Issue link: http://palletcentral.uberflip.com/i/1464021
12 PalletCentral • March-April 2022 palletcentral.com POLICY PLAY AT B y this point, everyone should have heard about the importance of ESG – Environmental, Social, and Governance. At this year's Annual Leadership Conference in Carlsbad, California, the program emphasized the "E" – environmental sustainability. e Friday sessions focused heavily on ESG and featured a keynote from the founder of Greenbiz, Joel Makower. Joel provided an excellent analysis of what ESG means in today's marketplace and where it is heading. In addition, he moderated a stellar panel that discussed what opportunities and challenges the growing focus on ESG provides for the pallet industry. e industry, through NWPCA efforts, has spent years documenting its environmental impact, demonstrating that the pallet sector is the most environmentally friendly component of the supply chain. As a result, we have scientifically robust environmental documentation and are well-positioned to play a leading role in the ESG movement. But there is more to ESG than the environmental component. How does the industry stack up in the next piece of the equation, social? e social part focuses on a company's relationships. How does a company interact with its employees, community, and other individuals and entities within its sphere of influence? Often it is easier to quantify environmental steps and the accompanying benefits. However, the more I visit and speak with NWPCA members, I see examples of meaningful social efforts, not just because it's a nice thing to do but because there are long-term benefits. One feature article of this edition of PalletCentral includes testimonials from nearly a dozen NWPCA members who have purposefully invested time, energy, and resources in improving employee happiness and overall well-being. ese efforts don't just increase worker retention but improve the overall satisfaction and mental health of the employee, which impacts their lives outside of work, yielding a positive impact on the broader community. is past month I had the privilege of seeing firsthand what Allegheny Recycled Products (ARP), a 48forty Company, has done in their community through their longstanding engagement of formerly incarcerated individuals. rough consistent outreach, which features wraparound services, including the option for weekly counseling, ARP has successfully hired, trained, and retained workers in need of a second chance. I know of a handful of other NWPCA member companies featured either in prior editions of this magazine or in other publications for their work with refugees and formerly incarcerated persons. I am sure there are countless more examples throughout the industry, and I hope to hear from you and have a chance to visit and learn more. From the policy perspective, I am gathering information about our members' workforce outreach and what components and wraparound services are necessary for success. e goal is to determine what role the NWPCA can play in providing resources for members who would like to be more purposeful in their social engagement. Would that take the form of a toolkit, seminars, a resources guide, educational programming, or partnerships with organizations like the National Association of Manufacturers or others who are also engaging on this issue? What steps could the government take to mitigate the cost of this engagement? ose are just a few of the questions we hope to address over the coming months. As I engage with leaders in Washington and with sustainability leaders in other industries, my goal is to educate them on how the NWPCA membership can be a great partner as they seek to build environmentally and socially responsible supply chains. As we focus on how to best articulate a winning narrative around the positive environmental impacts of the industry and relay that story to customers and the broader marketplace, we also need to tell the industry's social story. Our team is working hard this year to highlight these stories and share them outside the industry. We are working to bring these important stories to our congressional leaders and to share your good business practices in action firsthand. If you have a story to tell or a facility open for site visits, please reach out to Hallie Fuchs, manager of public affairs, or me and let us know. Putting the "S" in ESG Sharing our industry story is the best way to influence outside decision makers and customers. By Jason Ortega Jason Ortega is vice president, public affairs, at NWPCA. He also manages the NWPCA Political Action Committee for the Association. He may be reached at jortega@palletcentral.com or by calling 703.519.6104. There is more to ESG than the environmental component. How does the industry stack up in the next piece of the equation, social? The social part focuses on a company's relationships.