CPIA Gold Member PPG was recently named to Newsweek’s America’s Most Responsible Companies list for the third year in a row.
The 2023 list reportedly recognizes the 500 most responsible companies in the United States across 14 different industry subcategories. PPG reports that it ranked number 16 in the Materials and Chemical Category, as well as number 114 on the overall list.
Selected based on publicly available key performance indicators from CSR and Sustainability reports, the list focuses on company performance areas across all three areas of ESG, or Environmental, Social and Governance practices.
An independent survey was also reportedly conducted to evaluate companies' reputation by asking U.S. citizens about their perception of company activities related to corporate social responsibility.
“PPG’s inclusion in the Newsweek ranking underscores our commitment to operating a sustainable business,” said Diane Kappas, PPG Vice President, Global Sustainability. “Our commitment to the Science Based Target initiative will be the driving force behind our decarbonization strategy, and we look forward to announcing new 2030 goals that will continue to guide PPG on this journey.”
Earlier this year, the company released its 2021 ESG Report, emphasizing progress towards achieving its goals in key areas. Some of these highlights include:
-38% of sales from sustainably advantaged products against the goal of 40% by 2025;
-24% of electricity usage from renewable energy sources against the goal of 25% by 2025;
-40% of manufacturing and research and development facilities with zero process waste to landfill, above the goal of 35% by 2025;
-Investment of more than $8.7 million between 2015 and 2021 in PPG’s global Colorful Communities initiative;
-Commitment to setting near-term company-wide emission reductions in line with climate science through the Science Based Target initiative (SBTi); and
-Launch of sustainable solutions to support customers’ ambitions, including PPG Innovel Pro non-bisphenol internal can coating and PPG Thermodrop road marking paint.
Initiatives focused on diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) from PPG include:
-Publishing the first PPG DE&I Report, containing newly disclosed employee representation data and DE&I commitments;
-Growing eight global ERNs to include more than 7,000 employee members across more than 60 countries;
-Investing $7.4 million through 2021 to advance racial equity in the U.S. by funding educational pathways for Black communities and people of color.
According to the release, PPG will continue to reduce the environmental impact of its operations, develop products that enhance customers’ sustainability, engage with communities and strengthen and diversify its global workforce.
'Best Places to Work in IT' Award
Shortly after the Newsweek recognition, PPG was also named one of the “Best Places to Work in IT” by Foundry’s technology media brand Computerworld. It is reportedly the company’s fifth appearance on the list.
“A future-focused purpose driven organization is key to employee engagement,” said Bhaskar Ramachandran, PPG Vice President and Chief Information Officer. “Our focus on technology currency, modernizing our application stack and removing barriers to execution are all important within PPG’s IT function. Initiatives for global talent development, and addressing inequities are resonating with our people.
“Most of all, knowing clearly what the IT strategy is, which is based on the business strategy, and how each and every one of us is enabling the organization to fulfill its purpose – WE PROTECT AND BEAUTIFY THE WORLD – is key to the high level of engagement and our collective successes.”
The 2023 list from Computerworld recognizes organizations that challenge their IT staff while providing great benefits and compensation. PPG ranked number 19 among other large organizations on the list based on a survey.
The survey reportedly included topics such as benefits, career development, DE&I, future of work, training and retention. Additionally, this year’s rankings were reviewed and vetted by a panel of industry experts.
“Attracting diverse, high-performing IT talent can be challenging in the current environment due to strong demand. At PPG, we are striving to build an inclusive work environment where everyone, regardless of background, can bring their authentic selves to work every day and feel a sense of belonging,” said Laura Harshberger, PPG global IT director.
“PPG’s IT organization has created a culture of inclusion through DE&I capability-building sessions and activities to ensure that all IT managers and team members have access to toolkits and resources. We also celebrate the differences of our employees from cultures around the world – PPG’s IT function operates technical centers in five countries.”
PPG reports that, in addition to inclusion workshops and training, their global employee resource networks (ERNs) hold monthly flagship events, including leader discussions and webinars on inclusivity in the workplace. Then, each quarter, a DE&I scorecard is presented to PPG’s IT leadership team to track progress.
“Adapting to a ‘new normal’ has put additional demands on IT organizations at companies of all sizes. This year’s winning companies have stepped up with increased IT staffing and a variety of innovative professional development opportunities. The result of these efforts is that not only are IT staffs engaged and productive, but the entire business benefits from IT’s ability to support evolving workplace models and changing business and customer needs,” said Rob O’Regan, global director, content strategy, Foundry.
“Importantly, this year’s award winners are laser-focused on diversity initiatives to expand the IT talent pool and promote workplace diversity and inclusion.”
