Our Business 11 Our 10 business units operate small business programs to facilitate the process of partnering with General Dynamics. For our U.S. businesses, our supplier diversity program managers attend more than 50 regional and national events annually to meet with potential suppliers. This includes events sponsored by the National 8a Council, Procurement Technical Assistance Centers (PTAC), the National Defense Industrial Association, Women in Defense, the National Veteran Small Business Coalition and the Small Business Administration (SBA). General Dynamics provides guidance and support to the thousands of small businesses that work with us. We mentor these businesses through their contract involvement, as well as through our small business and supplier diversity offices. We sponsor and host events that allow our business units to meet with interested small business suppliers. These initiatives help small businesses expand their solution sets and marketing channels. Additionally, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, General Dynamics has begun to host virtual training and outreach sessions for the small and diverse business community. Counterfeit Parts Prevention We have stringent quality-control processes in place to inspect, detect and mitigate suspected or confirmed counterfeit parts in order to prevent counterfeit parts and software from entering the company’s supply chain. We promptly disclose any findings to the government and the customer. Electric Boat participates in the U.S. Navy’s SUBSAFE program, which establishes an extremely high level of quality assurance for critical components used in nuclear-powered submarines. SUBSAFE’s rigorous controls require that parts and source materials have traceable evidence of quality from the point of manufacture to the point of installation and impose strict procedures to periodically confirm compliance and maintain accountability. Materials Sourcing We are committed to responsible sourcing throughout our global supply chain. That’s why we take steps to vet suppliers for their sustainable labor and materials sourcing practices, purchase long- lasting products with low carbon footprints, deal only with non-embargoed countries, and act to prevent counterfeit parts from entering our supply chain. We have established mechanisms to assess risk and ensure compliance, and we constantly look for new ways to reduce risk throughout our supply chain. Modern Slavery and Child Labor We recognize the importance of ensuring that respect for human rights and dignity is embedded at all levels of our business. We expect strict adherence to these values, as well as to applicable law, everywhere we operate. General Dynamics does not tolerate human trafficking, child labor or forced labor anywhere within our businesses or supply chains. General Dynamics Mission Systems’ Mentor-Protégé Agreement was recognized in 2020 as a recipient of the Nunn-Perry award.
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