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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.



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
By focusing on the needs of our 24 identified communities, we create value for Southwire by helping to develop thriving communities with engaged residents and talented future employees. 
 

12 for Life®

In 2007, Southwire’s 12 for Life program began opening the doors of success to at-risk youth by providing opportunity, education and employment opportunities. 

Our 12 for Life program combines traditional classroom instruction with hands-on job training inside a modified Southwire manufacturing environment. We build our program’s success by providing the incentive of pay while also building the long-term skills necessary for after graduation. 

We are proud to report that since 2007 our efforts have expanded to neighboring states, have been successfully replicated by other companies and have been adopted by the state of Georgia and the White House as a model for increasing graduation rates. To learn more visit www.12forlife.com.

2019 Successes – 12 for Life:
 
  • Exceeded the 2020 goal to graduate 2,020 participants 
  • Expanded from one initial school in Carroll County to five schools
  • Created a partnership in the Florence City Schools in Alabama
  • Adopted by Textron Specialized Vehicles Inc. in the Richmond County School System as part of the Reaching Potential Through Manufacturing (RPM) program

Sustainably Giving Back

With sustainability at the heart of community involvement, Southwire continues to find new ways of giving back. We remain committed to our signature electronics recycling (e-recycling) outreach program. Our e-recycling program in partnership with West Georgia Project GIFT and Keep Carroll Beautiful, continues to bring our employees and their communities together to become more powerful environmental stewards. Southwire plans to have e-recycling programs established at all of the communities in which it operates.

Project GIFT® (Giving Inspiration for Tomorrow)

Southwire’s volunteer program, Project GIFT, allows employees to give back to the communities we serve. This program, a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit, serves as the umbrella program for many of Southwire’s charitable and service-related initiatives, such as disaster relief, Back to School and Toys for Tots.

Project GIFT is led by Southwire Giving Back employee coordinators who volunteer to lead and organize events across our locations—in addition to their full-time role. Our passionate coordinators make it possible for all Southwire employees to engage with communities through Project GIFT.

In addition to our Giving Back coordinators, employees are able to become “Blackshirts”—named for the coveted shirts they earn—by volunteering in two or more community service events per year. To increase participation at all volunteer events, and increase the number of Blackshirts annually, we continuously engage employees through internal channels and also use social media to connect and update outside volunteers interested in Southwire’s giving efforts.

2019 Project GIFT Success: 

  • Achieved more than 1,200 active Blackshirt volunteers against our goal of 1,000 Blackshirt volunteers—a 25% improvement in participation year over year
  • Distributed more than 25,000 bags of free school supplies across all of our Giving Back Communities during Southwire’s 15th Annual Back to School efforts

Southwire Volunteerism

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Disaster Relief

In support of the long-term health of the identified communities we serve, Southwire provides aid and disaster relief to help revive and rebuild the hardest hit areas in the times of greatest need. Relief aid includes supplies and rebuilding efforts after natural disasters such as hurricanes, storms and floods.

2019 Disaster Relief Efforts:
 
  • In March of last year, Southwire’s Project GIFT volunteers hosted a “Blanket Brigade”, collecting more than 1,600 blankets to aid tornado victims in Alabama and Georgia
  • Volunteers at our Starkville, Mississippi plant and service center also collected one tractor trailer filled with much needed supplies to aid in the tornado relief effort in Mississippi

Toys for Tots

To support and brighten the holidays in our identified communities, Southwire annually collects donated toys for distribution by Toys for Tots. As a Project GIFT program, Giving Back volunteers also stage two-day marathon drives that are open to the community—with the goal of collecting 5,000 toys each year. 

2019 Toys for Tots Success: 
 
  • Our annual Toy Drive benefitting West Georgia Toys for Tots collected 6,647 toys in 2019
  • This year’s event included a two-day community collection, as well as a holiday concert featuring choirs from local schools

Charitable Contributions

With sustainability at the heart of Southwire’s strategic shared value in charitable giving, we align and track our giving efforts with our “giving strands” in four focus areas:
 
  • Supporting the communities where we operate
  • Preparing a better workforce
  • Partnering with our customers and affiliates
  • Protecting our environment

Related Resources


 
Charitable Giving
12 for Life®

Sustainability Stories

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Sustainability Report Downloads

2019 Executive Summary 2019 GRI Content Index Previous Reports