Under our Corporate Responsibility oversight structure, the Board of Directors maintains ultimate oversight of the company’s corporate responsibility-related risks and priorities and delegates oversight of specific topics to its committees, as reflected in the committee charters.
Guided by the company’s founding values and under the guidance of the full Board, management is responsible for prioritizing corporate responsibility topics that are most relevant to our business and stakeholders, as well as shaping our corporate responsibility strategy and reporting. Our Corporate Responsibility governance framework includes a Corporate Responsibility Executive Committee and a Corporate Responsibility Steering Committee, as illustrated below.
We believe strong corporate governance is essential to the effective management of the company and supports long-term value creation for our shareholders. Details regarding our corporate governance and Board of Directors can be found in our 2026 Proxy Statement and on our corporate website. Copies of our governance documents, including the charter for each committee of our Board of Directors and our Corporate Governance Guidelines, are also available on our website.
Risk Oversight
The Board of Directors oversees, reviews, and monitors the company’s overall risks. Each Board committee is responsible for the oversight of specific risks relevant to its duties and responsibilities as provided in the committee charters. More detail regarding our risk management oversight can be found in our 2026 Proxy Statement.
Ethics and Compliance
At Flowers, we believe our high ethical standards are the foundation of our success, and that this strong foundation has enabled us to serve our consumers and trade customers for over a century. Our Chief Compliance Officer is responsible for the direction and administration of our ethics and compliance program, and our Audit Committee of the Board receives regular reports on compliance activity.
Code of Conduct
Our Code of Conduct sets high standards for the way we conduct business and emphasizes the importance of honesty and integrity in all aspects of our company’s affairs. It guides us to work in the most ethical and responsible manner. The Code of Conduct also affirms the acceptable and expected standards of behavior for all team members, including officers, directors, and employees of Flowers Foods, Inc. and its subsidiaries.
Gifts, Bribery, and Anti-Corruption: Our Code of Conduct addresses the topics of gifts, gratuities, and anti-corruption. Employees, officers, and directors of Flowers, as well as their immediate family members, may not request, accept, offer, promise, or give payments, gifts, or gratuities of any kind, except those of a nominal value. This includes any favors or benefits that might place the team member under some obligation to a third party doing business with — or desiring to do business with — the company. For Flowers’ governmental customers, even nominal business-related gifts and gestures are not allowed. Flowers prohibits any kind of corruption in any of our business dealings. Giving, offering, or receiving any payment or gift which may be considered a bribe, kickback, or other improper influence is strictly prohibited.
Ethics and Compliance Training
Every May, we host Ethics and Compliance Month to educate employees about ethical and legal rules. Compliance Month is focused on featuring our compliance program, important compliance-related topics, and our annual Code of Conduct training and acknowledgement process. Our Code of Conduct training covers a range of ethics and compliance topics, including gifts, bribery, conflicts of interest, antitrust and fair business practices, and political contributions.
Flowers Ethics and Compliance Hotline
To support the reporting of potential misconduct, we provide employees with access to a confidential Ethics Hotline where they can ask questions or raise concerns. The hotline is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with interpreter services available upon request. Employees may report concerns anonymously online at SpeakUp.FlowersFoods.com or via phone at 1-888-337-7524. In addition to the hotline, employees may report unethical conduct through managers, Human Resources, or the Legal and Compliance teams. Flowers prohibits retaliation against employees who raise a good faith concern or complaint. Information about the hotline is regularly communicated and readily accessible to all employees.
Political Contribution and Activity Policy
Flowers encourages team members to take an active interest in local, state, and national government and to participate in political activities consistent with applicable laws. Employees may make personal contributions to candidates or political organizations; however, they may not suggest that their personal political activities or donations are made on behalf of, or are endorsed by, the company.
Flowers sponsors a political action committee called FLO-PAC, which may accept voluntary employee contributions in support of candidates for federal office whose views and positions are compatible with those of the company. The company’s Political Contribution and Activity Policy governs corporate political contributions, trade association activities, and FLO-PAC.
Supplier Code of Conduct
Our supply partners play an important role in ensuring we maintain our high ethical standards. The Flowers Foods Supplier Code of Conduct outlines the principles we expect our supply partners to follow.
In addition to raising ethical concerns through internal channels, Flowers team members may raise a concern anonymously by contacting the Flowers Ethics & Compliance Hotline at 1-888-337-7524 or SpeakUp.FlowersFoods.com. The Supplier Code of Conduct supplements, but does not supersede, any rights or obligations established in any agreement we may have with any supply partner.
Data Security and Privacy
Ensuring the security of our information systems and the privacy of the data entrusted to us is of primary importance at Flowers. We follow policies, protocols, and practices that address cybersecurity, data privacy, and artificial intelligence (AI).
Cybersecurity: Protecting the security of our information systems is critical to Flowers. We follow certain policies, protocols, procedures and practices that address cybersecurity. Our program includes employee training and a computer security incident response plan (the “CSIRP”) that provides controls and procedures designed to timely and accurately report material cybersecurity incidents. Our Board of Directors oversees the company’s Information Security program, which is approved annually. For more information, see the Cybersecurity section of our 2025 Annual Report.
Data Privacy: Internal data privacy policies are designed to prevent unauthorized access to, and disclosure of, personal information using a range of operational and technological safeguards. Our employees also receive training on data privacy to prevent any misuse of personal information.
Our Privacy Policy outlines our practices for collection, use, and disclosure of information provided to us from visits to our web sites. We closely monitor evolving global data privacy and data protection legislation and update our policies and procedures to comply with current regulations.
AI Policy: Our AI policy defines acceptable and prohibited uses and outlines employee obligations related to the use or development of artificial intelligence models and applications. It ensures that only approved, secure, and compliant internal AI systems are used by employees while restricting access to external public AI platforms to protect company data, intellectual property, and ensure adherence to legal and regulatory obligations.