Southwire’s long-held commitment to sustainability has been evident throughout its history and was formalized with its first official sustainability report in 2007. Reflecting that commitment, the company recently launched its 2020 sustainability report, prepared in accordance with the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Standards. 

The report highlights all areas of sustainability at Southwire and showcases the company’s most significant impacts by focusing on its five core tenets – Growing Green, Living Well, Giving Back, Doing Right and Building Worth.

“At Southwire, we are committed to sustainability, and we work to discover, develop and distribute sustainable solutions that exceed the expectations of our stakeholders around the world,” said Rich Stinson, Southwire’s president and CEO. “As a private company, we proudly share our sustainability journey and progress in the GRI report each year, and we will build on last year’s success by creating new, ambitious goals for the future.”

The report goes into full detail of Southwire’s sustainability successes and challenges from 2020, including record safety performance, strategic initiatives, employee engagement, diversity, equity and inclusion, community involvement and more. 

Paul Sims, senior director of remediation and public affairs, says that while keeping its employees safe during the pandemic, serving its customers and supporting its communities, Southwire continued to commit itself to the United Nations Global Compact. 

“As a signatory to the UN Global Compact, Southwire is pleased to support the ten principles of the compact and their integration into our business,” said Sims. “The compact provides a universal language for corporate responsibility and framework to guide all businesses, regardless of size, complexity or location. Southwire’s GRI report also serves as the company’s annual Communication on Progress, which is required as part of its commitment to the compact.” 

According to Bo Quick, senior director of sustainability and environmental partnerships, a number of Southwire’s actions have already begun to encourage the compact, and the launch of company’s carbon zero initiative is further testament to its support.  

“Southwire’s biggest sustainability success in 2020 was the rollout of our Carbon Zero initiative,” said Quick. “Driven by our Carbon Zero goal, we engaged with a number of energy providers, solar developers, non-governmental organizations, and other stakeholders in 2020.  To date, these discussions have resulted in three long-term agreements that will eliminate or offset the greenhouse gas emissions for approximately forty percent of our electricity consumption.” 

Southwire is also proud to further its commitment to sustainability through the release of its Analyst Download, a consolidated document that publicly shares annual data on the company’s progress in environmental, social and governance (ESG) matters. 

To access Southwire’s 2020 sustainability report and analyst download, visit www.southwire.com/sustainability.