In the world of industrial safety, sometimes we stay laser-focused on companies who do the wrong thing. While it's important to recognize unsafe activities and intervene, we think it is also important to recognize when companies do good things. We want to take time to applaud those who are going beyond the call of duty and making a lasting impact on their surroundings. Specifically, we want to recognize five companies in the construction, industrial, or manufacturing sphere who are giving back to their communities or the environment in meaningful ways.
CSX
CSX is one of the largest transportation providers in the United States, boasting 21,000 miles of railroad track in 23 states. Back in November of 2015, CSX and some of its national partners joined forces to help make some great improvements to John Spry Community School in Chicago. Under their #LocalMotive philanthropic movement, CSX helped instill a healthier environment for a community of children. The enhancements included refurbishing the gym, painting murals both inside and outside the building and sprucing up the playground.
Intel
Intel is famous for being one of the most prestigious semiconductor chip makers in the world. Based in Santa Clara, CA but serving many nations around the world, Intel has taken a large step towards creating a diverse and dynamic workforce by doubling their bonus payout to anyone who refers women, minorities or veterans. The money is coming from $300 million dollars the technology company pledged last year to diversify its workforce.
Sellen
Seattle-based Sellen, the largest commercial construction firm in the Pacific Northwest, is a company that certainly shows pride in giving back. They focus on improving their community "through civic, social and environmental responsibility." From sponsorships to special drives, contributing to causes from cardiac health to the arts, they do a great job of nurturing a desire to volunteer all year long. Their efforts have been recognized with awards such as the Seattle Business Magazine’s Community Impact Award for midsize companies.
Flatiron Construction
Flatiron Construction is a Denver-based transportation construction and civil engineering firm that is the sole strategic partner for an organization which you might have never heard of (but who is doing great things) called Bridges to Prosperity. The mission is to provide access to necessities such as education or health care for those in remote locations by building bridges over unpassable rivers. This initiative has allowed them to positively affect communities in both Latin America and the Caribbean.
Toyota
Lastly, we'd like to acknowledge a little car company you might have heard of called Toyota. They've recently begun efforts to use methane from a nearby landfill to generate some of the energy used by its Georgetown, KY manufacturing plant. The process is expected to generate 1 million watts of electricity per hour which is roughly 2% of the total energy use. This is just a small step in the company’s aggressive initiative to completely eliminate CO2 emissions from its plants by 2050.
These five companies are just some of the few creating and promoting amazing programs which improve the quality of life of the communities around them. ORR Safety's parent company, ORR Corporation, has a mission statement: "Protecting people, property, and the environment." We do our part by supplying safety equipment and education and contributing to charities like Make-a-Wish and the Ronald McDonald House. We encourage every other business out there to join us in their own way. No matter how small an initiative may seem, the impact could produce lasting results. If you know of other companies serving their communities, sing their praises in the comments!
