Sustainability
Giving Back
Our neighbors depend on us, just as we depend on them, so we are committed to improving the quality of life in the communities in which we work. At Southwire, this goes beyond providing jobs and paying taxes; it means supporting those in need with time, talent and financial resources.
Southwire’s Giving Back goal is to enable and engage our workforce in building more sustainable communities. Specifically, we are seeking to launch electronics recycling programs in 100% of the communities in which we operate by 2023.
Southwire’s Giving Back goal is to enable and engage our workforce in building more sustainable communities. Specifically, we are seeking to launch electronics recycling programs in 100% of the communities in which we operate by 2023.
Creating Shared Value
Creating shared value is at the heart of Giving Back. To create shared community value, we focus our efforts on understanding the needs of our communities and engaging them with supportive efforts that:- Educate and develop long-term skills
- Inspire and build health through volunteering
- Revive and rebuild through disaster relief
- Brighten and support lives through charitable giving
- Protect and sustain the environment
12 for Life®
In 2007, Southwire kicked off the 12 for Life® educational recruitment initiative which provides students at risk of dropping out of high school with jobs inside a modified Southwire manufacturing environment while supporting them in earning their diploma. The program increases students’ familiarity with a work environment while affording Southwire opportunities to train and develop potential employees with limited on-the-job training after graduation.In 2022, 12 for Life® hosted its annual commencement ceremonies in Carrollton, Ga., and Florence, Ala., celebrating 15 years since the program’s inception. Nearly 3,900 students have graduated from the program to date.
Project GIFT®
Southwire’s volunteer program, Project GIFT®, leads all service-related initiatives and volunteering, partnering with organizations including Feeding America, Toys for Tots, Water Mission, Keep America Beautiful, Habitat forHumanity, and the American Cancer Society. In 2021, Southwire hosted its annual Back to School supply giveaway for the 17th year, distributing more than 30,000 bags of free school supplies to children in need across all of Southwire’s Giving Back communities.
In addition to volunteerism efforts, Southwire donated to over 20 sustainability-related organizations and causes in 2021. Supported initiatives include the West Atlanta Watershed Alliance education project, four e-recycling events, and a matching donation to The Ray to support renewable energy and electrification.
Virtual Volunteering
Southwire is committed to giving back. In 2021, despite in-person activities being limited by the ongoing pandemic, our employees found creative ways to give back safely through more than 5,000 hours of combined virtual and socially-distanced volunteering.
The POWER Fund
The POWER Fund is a nonprofit organization created in 2005 under the umbrella of Southwire CARES, Inc. to provide short-term emergency assistance to Southwire employees and their immediate families who encounter unavoidable hardships. The Fund currently provides US-based employees with two types of grant relief options: catastrophic grants and employee matching grants.- Catastrophic Grants- can be applied for in cases where an employee is unable to pay for their basic living expenses as a result of a natural disaster, fire, serious or life-threatening illness, injury or death.
- Matching Grants- co-workers make one-time donations on behalf of their fellow employees facing difficult situations. The POWER Fund matches amounts donated based on a $1 per $1 match with a maximum of $5,000 (USD) distributed from the Fund.
Related Resources
Charitable Giving
DonationsShared Value Partnerships
Shared Value PartnershipsProject Gift Annual Snapshot
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Sustainability News
Southwire to Host Drive-Thru Back to School Giveaway in Villa Rica, Ga.
May 31, 2023
Southwire is excited to announce the return of its annual Back to School Giveaway on Saturday, July 15 from 9 A.M. to noon (EDT) at Midway Church, located at 1 Midway Church Drive, Villa Rica, Ga.
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Southwire Team Members “Energized” by Formula E E-Prix Experience in Berlin
May 02, 2023
Speed, Strategy, Sustainability, Opportunity… these words mark just a few of the first impressions from the Southwire team that recently attended the 2023 SABIC Berlin E-Prix.
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Southwire's Project GIFT® Hosts Annual Walk for Water in Support of Water Mission
April 21, 2023
Raising awareness to address an issue that impacts billions of people around the world. Southwire’s Project GIFT recently partnered with Water Mission to host a Walk for Water event, collecting $38,520 in donations.
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Southwire's Project GIFT® Activates in the Wake of Southeastern Storms
April 20, 2023
In late March, severe weather claimed the lives of at least 26 people and left widespread destruction across many residences and businesses in the southeast.
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Southwire Team Members Discuss 12 for Life® Case Study at Harvard
April 19, 2023
Last month, Southwire team members traveled to Harvard Business School to interact with MBA candidates and discuss a case study that began more than a decade ago – centered around Southwire’s 12 for Life® program.
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Southwire Announces Investment with VoltServer
April 17, 2023
Working to remain a leader in sustainability and taking steps toward meeting the industry needs of the future, Southwire is pleased to announce an investment in VoltServer.
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