We know that strong communities and thriving businesses are mutually interdependent.
That's why Sonoco believes it has a responsibility to address critical social issues in the communities where we operate and to seek partnerships with other community stakeholders to effect necessary change.
Sonoco’s goal is to enhance corporate citizenship in the communities where we operate through:
- Employee giving programs
- Supporting community partnerships
- Workplace practices
- Safety programs
- Diversity
- Corporate governance
Highlights
- 82% of the Company's giving in 2010 was focused on education
- Sonoco announced in February 2011 that the Company was sponsoring a first-of-its-kind public-private partnership to implement comprehensive scholastic excellence programs in its hometown of Hartsville, S.C.
- Clemson University's Harris A. Smith building, which houses the Sonoco Institute for Packaging Design and Graphics, achieved LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold certification from the United States Green Building Council
- Sonoco employees volunteer in the communities where they work in live, serving on boards, raising funds and participating in other civic-oriented projects
Successes
- Invested $2.2 million in 2010 in nonprofit organizations to support education, health and welfare, arts and culture and the environment to improve the communities where we do business
- Provided economic and volunteer support of key economic development programs and initiatives designed to attract industry and jobs into communities where the Company operates
- Exceeded targets for improved service quality, which is measured in percentages of on-time delivery, completed orders, damage-free orders and invoice accuracy
- Improved safety performance in 2010 with a TIR (total incident rate) of .44, compared with .55 in 2009; recordable employee injuries declined by 13% in 2010
- Contributed $85,000 to global disaster relief in Japan, New Zealand and the United States through the American Red Cross in the first half of 2011
- Named a 2010-2011 Philanthropist of the Year by the Pee Dee Chapter of the American Red Cross in South Carolina for the Company's generous donations in 2010 and 2011
- Reached a record $123.5 million in supplier diversity spending, or 7.5% of the Company's annual spend, up from 5.4% in 2009
- Received low-level risk ratings in audit, board structure and compensation, and a medium level of concern rating on shareholder rights from RiskMetrics Group