Members Recognized for Dedication to Workplace Diversity, Environment

Honors for workplace diversity and environmental conscientiousness will be presented among other TRSA Industry Awards at the 14th Annual Legislative Conference and Annual Industry Awards Dinner, slated for April 10-11 in Washington, DC.

The top winner in the Diversity Recognition category (Gold level) is Sohn Linen Service, Lansing, MI, where 250 employees claim heritage from five of the world’s seven continents and over a dozen countries of origin. They speak more than a dozen primary languages. Eight of 10 production managers are first-generation U.S. citizens.

Sohn has worked with several community agencies to provide temporary and permanent employment to refugees and immigrants from all over the world. Nearly all of the world’s major religions are practiced by employees. Accommodations are provided for all employees to do so without judgment, including foot-washing stations and time for prayer.

Novo Health Services, Atlanta, will take home two Diversity Recognition honors at the Silver level:

• Corporate level. Operating in 11 U.S. states, the company is recognized as a cultural mosaic where diversity thrives and multicultural respect is celebrated. Recognizing the importance of diversity to harmony, the company celebrates the uniqueness each individual brings and embraces the collective strength this creates. Synergy from differences enriches corporate culture and fuels progress.
• Wanda Javier, Miami. A human-resources professional, she is dedicated to fostering inclusivity, promoting diversity and ensuring an equitable workplace. Her colleagues praise her consistency in going above and beyond to create an atmosphere where employees from diverse backgrounds feel valued and respected.

The Gold-level Clean Green Sustainability award has gone to Diamond Chemical Co., East Rutherford, NJ. Chief among its conservation efforts has been the installation of a 7-acre, 1.5-megawatt solar farm adjacent to its headquarters to provide partial power to its operations. This is the equivalent amount of energy used by about 2,000 homes in one year. Greenhouse gas emissions and Diamond’s overall environmental/carbon footprint are reduced.

ImageFIRST, King of Prussia, PA, will receive a Silver award, recognizing the company’s strategic investments such as water reuse and recycling systems, wastewater-heat reclamation and upgraded equipment such as tunnel washers. The company is committed to eliminating PFAS from its wastewater; as of September 2023, all textiles have been certified as PFAS-free. ImageFIRST has also proactively partnered with chemical vendors to develop PFAS-free alternatives for its wash chemistry.

Another Silver for sustainability goes to Ecolab’s Textile Care Division, St. Paul, MN, for its Total Plant Assessment (TPA) for laundries to facilitate their water stewardship. The program is known for yielding substantial and measurable outcomes in water, energy and time savings through consultative services and a comprehensive approach. Components include optimization of boiler and cooling systems: regulating temperature to balance minimizing water usage and maintaining optimal operational conditions.

The presentation of these honors, among 10 award categories, is set for the April 10 dinner at the 14th Annual Legislative Conference, hosted at Washington’s Madison Hotel. The conference is the industry’s premier event for demonstrating its public impacts, as attendees will visit congressional offices April 11 to testify to the industry’s cleanliness, sustainability and safety records, and impact on jobs and local economies.

Attendees will prepare for these Capitol Hill visits on the afternoon of April 10, which will feature a keynote address by Bob Cusack, editor in chief, The Hill newspaper. TRSA committee meetings will be conducted that day as well. A Supplier Partner Workshop takes place the day before the conference (April 9). Click here to register.