Company News and Highlights

June 1, 2021

AMS: Summer Solstice in Our Diverse World

AMS Fulfillment has long been committed to diversity in hiring, promotion, education and corporate culture. Learning about diverse peoples and cultural celebrations around the world is a part of our commitment as a B Corporation. We hope you enjoy our blogs that feature the many different holidays, languages, foods, ways of dress, systems of belief and cultural celebrations in Our Diverse World.

We are heading toward the longest day of the year. June 20, 2021 will be summer solstice in the Northern hemisphere, occurring at 11:32 P.M. EDT. The Northern solstice is the time when the North Pole is most inclined toward the sun. Also called Midsummer and Festival Solstice, it is celebrated in countries across the hemisphere and has been celebrated as far back as history takes us.

From Wikipedia we find the following: “Since prehistory, the summer solstice has been seen as a significant time of year in many cultures and has been marked by festivals and rituals. Traditionally, in many temperate regions (especially Europe), the summer solstice is seen as the middle of summer and referred to as “midsummer”. Today, however, in some countries and calendars it is seen as the beginning of summer.”

Let’s look at the way our shared ‘longest day’ is celebrated in this diverse world. From a summer solstice blog we find descriptions of the top 15 solstice festivals. Below we’ll look at our favorites from that list. We’ll begin with Stonehenge, visit India and NY, go to Alaska and Russia and end up at Santa Barbara, California.

Sunrise at Stonehenge, England

On Summer solstice people from UK and from the world gather at Stonehenge to see the sunrise. All stand looking towards northeast, while sun is about to rise. The sun appears exactly above the Heel Stone (one of the stones outside the circle). The crowd silently witnesses the moment, which is a unique feeling, connecting them with a long and mysterious history. This year sun is going to rise on June 20, at 04:51 AM in Amesbury. The Stonehenge celebration is a four-day event from 18th to 21st of June.

Yoga in India & Times Square NY

People in India celebrate Summer solstice with mass yoga sessions due to a belief that the first yogi, Adiyogi, met his disciple on Summer solstice. Thousands of yogis gather in different cities of India and practice yoga, paying a salute to sun, as summer starts. This is done for strength, happiness, love, forgiveness and for correcting mistakes done in past. The United Nations General Assembly declared June 21 International Day of Yoga on December 11 2014.

The International Day of Yoga is also celebrated by doing yoga in New York City’s Times Square. Thousands of yoga lovers gather at around 7 AM to start practicing yoga and continue until the sun sets.

Alaska and the Midnight Sun

Alaska is near to the Arctic and the people get extended days of 22 hours straight light in the summer. The start of summer and the longest day of the year is celebrated with a variety of activities for all ages. The celebrations take place from June 20 to June 22 every year. Downtown Anchorage turns into a party with musicians, artists and performers. There is also a Mayor’s Marathon in which enthusiasts run Anchorage’s best trails. In Fairbanks the Alaska Goldpanners play a game on the Summer solstice during the midnight sun. This is a Fairbanks ritual started in 1906.

St. Petersburg, Russia and the Scarlet Sails

In St. Petersburg from May 27, to July 16 the sun doesn’t fully set on the horizon. These days and nights are termed as “white nights and breezy days”. White nights events date back to when Peter the Great founded the city.

The Scarlet Sails festival is the famous St. Petersburg Solstice event. In past years more than three million visitors have come to the celebration to see the Scarlet Sails boats accompanied by a theatrical performance and multimedia musical performance at the Palace Square. This is the most romantic moment of the festival.

Summer Solstice Parade, Santa Barbara

This is a three-day event on the occasion of summer solstice in Santa Barbara that has been celebrated every year since 1974. Santa Barbara holds a solstice parade with giant puppets, extravagant costumes, and beautiful floats on parade route. The events have attracted more than 100,000 spectators from all across the globe. Every year the celebration has a theme and this year’s theme is “Wonder”.

Readers can visit the Summer Solstice blog HERE.

May 25, 2021

Memorial Day: More Than a Springtime Weekend

Coming up on the last Monday of May we get to enjoy a 3-day weekend called Memorial Day. For most of us, it’s just a long weekend in the Springtime in which we can get outdoors. We might put little thought into what this holiday is about and how it started.

Officially the holiday honors the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military. It was called Decoration Day for years, as families decorated the graves of loved ones who died in war. Nowadays we might see a parade at the local high school, there will be some related TV programs, we’ll see people visiting a cemetery, maybe there will be a veteran’s event and there will likely be a lot of family gatherings. Memorial Day 2021 will occur on Monday, May 31.

This day, recognizing soldiers who died, originated in the years following the Civil War. It became an official federal holiday in 1971. The following is from the History website:

“The Civil War, which ended in the spring of 1865, claimed more lives than any conflict in U.S. history and required the establishment of the country’s first national cemeteries. By the late 1860s, Americans in various towns and cities had begun holding springtime tributes to these countless fallen soldiers, decorating their graves with flowers and reciting prayers.”

Later on in the article, we learn that there is a touching story about what might be the original event.

“It is unclear where exactly this tradition originated; numerous different communities may have independently initiated the memorial gatherings. And some records show that one of the earliest Memorial Day commemorations was organized by a group of formerly enslaved people in Charleston, South Carolina less than a month after the Confederacy surrendered in 1865. Nevertheless, in 1966 the federal government declared Waterloo, New York, the official birthplace of Memorial Day.

“The race track in question was the Washington Race Course and Jockey Club in Charleston, South Carolina. In the late stages of the Civil War, the Confederate army transformed the formerly posh country club into a makeshift prison for Union captives. More than 260 Union soldiers died from disease and exposure while being held in the race track’s open-air infield. Their bodies were hastily buried in a mass grave behind the grandstands.

“When Charleston fell and Confederate troops evacuated the badly damaged city, those freed from enslavement remained. One of the first things those emancipated men and women did was to give the fallen Union prisoners a proper burial. They exhumed the mass grave and reinterred the bodies in a new cemetery with a tall whitewashed fence inscribed with the words: “Martyrs of the Race Course.”

The story goes on to tell of an extraordinary event. On May 1st, 1865 a crowd of 10,000 mostly freed slaves and white missionaries staged a parade around the race track. The children carried bouquets of flowers and sang “John Brown’s Body” as they marched, and members of Black Union regiments performed double-time marches. The event was covered in the Charleston Daily Courier.

Time Magazine has written about the historical beginnings of Memorial Day in their history section, based on past newspaper coverage.

“Black pastors delivered sermons and led attendees in prayer and in the singing of spirituals, and there were picnics. James Redpath, the white director of freedman’s education in the region, organized about 30 speeches by Union officers, missionaries and black ministers. Participants sang patriotic songs like “America” and “We’ll Rally around the Flag” and “The Star-Spangled Banner.” In the afternoon, three white and black Union regiments marched around the graves and staged a drill.

“The New York Tribune described the tribute as “a procession of friends and mourners as South Carolina and the United States never saw before.” The gravesites looked like a “one mass of flowers” and “the breeze wafted the sweet perfumes from them” and “tears of joy” were shed.”

And upon that beginning we celebrate today. Hopefully one day we will celebrate an end to war. We hope you’ve enjoyed this bit of history and the depth and meaning it gives to our Memorial Day of today.

May 12, 2021

Series: What B Corporations do for the world #20

The past month of April is celebrated as Earth Month. In our last B Corp blog we covered the subject of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals and how they relate to Earth Day. This month we continue the subject of the climate with a message from the B Lab newsletter, and the link to a video about seven B Corps that are considered leaders in climate action.

B The Change Newsletter

“The Earth doesn’t have alarm bells. But it has been showing signs and sending signals of a climate in crisis in recent years (and days): a drought emergency in California, the severe winter weather in 2020 that in part led to deadly power outages in Texas, the Australian bushfires of late 2019/early 2020, and other extreme events.

“Because our planet can’t sound an alarm about the effects of climate change, those of us that call it home must do so — to prevent further harm and protect the health of the Earth as well as the people who are most vulnerable, most affected, and often also go unheard.

“As the source and cause of most greenhouse gas emissions, businesses have a responsibility to call attention to the climate crisis and call on others to join them. This week we highlight how members of the Certified B Corporation community and other environmental advocates are doing just that, by declaring a climate emergency and putting plans and practices in place to prevent further harm and shape a resilient economy that works for all people around the world.”

7 B Corps Leading on Climate Action
These Businesses Are Finding New Ways to Prioritize the Planet

Earth Month is behind us, but the fight for meaningful climate action from the private sector continues.

Gratefully, in our work with Grow Ensemble, we come across inspiring examples of Certified B Corporations that are setting the standard for what it means to truly be “sustainable,” and what it truly means to set an example for what’s possible for businesses in the battle to save our home planet.

In the video and post to follow, we wanted to offer up seven of these examples of exceptionally sustainable B Corp companies that are taking climate action that’s worth admiring. One of these companies has even gone so far as to make it their goal to plant more than 1 billion trees around the globe by 2030.

Here, we’ll introduce which of these seven companies is planting so many trees AND how the six other better-for-the-world B Corps are using business as a force for good.

The seven companies are:
1. Tentree
2. Patagonia
3. Allbirds
4. Aspiration
5. Grove Collaborative
6. A Good Company
7. Avocado Mattress

To continue with the video featuring these companies, click HERE:

May 7, 2021

For AMS Green Team Vanpooling is a Winning Idea!!

In our Earth Day report the AMS Green Team talked about Vanpooling, announcing that in 2017 AMS adopted Vanpool, which minimizes our Carbon Footprint.

“As of today, AMS has adopted eight Vanpools. For the 22 vehicles we are able to take off the road, this would be the equivalency of the CO2 reductions. Additionally, Vanpools are cost-saving for employees on gas and car maintenance, and they reduce parking needs.” Click HERE for our Earth Day report.

Recently Samantha Hicks, on behalf of the Green Team, has made another announcement – and it is some good news!

“We just received our Q1 Quarterly Vanpool Environmental Impact, and we have positively impacted traffic with less cars on the road, C02 Reduction, and saved hundreds of dollars per month for our Employee Passengers!

“By carpooling with Enterprise, employees are not using their own personal cars, passengers have usable time back, and have a flat rate fee per pay check, which saves them money in gas, regular oil changes, tires, car depreciation with mileage, insurance rate reduction, and regular maintenance.”

There are two more benefits of Vanpooling that seem pretty significant! The first is speed and avoidance of traffic congestion. The van can use the HOV (High Occupancy Vehicle) lanes, and anyone who has driven 10 mph in rush hour traffic will see the value of this! The second benefit is a fixed schedule, which makes life more predictable and reduces stress. Nowadays anything that reduces stress is a good thing.

We encourage our employees to contact Samantha Hicks for information on how to join in Vanpooling. [email protected]

April 28, 2021

MMG Workplace Award Winner: AMS Fulfillment

The press release went out on April 27th announcing an award granted to AMS Fulfillment as an outstanding workplace with a vibrant corporate culture and innovative benefits! The award was granted by the Association for Corporate Growth (ACG), which is a premier M&A deal making community, with a global network of more than 100,000 middle market professionals who invest, own and advise growing companies.

AMS is proud to receive the Middle Market Growth Workplace Award offered by ACG. As our readers well know, we have for many years put a high priority on the development of benefits for our employees, and diversity and inclusion in hiring and promotion. AMS is a significant job provider, hiring nearly 400 individuals in our warehouses and offices. We have long attributed our success in serving clients to our talented and much appreciated employees.

To read the full Press Release, please click HERE.

ACG reaches its audience through several media channels, including its award-winning flagship publication, Middle Market Growth, which dives into emerging trends. Middle Market Growth Magazine has published an excellent article announcing their choice of AMS Fulfillment, and highlighting our workforce development programs and the corporate culture that we enjoy. Please see below for an introduction and link to the full article.

We are very pleased to accept the Workplace Award and proud to join an esteemed group of middle market businesses being recognized for their achievements.

____________

MMG Workplace Award Winner: AMS Fulfillment

Workforce development is something that comes naturally to Ken Wiseman. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in early childhood development and began a master’s degree in special education. Although Wiseman switched to business and earned an MBA, he never forgot his initial passion.

“It’s in my DNA to work with folks that have come to the world with challenges,” says Wiseman, who now serves as the chief workforce development officer at AMS Fulfillment.

Based in Valencia, California, AMS is an outsourced logistics provider that offers order management, warehouse and inventory management, reverse logistics and other value-added, complex fulfillment services to consumer products companies primarily in the beauty and cosmetics, apparel, footwear and accessories sectors.

In 2017, AMS became certified as a B-Corp and is legally accountable for meeting high standards of social and environmental performance. Only about 3,500 companies meet the standard globally, according to B Lab, the classification’s certifying body. Other B-Corps include recognizable brands like Ben & Jerry’s and Patagonia.

“AMS keeps its community on its mind by dedicating energy, effort and financial resources toward developing numerous programs for potential and current employees, supporting, charitable organizations and employee opportunities,” says Wiseman.

As a B-Corp, AMS receives funding from county, state and federal agencies, which the company uses to support its efforts to provide extensive training to employees from underserved communities.

The company has more than 400 employees spread across its seven locations throughout the U.S. A large portion of its talent pool includes employees who were formerly incarcerated, individuals with physical and cognitive disabilities, youth from at-risk communities and others struggling to maintain employment.

To reach these communities, AMS has partnered with almost a dozen agencies, including Pleasantview Industries, a nonprofit that provides training and support to consumers with developmental disabilities, and Los Angeles County’s Workforce Development Department, to help youth and adults with criminal backgrounds, disabilities and other challenges to employment.

“Essentially, we exist almost as a not-for-profit, even though we’re a for-profit company,” Wiseman says. “It opens doors for us to be considered more like an agency in terms of what we do for the area of workforce development.”

Read the full article HERE.

MMG Workplace Award Winner: AMS Fulfillment

April 18, 2021

AMS Fulfillment Launches Comprehensive Website: Your Success is Inside

AMS, a national fulfillment company, is launching a new website that brings together its East and West Coast locations. The website is demonstrative of the tremendous work that AMS has undertaken to bring two successful, long-standing fulfillment companies together and operating As One. The new site provides detailed information for potential clients, and tools and news for current clients on both coasts. The website creators, guided by the AMS mission of service to clients, employees and community, have created an inspiring and efficient space that conveys both the business and social integrity of AMS.

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. We have taken our time to build this location into a tool for client success. It is also intended to fully inform prospective clients, introduce new opportunities to employees and uplift and support our local communities. AMS is very proud of and pleased with the work that has been accomplished by our website designers and internal marketing team.”

What makes AMS stand out is the company’s integrity and commitment to all stakeholders and its high standard as a B Corporation. For this reason the website makes the promise… “Your success is Inside.” Our clients know we are committed to their success as we have proven that over many years. They also know we are committed to our employees, to their education and promotion, and to diversity and inclusivity in hiring. They know we serve our communities in many ways, and we are committed to protect the environment through ‘green’ practices. Our website promises success inside, and we plan to keep that commitment.

Come and visit, and enjoy!!!

April 8, 2021

It’s Spring! Time to Visit Mother Nature?

National Park Week 2021 is coming up soon, beginning April 17th. During this week parks across the country will host a variety of special programs and events. Click HERE to find out more about these events.

We’ve made it through a strenuous year of staying in the house a lot more than we’d like. It’s springtime, there is some energy arising, so perhaps now is the time to get out into nature and refresh our spirits.

There are many beautiful forests and historic places to visit for refreshment of the spirit. When we decide to get out in nature, we have the option of visiting a National Park or a National Forest.

An important difference between the two is that National Forests are managed for many purposes including recreation, camping and fishing, timber, grazing and wildlife, and National Parks are not. A National Park preserves a special location without altering it because of its historic importance or exceptional natural beauty.

Here’s how they are differentiated in an article from the National Forest Foundation:

National Forests – The mission of the USDA Forest Service is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the Nation’s forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations.

National Parks – The National Park Service preserves unimpaired the natural and cultural resources and values of the National Park System for enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations.

From the same article we find out more:

U.S. Forest Service – 193 million acres: 155 National Forests, 20 National Grasslands, 1 National Tallgrass Prairie.

National Park System – 84 million acres (55 million in Alaska): 397 areas including National Parks (58), monuments, battlefields, military parks, historical parks, historic sites, lakeshores, seashores, recreation areas, scenic rivers and trails and the White House.

To read the full article, click HERE.

We hope that the spirit of Spring and new life will inspire you to visit Mother Nature. To find a National Forest near you, you can begin your search HERE. To locate a National Park near you, click HERE:

The National Forest Foundation financially supports our National Forests. As a B Corporation, committed to preserve and protect the environment, we deeply appreciate the foundations that support our National Forests and National Parks. During the holiday season AMS made a donation to the National Forest Foundation on behalf of our valued clients. Due to the changes we were all experiencing with COVID, we realized that few things are more important than having a place to go in nature and be inspired and refreshed!

Wishing you an inspiring National Park Week!

April 7, 2021

Series: What B Corporations do for the world #18

March was B Corporation month. In our bi-weekly B Corp series we took the opportunity to explain what B Corporations actually do for the world… for their employees, clients, community and the environment. This month of April we will focus on the environment.

Earth Day is coming up on the 22nd of April. This day has a compelling history, coming into existence due to harm done by certain manufactured products and the polluting of the environment by various businesses. Unfortunately, the need for an Earth Day still is with us, as there continues to be instances of harm to people and the environment. But we can say that there has been great progress, with B Corporations leading the way!

This week we will look at what two companies are doing to screen their suppliers and improve their products. We’re featuring B Corporations with brands that many of us are familiar with: Seventh Generation and Natura &Co. We hope you enjoy these stories about business being good for the world.

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

“The B Impact Assessment (BIA) serves as more than an evaluation method for companies pursuing or renewing B Corp Certification: It also can be a screening tool to encourage suppliers to adopt practices and policies for positive impact. Screening suppliers for positive impact with the help of the assessment also can expand the B Corp community by exposing more companies to the stakeholder mindset that incorporates workers, environment, customers, community, and shareholders.

“By helping B Corps — and, in turn, their suppliers — measure their impact and pursue continual improvement, the BIA is a critical component of the B Corp movement. B Corps of all sizes rely on goal-setting, best-practice sharing, and improvement metrics within the BIA to advance a more inclusive and regenerative economy. Suppliers are more than businesses that provide products — they offer services that affect the environment, employ people, and serve customers. By encouraging or requiring suppliers to factor environmental and social benefits into their business decisions and practices, B Corps amplify their values and build the B Economy.”

Seventh Generation’s Supplier Code of Conduct

“Seventh Generation markets household and personal care products designed to protect our planet and our health, and ensure an equitable and healthy planet for the next seven generations. The Burlington, Vermont-based B Corp has built a business with $200 million in annual revenue in more than 25 countries.

“Its Supplier Code of Conduct, first adopted in 2013, includes social and environmental standards that collaborating companies must meet or pursue with an emphasis on respect for people and the environment as well as practices that are ethical, transparent, and responsible.”

Natura & Co’s Brand and Supply Chain Impact Management

“After completing its third time through the BIA, which B Corps take every three years for recertification, Natura & Co continues to evolve and grow its environmental, social, and economic impact. In addition to Natura, two of its cosmetics group brands are B Corps: The Body Shop, since 2019, and Aesop, which has just achieved this recognition. This group also includes Avon, which Natura acquired in 2020 and aims to get B Corp Certified by 2026.

“Based in Brazil, the multinational brand with $14 billion in annual revenue has global reach and impact through its operations and stakeholders. Last year, Natura acted to amplify that impact by announcing its sustainability vision with a plan to tackle some of the world’s most pressing issues, including addressing the climate crisis, protecting the Amazon rainforest, defending human rights, and embracing circularity and regeneration by 2030. Its suppliers play key roles in several of these goals, including Natura’s circularity approach:”

April 5, 2021

EARTH DAY Celebration Coming Soon: The 51st Anniversary!

In 1962 a book was published, entitled Silent Spring. That book awakened the people to the dangers and devastation brought about by chemical pesticides on people and the environment. Written by Rachel Carson, the book accused the chemical industry of spreading disinformation and presented research on an environmental crisis caused by pesticides. The title – Silent Spring – spoke to the possibility of a Springtime in which there are no more birds singing.

The book was met with fierce opposition by chemical companies, but the people, especially young people, were persuaded and they insisted on changes and new laws. Rachel Carson’s book led to a nationwide ban on DDT for agricultural uses. It turns out that the research was correct, and the chemical companies were deceitful, seeking profit at the expense of nature and life. Carson’s book helped to inspire the environmental movement, and it led to the creation of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Later in the decade, in 1969, Cleveland’s Cuyahoga River actually caught on fire due to the river being a dumping ground for chemical waste. This event served once again to awaken people to the environmental destruction. Up until that time, there was little concern for how corporations and their products were affecting nature or damaging natural resources and people as well. Factories pumped pollutants into the air and companies dumped toxins into lakes and rivers with few, if any, legal consequences. Auto manufacturers produced gas-guzzling cars burning leaded fuel and trash was thrown away with no thought of recycling.

Thanks to Rachel Carson and an awakened, protesting population, things changed. Earth Day was founded in 1970 as a day of education about environmental issues, and it is still celebrated today, 51 years later. The holiday is now a global celebration that is sometimes extended into Earth Week, with many events focused on green living. Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson is credited with establishing Earth Day as a “national teach-in on the environment.” The first Earth Day was held on April 22, 1970. Students and young people embraced it, and environmental causes were brought into the national spotlight.

The following information is gleaned from an Earth Day History website: “The wire services carried the story from coast to coast. The response was electric. It took off like gangbusters. Telegrams, letters and telephone inquiries poured in from all across the country. The American people finally had a forum to express its concern about what was happening to the land, rivers, lakes and air—and they did so with spectacular exuberance.”

And thus it began. Thanks to the battles of the sixties and seventies, AMS Fulfillment came into being with a certain amount of ‘green’ awareness. Recycling was done from the beginning, and in the years that followed, environmental awareness increased. AMS associates organized a Green Team with the encouragement of Management in order to find ways to reduce our footprint and put the changes into effect. We are proud of our Green Team, and we look forward to publishing a report from this team in recognition of Earth Day.

Let’s celebrate the EARTH every day!!

April 1, 2021

April Fools’ Day: Who came up with this idea?

Got any rubber snakes or spiders? That’s a favorite of pranksters and it usually provides some entertainment. Another fun one is a sprinkling of those little, round chocolate covered candies near the toilet. That works! Or maybe bubble wrap under an area rug? Or slap your friend on the back and leave a sticky note – that’s a good one. Or switching out sugar and salt? We’re all familiar with April Fools jokes, but have you ever wondered how and why April 1st became a day for funny pranks?

For an answer to that we went to the History.com website. Apparently the origin is a bit of a mystery, but the idea is several hundred years old. Here’s what they say:

“Some historians speculate that April Fools’ Day dates back to 1582, when France switched from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar, as called for by the Council of Trent in 1563. In the Julian Calendar, as in the Hindu calendar, the new year began with the spring equinox around April 1.

“People who were slow to get the news or failed to recognize that the start of the new year had moved to January 1 and continued to celebrate it during the last week of March through April 1 became the butt of jokes and hoaxes and were called “April fools.” These pranks included having paper fish placed on their backs and being referred to as “poisson d’avril” (April fish), said to symbolize a young, easily caught fish and a gullible person.”

Another possible origin is the Hilaria festival which took place in ancient Rome. Hilaria is a Latin word for joyful. This festival sounds like something we could have fun with. The followers of the cult of Cybele would dress up in costumes to mock magistrates (the judicial officers.) Nowadays the political leaders give us plenty of joke possibilities.

Apparently the Scottish people had some fun with it. The history article says: “April Fools’ Day spread throughout Britain during the 18th century. In Scotland, the tradition became a two-day event, starting with “hunting the gowk,” in which people were sent on phony errands (gowk is a word for cuckoo bird, a symbol for fool) and followed by Tailie Day, which involved pranks played on people’s derrieres, such as pinning fake tails or “kick me” signs on them.”

Hopefully we’ll see some April Fools fun on April 1, 2021. We have made it through a year of ‘not much fun’ so we can use some humor. Here are some past jokes that we enjoyed:

“In 1996, Taco Bell, the fast-food restaurant chain, duped people when it announced it had agreed to purchase Philadelphia’s Liberty Bell and intended to rename it the Taco Liberty Bell. In 1998, after Burger King advertised a “Left-Handed Whopper,” scores of clueless customers requested the fake sandwich. Google notoriously hosts an annual April Fools’ Day prank that has included everything from “telepathic search” to the ability to play Pac Man on Google Maps.”

Happy April Fool’s Day from AMS!! You might want watch out for a suspicious sprinkling of Milk Duds.

March 29, 2021

Congrats to Businesses Advancing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

On March 24th we watched the conclusion of a very enjoyable event created by the Los Angeles Business Journal. It was the awards ceremony of the newspaper’s weeks-long search for outstanding leadership in “Diversity, Inclusion + Equity.”

Last week we watched AMS’ own Chief Workforce Development Officer Ken Wiseman participate in the Master Class on Diversity, Inclusion + Equity. The panel was moderated by Dr. Lois M. Shelton of CSUN David Nazarian College of Business and Economics. Ken and the three co-panelists were chosen from a field of 89 nominees. They spoke about the strategies, programs and policies they had developed within their companies to implement a diverse, inclusive and equitable workplace. It was a very impressive and informative discussion.

At the final event, we heard from keynote speaker and award winner, Byron Allen, Founder, Chairman & CEO of Entertainment Studios/Allen Media Group. His message was very impactful and inspiring, going into his childhood experiences, choices he made, decisions he was met with and individuals who made a difference in his life. There is a link to a video of the event at the end of this blog, and we recommend watching and enjoying Byron Allen’s presentation.

In the video you will see winners in several categories make brief and inspiring comments. We consider all of the 89 nominees true winners for guiding their companies in a direction that has been a long time coming, correcting past wrongs and prejudices and opening up avenues to equity in the workplace.

Finally, in addition to participating on the Master Class panel, the LA Business Journal published an article written by Ken entitled “Diversity, Equity & Inclusion: The Importance of Seeking to Improve.” Here below we offer a few paragraphs and a link to the full article:

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion: The Importance of Seeking to Improve

By Ken Wiseman

“The CNN headline said, “Six Dr. Seuss books won’t be published anymore because they portray people in ‘hurtful and wrong’ ways.” Since then, the sales of these books have spiked, the controversy is engaged, and the question arises… are these Dr. Seuss classics truly hurtful?

“While my first reaction to Dr. Seuss books being removed from the shelves was a surprise, a look through one of the books and the running Chinese man, made me wince, and admit to myself, I get it. The Dr. Seuss books were something special to me as I grew up, and like many, we struggle when it comes to change. So much so, that our initial reaction to change is to resist. Looking at the picture of the “Chinaman” running, and using my maturing filters to decipher, the conclusion is yes, this is no longer appropriate.

“And therein lies the challenge. We are creatures of habit. We grew up certain ways, we were exposed to a certain bias in our homes, in our schools, through our friends. We were sheltered from some of the truths of the world, and in other areas we didn’t get the straight story. Never-the-less, it was the story we grew up with. It was our Dr. Seuss world.

“While I have been a proponent for diversity and inclusivity for years, my efforts at AMS Fulfillment have been to focus on the chronically underemployed, individuals with disabilities, individuals who have served time, young people from at-risk communities, and individuals that are facing challenges in their efforts to make a job a career. Our efforts at AMS have been blind to color, but well focused on these groups. The resulting diversity of backgrounds in our organization is rich, with likely 90% of our staff coming from a family of color.

“Our equity discussions have been more focused on many of the biases we see impacting our ability to work effectively as a team. Long-term workers versus the newbie, Spanish speaking versus English, go getters versus the slower pace, family ties versus outsiders, and favoritism that comes from many sources. These were challenges for sure, but overall, our diversity seemed comfortable, and we felt pride in the level of employee engagement that we had in place. The courses we offered seemed like they were making a difference in people’s lives. Promotions were made, survey results looked good, safety has been at an all-time record, it certainly appeared that pride was well earned.”

Ken goes on to talk about the murder of George Floyd and the changes at AMS that came about in response to that tragedy. Readers will find the article on page 17, HERE.

View the Byron Allen speech and awards ceremony HERE.

March 23, 2021

AMS’ safety record is no accident: COVID year in review!

This past year of ‘pandemic living’ has been an enormous challenge for essential businesses with regard to safety. Early in March of 2020 it became obvious that we needed to act quickly to keep the virus from spreading in our warehouses and work environments. And act we did… quickly.

We supplied PPE to workers in all facilities. Soon it became clear that PPE should be required of all employees and we scrambled to refill our supply with custom masks. We quickly set up sanitation stations across all warehouses and hired 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.

By this time the CDC had provided guidelines for businesses like ours, and we went full force, making the changes we needed to make and purchasing supplies. We also began a safety blog hoping that our example might help other warehouses in their efforts to create a safe environment for employees.

Work Station Distancing and Sheilds

In early March AMS put in place work station distancing, restructuring assembly lines to accommodate the 6’ rule. We also enforced the distancing rule during breaks and lunches and we searched for and located shields to install between the work stations. We immediately put a hold on returns processing so that packages returning from residences would be held for 72 hours prior to processing.

Preventing Hand Contact

Another one of the early steps we took at AMS was to open up more bathroom facilities, and bring in portable “studio” grade bathroom trailers to allow less use of existing locations, and making it easier to keep all locations sanitized. We also placed air purifiers in all bathrooms.

Social Distancing

While we were dealing with work station distancing, we also needed to accomplish distancing in the office, meeting and social spaces. We started scheduling different times for lunch and breaks and we opened up more lunch areas. We located and installed barriers in the lunchrooms so that employees could still sit and eat together while protected and distanced and we installed dividers in the AMS Advance My Skills Learning Center.

Zoom and Work From Home

AMS sent as many of the office personnel as possible home to set up an office and work from there. Zoom communication began being used between the office and warehouse personnel and for all conferences. We discontinued all non-essential meetings, stopped any shared food, buffet, pizza lunches – opting instead to have bag lunches brought in when appropriate.

While we previously had clients and prospects visit our operation for tours and routine meetings, potential clients were given virtual tours so they wouldn’t have to travel to our location. Almost 100% of the AMS meetings moved to Zoom calls.

Solicitations, Visitors and Vendors

Another one of the steps that we have taken is to not allow solicitations without an appointment, and restrict all but essential visitors. We started to do a temperature check on employees and everyone entering the premises in mid-March. At that time we informed all outside vendors that the temperature check and wearing a mask is required including UPS, FedEx, and LTL drivers.

Peak Season and COVID Fatigue

Every year when Peak Season comes around AMS brings on new employees to handle a greatly increased workload. This year as Peak Season came about we informed the new employees about our COVID safety practices and our CEO encouraged all full time employees who were showing signs of fatigue to stay strong, wear the masks, sanitize, take the temperatures and carry on, as COVID hasn’t gone away.

Always Improving

We can add to our list a recent improvement. AMS has 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. We are sanitizing all areas three times per day.

AMS Fulfillment has one of the most outstanding safety records in the industry and we continue to work hard to keep it that way.

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