Grainger Careers: We Keep The World Working®

It is the policy of W.W. Grainger, Inc. not to discriminate or allow the harassment of employees or applicants on the basis of sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religious creed, national origin, physical or mental disability, protected Veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law with regard to any employment practices, including recruitment, advertising, job application procedures, hiring, upgrading, training, promotion, transfer, compensation, job assignments, benefits and/or other terms, conditions or privileges of employment provided the individual is qualified with or without reasonable accommodations to perform the essential functions of the job. This policy applies to all jobs at the Company. The Company will continue to ensure that individuals are employed and that employees are treated during employment, without regard to their sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religious creed, national origin, physical or mental disability, protected Veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law in all employment practices.

Employment decisions at the Company are based on legitimate job-related criteria. All personnel actions or programs that affect qualified individuals, such as employment, upgrading, demotion, transfer, recruitment, advertising, termination, rate of pay or other forms of compensation, and selection for training, are made without discrimination based upon the individual's sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religious creed, national origin, physical or mental disability, protected Veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Employees may choose to voluntarily disclose their sex, race, national origin, disability, and protected Veteran status at any time by contacting Human Resources. Such information will be maintained in a confidential manner and will not be used against an individual when making any employment decisions. Employees and applicants with disabilities and disabled Veterans are encouraged to inform Human Resources if they need a reasonable accommodation to perform a job for which they are otherwise qualified. The Company makes and will continue to make, reasonable accommodations to the known physical or mental limitations of an otherwise qualified applicant or employee to promote the employment of qualified individuals with disabilities and disabled Veterans, unless such accommodations would impose an undue hardship on the operations of the Company’s business.

W.W. Grainger. Inc., and our Chief Executive Officer are fully committed to principals of equal employment opportunity and affirmative action.  As Chief Executive Officer, I support the successful implementation of the Company's Affirmative Action Programs. I have appointed Ebony Brumfield, Employment Practices and Compliance Manager, to oversee our Affirmative Action Plans and Compliance for the Company with responsibility for implementation of the Company's affirmative action activities.  Our Affirmative Action Compliance role has the full support of top management and the staff necessary to fully implement this Program. All managers and supervisors will take an active part in the Company's Affirmative Action Programs to ensure all qualified employees and prospective employees are considered and treated in a nondiscriminatory manner with respect to all employment decisions. Furthermore, W.W. Grainger. Inc. will solicit the cooperation and support of all employees for the Company's Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action Policy.

Our Affirmative Action Programs include an audit and reporting system, which among other things, uses metrics and other information to measure the effectiveness of our Programs. The Affirmative Action Officer has been assigned responsibility for periodically reviewing progress in the compliance and implementation of the policy of affirmative action. In accordance with public law, the Company's affirmative action programs for qualified individuals with disabilities and protected Veterans are available for inspection in the Human Resources Department, Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (CST) upon request.

In addition, employees and applicants will not be subjected to harassment, intimidation, threats, coercion, or discrimination because they have engaged in, or may have engaged in, filing a complaint, assisting or participating in an investigation, compliance review or hearing, or other activity related to the administration of Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Vietnam Era Veterans' Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974, Executive Order 1 1 246, all as amended, and/or any other federal, state, or local law or regulation regarding equal employment opportunity, opposing any act or practice made unlawful, or exercising any other right protected by such laws or regulations.  W.W. Grainger. Inc. will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant.  However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge; (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer; or (c) consistent with our obligations as a federal contractor to legally furnish information.

D.G. Macpherson

Chief Executive Officer