When times are tough, many companies are thinking about cutting back, not giving more.
That’s why Pallet Enterprise wants to highlight some good stories of companies that are doing all they can to turn their profits into community impact. Radical generosity is one way to change your culture, improve employee morale and create positive community connections for customers and future employees.
One of the joys of working in the pallet industry is that so many of the companies are small, family-run businesses. Many are owned by people of faith or just those who are extremely committed to their communities. Not only do pallet companies hire many second chance workers or immigrants, they also offer programs to help employees and their communities.
Given this industry backdrop, Pallet Enterprise is launching a new department called “Community Impact.” The purpose of this department is to highlight companies involved in the pallet and low-grade lumber industries that are seeking to make a difference through employee outreach and community philanthropic efforts. We want to highlight the charities and community issues that matter to you and to recognize those companies and industry suppliers that are trying to do more than just sell another pallet or unit. Sure, you have to make a profit to make an impact, but what you do with those profits matters.
The first company that we have highlighted for “Community Impact” is Cresswood Inc., which has developed a strong reputation in the pallet industry for producing low-RPM grinders and shredders. These machines are American-made products that help pallet companies manage waste and turn those materials into profits. Read the story on page 46.
One way Cresswood makes an impact is by seeking input from employees and different departments to decide which charities and projects will be supported. This gives workers a sense of pride and ownership of the process. And it gives them another reason to work hard, to support the causes that matter to them. The focus for Cresswood is to develop a culture of servanthood. I am not surprised. I have known the company’s founder, Jack Cress, for decades. And he is truly someone who seeks to make a positive community impact. This attitude has been carried on with the company’s new leadership by Ryan Butzman, Cresswood’s president.
If you have a positive “Community Impact” story to share, we want to hear from you. Please email a synopsis of your story and philanthropic efforts to me at chaille@ireporting.com. The Enterprise staff will select some of these submissions to cover from time to time.
While it is true that “Pallets move the world,” they can do a lot more than that when your company makes community impact a high priority. Let’s start sharing some good news about pallets with a purpose.
