Company: GWW
Filing Date: 2025-02-20
Form Type: PRE 14A
Source: 0001104659-25-015730
Chunk: 26

Company: W.W. GRAINGER, INC.
Filing Date: 2025-02-20
Form: PRE 14A
Chunk 26
---
 remains steadfast in ensuring that operating sustainably influences the daily operation of its business. ESG Oversight and Governance The Company’s commitment to corporate responsibility begins with general oversight of environmental and social matters by the BANC, which is comprised of all of the Board’s independent Directors. The BANC annually reviews the Company’s environmental sustainability, community impact, governance, company culture, talent strategy and programs. In turn, the Compensation Committee oversees the Company’s programs and policies for human capital management and assists the BANC in its oversight of the Company’s programs and policies with respect to employee engagement and leadership effectiveness. The Board consists of Directors with particular expertise in corporate sustainability and in environmental matters. In developing the Company’s ESG programs, the CEO leads a Leadership Council that sets the strategic direction of the Company’s ESG programs and identifies ways to incorporate these initiatives into operations and strategy. The Leadership Council’s strategy is implemented by cross-functional working groups comprised of subject matter experts focused on near-term priorities, material topics and reporting. Core initiatives relating to culture and talent are led by the Company’s Human Resources team in coordination with the Leadership Council. The Company is also committed to operating with ethics and integrity. The Company’s Business Conduct Guidelines define our shared expectations, consistent with the highest ethical and legal standards, of how we work together, serve customers and business partners, and honor our commitments to shareholders everywhere we do business. Grainger team members are required to complete Business Conduct Guidelines training and certification. We encourage the reporting of ethical concerns or complaints regarding Company or individual practices through the Company’s anonymous third-party hosted telephone hotline and web portal.

| ​ | CORPORATEGOVERNANCE | ​ | ​ | PROPOSAL 1:ELECTION OFDIRECTORS | ​ | ​ | PROPOSAL 2:RATIFY THEINDEPENDENTAUDITOR | ​ | ​ | EXECUTIVECOMPENSATION | ​ | ​ | PROPOSAL 3:SAY ON PAY | ​ | ​ | PROPOSAL 4: APPROVALAND ADOPTION | ​ | ​ | QUESTIONS ANDANSWERS | ​ | ​ | APPENDICES | ​ |

TABLE OF CONTENTS

| ​ | invest.grainger.com | ​ | ​ | 27 | ​ | ​ | ● | ​ |

Environmental The Company strives to operate its business and supply chain sustainably and provides sustainability solutions to help customers do the same. The Company’s sustainability solutions include a portfolio of Environmentally Preferable Products, Other Sustainability Related Products, and resources. The Company aims to reduce its