses as nondeductible for tax purposes and unallowable for purposes of U.S. government contracts.
Trade Associations
General Dynamics belongs to trade associations that represent a broad array of professional and industrial interests. These trade associations engage in promoting industry-friendly positions on legislative and policy issues.
Process and Oversight
Decisions by the company to join trade associations are based on an evaluation of several factors, including:
- the degree to which membership in the association provides opportunities for continuing education and professional development of the company's employees;
- whether membership is necessary to qualify for participation in association-sponsored professional opportunities such as development of industry standards that affect the company's products, trade shows, conferences and other industry events; and
- whether the trade association supports strong national security policies which the company believes are in the best interests of the United States as well as General Dynamics shareholders.
Senior management reviews trade memberships annually to assess the company's return on investment and subsequently decides if continued membership is appropriate.
The company's Board of Directors is briefed annually on trade association expenditures.
Labor Relations
Approximately 20% of our employees are represented by labor unions. Our employees are free to exercise their rights of freedom of association and collective bargaining, and we work to maintain positive relations with our employees' representatives and to engage in good-faith negotiations on issues important to our employees, such as wages, benefits, schedules, job progression, health and safety.
We have a proven track record of strong relationships with collectively bargained employees. As agreements expire or incidents arise, we work closely with the bargaining units to seek mutually beneficial outcomes.
FAQs
Is General Dynamics involved in building weapons I might find objectionable, selling to countries I might find objectionable, or employing weapons in ways I might find objectionable?
As an aerospace and defense contractor, our primary customer is the U.S. government. We follow U.S. law and policy. We believe decisions about what types of weapons to buy, where to sell them and how to use them are inherently governmental.
I read on the internet that General Dynamics IT operates child detention centers or is involved with family separation at the border. Is this true?
No. GDIT has had contracts with the Department of Health and Human Services since 2000 to provide casework support, technical assistance and IT support to the Office of Refugee Resettlement, which cares for unaccompanied children and facilitates family reunions. General Dynamics has no role in constructing or operating detention centers.
Does General Dynamics make political campaign contributions? Is GD supporting a particular presidential candidate?
General Dynamics offers eligible employees the opportunity to make voluntary political contributions through a company-sponsored Political Action Committee (PAC). Our PAC is operated on a nonpartisan basis and ensures the company’s interests as a large employer and leading member of the defense and aerospace industry are well represented. Employee participation is strictly voluntary and all contributions are reported to the Federal Election Commission (FEC), which makes detailed information about PAC donations on its website. As a matter of policy our PAC does not make contributions to presidential campaigns.