UniFirst Releases CSR Report
UniFirst Corp., Wilmington, MA, recently released its inaugural corporate social responsibility (CSR) report. The publication outlines UniFirst’s social and environmental programs aimed at enhancing the sustainability of UniFirst’s operations and strengthening the communities in which UniFirst operates, according to a news release.
Highlights from the 2016 report include the following:
- Innovative products and services:Newly developed proprietary applications and systems underscore UniFirst’s commitment to leveraging advances in science and technology for the benefit of its customers.
- Employee initiatives:UniFirst was chosen as a recipient of the Leadership 500 Excellence Awards for outstanding achievements and innovation in leadership development and programs. And with an estimated annual $13 million commitment to ongoing employee training, the report highlights UniFirst’s role in developing its employees.
- Citizenship:As a whole, UniFirst contributes to well over 200 different philanthropic organizations and efforts on an annual basis.
- Green practices:UniFirst is currently piloting the use of recycled water in the laundering systems at its Chicago location. Additionally, select UniFirst plants are utilizing reused water in the initial wash stage of the floor mat and wipers laundering processes.
- Focus on safety:In the last year, UniFirst employee Team Partners spent almost 23,000 hours actively participating in safety training.
“This was an exciting year for UniFirst as we conducted our first corporate social responsibility analysis,” said Adam Soreff, director of marketing and communications. “It was a good exercise for us to examine our efforts and approaches toward sustainability efforts, as well as the type of positive impact we would like to have in the communities in which we are privileged to live and serve. As we move forward in this endeavor, we hope to set a number of reachable goals as they relate to the environment and to becoming a good corporate citizen.”
A new website, csr.unifirst.com, also has been created to support UniFirst’s CSR initiatives, where the public is invited to download a free copy of the 2016 report. Feedback also is welcome at citizenship@unifirst.com.