Want to get exclusive content and insider info? Subscribe to our newsletter

  • Support
    Contact Us Email
  • Wishlist
  • Account
  • Forgot Password?
Shopping Cart

ESG

Wheel Pros ESG and Sustainability Webpage

Wheel Pros is committed to being a leading designer, manufacturer, marketer, and distributor of branded aftermarket wheels performance tires, and accessories, while also being committed to environmental responsibility. We believe that sustainability is an essential part of manufacturing and are dedicated to doing our part for the planet.

Sustainability Strategy and Organization

Wheel Pros is dedicated to environmental sustainability, social responsibility, and ethical governance practices. Dedication to these practices allows us to better serve our customers, employees, and communities. This dedication can be seen in our commitments to transparency, continuous improvement, customer focus, diversity and inclusion, legal compliance, environmental protection, innovation, and teamwork. Our processes are guided by our commitments to the UN Global Compact and ISO Certifications to ensure sustainable practices throughout our facilities. We are committed to making decisions that will protect the planet and ensure a safe environment for all. Sustainability is not only about the environment, but also the ability of Wheel Pros to endure over time. We are committed to making quality products that last, ensuring the continued success of our products and our company.

UN Global Compact

Wheel Pros is proud to be a member of the United Nations Global Compact since 2018. As a Participant Wheel Pros commits to transparency about our corporate social responsibility practices and dedication to the Environment, Labor Standards, Human Rights, and Anti-Corruption at the highest level. We publish a Communication on Progress annually reaffirming our support to the Ten Principles of the UNGC and making these principles part of our culture, strategy, and day-to-day operation. Wheel Pros will continue to improve measurements of our outcomes and progress that results from this commitment. See https://www.unglobalcompact.org/ for more information.

Participation in the UN Global Compact also represents a commitment to the United Nation’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Wheel Pros has expressed its commitment to the Goals of Good Health and Well-Being, Quality Education, Clean Water and Sanitation, Affordable and Clean Energy, Decent Work and Economic Growth, Industry Innovation and Infrastructure, Responsible Consumption and Production, Climate Action, Life Below Water, Life on Land, Peace Justice and Strong Institutions, and Partnerships for the Goals. Our commitment to these goals has influenced our decision to pursue a goal of Zero Waste by 2030.

Our commitment to the 10 principles of the UN Global Compact can be found here.

Environmental Management System

Wheel Pros is working towards ISO 14001 Certification in all manufacturing facilities. We have created an Environmental Management System in accordance with ISO 14001 to pursue continuous improvement, greater efficiency, and environmental preservation through pollution prevention. Our EMS also complies with OSHA Standards and all relevant federal, state, and local regulations, and we are prepared for annual audits of this system by an independent third party. Wheel Pros’ EMS is centralized under our Environmental, Health, and Safety Department and is implemented on an operational level (e.g., Human Resources, Quality, EHS, Research & Development, Legal). Our employees are trained in our EMS and EHS Policy so that they understand our commitment to the planet, as well as their occupational health and safety, and know their role in the success of our system.

Corporate Governance and Compliance

As integrity is one of our core values, Wheel Pros sets high standards of ethical behavior for our employees in accordance with our Employee Handbook. An important part of our Handbook is Wheel Pros’ commitment to comply and its expectation that employees will comply with the laws and rules of the countries in which we operate. Employees must certify their understanding of the code and their commitment to abide by it. We have also implemented automated safety and environmental processes at all our production sites to ensure compliance with applicable legal and regulatory requirements.

Wheel Pros confirms that we comply with all applicable state, national, and international laws, rules, and regulations relating to ethical and responsible standards of behavior, including, without limitation, those dealing with human rights (including, without limitation, human trafficking and slavery and conflict mineral sourcing), environmental protection, sustainable development and bribery and corruption, including any legislation or regulation implementing such Principles. All employees and Supply Partners must comply with these regulations as well.

Production Today: A Sustainable Approach

Product Carbon Footprint

Wheel Pros is focused on developing products that help reduce fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions through lightweighting and improved aerodynamics. Wheel Pros’ designs are engineered for an optimal strength to weight ratio to make for a lighter wheel and more efficient fuel consumption. Our flow forming technology alters the molecular structure and enhances the strength of the alloy of the outer rim resulting in a much lighter weight wheel, dramatically reducing rotational mass and enhancing vehicle performance.

Wheel Pros is calculating our carbon footprint, including of our products. We will use this information to make improvements to our processes and products. By calculating our products’ carbon footprint annually, we will be able to track our progress as we make changes. Wheel Pros is committed to making wheels of the highest quality, including their level of sustainability.

Supply Chain: Social and Ecological Requirements for Suppliers

Wheel Pros is committed to its ESG principles throughout all levels of its supply chain. Our Supply Partner Agreement requires Supply Partners to join the UN Global Compact, if possible, and therefore following their Ten Principles and requirements. Supply Partners must also maintain ISO 9001 (or higher) and ISO 14001 Certifications. The Agreement also requires all members of our supply chain to operate in agreement with all applicable state, national, and international laws, rules, and regulations relating to ethical and responsible standards of behavior, including, without limitation, those dealing with human rights (including, without limitation, human trafficking, slavery, and conflict mineral sourcing), environmental protection, sustainable development, and bribery and corruption, and all manufacturing standards. All Partners must abide legally by the language in the agreement, or Wheel Pros has the right to terminate the agreement and relationship.

Energy and Climate Protection

At Wheel Pros, we know that climate change is one of the key factors causing environmental issues. Therefore, we know how important it is to monitor and reduce our impact. We are currently working on calculating our carbon footprint to determine our emissions across all Scopes (Direct Energy Use, Purchased Energy, and Company and Supply Chain Activities). This will help us determine our areas of success and improvement, which will allow us to make changes to our processes to reduce our effect on the planet. We hope to continue to calculate our footprint on an annual basis in order to track our progress from year to year.

Through our partnership with the UN Global Compact, we have been introduced to the Business Ambition for 1.5°C Campaign of the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). This campaign encourages companies to set climate mitigation targets that align with the most ambitious aim of the Paris Agreement and to what science dictates is necessary to reduce the destructive impacts of climate change on human society and nature: to reach net-zero global emissions by 2050 at the latest in order to limit global warming to 1.5°C. Wheel Pros hopes to use our carbon footprint calculation to create targets that align with these efforts. The goal of net-zero emissions aligns with our goal of Zero Waste by 2030 and we are committed to making strides towards these objectives.

Wheel Pros is also committed to increasing our use of renewable energy in our warehouses as possible. One way Wheel Pros is committed to reducing our footprint is through the implementation of more electric forklifts and pickers in all our warehouses. The use of electric forklifts increases battery life, reduces fuel consumption, and eliminates harmful emissions. We have also limited the speeds of all of our powered industrial trucks to 6mph or slower, which helps to limit propane emissions until we are able to implement all electric equipment. After decreasing emissions and increasing renewable energy where we can, we will be pursuing the possibility of purchasing carbon offsets to reach the goal of Net Zero emissions. We hope to reach this goal much sooner than 2050 and will be working towards accomplishing it alongside our goal of Zero Waste by 2030.

For many companies, the largest impact on their carbon footprint is their Scope 3, or Company and Supply Chain Activities, which is often affected by their Supply Partners and outsourcing manufacturing. Since the opening of our York, SC Manufacturing facility in 2018, we have been able to bring our manufacturing back to the United States. We now have a series of domestic manufacturing facilities which has allowed us to decrease our need for foreign manufacturing, which is more harmful on the environment. Additionally, through Wheel Pros’ commitment to only working with companies that share the same values and standards as us, we are able to reduce our indirect environmental impact.

Waste and Wastewater Treatment

To prevent water pollution at our facilities, we routinely monitor our sludge traps and storm drains to help prevent hazardous materials from being released into the water supply. We use absorbent pads to contain and collect any coolant or oil spills in the facilities, which helps ensure no harmful materials are able to leech into our storm drains. These absorbent pads are then hauled off and cleaned so that they can be reused in our facility, which contributes to our recycling and waste reduction programs.

Each of our facilities follows a Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasures Plan and a Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan in accordance with their state regulations. These plans ensure that the environment will be safe from all potentially harmful materials in case of an emergency.

Wheel Pros has revolutionized the coolant recycling process in our Machining departments by recycling coolant through an oil-water separator and reusing it in our machines. Once the liquids have reached their end-of-life stage an evaporator system is used to drastically reduce the haul away waste.

New automatic watering systems in all our production facilities automatically turn off to keep battery acid from spilling and going into the ground or water. Since implementation, we have reduced our hauls of wastewater from 4,500 gallons per week in 2018 to less than 300 gallons per week in 2019.

These creative efforts and innovative approaches toward hazardous chemical haul-off and wastewater treatment are aligned with our goal of Zero Waste by 2030.

Materials and Recycling

As a leading manufacturer of aluminum wheels, Wheel Pros is committed to eliminating aluminum waste. All our scrap metal is able to be cleaned of coolant and other contaminants, melted down, and recycled into new wheels. The scrap metal that cannot be recycled internally is hauled off for external recycling. The coolant that is cleaned off is recycled through our innovative Wastewater Treatment system.

We recently began a cardboard recycling program in our York, SC Manufacturing facility. This program has reduced our landfill usage by over 65% and generated a revenue stream to offset the costs of infrastructure investment. The ceramic lead used in our polishing processes is now being recycled into highway barriers. We also continue to implement processes that result in a reduction of paper use, such as converting to digital files instead of paper files where applicable. We continue to incorporate innovation and efficiency into all our recycling efforts to promote both environmental and economic sustainability.

Corporate Social Responsibility

Sustainability at Wheel Pros does not only mean future-proof products, but also the well-being of our employees. To improve our employees’ work and living environments, we sponsor activities and community work in which we can personally thank our employees for the work they do. As part of our Thank You Campaign, we host employee appreciation events in which a corporate representative from top management visits one of our facilities to show our appreciation. We have sponsored events like a Thanksgiving celebration in our Auburn, AL Manufacturing facility and an In and Out food truck event for all three shifts in Buena Park, CA. We believe employee appreciation is essential to running a business and we want to personally thank all of our Wheel Pros’ employees. Our goal is to host one of these events at all our facilities within the next year to thank each of our 1,600+ employees.

Wheel Pros supports charitable giving and protection of endangered species through Black Rhino’s partnership with Save the Rhino International. Black Rhino, one of Wheel Pros’ 40+ brands, has committed to donating 5 South African Rand from the sale of each wheel to help protect black and white rhinos in South Africa. Read more about Black Rhino’s partnership to Save the Rhino International here.

Wheel Pros is committed to helping education through support of local universities, donating money for student scholarships and offering internships.

Working Conditions

Code of Basic Working Conditions

Our most important resource is the diverse group of people who represent Wheel Pros. We are committed to ensuring that the people who manufacture our products or provide services to Wheel Pros are treated with dignity and respect and are provided with good working conditions that comply with local laws and regulations. We believe it is essential that this philosophy is consistent throughout the supply chain and, consequently, we demand the same commitment from our external partners.

Employee Handbook

Wheel Pros aims to provide a safe and friendly work environment that promotes fairness, transparency, and respect to all employees. Our Employee Handbook outlines Wheel Pros’ key policies and standards of expected business conduct, consistent with legal and ethical practices, including expectations on maintaining a diverse and harassment-free workplace, health and safety, standards of conduct, employee data privacy, conflicts of interest, anti-corruption, and supporting our communities. We denounce all forms of corruption, bribery and extortion and assure our employees’ freedom of association in accordance with local laws and regulations. All Wheel Pros employees, including the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Financial Officer, the Chief Marketing Officer and all other executive officers, and the Board are required to comply with the Employee Handbook.

Our Employee Handbook presents the standards by which we conduct our operations. All employees are required to acknowledge that they have read and understood the Handbook during onboarding.

Wheel Pros is an equal opportunity employer and we ensure compliance with all applicable employee protection and anti-discrimination laws. All employees are encouraged to bring any issues to the attention of the Head of Human Resources or their General Manager, Supervisor, or HR Manager, which enables us to learn about and appropriately address any potential violations of our Employee Handbook or policies.

Harassment and Discrimination

We will not tolerate harassment or discrimination on the basis of actual or perceived race, creed, color, religion, alienage or national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, age, disability or handicap, sex, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, genetic information, arrest record, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local laws.

Child Labor

We will not use child labor. We will not employ any person below the age of legal employability under locally applicable laws.

Compensation

Compensation and benefits will be competitive and will comply with local law, including those relating to minimum wages, overtime hours and legally mandated benefits.

Environmental, Health and Safety

Workers will have a safe and healthy working environment that meets or exceeds applicable standards for occupational safety and health. Wheel Pros has introduced a strict Occupational Health and Safety Management System in accordance with ISO 45001 regulations that is overseen by our Safety and Compliance Officer. The system includes regular training, the provision of personal protective equipment (PPE), health checks for employees, risk assessments, and regular audits.

“It is the responsibility of each employee to support the company safety program and to perform in a manner that assures his or her own personal safety and the safety of others, including customers, visitors, and outside contractors. To be successful in our endeavor in changing the mindset of safety from a requirement to a way of life, all employees on every level must adopt proper behavior towards workplace safety. We must also cooperate in all safety and health matters, not only between management and employees, but also between each employee and his or her respective coworkers. Only through such an effort can any safety program be successful. My objective is a safety and health program that will produce world class safety in all of our facilities,” says Randy White, President and Chief Executive Officer of Wheel Pros.

Our Safety Team helps coordinate all safety training and resources for our employees. Our REACT Team is a volunteer group of employees who are First Aid, CPR, and AED Certified who help us within our facilities with environmental, health, and safety emergencies. Through our Safety Council and suggestion forms, we encourage employees to give feedback on how we can help improve their work environment. Wheel Pros values employee feedback and pushes them to stay involved with the company.

Wheel Pros also takes an athletic training approach to handling employee injuries where possible. Through our partnership with Fit for Work, an Injury Prevention Specialist will come onsite in our manufacturing facilities to help create a safer working environment. These specialists offer assistance with work related and personal injury assessment and care, ergonomic workstation and area evaluation, body mechanics instruction, injury prevention strategies, and health and wellness consultations.

The security of our employees, protection of customer and company intellectual property, along with physical protection of property, are key elements of our security program. Wheel Pros facilities are secured through controlled access and full-time monitoring of electronic countermeasures with written contingency plans for emergency preparedness and response in accordance with our OHS Management System and ISO 45001.

Wheel Pros is a partner with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and participates in the Customs – Trade Partnership against Terrorism (C-TPAT) program. Our board members are also on the Executive Committee of the Board for the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), which allows them to contribute to and influence future decisions and policies of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

Forced Labor

We will not use forced or compulsory labor, regardless of its form. We will not tolerate physically abusive disciplinary actions.

Freedom of Association

Workers are free to communicate openly with management regarding working conditions without fear of reprisal, intimidation, or harassment.

Work Hours

Work hours will comply with applicable local laws regulating hours of work.

Responsibility and Implementation

We will communicate this Code of Basic Working Conditions to all employees. This communication will occur through multiple avenues, including employee training, availability of printed material, and through our internal websites. This public declaration of our Code of Basic Working Conditions will take place in all locations through our Employee Handbook.

Our Mission

Wheel Pros will be a leading designer, manufacturer, marketer, and distributer of branded aftermarket wheels, performance tires, and accessories. In doing so, Wheel Pros will meet customer and consumer expectations of highest quality, innovative designs, and exceptional service.

For more information regarding Wheel Pros’ Code of Basic Working Conditions please submit an inquiry and include Attn:Human Resources Director.

For additional information regarding EMS, Safety or Security, please submit an inquiry and include Attn:Safety and Compliance Officer.