2nd Annual Corporate Forum: Integrating Employee Engagement with Corporate Sustainability Goals

September 2016
EarthShare of Georgia and the Green Chamber of the South collaborated for the second annual Corporate Forum.

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The topic of discussion of integrating employee engagement with corporate sustainability included many insights and successful examples from the keynote speakers and panelists. See the conversation from the event on social media: #CorporateGreenForum. Read Georgia Trend magazine’s coverage of the Corporate Forum here. Please follow EarthShare of Georgia for information on upcoming events.

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS:

28ff5f6Jami Buck-Vance, Director of Corporate Responsibility & Community Partnership, Cox Enterprises
Jami is responsible for leading corporate responsibility and community outreach, including program development, stakeholder relationships, external and internal communications of company efforts and events.  She manages communications and environmental partnerships for Cox Conserves, the company’s national sustainability program that engages each of Cox’s divisions (Cox Communications, Cox Automotive and Cox Media Group). Through Cox Conserves, the company seeks to create positive environmental change by operating in ways that reduce Cox’s impact and inspire its employees, customers, suppliers and partners. 

steve-bradley-3253331220Steve Bradley, Director of Environmental Sustainability,
Cox Enterprises
Steve assists in managing the strategic plan for Cox Conserves, the company’s national sustainability program that seeks to send zero waste to landfill by 2024 and be carbon and water neutral by 2044. He has direct responsibility for key components of the program, including alternative energy and water.


MODERATOR:

16ab550Cheryl Bramblett Kortemeier, Executive Director, Corporate Volunteer Council of Atlanta
Cheryl joined the CVC of Atlanta in 2011.  The CVC of Atlanta has provided vital professional development and volunteerism best practices for its members since 2002.  Cheryl enjoys supporting CVC of Atlanta members in their strategic commitment to employee volunteerism and civic engagement. 

PANELISTS:

june_holderJune Holder, Sustainability Communications and Sustainability Ambassador Program Manager, UPS
As Sustainability Communications Manager for UPS, June is focused on sustainability communications strategy development, implementation and ongoing management. In her role as Sustainability Ambassador Program Manager, June is responsible for developing and overseeing the program, creating opportunities for collaboration and connectivity, and engaging employees in sustainability efforts to support the company, and individuals and communities worldwide. 

virginia_johnstonVirginia Johnston, Communications Director,
Hannah Solar LLC
Virginia is the Communications Director at Atlanta-based engineering, procurement, and construction firm, Hannah Solar. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Communication and Information Sciences from the University of Alabama in 2012 before moving to Atlanta to begin her career. She dedicates herself directing Hannah Solar’s internal and external communications, which includes managing the company’s successful Workplace Giving campaign. 

eng_kun_tangEng (Kun) Taing, Project Manager, Newell Brands
Kun is currently a project manager with the Transformation Office at Newell Brands, focusing on creating an efficient manufacturing network across the globe for the organization. While at Newell, Kun has worked together with the community outreach group to lead sustainability-focused volunteering events with EarthShare of GA, to including participating in this year’s Corporate Green Day Challenge. He brings several years of experience developing energy conservation programs for both public and private sector organizations.  Kun is currently on the board for EarthShare of GA. 

john_ahernJohn Ahern, Volunteer Manager, Park Pride
John is the Volunteer Manager for Park Pride, a community and parks advocacy non-profit organization servicing City of Atlanta and DeKalb County communities. In this role, he consults with local communities on best practices related to improvements and conservation of their parks, acts as liaison between communities and municipal park agencies and coordinates customized workdays for interested groups of volunteers. John believes the strength of Park Pride’s Volunteer Program and corporate engagement rests in the ability to be flexible and responsive to the needs of the communities it serves and the corporate volunteer groups it engages, ensuring meaningful experiences for everyone.

nathaniel_smithNathaniel Smith, Founder and Chief Equity Officer (CEqO)/CEO), Partnership for Southern Equity
Empowered by the unified vision and voices realized through its regional engagement efforts, PSE pushes for policies and actions that promote balanced growth and inclusive prosperity in metropolitan Atlanta and beyond. Among PSE’s notable accomplishments where the creation the American South’s first equity mapping and framing tool the Metro Atlanta Equity Atlas (MAEA); The Atlanta Regional Commission’s Equitable Target Areas (ETA) mapping index to promote and measure equitable land-use planning efforts; supporting the creation of the nation’s first “Equitable Development Plan” for a large scale neighborhood transformation project – The Atlanta Beltline; convening the inaugural Equity Atlanta Forum on the equitable utilization of Federal Stimulus Funding in metro Atlanta as well as its supporting document, co-written by PolicyLink, “Recovering Stronger: Building an Inclusive Metro Atlanta Economy.