Non-Profit Partnerships and Green Business
While we import globally, and sell nationally, when it comes to supporting non-profits we try to think locally/regionally. This involves donating thousands of dollars in product to groups working to improve education, healthcare, the arts, the environment, and more . (It’s impressive how many of these groups there are in our relatively small community!) We also support our employees’ active participation in local non-profit organizations. In fact, we offer all employees eight hours of paid work time to volunteer. Plus, we regularly achieve 100% participation in our local United Way campaign.
What about green? (Customers often ask.) Well, we have always collected and re-used packing “peanuts” before they land in the landfill. We insist that all our suppliers use PET bottles because they are the easiest to recycle, don’t leach, and use less energy to produce and ship. The rest of our packaging and marketing materials are also completely recyclable, and we typically print on recycled papers. The big green news of the moment is that 2015 is the year Baudelaire went solar. The solar panels installed by our landlord generate more than enough electricity to power our little industrial park.
These activities go both ways. Certainly, they help the organizations involved…and even the planet a little bit. But they also make Baudelaire a better, more positive, more vibrant, and more satisfying place to work.