News

AMS Fulfillment (“AMS” or the “Company”), an industry leading provider of omnichannel fulfillment services to digitally native consumer brands, announced today that it has hired Greg Morello as the Company’s Chief Executive Officer. AMS is a portfolio company of Fort Point Capital (“Fort Point”), a Boston-based lower middle market private equity firm focused on investing in and growing business services companies.

Greg joins AMS with a wealth of experience in the omnichannel 3PL industry, with 20+ years of leadership expertise building, growing and transforming businesses.

Most recently, Greg led the growth of a private-equity backed fulfillment company, Whiplash, and sold the business to a Fortune 500 company in 2021. Previously, Greg was the co-founder of Concentrek, Inc., a non-asset based transportation management company, where he had responsibility for the start-up’s growth strategy and sales. Throughout his career, he has demonstrated a passion for and commitment to building customer-centric companies and creating opportunities for their employees, positioning him perfectly to lead the next stage of growth at AMS.

Commenting on the appointment on behalf of the Board of Directors and Fort Point, Christina Pai noted the strong alignment between Greg’s prior experience and the tremendous opportunity set ahead of AMS. Pai stated, “We are thrilled to welcome Greg to AMS. His proven track record of scaling logistics businesses that support dynamic consumer brands will be invaluable for AMS. We are confident that his strategic vision and leadership will continue to accelerate our efforts for organic and acquisition-led growth.”

“I am excited to lead the next stage of growth at AMS Fulfillment,” said Greg. “We have significant opportunities ahead, given our integrated suite of omnichannel capabilities and commitment to all of our stakeholders as a Certified B Corporation. The Company is extremely well positioned to be the go-to partner for premium brands seeking to delight their customers and reach new heights in their own growth journeys.”

About AMS Fulfillment

AMS Fulfillment is a full-service outsourced logistics provider offering order management, warehouse and inventory management, reverse logistics and other value-added, complex fulfillment services to fast growing consumer products companies primarily in the beauty/cosmetics, apparel, and premium accessories sectors. To learn more, please visit amsfulfillment.com.

About Fort Point Capital

Fort Point Capital (“Fort Point”) brings a management-led, growth-oriented approach to private equity investing, targeting fragmented sectors of the business services industry. Founded in Boston in 2011, Fort Point partners with founders and management teams to accelerate growth and performance by providing resources to help expand teams and establish infrastructure, enhance service offerings, access new markets, and support strategic add-on acquisitions. Fort Point fulfills its commitment to management, employees, and shareholders by employing a repeatable process to drive durable value, as evidenced in over 50 acquisitions since its inception. Fort Point Capital is currently investing from FPC Small Cap Fund III. To learn more, please visit fortpointcapital.com.

June is National Safety Month. We’re going to accept the challenge and start the month with our recipe for warehouse safety. We’ll explain what it takes to ensure the safety of our warehouse employees. AMS is fully committed to our employees as stakeholders in our business. We sincerely care about safety in our warehouses, and as a result, we have a very good record. That means what we’re doing is working.

Best Practices

We follow procedures as recommended by OSHA. Here’s how Google describes OSHA: “OSHA stands for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, a federal agency within the U.S. Department of Labor. Its primary mission is to ensure safe and healthy working conditions for employees by setting and enforcing standards, providing training, and offering assistance. OSHA’s regulations cover a wide range of workplaces, including most private sector employers and some public sector employers.”

Our Safety Training

We fully train every new employee, and we also do monthly safety walks for current employees. Our training is in both English and Spanish. The focus of our training begins with pointing out potential hazards. Spills or wet floors are the cause of slips and falls, and accidents. Clutter in the aisles can cause falls and accidents as well. All employees are trained on what to do when coming across what are potential hazards. How do you handle the spill, what about debris in the aisle or workstation, how do you dispose of debris properly and promptly. Our first level of training will cover these things.

Of course employees are trained in the safety aspects of their specific jobs, whether it’s housekeeping, driving forklift, assembly and so forth. We train our employees in the correct ergonomic practices in order to avoid injury, whether it is repetitive movement or lifting a heavy object. Proper ergonomic positioning can prevent strain injuries.

We make sure all employees understand how to store materials safely… for example, don’t stack materials too high and create a potential hazard. Another essential training is in safe handling of chemicals, including proper labeling, storage, and disposal.

There are many things we cover in safety training, including emergency procedures. We have emergency plans for how to respond to a fire, how to safely evacuate and other procedures, and every employee is trained in these things.

Making the Environment Safe

How do people get hurt while working in a warehouse? #1 they could improperly lift a heavy item and experience a strain injury. #2 they could be walking from one area to another and slip and fall because of a spill of liquid on the floor. #3 they could be in a hurry and trip over some debris left in the aisle. #4 they could come into contact with a dangerous chemical that wasn’t properly labeled. #5 they could get hurt by falling materials that were stacked too high. #6 they could get injured by moving equipment. #7 they could get injured by broken equipment that wasn’t properly removed or labeled.

Training is important and all training should lead to a safe environment, with clean floors, uncluttered aisles, adequate lighting, and working equipment. Inspection and maintenance of equipment is absolutely necessary. Properly maintaining forklifts and conveyors can prevent accidents. Employees who need PPE, such as safety shoes, hard hats, vests and gloves are provided these items by AMS. Every warehouse must have fire extinguishers and first-aid kits in good working order with employees trained in their use.

Communication

There must be a clear communication channel in every warehouse for notification of emergencies. Evacuation procedures must be written and practiced in fire drills and evacuation drills.

Successful warehouse safety means that the company has a comprehensive approach to minimizing hazards and creating a safe work environment. This includes proper training of every employee, maintaining clear aisles, practicing safe lifting techniques and ergonomics, and correctly using equipment.

National Safety Month

Both the National Safety Council [LINK] and the Occupational Health and Safety organization [LINK] offer resources for the public at their websites.

“Join the National Safety Council in June for National Safety Month – the annual observance to help keep each other safe from the workplace to anyplace. Since 1996, NSM has provided free safety resources to highlight leading causes of preventable injury and death. Let’s make people safer this June and all year long!”

Do accidents happen at AMS? We are not magical, and yes, they do… but… due to our safety training efforts they are infrequent. In 2024 AMS’ lost-time injury rate was 23% lower than the industry average. This year injuries have been equally infrequent.

We are proud of our employees, and the care they show in preventing accidents of any sort. Hat’s Off to them for our excellent safety record, and of course the safety focus and training will continue, year-round.

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AMS Fulfillment is a Certified B Corporation, dedicated to the people and planet before Profit. We work to B The Change we wish to see in the world.

Let’s take Memorial Day seriously. To die on the battlefield, serving your country, is a most serious of sacrifices. It’s time to remember and honor the soldiers who made this sacrifice. Monday, May 26 is Memorial Day and as we live this day, we give thought as to how we might show respect – respect for the sacrifice of Life.

What follows is a suggestion we found online, and it certainly seems doable: “At 3:00 PM local time on Memorial Day, a National Moment of Remembrance takes place. This is a one-minute pause for all Americans to remember and honor those who have died in service to the nation. It’s a time to reflect on the sacrifices made by members of the Armed Forces and others who have died as a result of their service to the country.”

Memorial Day

We’ll begin with what Google tells us about the day: “Memorial Day is a federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May, a day to remember and honor the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. armed forces. It’s a time for reflection on their sacrifices, and to remember those who gave their lives in service to the country. While it’s a day of remembrance and honor, it is not a day to express gratitude to current veterans; that is more appropriately done on Veterans Day.”

Google says not to express gratitude to current veterans, and pardon us, we will disobey Google. We are grateful to all of the men and women who have served; to those who did not die in battle, thank you for your service. We hope you have a meaningful Memorial Day.

The Origin of the “Day”

After the Civil War ended, the day to honor and decorate the graves of fallen soldiers came into being. It was originally called Decoration Day. It became Memorial Day in 1868 when a Union veterans’ organization, declared it to be a nationally observed holiday. The declaration was called the “Memorial Day Order”, and it was established to be held on the last Monday in May. The proclamation asks Americans to observe Memorial Day by praying, according to their individual religious faith, for permanent peace.

We visited the website of the government’s National Cemetery Administration [LINK] for their version of the story.

“In the waning years of the Civil War (1861–1865) and immediately afterward, communities in the North and South, Black and White, decorated soldiers’ graves with floral honors on springtime “decoration days.” The practice of strewing flowers on graves has been documented from Classical Roman times to western Europe in the nineteenth century.

“On May 5, 1868, the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR), a politically powerful organization of Union veterans led by Major General John A. Logan — issued General Orders No. 11 or the “Memorial Day Act.” This issuance formally established “Memorial Day” as a Decoration Day on which the nation would remember its war dead and decorate their graves with flowers.

“In subsequent decades competition flourished to claim when and where the first such gathering occurred — in one way or another. Recent scholarship, however, points to the ladies of Columbus, GA, who in April 1866 lobbied for a clearly defined Memorial Day on which to place flowers on the graves of Civil War dead.”

Permanent Peace

We are more than happy to take a moment, on May 26, at 3 pm to stand for one minute in silence, with gratitude for the sacrifices of soldiers in the Civil War and beyond. What wars have occurred since then? There was the Spanish American War of 1898, World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Persian Gulf War, the war in Afghanistan, and the war in Iraq. We honor every soldier who died in these wars, and we most certainly pray for permanent peace on Earth.

In the media we see companies offering Memorial Day deals and using the phrase… “celebrate Memorial Day.” We would rather Remember the sacrifice and Honor the soldiers. War is a sad failure of governments to create Peace. Peace is the victory… choose Peace. ‘Celebrate’ Peace. Let’s recognize the sacrifices, honor the men and women who paid the ultimate price, and in our minute of silence, envision a world at Peace. How beautiful the thought!

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AMS Fulfillment is a  Certified B Corporation, dedicated to the people and planet before Profit. We work to B the change we wish to see in the world.

Businesses are becoming more and more committed to reducing their negative impact on the environment and this is certainly needed and appropriate. Customers are also increasingly concerned with buying their products from a company that is environmentally conscious. To put it plainly… people are taking personal responsibility for the health of the planet and that is good news, as well as timely.

At AMS Fulfillment we began, years ago, to find ways to be “green” and we have achieved much. In this writing we will point to the various things AMS has done to reduce our carbon footprint, and we can say with confidence, these efforts have been effective. As this article will demonstrate, we do the work, and our efforts make a difference. We will cover our recycling efforts, our use of sustainable packaging, the efforts we have made to “Green” our facilities, and the extraordinary commitment of our employees.

AMS is not ‘sustainable’ in order to market itself as such. AMS is sustainable because we… meaning all employees… want to change things for the better. We are invested in being “Green” and we take pride in what we do for ourselves, our clients and our shared Earth.

Recycling

AMS has been recycling and encouraging our employees to utilize the recycling bins for years. We provided the proper containers for all employees in the various facilities, so that they could take the first step in recycling their own cans, bottles, food and so forth. This has been a very successful effort, as our employees are very much aware of and in support of sustainability. As part of our overall recycling efforts, AMS employees collect, bind and save recyclable cardboard and other packaging, preparing it for re-use rather than the landfill.

With all of the recycling efforts, there remained one thing we were unable to recycle through our normal process… stretch plastic. We wanted to keep the stretch plastic we dispose of out of the landfill, and in the hands of a company that recycles plastic. This was a challenge for the AMS Green Team. They searched until they found a company that recycles clean stretch plastic in large amounts. The issue was how to accumulate the large amounts. AMS purchased containers and our employees accumulated the plastic on site at every warehouse. After the stretch plastic was accumulated, it was properly bound and stacked until it reached the amount required. Our employees are proud of AMS’ efforts to recycle and they assist in the effort in every way they can.

Sustainable Packaging

Several years ago AMS made the decision to promote and provide sustainable packaging for our clients.  We, and our clients, well know that choosing sustainable packaging can make a very positive difference both in recycling and landfills. Speaking with Veronica Lopez, AMS’ procurement specialist, we see that some years ago AMS undertook the research and the search to find sustainable packaging. Of course, the clients of AMS make the decisions on the packaging they want their products shipped within. AMS is proud to make sustainable packaging available to them and offer a variety of options. Knowing the negative impact of plastics, we do focus on reducing the use of plastics. Traditional packaging materials, as we know them – including plastic or styrofoam – are being replaced by recycled paper, biodegradable peanuts, recycled cardboard and even recycled air pillows.

Facilities

What has gone into “greening” our facilities? The logical first steps were to change the lighting in our facilities to LED energy-saving lighting and also to install motion sensors, which trigger the lights to turn off when things are quiet and come back on when people enter the room. George Romano, AMS’ Director of Facilities West Coast, spoke with us about what is going on within the AMS facilities to make us as “Green” as we can be.

The first thing George mentioned, is with regard to equipment such as forklifts and so forth. There was a point in time wherein this type of equipment ran on propane, but not anymore at AMS. Several years ago we began upgrading equipment from propane to electrical. Now we can say that 98% has been upgraded to electrical, and that little 2% refers to equipment we are temporarily using. Another thing George mentioned is that all thermostats are programmable, and exhaust fans and other economizers are used to reduce the need for air conditioning and heating. A third thing that George is proud of, is the fact that water dispensers are provided for employees, and this is Clean water, collected through use of reverse osmosis. We also provide all employees with AMS water bottles for them to use and reuse. And… it is worth mentioning that all pest control utilized in AMS facilities is environmentally friendly as well.

A final story demonstrates the fact that our employees are fully engaged in the efforts to make AMS as “Green” as is possible. According to George, AMS has a client that ships products to our warehouse inside of plastic bags. Seeing this, the employees decided to repurpose the plastic bags and use them for as long as they last. Only when they are no longer of use, will they be disposed of through recycling. For ideas and efforts like this (and more) we thank our AMS employees and make the point that sustainable fulfillment is not just the desire of AMS Management. Our employees are invested in sustainability and they make it real.

Transportation

AMS does not have a fleet of trucks. We do have a small number of vehicles which we maintain with the environment in mind. There are many different trucks delivering products to us, and what we do to save on energy is to unload the truck as quickly and efficiently as possible, keeping at a minimum the need for the truck to idle while waiting to be unloaded. Once again we have an example of AMS employees taking our “Green” efforts seriously and doing their best on behalf of our shared Earth.

Donations and Returns

One more thing very much worth mention is our efforts to help clients donate products that are on the warehouse shelves but no longer being sold. We have numerous relationships with organizations in the community that gratefully receive donations of product from our clients. This keeps the products out of the landfill and in the hands of people who can appreciate and utilize the products.

We also make the very best of returns that come in. If the product returned is in good condition and our client wants it to go back into inventory, that is where it will go. If the product can be fully repaired and our client wants it returned to inventory, we will do that. If the product cannot be returned to inventory but can be donated in the community, we do the donation, with our client’s permission. The very last thing we will do is send the return to the landfill. In this way we do our best with our clients’ returns.

Conclusion

We are aware of the issue of greenwashing by some companies, and we want to make it plain… AMS does not make false claims of sustainability. Our clients can truthfully tell their customers that the product they are purchasing is warehoused, packaged and shipped by a sustainable fulfillment company. It takes time, research, training, and effort on our part, and we are proud to put in the effort to be “Green”. We are fully conscious of our obligation, as a business and as human beings, to protect and care for our shared Earth.

Finally, has AMS Fulfillment been recognized for its sustainability efforts? The answer is Yes. We have achieved Carbon Neutral status with regard to our Carbon Footprint. We invite businesses to contact AMS Fulfillment for more information on sustainable fulfillment.

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When we pay attention to commemorative months it is because we feel the subject being commemorated is worthy of attention and some conversation. In thinking about mental health, the first place we go is to our desire to destigmatize mental illness. According to Google, “To “destigmatize” something means to remove the negative associations of shame, disgrace, or disapproval from it. It’s about changing the way something is perceived so that it is no longer seen as bad or unacceptable.”

Many of us have a friend or know someone who suffers from depression or anxiety, PTSD or some other mental illness or we may suffer from some issues ourselves. Of course we do not judge or condemn a person for mental illness any more than we do for physical illness. Instead we do the human thing; we see if there is some way we can help.

Can businesses such as AMS do something to help their employees deal with the reality of mental illness? Absolutely!! At AMS mental illness is destigmatized, and we are doing some things that we believe will help.

Mental Health First Aid Classes

One of the ways in which we feel we can help, is to offer a Mental Health First Aid class. AMS offers a number of classes to our employees that are not only free, but they are ‘paid’, taking place during work hours. We have been holding these classes for a number of years, in an arrangement with a local college. The following paragraph describes the Mental Health First Aid class:

Description: “Examines risk factors and warning signs of mental health problems and how to respond appropriately. Emphasis on mental health problems and crises for all individuals and environments with additional information on support and resources in the work environment. Upon successful completion of this course, students will receive a NCBH Mental Health First Aid Certificate.”

There are some excellent benefits to being trained in mental health first aid. Someone who is trained will be able to recognize early signs of a mental health issue and provide initial support. The trained individual will be able to offer a listening ear, provide basic emotional support, and help to find appropriate resources, such as the Employee Assistance Program.

Mental health first aid training in the workplace provides some vital benefits. First of all, it can increase employee well-being. We also see that it can reduce the stigma around mental health issues, and it can improve the trainee’s ability to identify concerns and support colleagues experiencing troubling issues. The bottom line is… mental health first aid training serves to create a more positive work environment.

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

What is an Employee Assistance Program (EAP)? It is a free benefit that AMS offers our employees. EAP is a voluntary and confidential service that is designed to help employees address personal or work-related problems that may be affecting their well-being and performance. The AMS EAP provides services like short-term counseling, referrals to specialists, and other resources, such as financial or legal advice. The EAP is designed to be a confidential and safe space for employees and their family members to get support.

The services provided are listed as follows: #1 Short-term counseling which addresses issues such as stress, anxiety, depression, or relationship problems. #2 Referrals to connect employees to specialists like therapists, financial advisors, or legal professionals. #3 With some EAPs, such as the one AMS provides, services also extend to employees’ family members. #4 Wellness programs are offered, promoting overall health and well-being. Employees can typically access EAP services through phone, video, online, or in-person sessions.

Monthly Activities Committee

AMS employees have joined together to create an Activities Committee which is focused on creating a fun and engaging culture. We consider all employees ‘family’, and we accept people for who they are, emphasizing that none of us is worth more than another. Being “different” doesn’t mean that an individual is worth less. In fact, every one of us is unique and special. That’s the truth.

Every month the Committee aims to do something engaging, and most of the time, raising money for a non-profit. Some recent examples are as follows: #February, Direct Relief for CA fire victims. AMS employees sent a positive message fortune cookie to their coworkers raising $1,373. #March, Mismatched Socks Day wherein employees wore mismatched socks to bring awareness to World Down Syndrome Day, in support of the son of one of our employees. #April, annual employee egg hunt and Earth Day community cleanup. #May, annual luminaria fundraiser, raising over $910 towards the American Cancer Society.

Some Key Facts

We will conclude with some statistics from the National Council for Mental Wellbeing [LINK] below:

Despite progress in mental health initiatives, more than 30 million people in the U.S. still lack access to comprehensive, high-quality care. These statistics highlight the ongoing need for Mental Health Awareness Month and the importance of bringing attention to this disparity: 

1 in 5 U.S. adults experience mental illness each year.

1 in 20 U.S. adults experience serious mental illness each year.

1 in 6 U.S. youth have a mental health condition, but only half receive treatment.

50% of all lifetime mental illness begins by age 14, and 75% by age 24.

In 2023, 20% of all high school students have seriously considered suicide.

Our Goal

At AMS our goal is to educate our employees and reduce the stigma associated with mental illness by encouraging conversation and fostering acceptance. We aim to highlight the importance of early intervention and access to treatment both in our Mental Health First Aid class and through the EAP, and by so doing, promote mental wellbeing and self-care practices for overall health.

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AMS Fulfillment is a Certified B Corporation, dedicated to People and Planet before Profit. We work to B the Change we wish to see in the world.

To all AMS employees who are Mothers, to all of our clients who are Mothers, to all of our friends and readers who are Mothers… we wish you a wonderful day, lived in the knowledge that you, indeed, have created Life, and we honor you for that gift. Our salute includes all who are living the Mother role – adoptive mothers, step mothers, dads who are mothering… we honor you as well for all that goes along with creating Life.

Mother gives of herself. She gives food and shelter, love and care, time and attention, training and teaching, good-night kisses, honest conversations and life lessons.

Every one of us came from a Mother… so let’s just say to all AMS employees… happy Mother’s Day to you too. We will begin with a very meaningful poem by Rudyard Kipling:

Mother o’ Mine

If I were hanged on the highest hill,
Mother o’ mine, O mother o’ mine!
I know whose love would follow me still,
Mother o’ mine, O mother o’ mine!

If I were drowned in the deepest sea,
Mother o’ mine, O mother o’ mine!
I know whose tears would come down to me,
Mother o’ mine, O mother o’ mine!

If I were damned of body and soul,
I know whose prayers would make me whole,
Mother o’ mine, O mother o’ mine!

Motherhood

Many of our AMS employees have little ones, or teenage ones, at home and in need of care and attention. We know and appreciate the effort that goes into working and being a Mother. Up early in the morning to feed the little hungry ones. And then making sure all are cared for while Mom is at work. Then Mom comes into AMS and spends the day working in order to feed and house the family – the little hungry ones. Mother is exactly as expressed by Rudyard Kipling – the one whose love follows her children through all of their lives. She is deserving of a place of honor.

Two More Poems

We will conclude with two poems, the first a brief thought from Robert Louis Stevenson:

To My Mother
You too, my mother, read my rhymes
For love of unforgotten times,
And you may chance to hear once more
The little feet along the floor.

Mr. Stevenson knows he is and will always be, alive and well in the heart of his Mother, hence she hears his little feet along the floor.

Our final poem is a communication from a daughter to her Mother. The author is Sharlynn N. Manning. It’s a beautiful and truthful recognition that Mother offers hope, and things to believe in.

My Heart

She’s always been there for me.
Just talking to her can make me happy.
She tells me of the hard times she’s been through
In hopes that I won’t go through them, too.

She’s an independent woman of stature and grace.
She has beautiful eyes and a lovely face,
An audacious strength from deep inside.
In her I know I can confide.

She’s my guardian angel who’ll always be
A very special part of me.
She takes pride in caring for her kin.
She gives us hope and things to believe in.

If I didn’t have her there for me,
I wouldn’t be half the woman I turned out to be.

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All we can say is… to all Mothers from AMS Fulfillment… we wish you a wonderful Mother’s Day weekend and we honor your sacrifices on behalf of your children. Be well, be strong, and know you are Loved.

April is Earth Month, and several commemorative days, related to our beautiful earth, will be taking place. Earth Day will be celebrated on April 22, Arbor Day is on the 25th and National Parks Week will be from April 19 through the 27th . April is the perfect time to keep the environment on our minds. It’s the time when Light returns, as the winter is going and gone. Using the lunar calendar we would be at the beginning of the year on April 1st .

A Challenge

We found a website called earthmonth.ecochallenge.org. The organization has created an inspiring challenge to keep our minds on ways we can be a benefit to our shared Earth. Quoting from the website:

“Earth Month Ecochallenge, running from April 1st to April 30th, is a 30-day program focused on environmental and social engagement. During this month, you’re invited to select actions that resonate with your values, committing to them for 30 days to foster and reinforce positive habits. Each action you complete earns points and generates real-world impact. Your efforts, combined with those of your team, contribute to a significant collective difference.

“This year’s theme, ‘For Earth, For Each Other, For Tomorrow,’ is about fostering hope and inspiring action for a better future. Through daily actions and shared learning, we can create a more sustainable and equitable world – one where people and nature thrive together. Join us to discover how small steps today can create a ripple effect for future generations.”

Some Small Steps

As we give thought to what we might do during the month to show our gratitude for our beautiful Earth, and all of Life, we might utilize these questions: 1) What can we do to care for the land, water and air? 2) Is there some way we take action to protect wildlife? 3) What about our communities, and our connection with others and their environmental concerns? 4) How can we teach the children and empower the next generation to care for the Earth? 5) What about our own health and well-being? We are of the Earth too! 6) Are there new ideas cropping up – sustainable innovations we might support?

No Greenwashing at AMS

At AMSFulfillment.com, we recently posted a blog on the very sincere and impressive results of our efforts with regard to the environment. The article, entitled “B” Stands for “Benefit Corporation” goes into the extensive efforts undertaken by AMS to participate in the Carbon Disclosure Project, from which we gained a high score of SME B. AMS also participated in our first 4-Pillar SMETA Audit. Quoting from the article, we read the following:

“In AMS Climate Action, we recently completed our first 4-Pillar SMETA Audit in 2025, we continue to report our scope 1 and scope 2 greenhouse emissions and offset our emissions through credible projects or carbon neutrality. Our green team is focused on sustainability and waste management.”

AMS is committed year-round to environmental protection, and we continue during Earth Month, taking our own Small Steps.

Focus on the Earth

We encourage readers to focus on something, within your home or business, that meets one of the Small Steps mentioned above. Some commemoration months are worth paying attention to, and Earth Month is here. Let’s enjoy it and show our love for Life and our shared Earth. At AMS, the environment is a stakeholder.

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AMS Fulfillment is a Certified B Corporation, dedicated to People and Planet before Profit. We work to B the Change we wish to see in the world.

Over the month of March, we are recognizing what AMS has been doing that makes us an authentic and respected B Corporation. No greenwashing here! Our first in the series was a blog on the environment as a stakeholder in our business. We followed that offering with a blog on our employees as stakeholders. We are proud of what we’re doing to protect the environment, and we are even more proud of the work we are doing to protect our employees! Our communities are stakeholders as well, and we want to learn what AMS does to serve the communities in which we exist.

Samantha Hicks is our ESG program Manager. ESG stands for Environmental, Social, Governance Program. Her work is absolutely vital to AMS and to our B Corporation standing. We’re grateful that Samantha has agreed to talk with us about our communities and how the community is a stakeholder in our work and our decisions.

Interview with Samantha Hicks

AMS: Thank you, Samantha for talking with us about the community as a stakeholder. We hire persons who have difficulty finding work, such as persons with a disability, persons who have a judicial record, single parents, homeless persons. In doing this, we work with organizations in the community. Could you tell us a little more about the organizations, the work and how these relationships benefit the community?

Samantha: We work with some wonderful organizations and in doing so, we have a very positive impact on the communities we are located in. AMS works with Desert Haven. This organization trains people with developmental disabilities, preparing them for employment. Pleasant View Industries also helps developmentally disabled adults, and we have worked with them for some time. We work with a shelter, Valley Oasis Shelter, that helps victims of domestic violence and those with specialized needs and we work with Bridge to Home, which helps people who are vulnerable to homelessness.

Project Joy helps the underserved in the community, and we work with them. Both the Plummer Community Correctional Center and Second Chance Programs help individuals who have been incarcerated. Finally, we work with Goodwill and the Department of Labor. We hire from these organizations, and it goes without saying that our workforce is capable and highly valued. AMS offers free classroom education in English as a Second Language (ESL) and College of the Canyons Ready to Work Academy trains Special Needs participants in Logistics.

In working with these organizations AMS has a positive impact on the surrounding communities. Many of the jobs at AMS are entry-level jobs and we are happy to not only hire those in need, but we also do a great deal of training. AMS offers free classes, during work hours, not only teaching ESL but many other subjects to help our employees gain a higher education and advance through job training.

AMS: Some of our much appreciated employees like to volunteer within the community. Our employees have organized a ‘Green Team’ focused on environmental issues and another group of employees have formed a ‘Volunteer’ group in order to serve the community in other ways. In addition, our clients sometimes offer donations of their products which are then offered to the community. Could you tell us about our volunteer teams and the work they are doing?

Samantha: Making a meaningful difference where we live and work remains central to who we are as an organization. Employees across eight facilities in three states participate in local cleanup and fundraising events, raising thousands of dollars for a multitude of diverse non-profit organizations. We also have partnered with our clients many times, over the years, to donate inventory to those in need within our community.

Recently we did a Fortune Cookie fundraiser in order to assist one of our coworkers. We were able to donate $1,373 in that instance. We also donated to Direct Relief in response to the recent fires in California. We did a fundraiser for World Down Syndrome Day, donating $300 to a beautiful young man named Kyrain. And there is so much more. I’ll mention just a few of the fundraisers conducted by our Volunteer Committee: American Cancer Society – $1,000; Senior Concerns – $2,500; Homes for Families – $1,000; Boys and Girls Club, Lancaster, PA – $100; Luminaria Employee Fundraiser – $450; Maui Wildfire Relief – $1360 and there is more. Our volunteers did a clothing drive to benefit Hope of the Valley and a canned food drive for the SCV Food Pantry.

As we mentioned before, there are times when our clients donate products. AMS partners with local organizations and non-profits to help our clients minimize impact through donations, or responsible waste management practices; this final stage is a crucial part of a product’s lifecycle assessment (LCA) where companies can identify ways to reduce their overall environmental footprint. An example of what we are speaking about can be seen in a donation to Bridge to Home homeless shelter where one of our wonderful clients donated nearly 40 units of dish soap and laundry soap and surface cleaner.

As readers can see, AMS Fulfillment considers our communities to be stakeholders and we do our best to support many different and deserving organizations. Thank you to Samantha Hicks for giving us the details of this amazing work. You are the organizer and the motivating force behind our relationships with the communities, and we thank you sincerely for helping us celebrate B Corporation Month!

A couple of weeks ago we posted our first “B” Stands for “Benefit Corporation” blog, and we promised a second. In our first we let the readers know about our efforts on behalf of the environment. We’ve done a lot of work in that area and we do it with gratitude that we can. We love our beautiful, shared Earth and consider the environment a stakeholder in our business decisions.

In this second report we will make clear that the environment is not the only stakeholder in our B Corporation. We have a commitment to our employees, and we are proud to share with readers the respect we have for these stakeholders and our actions on their behalf.

Warehouse Safety at AMS

Employee safety is not a new concern for AMS. We have had a focus on safety from the beginning, because the bottom line is we care about our employees and we don’t want anyone injured in our warehouses. Our concern for safety is written in policies and procedures to ensure that workplace requirements are met. Some of these policies and procedures are common to all businesses and warehouses, and some go beyond the norm, indicating that at AMS, our concerns for safety are truly meant to protect our valued employees. We provide what others do, and then we provide more.

Procedures & Policies

*Appoint a manager with sufficient seniority who is responsible for implementing procedures.

*Communicate and train employees and other workers, including managers and supervisors, on relevant policies and procedures.

*Monitor the effectiveness of procedures to meet policy and workplace requirements.

Health & Safety

The facility has established procedures and policies included in the employee handbook regarding “Health & Safety” to ensure workplace requirements are met. Regular internal audits are conducted to verify that the requirements are relevant and met.

*AMS has appointed the Health & Safety Director who is responsible for implementing the management system.

*Relevant policies are communicated during orientation training with signed acknowledgment.

*Controls are in place in the form of training and communication to prevent accidents and injuries and to the health of the workers due to any unsafe working conditions.

*AMS is in the process of conducting a risk assessment for each position.

*AMS maintains all required certificates, inspections, permits, and records.

Safety Committee

AMS maintains a safety committee consisting of management and nonmanagement personnel. Health and Safety committee representatives from the workforce were chosen on a voluntary basis, as confirmed by both employees and management during interviews. The safety committee members from the workers’ side confirm that they can openly discuss with management and other employees about any issue. The safety committee members also confirmed that there is no issue of discrimination for being a member of the safety committee. The safety committee holds monthly meetings. The output of the meeting is communicated through a noticeboard.

Provisions and Inspections

Employees are trained during orientation and refresher training is provided annually including: Fire Extinguisher, Blood Borne Pathogen Training, Hazcom Training, Forklift Operator training / certifications, First Aid/CPR Training.

AMS is equipped with first aid kits that are sufficient in number. First aid boxes are checked weekly. Regarding PPE, all workers are issued the required steel toed boots at no cost.

AMS has an accident/ investigation and an OSHA reporting system by using 300, 300 A to record all accidents.

AMS does not restrict workers from leaving or stopping working when there is imminent danger at risk.

AMS has an Emergency Action Plan: Filed with CERS 10/29/24 cert# 10867204.

All AMS facilities have ample emergency exits, emergency lighting and fire extinguishers, all of which have up to date inspection tags including Fire Extinguisher Annual inspections: AXES Fire Corp January 2025.

In addition, we provide: / *Fire Extinguisher Monthly Inspections. /*Emergency Lighting PM. /*Eyewash Station Testing conducted on a weekly basis. / *An adequate number of eyewash stations available throughout every site with weekly inspections done. /*Pre-Shift Forklift inspections done per the requirement. /*Every facility conducts fire drills on all shifts. /*All machinery is properly installed and used safely. /*All chemicals are stored with Safety Data Sheets (SDS). Chemical-related trainings. /*Each site ensures and provides clean toilets and filters potable drinking water for employees.

Warehouse Hazards

How can people get injured in a warehouse? Well, here are a few of the potential hazards:

#1 – Slips, trips, and falls: To combat this possibility we keep our work areas well-lit and free of hazards. And we keep the floors clean and dry. We also encourage employees to wear appropriate footwear.

#2 – Ergonomic injuries: We train our employees on how to safely lift items, and not attempt to lift something too heavy or cumbersome. Mechanical lifting equipment should always be used when needed.

#3 – Vehicle accidents: We properly maintain all of our vehicles used in the warehouses, and our drivers are properly trained and licensed. They are also given adequate breaks.

#4 – Exposure to hazardous materials: This is a vital safety area. Workers whose job requires handling hazardous materials, are given training on safe handling and are provided with the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE).

With regard to ergonomics, there is an additional concern. Some of our tasks require repetitive movement. We design our tasks to fit the worker but we also train employees in the best methods of avoiding strain on the body. We believe that with proper training and attention, strain can be avoided. We consider ergonomic training to be a much-needed safety and wellness program, and we are glad to put an emphasis on it.

Education and Training

Now that we have covered our policies and procedures related to safety in the workplace we will look into how we give our employees opportunities for advancement. One of the things that we are most proud of, and one of the things that brings us the most success, is the free on-campus education and training we offer during work hours.

Around ten years ago AMS set up, at the Valencia campus, a fully equipped classroom in association with the local College of the Canyons. Today the classes are fully utilized by our employees, in person at the Valencia facility and via Zoom to our other facilities. The classes include some college-level subjects, ESL, and some training offerings to expand job skills. We provide the laptops in conference rooms, and we also utilize large screens. Our classes include beginning and advanced courses. When the classroom was first created, the employees named it, “Advance My Skills Learning Center” and it has served to do just that for hundreds of employees.

Mental Health and Health Advocate Support

AMS offers excellent healthcare benefits, and we encourage full use of these benefits for health concerns. Another benefit that we are proud of is our free Employee Assistance Program (EAP). This program offers mental health and other types of counseling and assistance to our employees and their families free of charge. The EAP also includes having access to professional legal assistance. There are tools to help with financial decisions and resources and dependent and elder care resources. All of these as well as help in overcoming substance abuse and other addictions. This program is free and a very helpful plus for our employees.

Happy B Corporation Month

And there we have it! Our second “B” Stands for “Benefit Corporation” report. We are glad to be able to celebrate this commemoratory month with stories that strengthen us. We are doing our best to be a Benefit to the world and we plan to keep on. We’re into being a “B”.

When it’s Saint Patrick’s Day, what does that mean? We know it’s time for Guinness, and shamrocks, good luck and parades. What is it we’re celebrating? For most of us it’s the Irish culture as we imagine it. We’ve decided to look into the history and see what the story is. Who was St. Patrick, what did he do to become such an icon – a Patron Saint!!

Some Lesser-Known Facts

Ireland’s patron saint, St. Patrick, is believed to have been born as Maewyn Succat and later adopted the moniker by which he’s known today. An article in Biography dot com [LINK] tells us seven lesser-known facts.

Saint Patrick wasn’t Irish is fact #1. Apparently, he was born in England in 385 AD. According to their story, Irish pirates kidnapped him at age 16 and sold him into slavery. That’s a surprise fact… Irish pirates sold people into slavery!!

Fact #2 is that he taught himself to read and write. Apparently his only education was what he learned from a French bishop and he knew the basic Latin, but nothing else. When he was a missionary, he found this to be embarrassing and so he determined to read and write, and found a way to teach himself.

The fact #3 has to do with the Celtic cross. Some believe that Saint Patrick is the one who created this symbol with the circle on the cross being intended as a halo. Today people put the Celtic cross on tombstones and other surfaces. He used the pagan symbolism – the circle of light – to help him convert pagans to Christianity.

Fact #4 lets us know where the shamrock symbolism comes from. Apparently, Saint Patrick used the shamrock to explain the Holy Trinity. The shamrock is recognized as the national flower of Ireland today and the reason it endures and represents Irish pride is the use of it by Saint Patrick as a religious tool.

The fact #5 has to do with the color green – the original color for St. Patrick was blue. After the Order of Saint Patrick was established, the color of the Order had to stand out from what came before, and since dark green was what came before, the Order of Saint Patrick chose blue. Over time it has changed back to green.

Fact #6 has to do with the story of Saint Patrick chasing away snakes. The truth is that Ireland didn’t have snakes at that time since the island was surrounded by icy water. The article speculates that the “snakes” he is supposed to have driven out were symbolic – pointing toward representatives of the Druids and the Pagans in Ireland since they were considered evil.

Our final fact, fact #7, is that Saint Patrick was never canonized by a Pope. His “saint” status is questionable, but he wasn’t the only saint that didn’t go through a canonization. Most of the saints from his time period were given the title if they were martyrs or if they were looked upon as being holy.

Some Significant History…

Our first info is a surprising story – it was slavery that brought Ireland’s patron saint to its shore. We will quote from the History website [LINK].

“Early in the 5^th century, an Irish ship beat against the waves along the western coast of Great Britain. On the far edge of the crumbling Roman Empire, a band of Irish marauders crept into a secluded cove and raided the village of Bannavem Taburniae. Among the plunder captured by the band of warriors dispatched by Ireland’s King Niall of the Nine Hostages was a 16-year-old boy named Succat. Although brought to Ireland against his will, the teenager would go on to become Ireland’s patron saint. Saint Patrick may have been a foreigner who arrived in Ireland in the hold of a pagan king’s slave ship, but he would become synonymous with the island itself.”

According to the story, Patrick was born into a well-to-do family and grew up, until he was captured, in Wales which was part of the Roman Empire. Christianity was in his family, as his father was a deacon and his grandfather a priest.

Slavery and Escape from Slavery

Apparently the raid where he was captured was not unusual. The article states, “We know from a few other late Roman sources that the Irish had been raiding western Britain regularly for at least a century before Patrick was captured in the early 400s, just as the Saxons had been raiding in the east of Britain. One of the most horrifying features of the period is the wholesale enslavement of freemen and women. In the slavery business, no tribe was fiercer or more feared than the Irish. As Roman power waned, forays by Irish raiders grew more common. On a regular basis, they plundered animals and clothes and snatched children from their sleep in the middle of the night. They abducted young men to herd sheep and cows and young women to serve them.

“Deprived of food and clothes, Patrick lived in virtual isolation. His only companions were his flock and his newfound faith. Amid the desolation, Patrick’s Christianity blossomed. He prayed as many as 100 times during the day—and matched that total at night.”

Saint Patrick wrote his own story, which is called Confessio. In his story, he said that an angel appeared in a dream and guided him toward freedom and a return to home. Following the angel’s instruction he walked through 200 miles of bogs and forests and found a cargo ship bound for the European continent.

Here is the rest of the story as he told it: “His parents begged him to never leave them again, but the religious visions returned and presented Patrick with a different plan. He heard the voice of the Irish call out, “We beg you, holy boy, to come and walk again among us.” After a period of religious training, he was ordained a deacon around 418 A.D. and in 432 A.D. consecrated as a bishop and given the name Patricius.”

And there we have it – the story of how Patricius became the Patron Saint of Ireland – Saint Patrick!

Have a Great Saint Patrick’s Day!!

We hope you have something fun planned for the day, and of course we hope this story has added to your enjoyment of the day!!

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AMS Fulfillment is a Certified B Corporation, dedicated to People and Planet before Profit. We work to B the Change we wish to see in the world.