Cindy J. McClure
Environmental Services, Inc.
(904) 470-2200
cmcclure@esinc.cc
Shanny L. Peer, Ph.D.
Families and Work Institute
(212) 465-2044 x217
speer@familiesandwork.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
January 28, 2008
ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES, INC. RECOGNIZED BY NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS FOR WORKPLACE FLEXIBILITY AND EFFECTIVENESS
Environmental Services, Inc. (ESI) awarded the prestigious Alfred P. Sloan Award in an event hosted by Savannah Chamber of Commerce
Jacksonville, FL – Environmental Services, Inc. (ESI) was named a winner of the 2008 Alfred P. Sloan Award for Business Excellence in Workplace Flexibility today, distinguishing the employer as a leading practitioner of workplace flexibility in Savannah, GA. "People" is the company's most important resource," says Mike Wilson, COO. "A fact that has been woven into the culture and actual business plans of the company for more than 20 years. We're constantly looking for new and innovative benefits, technology and personnel programs to enhance the employee work environment. We want to invest in our employees' future and we do so by providing internal and external leadership training programs, one-on-one personal coaching opportunities, and flex schedules or simply by providing recruiting and project bonuses. Our goal is to create loyal, long-term employees; a rarity in today's workforce." ESI was recognized at the Savannah Chamber of Commerce Annual Meeting December 9th.
The Alfred P. Sloan Awards for Business Excellence in Workplace Flexibility are part of the When Work Works project (www.whenworkworks.org), an ongoing initiative of Families and Work Institute, the Institute for a Competitive Workforce (an affiliate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce), and the Twiga Foundation. Through When Work Works, these partner organizations provide research, resources, and recognition to employers nationwide, and share the results of research on creating effective and flexible workplaces that meet the needs of the 21st century.
“Our company prides itself on being flexible in our consideration of work life balance for our employees. We offer opportunities for team members to work from home whenever possible and to set up offices in their homes to accomplish their goals and support our clients to the best level of service. Each office has the ability to tailor their special needs and team member’s benefits beyond the more than generous benefit package the company offers. Some offices take advantage of bringing their pets to work or having community meetings in our conference rooms while others work on incentive plans that reward above and beyond performance,” said Robin Bullock, HR Director of ESI.
The Sloan Awards recognize organizations that are dedicated to making work “work” for both the employer and the employees. Representing employers of all sizes and all types, winners of this prestigious award not only offer excellent workplace flexibility practices, but they also use flexibility as a strategic business tool to enhance organizational effectiveness while also benefiting employees.
“I am very proud of Mike DeMell and the entire Savannah office staff because this award acknowledges the leadership, integrity, team work, and accountability of this team,” said Rhodes Robinson, CEO of ESI.
“Employers must develop new recruitment and retention policies. Unprecedented conditions -- a multi-generational workforce, a shrinking labor pool and an increasing demand for skilled workers -- dictate that they do so,” said Greg Roth, Senior Manager of Workforce Education Programs for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Institute for a Competitive Workforce.
ESI was the only local winner of the 2008 Alfred P. Sloan Award for Business Excellence in Workplace Flexibility announced at the Savannah awards ceremony.
Applications for the Alfred P. Sloan Awards were open to all organizations in the greater Savannah area with more than 10 employees that had been in business for at least one year. Applicants were evaluated in a rigorous two-step process, first comparing the employer’s application to nationally representative data from Families and Work Institute’s National Study of Employers, and then corroborating the employer responses through a survey of employees.
“Sloan Award winners have put into practice their bold ideas about how to make work work in the 21st century, and they have shown how they can support the needs of their employees while also making their organizations more effective and successful,” said Ellen Galinsky, president of Families and Work Institute. Each of the 2008 Sloan Award winners will also be recognized nationally, including a full-page congratulatory ad in USA Today, and will be featured in the 2009 issue of the Guide to Bold New Ideas for Making Work Work, published by Families and Work Institute.
Savannah is one of 30 select communities nationwide chosen to host and participate in the When Work Works initiative. Other communities participating are: Arizona (statewide); Atlanta, GA; Aurora, CO; Birmingham, AL; Boise, ID; Brockton, MA; Charleston, SC; Chicago, IL; Dallas, TX; Dayton, OH; Durham, NC; Houston, TX; Lexington, KY; Long Beach, CA; Long Island, NY; Louisville, KY; Melbourne-Palm Bay, FL; Michigan (statewide) Milwaukee, WI; Morris County, NJ; Providence, RI; Richmond, VA; Rochester, MN; Salt Lake City, UT; San Francisco, CA; Seattle, WA; Spokane, WA;; Washington, DC; and Winona, MN.
For more information about When Work Works or the Alfred P. Sloan Awards, please contact Shanny Peer at (212) 465-2044 x 217 or at speer@familiesandwork.org.
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ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES, INC.
Founded in 1986, Environmental Services, Inc. (ESI) is a full service environmental consulting firm with more than 150 employees in 15 offices throughout the region. ESI specializes in ecological services, environmental site assessment and remediation, sustainable consulting, archeological and cultural resource studies, forestry and land management, stream restoration, and GIS. ESI headquarters are located at 7220 Financial Way, Jacksonville, FL, 32256. Phone: (904) 470-2200. Fax: (904) 470- 2201, Web Site:www.environmentalservicesinc.com
ABOUT WHEN WORK WORKS
When Work Works is a nationwide initiative to highlight the importance of workforce effectiveness and workplace flexibility as strategies to enhance businesses’ competitive advantage in the global economy and yield positive business results. When Work Works is a project of Families and Work Institute in partnership with the Institute for a Competitive Workforce, an affiliate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and the Twiga Foundation, with funding provided by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. For more information, vist www.whenworkworks.org.
ABOUT FAMILIES AND WORK INSTITUTE
Families and Work Institute (FWI) is a nonprofit center for research that conducts extensive research on the changing workforce, changing family and changing community. Founded in 1989, FWI’s research typically takes on emerging issues before they crest. The Institute offers some of the most comprehensive research on the U.S. workforce available. For more information, www.familiesandwork.org.
ABOUT THE INSTITUTE FOR A COMPETITIVE WORKFORCE
The Institute for a Competitive Workforce (ICW) is a 501(c)3 affiliate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. ICW promotes high educational standards and effective workforce training systems, so that they are aligned with each other and with today’s rigorous business demands. Through policy initiatives, business outreach, and a strong grassroots network, ICW is finding solutions that will preserve the American workforce as this country’s greatest business asset and its strongest future resource. For more information, visit www.uschamber.com/icw.
ABOUT THE TWIGA FOUNDATION
The Twiga Foundation is dedicated to inspiring, promoting and maintaining a family consciousness at home, in the workplace and in the community. The Twiga Foundation acts as a liaison to key stakeholders in the When Work Works communities to address the issue of flexibility in the workplace. The Foundation helps build a broader leadership constituency for workplace flexibility within each community. For more information, visit www.twigafoundation.org.
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