In this blog series we discuss the work of the AMS “Green Team” in creating an earth-friendly workplace environment. Recently, when we looked into green energy practices undertaken by other fulfillment companies, it became apparent that AMS stands out as a model for other companies that are ‘thinking green’.
When we look at fulfillment companies, we see big warehouses that need to be heated, cooled and cleaned; we see racks and pallets, cardboard boxes and filler packaging; we see forklifts and powered machinery; we see an office with supplies, paperwork, and we see a lot of people traveling to work, eating and drinking, and traveling home. All of these things offer an opportunity to consider the environment, and AMS has a history of doing just that.
AMS is a B Corporation and a “green” fulfillment company, and some of our efforts to be environmentally conscious have been in effect since we began. Recycling started in the company’s office nearly 20 years ago. Over the years the recycling became companywide and included racks and pallets. We gave attention to using the right size of packaging to prevent waste and began choosing packaging with air-filled biodegradable plastics. In 2018 the Green Team implemented our first partnership with Republic in recyclable bin sortation to sort landfill vs. recycling. And so, a green fulfillment company will be recycling and re-using, purchasing recycled products, using them wisely and sorting for landfill vs. recycling.
What about cleaning, heating and cooling the warehouse spaces? AMS uses eco-friendly cleaning agents, disinfectants and cleaning solutions. We also have installed LED lighting and natural skylights in every warehouse, and energy efficient bulbs. Breakroom lighting is motion censored, and lobbies are predominantly naturally lit. With regard to equipment, AMS partnered with energy saving consultants to reduce electrical consumption by 10% per hour of charge time from forklifts using charging stations, and we have replaced our propane powered machinery with rechargeable battery-type machines.
What about the employees? A number of AMS employees have taken advantage of our offering of Vanpool. AMS has adopted and has maintained an average of three Vanpools, and this has taken an average of 21 vehicles off the road, reducing emissions and saving on employee gas and car maintenance. AMS installed an electric charging car station at our Headquarters. Also, we use biodegradable paper products for employee events, and we have placed purified water dispensers in each warehouse to encourage the re-usable AMS water bottles which every employee is given.
There are many ways for a fulfillment company to ‘think green’ and we’re committed to do our best, and as a B Corporation, do our part on behalf of the planet. AMS is collaborating with 3rd party Carbon Neutral Experts, along with College of the Canyons LEED Interns, to identify, and increase environmental sustainability in our warehouses across the board. And finally, AMS West Green Team and the AMS East Green Team officially launched their joint efforts this January and we look forward to sharing their progress.
Chinese New Year, also called lunar new year, has begun. Businesses that rely on imports from China historically have taken note of this holiday as it has an effect on manufacturing and shipping. Chinese New Year has been something to anticipate and prepare for, over the years. But this year ‘more’ is expected, as explained in a recent article in Supply Chain Drive. During this holiday, when historically factories and ports in China have shut down, there are even more uncertainties due to Covid restrictions and quarantines.
Quoting from the article: “In previous years, factory output in China during the Lunar New Year was affected by the number of workers who took extended holidays. This year it is unclear if China will allow millions of workers to travel for holidays due to strict COVID lockdown policies… even if people can travel, they may need to quarantine before returning to work.”
The 2022 Chinese New Year began on Tuesday, February 1st. It signals the beginning of a very extensive festival that marks the end of Winter and the beginning of Spring.
An article in East West magazine explains that businesses shut down about 10 days before the New Year to allow workers to travel home, stating that “…the holiday can disrupt production and shipping schedules for up to three weeks or more. Since China is an economic giant in the global exporting industry, the effects of CNY can ripple around the world, especially for retailers and anyone else who relies on imports from China.”
So that explains the Lunar New Year supply chain concerns. If products don’t ship prior to the New Year, they could be delayed by a month because both the manufacturing and the ports close down. The article has a number of recommendations for companies that source from China. Click HERE to read more.
What is the Chinese New Year holiday about? It is a colorful, exciting, enjoyable time with family, with events, parades, amazing foods, fireworks, and lots of fun. The celebrations are based on the Chinese zodiac, utilizing animals and elements to predict what is to come in the new year.
What does the Year of the Tiger have in store for us? The following paragraphs have our answer:
“The Year of the Rat (2020) was about survival, and the Year of the Ox (2021) was about anchoring ourselves in a new reality. The Year of the Tiger will be about making big changes. This will be a year of risk-taking and adventure. We’re finding enthusiasm again, both for ourselves and for others. Everyone is fired up, generosity is at an all-time high and social progress feels possible again.
“The Tiger is associated with Yang (masculine, active) energy. Tigers do things their own way and hate being told what to do. Expect things to rapidly change this year. Sudden disruptions in career, romance and home life should be expected. Some of us will thrive through taking great leaps, while others might crash and burn. So while it’s important to follow our intuition and run with our wildest dreams, that means we also have to keep our egos in check.”
The Chinese Zodiac also gives attention to the five elements: earth, wood, metal, fire and water. These elements affect the animal sign. In 2022 the tiger is the ‘water tiger’. The horoscopes say that water brings out the emotions and water tigers are family oriented. The water tiger wants to do what’s best for everyone.
That’s a good forecast!! Water Tiger! We will want to do what’s best for everyone in 2022! Sounds like a perfect year for a B Corporation!!
We’re grateful that there is a month dedicated to studying Black history as it offers the opportunity to look at the big picture and evaluate where we stand at AMS. Black history is American history and world history; it is past and current.
As a B Corporation, AMS Fulfillment has committed to practice diversity, equity and inclusion in all of our decisions. As we set a higher standard we also recognize that the violation of human rights is still with us in this world, and we still have a way to go.
Black history in the US begins with a decision to deny the humanity of another human for the sake of extracting a profit. The following is a quote from an excellent documentary film, The Story of American Slavery:
“The slavers… they knew that these were human beings, because they were, obviously. They were clearly human beings. At the same time, they were objects of profit, and those two concepts couldn’t really be reconciled. And they never were reconciled. The humanity of these slavers was simply suppressed for the sake of gold. And the shocking thing is that human beings are able, indefinitely, to suppress the urgings of their common humanity… and to deny it for the sake of making profits.”
Today in the US, and at AMS, we’re dedicated to repairing that decision by honoring every human being, and treating every human being fairly for our own sake – perhaps the word should be Equity.
A very important decision in history, and one that should be studied in order to understand our world, is a decision made in the early American colonies. The landowner class imported indentured servants. There was an instance where two white men and one black man who were servants (slaves for a time period of several years), escaped. They were caught. America’s destiny was decided by the judicial decision that followed: the white men were given a couple of extra years of slavery and the black man was given enslavement for the rest of his natural life.
What does it take to repair that decision? It certainly takes a month dedicated to the study of Black history… and more. There is a reward for looking into this history, and that is the opportunity to see victories of the human spirit – the times when heroic people stood for what they Knew was right, sometimes at a great cost. We still have work to do, but there has been true progress for every American in the victories of Black Americans.
Finally, Samantha Hicks, AMS Programs and Services, offered her thoughts on this special month of learning:
“AMS constantly strives to ensure we have diversity through best hiring practices, DEI and Leadership training, and promotional opportunities. We are proud to have strong Black Leaders, as well as our amazing support group.”
During Black History Month AMS also produces ‘spotlights’ on the warehouse TV screens, and these include nominated employees. The month will begin with a tribute to Chris Bolden, Supervisor, who started as a General Warehouse position, and earned his way to Leading a Team.
Thank you for your exemplary performance during the month of December: Kiara L., Sara A., Destiny S., Eloisa R., Alexus S., Dominga G., Robert T., Jim G., and Brooke P.
In the fulfillment industry, employees directly serve the company’s clients, making their efforts vital to the growth and success of the business. At AMS Fulfillment we appreciate and value our employees, and we respect and invest in them.
The following nominations demonstrate that the individual being recognized has gone above and beyond and deserves Special Thanks! All winners will receive an Employee of the Month Certificate & T-Shirt!
Kiara L., Assistant Account Manager (03/02/2020) HQ Admin, Valencia CA
I nominate Kiara for EOM because whenever I have a question, she is always willing to lend a hand and help any team member out. I believe Kiara is a great person to nominate because she is friendly, hardworking, and motivated. When I started last year, she guided me and welcomed me to the team without hesitation. Kiara accepts everyone for who they are and embraces our differences. She is great to work with because she is a go-getter and truly inspires me to work hard and never give up on my goals here at AMS. Kiara is always encouraging people to try their best and she truly deserves this! She is a great candidate for employee of the month!
Sara A., General Warehouse III (08/26/2019) HQ Warehouse, Valencia CA
I nominate Sara for Employee of the Month for December because she did a fantastic job helping us with the TJ computer area during peak season. Sara is always there when you need her and comes into work every day with a positive attitude.
Destiny S., Operations Lead I (10/30/2020) WIL, Valencia, CA
I nominate Destiny for Employee of the Month because Destiny always comes to work with a great attitude. She leads a team that must do a lot of detailed work and she and her team do a great job for the clients. Destiny is always available for overtime when requested and it does not matter what client it is for. She will always go where she is asked to go. Great job Destiny!
Eloisa R., General Warehouse II (07/05/2019) WIT, Valencia, CA
I nominate Eloisa for December EOM for her hard work and dedication. Eloisa has been helping operations and returns to complete all their deadlines. We are happy to have her as part of the WIT team.
Alexus S., General Warehouse III (11/14/2019) LIV, Valencia, CA
I nominate Alexus for EOM for December because she’s an amazing team player. She is always up to learn something new and take on any challenge. Although she is a part of returns, she helped the shipping team tremendously during the busiest time from Black Friday through the month of December. She’s and excellent asset to AMS and I’m proud she is a part of our team!
Dominga G., Maintenance (05/04/2021) HAR, Valencia, CA
I nominate Dominga for EOM because she is truly the best. She has managed to keep our building clean and sanitized. She is a great addition to the Harrison building. When she has down time, she always jumps in to help production and is a true team player. We are really looking forward to keeping her. Thank you for all you do!
Robert T., Operations Supervisor (11/30/2020) New Holland, PA
I nominate Robert for EOM because he is friendly, helpful and has a great attention to detail, with a first one in, last one out mentality. Robert has a very strong passion for inventory and takes a lot of pride in his work. He is always willing to go out of his way to fix issues and help others regardless how busy he is.
Jim G., DFC Supervisor (06/12/2001) New Castle, DE
I nominate Jim for EOM because he has been in the printing industry for 45 years. He creates artwork, takes photos, and prints materials for our clients without hesitation. He is willing to help in other areas when needed. Jim displays a level of dedication that has been extremely valuable to the company.
Brooke KP., DFC Group Lead (04/26/2021) Newark, DE
I would like to nominate Brooke for EOM because during my time being on vacation she did an outstanding job running the facility. She got all tasks done perfectly and in a timely manner. She made sure orders were printed, fulfilled, and she got the kitting completed as well. She really stepped up and took care of business while I was away. I couldn’t ask for a better job than what she did. Thank You!
To all of our Honorees, please know that whatever role you play, you are the reason for our success. Congratulations and Thank You!
At AMS, Covid safety protocols were established early in 2020, and those decisions and changes are recorded earlier in this Safety Blog Series. Many things were put into place at AMS, including 6’ distancing, masks, extensive and deep cleaning, sanitizing stations, more bathrooms, temperature taking, testing, virtual rather than in-person tours, working from home, separation in lunchroom and collective spaces and so forth.
The steps taken to protect the health of our employees were extensive, and successful. We did not see any outbreaks at AMS, and for those employees who did get exposed at some location and suffered the virus, we are confident our protections saved their co-workers from exposure.
Our effort now, in 2022, is in continuing the Covid safety procedures with the same energy and consistency as when we began. And in addition, we are offering vaccination clinics for employees, their families, and people from other companies that work nearby. Seven clinics have been held so far with the eighth scheduled on February 11th.
For many people, there is a weariness that comes with continuing the efforts over the long haul, and our work at AMS has been to realize this pandemic is not over, and not let the weariness enter our space.
We spoke with Matthew Warholy, Security & Safety Manager at AMS, and he agreed that we all have to stay vigilant.
“This virus isn’t going away just yet,” he said. “We all have to remember to continue to use the safety protocols that we’ve learned in the last two years. Hand washing, temperature taking etc. Even if you have had the virus, you can get it again. You can also pass it along to co-workers, friends, family and complete strangers. Yes, the vaccination helps immensely, but you can still catch it and get sick, be hospitalized or die. Why take that chance of passing it along? Please, if you’re sick, stay home. Go and get tested for your own safety. Wear your mask over your nose and mouth. If you carpool, don’t take the chance of infecting others. If you do get sick, make sure that others living with you quarantine also. Taking these precautions will prevent illnesses in others and save lives.”
To read the Safety blogs in our series and see the careful actions AMS has taken over the past two years, please click HERE.
The World Economic Forum (WEF) has been in the news lately as we learned that the annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, scheduled for 17-21 January, went from in-person to virtual. For many years Davos has been a meeting where heads of state and government, corporate CEOs, representatives of civil society and the media get together to discuss the WEF concerns.
Included on the agenda is discussion of ways and means for environmental sustainability. While some may object to Davos for various reasons, corporations and businesses are increasingly in agreement with their environmental concerns and are taking steps to protect and preserve the environment. This is indeed a great advancement forward. The environment has become a stakeholder.
We also appreciate the WEF discussions of who are the stakeholders in a business that is to be considered successful. No longer is profit the one and only measure of success in a corporation. In a sense, if it is authentic and not just a marketing effort, considering the environment, the employees, the community and the clients as having a stake in the decisions of a corporation is very exciting progress!
AMS has been ‘on this page’ for years. Several years ago the company gained B Corporation certification and shortly thereafter became a certified Social Enterprise. Our commitment to “Being the Change” is real, and we are convinced that this is the way of the future – it is the growing up of humanity.
Not that long ago toxic waste and pollutants were shrugged off as the cost of doing business, labor was exploited and discrimination was commonplace. The world is changing, and one can only attribute it to the human being realizing that the Earth is my Home, and the ‘Other’ is my Brother.
The benefit corporation movement started in 2006 with B Lab. B Lab was simply three friends who shared the same vision, of business as a force for good. The first 82 Certified B Corporations were certified in 2007. We don’t know if the WEF was discussing stakeholder capitalism back then, but we do know that those three people who envisioned being the change, have definitely started something good. We can look to history and be very grateful for the changes we see.
A recent article at bthechange dot com asks how to know whether a company is really purposeful, or just marketing that way. The article points out that B Corp is a legal structure that has requirements that companies are obliged to uphold, so the question would be… are you a B Corporation?
“More than 10,000 companies worldwide have signed on to a legal structure known as the benefit corporation that incorporates creating value for all stakeholders, including workers, consumers, the environment, and community. These businesses are executing on their mission and values while overturning the concept of shareholder primacy — which prioritizes profits, even when derived from behaviors that create inequality, environmental damage, and social fragmentation.”
What was on the Davos agenda this year? Since the event itself was cancelled, and the meeting was held virtually, we see that they have discussed equitable vaccine R&D and manufacturing; clean energy, new tech, and navigating change; and Omicron and Covid 19. These are the pressuring issues at this time and we hope the discussions went well.
Please visit the AMS Fulfillment blog for numerous articles about the efforts of our Green Team; on-campus college-level education for employees, plus ESL; our passion for employee safety; our hiring practices and DE&I focus, and so much more.
AMS Fulfillment has a ten-year history of giving over the holidays that is unique and very special to our employees. Long before AMS became a B Corporation, the culture was very much focused on community involvement, charitable giving, and having a positive impact on our communities.
Over the years, during the holiday season, our employees have donated food and gifts to families in the community through the “Adopt a Family” program of the Val Verde Youth Activity League (YAL). The YAL is a nonprofit organized by the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department. The “Adopt a Family” holiday giving is an AMS company tradition that we cherish.
These very challenging pandemic years have caused the company to adapt to circumstances, but nothing has stopped the giving. In late October 2021, Samantha Hicks of AMS’ HR Programs and Services, assisted by Erica Martinez, announced the Holiday program via email and on company TV screens and promotional fliers in the warehouse breakrooms. The donations came in and by November and December of 2021 they were able to make their plans reality.
For Thanksgiving, knowing the difficulty of these unusual times, the organizers agreed that charity begins at home. The focus of the fundraising was upon helping AMS employees who were experiencing temporary difficulties, and we were very grateful to provide full Thanksgiving meals to a small number of AMS families.
For the Christmas giving we once again turned to the YAL families. AMS was able to provide $250 gift cards and full dinners to twenty of the YAL Val Verde families. The cards and dinners were delivered to the families by Ken and Betty-Lou Wiseman, Erica Martinez and AMS employees.
Ken Wiseman is AMS’ Chief Workforce Development Officer and Betty-Lou Wiseman is President of AMS West. Over the years Ken and Betty-Lou have been present and dedicated to the community, leading the effort for the “Adopt a Family” program and a number of other community programs.
Appreciation goes out to Ken and Betty-Lou, Samantha and Erica, and all AMS employees who reached in their pockets and donated their time to make the season of giving real for so many in the community! Thank You!
We’ve entered the new year, and as we look forward, we also look back to see what was accomplished in the previous year. In #27 of our B Corp series, we have visited the bthechange.com website and reviewed what they consider the top 21 stories published in 2021. In considering which ones to feature we remembered back to our experience of 2021 and the efforts AMS made with regard to the environment and with regard to diversity, equity and inclusion. We’ve selected two articles that are related to AMS and our interests over the year.
We have chosen an article published in March of 2021 on the supply chain and an article published in February of 2021 featuring anti-racism resources. The supply chain article features two companies that are familiar as B Corporations – Seventh Generation and Natura & Co. These companies are known for the attention they give to their suppliers, making sure their supply chain is focused on employees, and environmental health and sustainability. The supply chain article was published in recognition of B Corp Month, and the second article was published in recognition of Black History Month. It provides an anti-racist reading list, links to Black-owned bookstores that sell online, plus a long list of articles, films, videos and music. We hope you enjoy these featured articles.
B Corps Doing Business Better: Screening Supply Chains for Positive Impact
By Screening Suppliers for Environmental and Social Practices, B Corps Benefit People and Planet
“As we continue to celebrate B Corp Month, we share examples of just a few of the B Corps that are strengthening the stakeholder capitalism model by evaluating supplier environmental and social practices, and raising the bar for all companies to do business better.” Click HERE to read more.
Anti-Racism Resources: 47 Books, Podcasts, Movies, and More
“B Lab and the global community of Certified B Corporations are continuously developing ways to build a more just, inclusive, and actively anti-racist economy. For those interested in self-education on this topic, the team at B Lab U.S. & Canada has compiled a list of 47 recommended reading and viewing resources on systemic racism and injustice. The majority of this list was originally published on B Lab’s Anti-Racism Resources landing page in 2020. We are uplifting it now in honor of Black History Month in the United States.” Click HERE to read more.
We hope our readers are enjoyed the season of giving, and we wish everyone a wonderful new year. Let’s move forward into making it the best year ever!
AMS Fulfillment has a strong focus on employee safety, to the degree that we have created a blog series on safety as an example of what we, as a B Corporation, consider best practices. In the past year we have produced two blogs on ‘lost time’ injuries, covering the reason that AMS has such an outstanding record; three blogs on pandemic safety measures including our upgrade to using UV light to kill the virus; a blog on the extensive forklift safety training that AMS requires; a blog on fire and heat safety measures; a report on our OSHA challenge training and a blog on general warehouse safety.
We reported on the vaccine clinics being held at AMS, including how AMS organized the clinics, working with a group called Veritas which works directly with LA County. We also interviewed Marco Pelaez, AMS’ VP of Operations about the clinics. In this report we return to the subject of vaccine clinics for an update from Marco.
The following is his report:
“On January 7th AMS held its seventh successful vaccination clinic with 140 people receiving their first or second dose, or booster shot. This number included children from five to nine years old. Also we were able to provide vaccinations to employees from two other companies located nearby.
“We started our first clinic in July of last year. Since that time we have had seven clinics and are going into the eighth one next month. We have provided over 500 vaccines. With this project we have increased safety for our employees, and that is something we are grateful for. As of this last clinic, 95% of our employees are fully vaccinated and now we are going outside of AMS and inviting other companies to send employees who want to get their vaccines to our clinics.
“Our employees are welcoming these services with open arms knowing that the only thing they need to do is to show up and be vaccinated during their working hours without losing any time or pay. Thanks, everyone for your support.”
AMS Fulfillment appreciates the opportunity to serve not only our employees and their families, but other businesses in the vicinity and citizens in the community.
Thank you for your exemplary performance during the month of November: Russell M., Ken S., Alonso V., Ana C., Dustin H., Analida H., Ernest W., Sara D., and Bri F.
In the fulfillment industry, employees directly serve the company’s clients, making their efforts vital to the growth and success of the business. At AMS Fulfillment we appreciate and value our employees, and we respect and invest in them.
The following nominations demonstrate that the individual being recognized has gone above and beyond, and deserves Special Thanks! All Winners will receive an Employee of the Month Certificate & T-Shirt!
Russell M., Operations Supervisor I (03/11/2015) HAR, Valencia CA
I nominate Russel M. for November Employee of the Month. He really came through for the building and pulled us through the madness of the last few weeks.
Ken S., IT Support and Integration Manager (08/09/2012) HQ Admin, Valencia CA
I Nominate Ken S. for November’s Employee of the Month because he has been an exceptional help to us and especially to me. He helped launch engraving and gift boxing for my client. He was always willing to help and always had an answer, and when he didn’t, he made sure to find out for us. His willingness to help and answer questions and suggest solutions is what makes him invaluable. The Client is also very pleased with Ken’s attitude and willingness to help. We appreciate you, Ken!
Alonso V., Shipping Supervisor I (10/26/2004) HQ Warehouse, Valencia CA
I Nominate Alonzo V. for November Employee of the Month because from day one he has helped me learn the business even when it did not pertain to his job duty. I see him sorting, lifting, and moving stuff all over the warehouse day in and day out. He worries about all and assures we all are safe. He coaches all new forklift drivers and mentors them until they are capable of driving on their own. He handles his department efficiently and helps me out when it is hectic. He is beyond AMS expectations.
Ana C., Operations Supervisor I (01/27/2015) WIL, Valencia, CA
I Nominate Ana C. for Employee of the Month because Ana is a go getter! She takes over any responsibility given to her and she manages the Sunday and second shift successfully. Ana is always willing to teach anyone the process for each client. She loves helping the team wherever help is needed even on her days off. Williams would not be Williams without her.
Dustin H., VAS Returns Supervisor (07/06/2020) WIT, Valencia CA
I would like to nominate Dustin H. for Employee of the Month. He helped so much during 4th quarter and made a real difference with the flow of work and he helped manage the floor.
Analida H., Inventory Receiving Supervisor I (09/23/2011) LIV, Valencia CA
I Nominate Analida H. for November Employee of the Month because she has been working at AMS for more than 10 years. She is the Inventory Supervisor and has been doing an excellent job. Her organization skills are a great tool for her and her team to get a project done in an effective and accurate way. Analida has been working under a lot of pressure. November was a big test for her, Black Friday/ Cyber Monday demanded more from her than any other time of the year. Analida kept the shipping process running smoothly and efficiently as much as possible.
Ernest W., Receiver (05/26/2021) Newark, DE
I’d like to nominate Ernest W. for Employee of the Month. He really came through for the team during peak in Newark. His work ethic and attention to detail shined when we needed it the most. He is a Great asset to the Newark team.
Sara D., DFC Operator (11/01/2021) New Castle, DE
I’d like to nominate Sara D. for Employee of the Month. Sara was recently converted from temp to full-time status here and moved from assembly to the receiving department. She has quickly become one of our most reliable forklift operators. She has also been a constant volunteer to arrive early every morning to ensure replen’s are started for the day. She has traveled to PA on several occasions this past month to add labor for their increased demand and has been willing to jump in any department to assist with fulfillment when the volume demands are high. She also displays a very positive attitude towards work and has been a pleasure to have on our team!
Bri F., DFC Group Leader (02/18/2019) New Holland, PA
I nominate Bri F. for Employee of the Month for November. Bri has displayed a level of dedication that has been extremely valuable to the operation. Perfect attendance, extra hours and effective problem solving, combined with a positive attitude and good leadership, are just a few of the things she brings to the table.
To all of our Honorees, please know that whatever role you play, you are the reason for our success. Congratulations and Thank You!
AMS Fulfillment is making a Holiday donation on behalf of our valued clients to the Rainforest Trust and specifically the Rainforest Climate Action Fundsupporting high-impact projects in three types of forests; Frontier, Super-Sequesters and Carbon Vaults. We are confident that our clients join with us in concern for the future of our shared world.
Rainforest Trust focuses on saving real acres of rainforest through land purchases and designations. As we all know, deforestation and the burning of forests is a significant contributor of climate change-causing greenhouse gases. Studies indicate that tropical deforestation accounts for up to 15% of net global carbon emissions each year with nearly 70,000 acres of tropical forest lost every day. When we prevent deforestation, all of that carbon remains safely stored away in the forests.
In 2020, the world lost over 30.1 million acres of tropical forest, which is nearly an acre per second. This rampant destruction of forests dumped 2.64 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide into our atmosphere. That’s more than double all annual vehicle emissions in the USA.
AMS is proud to contribute to Rainforest Trust and the Rainforest Climate Action Fund on behalf of our clients, our employees, our community and our investors. We believe that donating to this fund may be the most effective tool we have, at this time, to fight climate change and create a healthier future for our planet and all who inhabit it.
For information on the work of the Rainforest Trust, and to see their inspiring completed projects that are protecting vital rainforest habitat for numerous threatened species, please visit their website at legacy.rainforesttrust.org.
Looking back into the last 12 months we see a lot going on at AMS. AMS Fulfillment is a company that has a strong commitment to workforce development; diversity, equity, inclusion and promotion from within; community service; safety of employees; growth and bringing together AMS East and West; top notch service to clients and respect for the environment. We’ve been doing it all, and in this writing we’ll look at some of the highlights of the year.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion:
In February the “Wall of Justice” mural was installed in the AMS classroom. This mural was created to recognize the March for Change that took place at AMS in response to the murder of George Floyd. At the installation, Ken Wiseman, AMS’ Chief Workforce Development Officer, offered some inspiring words: “This ‘Wall of Justice Mural’ memorializes and reflects our pledge towards Diversity, Equity and Inclusivity. Pause to look at it now and again, as its images and words represent the best of AMS moving forward.”
In March Ken Wiseman, was nominated for the Los Angeles Business Journal’s Diversity, Inclusion and Equity Award! He joined four other nominees on a panel called “Master Class on Diversity, Inclusion & Equity.”
AMS celebrated Women’s Equality Day in September by featuring and interviewing Betty-Lou Wiseman, President of AMS West; Kim Peszek, VP Client Engagement AMS East; and Carmen Kernek, Vice President of Human Resources.
In November the organization Diversity Works conducted an interview with Ken Wiseman in which Ken gave examples of how employees are respected as stakeholders. That interview was made available on YouTube.
Workforce Safety:
As readers are aware, AMS has a strong and consistent commitment to workforce safety. Throughout 2020 many steps were taken to keep covid infections at bay. We placed hand washing/sanitizing stations, pumps and wipes in our buildings; we brought in a 3rd Party cleaning agency to first do a deep cleaning in each building, and then provide 2-3 people onsite at each building each day to provide incremental sanitizing and cleaning services. We developed a checklist for all high-risk common touch areas that must get sanitized a minimum of 4x per day. In February of 2021 we stopped using steam cleaners and switched to spraying guns equipped with UV lights. The UV light is used in conjunction with a special mix that kills all viruses including COVID-19.
In June AMS held an OSHA Challenge and also scheduled the second Vaccine Clinic on campus with great success. About the vaccine clinics, Marco Pelaez, AMS VP of Operations said, “AMS rolled out their second vaccination clinic with a great success delivering close to 100 vaccines of which 70% were the second dose for our employees and family members, the other 30% were employees getting their first dose.”
AMS held a third mobile vaccination clinic on July 15th and the vaccine clinics continued throughout the Summer and Fall with the latest clinic being held on December 3rd. Marco Pelaez announced, “We’ve had another successful vaccination clinic this morning. Over 70 people were vaccinated; first, second, and the booster shot were provided.”
Company & Culture:
In February and March of 2021 we saw some exciting promotions: Eric Wiseman was promoted to Operations Director: Building; Shannon Crader was promoted to, Software Development Manager and Carmen Kernek was promoted to Vice President of Human Resources.
In March AMS was named a MCM Top 3PL for 2021, joining dozens of other leading third-party logistics providers selected by Multichannel Merchant in its sixth annual directory. MCM explained that “Each company has been selected based on their industry experience, services offered, performance and range of capabilities.”
In April AMS launched a new website to bring together its East and West Coast locations. Jay Catlin, AMS CEO, explained the planning and purpose of the new website. “For the past year AMS Fulfillment and Echo Data Group have been operating as one AMS family, yet with two public ‘faces’. During this one-year time period we have planned, created and now are launching a website that embraces the clients, employees and communities on both coasts.”
Also in April, AMS received the Middle Market Growth Workplace Award granted by the Association for Corporate Growth due to our extensive efforts in workforce development. In June AMS was featured in the magazine of the Santa Clarita Valley Economic Development Corporation as one of two outstanding B Corporations in the area. In October Retail Tech Insights Magazine recognized AMS Fulfillment as a “Top E-Commerce Fulfillment Company 2021” and featured AMS’ CEO, Jay Catlin in a cover story interview.
Finally, in December CEO Jay Catlin was interviewed again when AMS was honored by the Los Angeles Business Journal “Disruptor Awards” in the Sustainability category for its efforts as a B Corporation in protecting the environment. In the interview, Jay explained that a B Corporation considers its obligation to do good for the world a primary goal, over and above the “bottom line.”
AMS Green Team:
To celebrate Earth Day in April, the AMS Green Team published an extensive report with the following highlights: In 2017 AMS adopted Vanpool, taking 22 vehicles off the road; in 2018 we implemented our first partnership in recyclable bin sortation; in 2019 we implemented a companywide recycling program on warehouse floors, and adopted Eco Green cleaning agents. In 2020 we reduced electrical consumption and replaced our propane powered machinery with rechargeable battery-type machines; we began recycling cardboard and used metal products and began exchanging and re-using pallets with our vendor. In 2021 we installed LED lighting and natural skylights in every warehouse; began using disposable compostable paper cups and table cloths for employee events and placed purified water dispensers in each warehouse to encourage re-usable water bottles. Our future plans are to adopt solar energy sourcing, carbon credits, and Client Participation.
In September the AMS Volunteer Committee stepped in to support Green Team efforts by organizing participation in environmental programs taking place on both coasts: Work day: Kelly’s Run Invasive Removal in Lancaster, PA, and the 26th Annual River Rally Cleanup in Santa Clarita, CA.
Congratulations AMS for making 2021 a hard-working year of growth, service to clients, protection of the workforce, advancement of DE&I and commitment to the protection of the environment.
Last January, in our first blog of 2021, we talked about the upcoming Chinese ‘Year of the Ox’, and described the Ox as strong, hard-working and persevering. Looking back at 2021 it does seem an accurate prediction. Coming up in 2022 is the ‘Year of the Tiger’! What does the Tiger mean? The description we found is… “Tigers are strong in the face of adversity and never back down from a challenge, they’re persistent and determined.” It sounds like another good year coming up for AMS Fulfillment!
AMS Fulfillment is making a Holiday donation on behalf of our valued clients to the Rainforest Trust and specifically the 
