Page 18 - IEC Insights Mar-April2020

FEATURE

FOR THE NEXT 100 YEARS

& BEYOND BY SOUTHWIRE
& BEYOND

At Southwire, headquartered in Carrollton, school diploma. Sounds simple, but in the who already call Southwire a great place
Georgia, we work hard every day to early 2000s, the graduation rate in our to work. Building Organizational Capability
discover, develop and distribute strong largest area of operations was around 66 is one of the key components of our
and sustainable solutions that exceed the percent. Our labor pool was shrinking, company’s strategy, and it is vital that we
expectations of our stakeholders around and there were social and economic make the right decisions as we continually
the world. We continue to build on our challenges in the community. So, we went enhance Southwire’s great culture.
nearly seven decades of rich history to the school system and asked how
by looking to a future where needs will we could help; we wanted to support In the course of the last two years, we
be met through high-end systems and a transformation in our community. were pleased to reinvest approximately
solutions, guided by the technologies, nine million dollars back into the lives,
forces and trends shaping our industry. These ideas and discussions paved the and pockets, of our employees as a
way for 12 for Life®, a partnership with result of recent tax reform. In addition
One of North America’s leading local school systems, inspiring at-risk to one-time employee bonuses, we
manufacturers of wire and cable, we students to earn wages by working in a expanded our parental leave policy and
now have more than 7,800 employees Southwire manufacturing facility while took steps to strengthen our commitment
who work in one of our 34 plants, 10 completing high school. The program to education, skilled trade development,
customer service centers or our sales has graduated and changed the lives Science, Technology, Engineering and
and support offices across the globe. of more than 2,900 students, some of Math (STEM) programs and diversity
whom continue to work at Southwire in the workplace. Through this same
Our commitment is to remain and some who have gone on to pursue investment, we were able to provide 64
generationally-sustainable for the next post-secondary education, military hourly employees with the opportunity
100 years and beyond. This goes beyond service or other occupations. In that to continue their education through
not only selling the best quality products same time, the county’s graduation rates the Bridge Scholarship Program.
at the lowest cost, but encompasses have improved to above the national
all of the areas that we believe create average, helping us sustain a larger Southwire was recently acknowledged
a sustainable business — Growing potential workforce in the community. for the second consecutive year by
Green through our efforts to reduce our Forbes as one of America’s Best
environmental footprint, Living Well by And, 12 for life is not the only way we Employers for 2019, ranking #114 on
focusing on the safety, health and overall are working to meet the growing need the list of 500 top businesses!
satisfaction our people, Giving Back for talent. Our company invests in STEM
through service to our communities, Doing education at the high school level through So, you can see, we’re growing, and
Right by keeping ethical practices at the our Southwire Engineering Academy, and we’re ever-searching, ever-seeking
forefront of all aspects of our business and we have strong and vibrant partnerships and ever-committed to create those
Building Worth for all of our stakeholders. with universities and technical colleges strong and sustainable solutions that
in the places we call home. We also will take us from good to great — both
So, how are we doing this? Like many work with national apprenticeship for the present and in the future.
in our industry, we are considering and programs, supporting them with time,
developing programs and strategies resources and dollars to encourage
to address the impact of megatrends, further education in skilled trades. Southwire Tools & Equipment is one
especially the skilled trade shortage of the foremost providers of electrical
on the future of our business. Inspiring the next generation of our cable in the United States. Their seven
decades of experience in the construction
workforce is a major piece of how we will
Long ago, we made the decision to remain sustainable, but we must never industry gives them great insights into
require our employees to have a high take our eye off of taking care of those the world of electrical contracting.

16 Insights Magazine | March/April 2020 | www.ieci.org