Company Reaching Goals Through Giving During the Holidays
California Giant Food Safety Coordinator Michelle Silva and Creekside Elementary School head janitor Joe work together to unload new office supplies
WATSONVILLE — California Giant is rapidly approaching their Zero Waste Certification goal thanks to staff members making a special delivery to one local school in Salinas this week.
The California Giant Food Safety Team loaded up their vehicles this week with office supplies that were no longer in use or needed at their offices and donated them to Creekside Elementary School in Salinas to help support the school needs rather than sending over 400 pounds of goods to the local landfill.
The list of items included floor mats, file folders, office chairs and assorted electronics. The school had just laid new carpet in several areas of the school, so the office floor mats were on the list of the many items they were planning to purchase, making this a timely gift.
California Giant has been on a sustainability journey for over a year and continues to recognize many cost savings along the way. As the company finds they no longer need filing cabinets, folders, storage units and paper, they look at eliminating items differently today. With each action, the staff considers the potential of reuse, reduce and recycle. In this instance the corporate offices are lightening their load, considering the environment and serving the community at the same time.
California Giant Food Safety Coordinator Michelle Silva joins Creekside Elementary School Principal Jose Juan Urquizo are in a good mood as the supplies are delivered.
Reducing and recycling are very important in achieving Zero Waste, but reusing is also a key component, and California Giant is currently at 90% diversion by eliminating plastic cups, utensils, and dishes at the office, converting hauling containers to be more efficient, becoming paperless and repurposing supplies or donating them to others in the community. In fact, all company trash cans will be donated next week since staff no longer has them under their desks.
“We have three pillars at California Giant focused on sustainability; people, planet and profit. We also have three areas of focus where we are implementing these pillars. We have an on-farm pilot program approaching Sustainably Grown Certification, our Corporate Offices are approaching True Zero Waste Certification, and we are conducting an extensive assessment and investment in our cooling operation to help realize greater energy efficiencies”, says Eric Valenzuela, Director of Food Safety and Sustainability.
“We are extremely pleased with the support we are receiving every day by staff and our grower community and continue to be inspired by each step closer to certification” adds Valenzuela.
Unloading office supplies
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California Giant Berry Farms is expecting to see True Zero Waste certification in Spring 2020 for the corporate offices and Sustainably Grown certification on farm with grower participants. www.calgiant.com