Our History, Culture, and Values | O'Reilly Auto Parts

Overview

O’Reilly Auto Parts was founded in 1957 by Charles F. O’Reilly and his son, Charles H. “Chub” O’Reilly, and initially operated from a single store in Springfield, Missouri. We opened for business on December 2, 1957, with one store and 13 employees at 403 Sherman Avenue in Springfield. Due to the hard work and commitment of the original employees, the business grew and prospered from its very first year. By 1961, O’Reilly Automotive and Ozark Automotive Distributors were formed to serve independent automotive jobbers in the area. In March of 1975, a 52,000 square-foot facility at 233 South Patterson Avenue was built for the O’Reilly and Ozark warehouse operation. By that time, the Company had nine stores located throughout southwest Missouri.

The long-term plans and stability of the Company were solidified by a public offering of company stock in April 1993. Since that time, O’Reilly Auto Parts has grown by opening new stores, as well as through numerous mergers and acquisitions, and currently operates stores in 48 U.S. states, Puerto Rico, Mexico, and Canada.

1957 - O'Reilly Automotive Opens

1975 - First Distribution Center & Corporate Office Opens

2017 - O'Reilly Celebrates 5,000 Stores, 60 Years

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From the beginning, the O’Reilly Culture has been the foundation for the way we approach every facet of our business—from our relationships with our team members, customers, business partners, and the communities where we live, work, and serve, to our ongoing engagement with our stakeholders. We LIVE GREEN by subscribing to the O’Reilly culture values and instilling these principles in our team members daily. These core culture values and supportive behaviors have paved the way for our past success and will provide the foundation for a bright, successful future.

Our Team

Every one of our more than 90,000 team members play a very important role in our ability to provide excellent customer service and consistent, successful performance. In addition to creating an inclusive workplace where team members can grow, our company appreciates the value of a tenured team and has long maintained a “promote from within” philosophy. As leadership opportunities arise, we look first within the Company and promote those who have exceeded performance expectations, have the right expertise, and have demonstrated leadership potential. Our promote from within philosophy is augmented by pursuing strategic hires with a strong emphasis on automotive aftermarket experience, customer service excellence, subject matter expertise, and a solid culture fit. The result is a strong and experienced leadership team across the organization.

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Community Engagement

At O’Reilly, we understand the importance of connecting with, supporting, and strengthening the communities we serve. We do so by building relationships; supporting local schools, charitable organizations, sports teams, clubs, and community events; and lending a helping hand by providing resources as communities recover from natural disasters.

Building civic pride and giving back to the community was a guiding philosophy set in place by our co-founder, C.H. “Chub” O’Reilly. We are proud to carry on this tradition of supporting our communities, and encourage all of our team members to do what they can to demonstrate our commitment to the areas where we live and work.

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In order to make an even greater impact, the O’Reilly Automotive Foundation was established in 2020. The foundation strives to have a lasting, positive impact in the communities where O’Reilly Auto Parts’ team members and customers live and work by supporting organizations and programs which address issues critical to improving the quality of life for underserved and underrepresented individuals and families. In particular, the foundation will concentrate its giving in support of organizations and programs addressing economic stability and mobility, workforce development, health and social services, and disaster relief. You can learn more about the O’Reilly Automotive Foundation with our online foundation resources.

Governance and Business Conduct

We value and appreciate our relationship with our stakeholders and have frequent engagement with them every year. We engage with our stakeholders hundreds of times annually, covering a diverse range of issues from informational and financial to sustainability and governance-related. Listening to our stakeholders aids in framing governance policies that are best-in-class, as well as consistent with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission regulations and NASDAQ listing requirements.

The O’Reilly Auto Parts Board of Directors is made up of qualified professionals representing a diverse mix of backgrounds, experiences, viewpoints, age, tenure, independence, gender, and race. The Board believes that the designation of an Independent Lead Director improves the functionality of the Board and its committees and aids in the fiduciary obligations each Director has to the Company and its shareholders. From this foundation, the O’Reilly Auto Parts Board of Directors exercises independent oversight of management, governance practices, risk management, and company strategies in order to maximize long-term shareholder value and accomplish the Company’s mission.

Learn more about Corporate Governance.

O’Reilly Auto Parts’ Code of Business Conduct and Ethics is our statement of expectations regarding the ethical standards each director, officer, and team member should adhere to when acting on behalf of O’Reilly. The Code includes compliance standards and procedures to facilitate effectiveness and to ensure a prompt and consistent response to any violation. The Code requires training and a compliance acknowledgment must be completed annually. Learn more about the O’Reilly Code of Business Conduct and Ethics.

We expect our business partners to follow the O’Reilly Auto Parts culture values and instill the principles into all aspects of their daily operations. We require them, their workforce, and any of their third-party suppliers to follow our Supplier Code of Conduct.

This code sets standards and expectations for each business partner concerning:

Labor Practices
Human Rights, Including use of Child and Slave Labor
Health, Safety, and Welfare Standards
Environmental and Sustainability Practices
Business Ethics
Management Practices

Failure to adhere to the code jeopardizes the business partner’s relationship with O’Reilly Auto Parts, and the relationship may be terminated at the Company’s discretion.

We LIVE GREEN each day by helping our customers keep their vehicles running as efficiently as possible, improving their gas mileage, and by offering remanufactured parts and recycling options. We also acknowledge the importance of sustainability in our operations, and employ a variety of strategies that reduce our impact on the environment. We are committed to minimizing emissions in our operations, and ensuring that we are utilizing sustainable practices to achieve our goal of reaching net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

You can learn more about our environmental efforts on our Environmental Strategy page.

Since our inaugural 2018 Sustainability, Social, and Governance Report, we have continued to engage with our stakeholders, solicit feedback, establish new priorities, increase transparency, and improve disclosures. While we are pleased with the progress we have made, we understand there is more work to be done, and we remain committed to continual improvement. We will update this report annually to keep our customers, shareholders, and team members aware of our ongoing efforts.