ATLANTA, October 04, 2005 — At Huber Engineered Materials (HEM), part of J.M. Huber Corporation, the company’s operating principles ask each employee to consider their role in being environmentally aware and encouraging respect for people.
Recently, the executive management and human resources have created unique programs to encourage employees to new heights in charitable giving. To-date, HEM employees have raised over $7,000 while charitable gifts provided by the corporate office of J.M. Huber Corporation reach well over $100,000.
This spirit of giving embodies the company’s global reach. The company has operations in tsunami-damaged Southeast Asia, monsoon-ravaged India and has many customers in the Katrina-devastated Gulf of Mexico region. To encourage new ways of keeping its Atlanta office employees interested in giving, the company implemented “blue jean Fridays,” a “traveling” food bank program as well as an auction portal on its intranet. All of its programs are strictly voluntary and promoted through the human relations communications staff.
“Our office has a business casual dress code,” Ms. Scottie O’Toole, senior manager, human resources. “But, the opportunity to wear blue jeans on a Friday is proving to be quite popular. I have seen the senior staff in blue jeans -- not because of fashion statements but because of the message it sends about giving.”
The company also created an online auction site that laid the foundation for private bidding on gifts. All proceeds were donated to the charitable organization that was best positioned to help the area in trouble. This program received matching funds by Lowes Corporation. Some of the auctioned items included gifts donated by HEM’s vendors, a round of golf with HEM’s president, as well as personal services, like interior design help, offered by HEM employees. The online auction was placed on the company’s private intranet and was developed and designed entirely by HEM Web staff.
The company’s food bank program was designed to support evacuees that have relocated to Atlanta and places the emphasis of giving on specific HEM locations in Georgia.
HEM has business and supply relationships in every area where storm damage dramatically changed the quality of life of residents. The company’s kaolin clay, silica, calcium carbonate and alumina trihydrate powders are so widely used in manufacturing and production, the company felt immediate effects on its own business. This far-reaching impact is what created the environment of giving in its Atlanta offices.
“Many of our customer service, logistics and sales employees, both in the US and internationally, have incredible stories of how the storms effected our customers and suppliers,” said O’Toole. “Our employees took a special interest in helping in any way they could.”
For more information, please visit http://www.hubermaterials.com/
