Corporate Social Responsability

Social Corporate
Responsibility 2013
1. Introduction
Since our foundation in 1969, SigmaQ has been committed to improve the communities we live and work in. We have been innovators in corporate social responsibility,
as one of the first companies in Central America to take a genuine interest in our
personnel’s well-being and professional development.
Gradually, we have increased the social responsibility initiatives we undertake each
year and the benefits to our collaborators and societies.
. strive to establish local roots in
Though global in reach and expertise, at SigmaQ we
the communities that embrace us. Through the Sigma Foundation, located in El
Salvador and Guatemala since 1973, we aim to improve education, health, housing,
culture and the environment in our region.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Towards a Greener Future
A. Green Box: Caring for the Environment One Pizza Box at a Time
B. New Structures Committee
C. Water Treatment Program
D. Recycling
E. Eco-Friendly Lighting Program
F. Energy Commitment Committee
G. Solid Waste Management
H. More Sustainable Productive Processes
I. Environment Volunteering
J. Green Day
K. Plant Nurseries
L. The Great Container
M. Food Market
N. SigmaQ and Kimberly Clark, United for Recycling
O. Corrugated Exhibitions and Furniture
P. Appropriate Machinery and Equipment Disposal
3. We Value our SigmaQ Family
A. Corporate Medical Clinics
B. SigmaQ Cafeterias
C. Uniforms
D. Sports Events
E. Tenure Recognition
4. Certificated Suppliers and Raw Materials
5. Occupational Safety
A. Training for First Aid, Fires and Evacuation Brigades
B. “Safe Company” Program
C. Technical Occupational Security Training
D. Risk Matrices by Job Positions
E. “Q Guardian” Program
F. Forklift Training
6. Supporting Regional Artists
A. University Stand Design Contest
7. Sigma Foundation
A. Health and Housing
B. Education
C. Culture and Environment
Objectives
• Encourage social and environmental awareness
among our customers and suppliers
• Teach our employees the importance of caring
for the environment and the proper use of
resources
• Reduce our packaging environmental impact
through eco-friendly production processes
• Improve El Salvador and Guatemala’s social and
cultural development
2. Towards a Greener Future
A. GreenBox: Caring for the Environment
One Pizza Box at a Time
A company’s commitment to the environment can be measured by the products that it offers.
One of our star eco-friendly products is a dual-use, recyclable pizza box. We have acquired an
exclusive license to produce and sell the GreenBox in Central America, Dominican Republic and
Jamaica. What is it? It’s a 100% recycled and recyclable pizza box.
The GreenBox was created by William Walsh, founder of the American firm ECOVENTION,
dedicated to eco-friendly packaging design. Never before has eating pizza been as interesting or
eco-friendly!
Walsh identified that a traditional box’s utility could increase significantly by solving a few
issues: it is too big to store in the fridge and throw away in a trashcan. Thus the GreenBox idea
was born, characterized by its recyclable materials and unique design that allows a consumer to
turn the box into four disposable plates and a container to store leftovers.
The GreenBox offers multiple benefits for pizzerias, consumers and the planet. One of them is
the fact that you don’t need to use disposable plates and other materials that have a negative
environmental impact. Also, the GreenBox helps pizzerias outshine the competition, boosting
product differentiation while contributing to environmental preservation.
SigmaQ’s GreenBox has been a great success in the countries where it has been sold: El Salvador, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Nicaragua and Panama. Without a doubt, it has revolutionized the
pizza packaging world.
B. New Structures Committee
C. Water Treatment Program
At SigmaQ, we have found that one way of propelling eco-friendly ideas is creating multidisciplinary committees with a specific charter: to develop innovative ideas for packaging and
productive processes. The first of these is the “New Structures Committee” based out of our
corrugated factory, Cajas y Empaques, located in Guatemala.
The Committee meets once a month to create more efficient corrugated structures that use less
paper, with the same or better quality, and so reduce deforestation. Thus, we can optimize our
suppliers’ orders, allowing us to get better papers with lower weights and to improve our boxes’
performance.
Cajas y Empaques’ 2013 “green” achievements:
Saved 202
trees by using
less paper and
recycling waste
paper*
• Incorporated 35.5% of recycled paper in our production
processes.
• 43 petroleum barrels not used. The unused petroleum is
enough for a Boeing 737 plane to make a direct flight from
San Salvador (El Salvador) to Miami, Florida.
Each year, we make every effort to take care of the environment. One of our projects is waste
water treatment, which aims to remove chemicals and biological contaminants in the water
effluent from industrial use. Our system, implemented in 8 of our 10 production plants, treats
more than 10,000 m³ of water annually.
CORRUGATED GROUP
Cartonera Centroamericana
Cajas y Empaques
Cartonera Nacional
FLEXIBLE GROUP
Rotoflex
Reprocentro
1,200 m³
80m³
FOLDING CARTONS & PREMIUM
PACKAGING GROUP
Litozadik
Specialty Products
Igsal
*Based on: http://www.elbuenusodelpapel.info/
matando-aacuterboles.html
4,700 m³
4,200 m³
2,275 m³
1010 m³
320 m³
60 m³
SigmaQ
treated a total of
13,845 m³
of water equivalent
to 6.59 Olympic size
swimming pools*
*Based on the International Swimming Federation
rules and regulations: http://www.fina.org
D. Recycling
E. Eco-Friendly Lighting Program
Committed to caring for the environment and maximizing its resources, we focus on recycling as much material as possible.
CARDBOARD
151.67 tons
Corrugated Group
Folding Cartons & Premium Packaging Group
Flexibles Group
PAPER 30.09 tons
Corrugated Group
Folding Cartons & Premium Packaging Group
Flexibles Group
PLASTIC We recycled over
234 tons of material,
which is equivalent to
the weight of more than
46 Asian elephants*
5.1 tons
20.79 tons
4.2 tons
36.9 tons
Corrugated Group
Folding Cartons & Premium Packaging Group
Flexibles Group
WOOD 112.34 tons
32.23 tons
7.1 tons
Corrugated Group
Folding Cartons & Premium Packaging Group
Flexibles Group
1.7 tons
2.55 tons
32.65 tons
15.6 tons
5.1 tons
6.4 tons
4.1 tons
*Based on weight figures published in:
http://www.saberia.com/2010/08/cuanto-pesa-un-elefante/
To generate energy savings and significantly reduce environmental impact, we are
developing a “green” lighting program to replace the traditional light bulbs with more
eco-friendly LED bulbs.
In 2013, we replaced 72 40-watt tubes with 6 55-watt LED lamps in our Salvadoran business
units, representing 2,550 watts of savings in energy consumption. In 2014, we will continue this
project in order to turn SigmaQ into a company with 100% eco-friendly luminaries.
On the other hand, we have made changes in the warehouse lighting systems, of our
Flexible & Rigid Plastic Packaging Group and our Folding Carton and Premium Packaging Group,
installing domes and transparent plastic sheets on the ceiling to maximize natural light use.
F. Energy Commitment Committee
In 2013, Cartonera Centroamericana (in El Salvador) created the Energy Commitment
Committee, focused on creating an energy saving culture among employees. To do so, the
Committee meets periodically to generate proposals and to share and evaluate the ideas proposed by the Production staff.
As a result, Cartonera installed water dispensers with timers both in the offices and the plant,
resulting in:
• A significant reduction in the weekly energy consumption, going from 504 KW/hr per month to 91 KW/hr.
• Estimated annual energy savings of US$9,000.
I. Environmental Volunteering
We believe that the best strategy to protect the environment is to change and create awareness
in our communities. Therefore, we are constantly training our staff on efficient resource use
and responsible waste management. SigmaQ is also actively involved in guild programs such
as Ecoamigos del Plástico (Plastic’s Eco-friends in Spanish), dedicated to promote proper waste
disposal and recycling in El Salvador, through educational campaigns in schools, communities
and businesses.
G. Solid Waste Management
We responsibly take care of our solid wastes, sorting them in eco-friendly recycling stations
that have properly labelled containers, in which we separate papers, plastics, metals and
woods.
Currently, this solid separation system has been implemented at the following 6 business units
in El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras: Specialty, Cartonera Centroamericana, Corporate
SigmaQ, Cajas y Empaques, Canasa and Litozadik.
•In 2012, we were recognized by ASIPLASTIC (Salvadoran Association of the Plastic
Industry, in Spanish) and Legal Green Consultants as an example in innovation,
creation of job opportunities and corporate social responsibility in El Salvador.
•During the 2012 “1 Km. of Life” campaign, we collected 2,976 pounds of solid
waste, corresponding to 1.25 tons of CO₂.
•Twenty SigmaQ employees participated in ASIPLASTIC’s first “Running and Cycling
for the Planet” marathon in El Salvador—to commemorate the World Environment
Day— contributing with 950.7 Kg/m3 of negative CO2 emissions.
•Participation in volunteering garbage and plastic collection programs, in the aquatic
parks of Costa del Sol and Apastepeque (El Salvador).
H. More Sustainable Productive Processes
In 2013, our paper mill, Copacasa, acquired a new boiler, which eliminates sulfur and nitrogen
gas emission during the biomass burning.
In addition, Copacasa kicked off a waste collection project in the mill, to encourage such
practice among the staff and avoid waste accumulation of any kind.
We planted 800
trees at El Salvador’s
Walter Tilo Deinneger
Park
J. Green Day
At SigmaQ, we organize an annual internal “Live Our Values” campaign, geared towards promoting ethical decision-making both on the professional and personal spectrums.
Through monthly activities that involve the entire staff, we aim to highlight the importance of
each of our values. For Social Responsibility, we focus our activities throughout the year on
environmental care and benefits to the communities we operate in.
Each year, we celebrate environmental month in June and demonstrate our commitment
to the planet by decorating our offices with hand-made ornaments elaborated with recycled materials. Also, as a symbol and reminder of our commitment, we dress in green on
June 5th to celebrate Earth Day.
L. The Great Container
In June, we receive a visit from the Great Container in El Salvador’s business units. This
van—property of the San Salvador mayor’s office—visits schools, parks and institutions to
create environmental awareness and encourage the habit of good disposal, recycling and
material reuse. SigmaQ employees get a chance to enter the Great Container, discover how
the planet reacts to our waste and learn new techniques for proper waste disposal.
M. Food Market
As an initiative to enrich our commitment to society, in 2013 SigmaQ coordinated a monthly visit of FORTAS’ “Food Market” to El Salvador’s business units. Through this program,
our employees were able to buy top quality, 100% fresh fruits and vegetables at a lower
price than in supermarkets.
K. Plant Nurseries
Since 2011, we have created plant nurseries in our facilities as part of our “CO₂ emissions
compensation through reforestation” program. Our goal is to increase the existing plant
nurseries each year and eventually, to expand this project to the rest of SigmaQ’s business
units.
Firmly believing in working together to achieve a sustainable future, we also aim to implant the culture of reforestation at our personnel’s homes. Therefore, in 2013 we donated
630 trees to our employees in El Salvador and Guatemala: 200 trees in Corporate SigmaQ,
250 in Rotoflex, 80 in Specialty and 100 in Cajas y Empaques.
This program directly benefits the farmers and their families from Caluco, Sonsonate in El
Salvador, who have been faced with extreme poverty conditions. They have been taught to
cultivate produce with best agricultural practices that protect the consumer’s health and
to manage a micro business model that involves the entire family and allows kids to attend
school.
N. SigmaQ and Kimberly Clark,
United for Recycling
Through our “SigmaQ Recycling Bins” campaign—launched in April 2011—we have placed
corrugated recycling bins, designed and fabricated at SigmaQ, in all of our offices. We also
created a strategic alliance with Kimberly Clark, who periodically collects the paper and
recycles it. For the project’s kick-off, Kimberly Clark presented the lecture “The 9 Lives of
Paper” to our personnel in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Costa Rica.
In 2013, we strengthened our
strategic alliance with Kimberly
Clark. Our printing factory, Igsal,
collected and gave its waste
papers to Ecokimsa, a Kimberly
Clark division. Ecokimsa processed the paper and used it to
manufacture toilet paper, napkins and paper towels.
O. Corrugated Exhibitions and Furniture
At SigmaQ, we promote internally the application of creativity as a key tool for success. We are
regionally recognized for the creation of innovative and ecological structures and furniture for
our trade shows and exhibitions. Most of the designs are proposed and fabricated by our personnel entirely out of corrugated board, helping to reduce waste generated at our corrugated
factories.
Filling up 27
recycling bins
saves 15 trees
After our events we reuse most of the attractive furniture, relocating them in our business units
or storing them for future events.
P. Appropriate Machinery and Equipment Disposal
In an effort to minimize our company’s environmental footprint, we have developed a program
for the proper disposal of our electronic equipment. We deliver our impaired machinery to
recyclers legally endorsed to treat them and separate the different internal components of each
device, guaranteeing an appropriate and safe disposal and recycling process.
3. We Value our SigmaQ Family
Our 2,000-member family of collaborators—in Central America, Mexico, the Caribbean, the
United States and Europe—is both our most valuable resource and the key to SigmaQ’s success.
Therefore, we are firmly committed to their health, education and well-being.
A. Corporate Medical Clinics
We have 4 corporate medical clinics in our factories in Guatemala, 1 in Honduras and 5 clinics
endorsed by the Salvadoran Social Security Institute (ISSS) in El Salvador.
• Immediate and free medical care on a daily basis: general check-ups, blood analyses,
x-rays and cytology, among others.
• Annual vaccinations and preventive campaigns against Tetanus and Influenza (H1N1).
• Educative and preventive medical lectures on diseases such as HIV AIDS, Diabetes and
Dengue Fever.
• Free visual examinations twice a year.
In
El Salvador’s
factories, over 2,000
medical visits are
received annually
B. SigmaQ Cafeterias
We believe that our collaborators’ appropriate nutrition is essential for their good health and
sustainable performance. Therefore, we have 11 cafeterias—in our business units of El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras—which offer balanced menus in a safe and comfortable environment. SigmaQ subsidizes the meals, making them available to our personnel at a lower cost
than in most food establishments.
In El Salvador’s 6 cafeterias, SigmaQ invests around US$26,000 a month in subsidies, equivalent
to about 21,616 meals.
C. Uniforms
We annually provide uniforms and industrial safety equipment to all our plant collaborators and
to some administrative staff, adapting the uniforms according to the activities they carry out.
Thus, allowing them to work comfortably and safely.
D. Sports Events
E. Tenure Recognition
SigmaQ cherishes sports activities as an alternative for healthy recreation among our personnel
and with their families, keeping them away from vices and crime.
At SigmaQ, we believe in fostering a sense of responsibility, commitment and stability among
our personnel, by offering opportunities that allow them to achieve their maximum potential.
• Pool; soccer, volleyball and basketball courts and ping pong tables within our facilities.
• On weekends, Rotoflex has a Soccer and Swimming School, open to our employees’
(from El Salvador’s business units) kids between 5 and 18 years old.
• We organize different internal soccer, volleyball and basketball tournaments at our
facilities in El Salvador and Guatemala, to promote a sense of unity among employees
from the different business units.
Each year, we recognize our employees’ loyalty and hard work during a ceremony –presided by
the President and Vice President—in which we give out symbolic gifts in gratitude for their 5,
10, 15, 20, 25, 30 and 35-year tenure and dedication to SigmaQ.
4. Certified Suppliers and Raw Materials
A key component of our commitment to the environment resides in the selection of ethical and
socially responsible raw material suppliers that are internationally qualified with renewable certifications. We only use USDA and FDA approved materials and are constantly searching worldwide for
more eco-friendly options.
PAPER
All of our paper suppliers are certified for their responsible forest management, by at least one
of the following programs: Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), Programme for the Endorsement
of Forest Certification (PEFC) and Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI). In addition, 90% of our
papers come from mills that incorporate a certain percentage of recycling in their processes.
In 2013, SigmaQ incorporated 40% of recycled paper in our corrugated production. In this way,
we abstained from consuming 30,000 tons of paper that would have implied cutting down
trees.
ALUMINUM
Our aluminum supplier stands out for its corporate social responsibility commitment, especially
oriented towards the planet’s sustainability.
In fact, the company produces a significant percentage of its aluminum using renewable hydroelectric power and is constantly searching for new renewable energy sources that do not impact
climate. It also plans to increase its recycling volume from 260,000 tons in 2010 to one million
by 2020, which will represent 75% of its consumption.
WOOD
Global deforestation is an extremely relevant subject at SigmaQ, which we take very seriously
into account in our daily operations. For this reason, all of our wood suppliers must be certified,
in order to ensure that their products come only from conglomerates and renewable forests in
Chile and Spain.
PLASTIC
Our plastic suppliers must have internationally recognized certifications—such as ISO 9001 and
ISO 14001—ensuring the quality of their products and their ethical and socially responsible
practices.
In addition, SigmaQ has implemented an internal process that allows us to recycle plastic materials without affecting the quality of our products. We also offer our clients plastic materials with
oxo-biodegradable additives.
5. Occupational Safety
At SigmaQ we strongly believe that our collaborators are the key to our success. Therefore, we have
implemented several occupational safety programs that ensure our personnel’s well-being within
our facilities:
A. Training for First Aid, Fires and Evacuation Brigades
We have trained a group of collaborators to conform and lead emergency brigades in every business unit, and we organize periodical drills and prevention activities with our entire personnel at
every business unit.
B. “Safe Company” Program
Our “Safe Company” program is a monthly systematic audit that we carry out in every SigmaQ
business unit. Our goal is to verify different occupational safety aspects—including infrastructure and external risks—to provide a safe work environment for our employees.
C. Technical Occupational Security Training
We carry out an annual occupational safety training program for all plant personnel, considering
the particular nature of each business unit and their processes. SigmaQ has invested in properly
training a select team of collaborators at each factory, so that they can impart such training
sessions to the rest of the staff.
D. Risk Matrices by Job Positions
Every SigmaQ business unit has developed risk prevention plans based on the location of every
working area. Every plan describes the risks associated with each job position and the defined
preventive methods, striving to minimize the chance of accidents.
E. “Q Guardian” Program
Q Guardian is a program focused on the operator empowerment and the supervisor authority,
to the technical knowledge of their working area and the prevention of occupational risks.
F. Forklift Training
At SigmaQ, we understand that forklifts are a frequent cause of occupational accidents. Therefore, every year we provide professional training on this matter at all of our factories, in order to
prepare our staff in case of a dangerous situation.
6. Supporting Regional Artists
Art has always constituted an integral component of SigmaQ, being one of the greatest passions of
our founders, Mr. Nassin and Mr. David Yarhi. The brothers’ social commitment, which characterizes our Corporation, has been manifested through their support of regional art. Wisely recognizing
potential in local artists, the Yarhis have purchased and reproduced some of the works to give out as
unique corporate gifts: ceramic plates, paintings, vases and rugs.
In addition, as part of this commitment, SigmaQ owns a collection of paintings by regional artists,
distributed and exhibited in our different offices. We have created a virtual gallery on our website to
share part of this extensive collection.
A. University Stand Design Contest
SigmaQ participates annually in trade shows and events in the United States, Mexico, Central
America, the Caribbean and Europe. In each of them, we are recognized for our innovative
stands—made mostly out of cardboard at our corrugated factories—, which make our exhibited
packaging solutions truly stand out.
Furthering our support of regional art, we have organized design contests with Salvadoran
universities, allowing their students to challenge their creativity by developing proposals for
our stands. The submitted designs must be producible with SigmaQ’s capabilities, attractive and
easy to transport and ensemble.
The prize for winners? SigmaQ elaborates their proposal and uses it at the different international trade shows that we participate in.
• José Matías Delgado University: worked with Interior Architecture students.
• Monica Herrera Communications School: worked with Strategic Design students.
Fundación Sigma
7. Sigma Foundation
A. Health and Housing
B. Education
Certain human rights are not negotiable, and we believe health and housing belong in this category. Through a variety of organizations, Sigma Foundation benefits over 300,000 people (health
care for cancer patients, heart disease and rehabilitation) and helps build over 42,000 houses a
year.
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Asociación Pro-Ropero del Hospital Benjamín Bloom
Asociación Pro-Hogar Permanente de Parálisis Cerebral, Roberto Callejas Montalvo
Fundación Salvadoreña de Diabéticos
Fundación Sana Mi Corazón
Gift of Life - Regalo de Vida El Salvador
Sigma
Patronato Nacional Antituberculoso
Teletón - FUNTER
Foundation
Fundación Ayúdame a Vivir
helps build over
FUNPRES
42,000 houses
per year
We believe that education is fundamental for the development of any society and it deserves a
significant investment. Annually, we contribute to the education of 98,233 children and teenagers.
Academic scholarships
In order to promote academic success among our collaborators and their children, Sigma
Foundation implemented the 2013-2014 scholarship program called “Edúcate” in El Salvador. This program allowed the 35 scholarship holders to start or continue their middle
school, high school and higher education, as well as extraordinary studies for language and
vocational education.
“Edúcate” fosters a deep commitment that must exist between Sigma Foundation and both
the collaborators and the children of collaborators that have received the scholarship, who
must demonstrate a permanent attitude of hard work, respect, responsibility and integrity
to honor the opportunity that has been given to them through the scholarship.
C. Culture and Environment
We know promoting culture benefits both society’s intellectual development and individual’s personal growth. In addition to being enriching, literature, music, art and science also
constitute healthy entertainment alternatives for the population. We also believe sustainability and the environment are relevant topics that directly contribute to our communities’
well-being.
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Asociación Lírica Salvadoreña
Asociación de Fomento Cultural y Deportivo
Asociación Museo de Arte de El Salvador - MARTE
Asociación Museo de Los Niños “Tin Marín”
Asociación Pro-Arte de El Salvador
Secretaría de Cultura de la Presidencia de El Salvador
Ópera de El Salvador
Polígono Industrial Don Bosco
Consejo Empresarial Salvadoreño para el Desarrollo Sostenible “CEDES”
Fundación Zoológica de El Salvador - FUNZEL
SALVANATURA
Fundación Vínculo de Amor
Asociación Manos Amigas
Asociación Salvadoreña de Guardavidas
Asociación Unidad de Rescate de El Salvador
Asociación Banco Alimentos El Salvador
Cruz Roja Salvadoreña
Cruz Verde Salvadoreña
Fundación Salvadoreña de Desarrollo y Vivienda Mínima - FUNDASAL
Fundación Salvadoreña de la Tercera Edad - FUSATE
Fundación Hermano Pedro “Hogar Padre Vito Guarato”
Fundación Red de Sobrevivientes
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Hogar para Niños Divina Providencia
Comité de Proyección Social - El Salvador
Fundación Judá
Aldeas Infantiles SOS - El Salvador
FUNDASALVA
ASAPAED
Asociación Ágape de El Salvador
Cofradía Damas Guadalupanas
Hogar Inmaculado Corazón de María
Business units
Where we are
Headquarters
El Salvador
10 Business units
3 corrugated packaging
El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras
1
2
1
El Salvador
El Salvador, Guatemala
El Salvador
1 premium packaging
El Salvador
1 design and pre-press
El Salvador
1 paper mill
Guatemala
USA, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America and Europe
www.sigmaq.com