MIAMI & DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits (Southern Glazer's)—the world’s preeminent distributor of beverage alcohol—today announced the winners of its Company-wide environmental sustainability idea competition. The competition was part of Southern Glazer’s Idea Distillery program, which crowdsources employees’ ideas for innovative ways to solve significant business challenges. The objective of this Idea Distillery challenge was to identify implementable ideas to help Southern Glazer’s contribute to a more sustainable future.
The competition invited participation from all Southern Glazer's employees, who submitted over 100 ideas. Seven finalist teams were selected to pitch to a panel of diverse Southern Glazer’s executive leaders at a live-streamed, interactive event called “Master Distillers.” The finalists proposed ways to address the Company’s environmental footprint by reducing water, waste and energy usage.
Southern Glazer’s is proud to recognize the following winners, whose ideas will meaningfully bolster the Company’s broader environmental sustainability strategy:
First Place Idea
- Minimizing plastic waste recycling through a nation-wide, e-purposing program—by Stephanie Beilman, VP Control States
Second Place Idea
- Employee EV incentives / credits to expand EV usage and curb Southern Glazer’s overall fleet impact—by Jason Schweriner, Director of Commercial Operations
Third Place Ideas (tie)
- Reduce water usage with waterless urinals in Southern Glazer’s facilities—by Mark Booth, VP Supply Chain Technology
- Reduce paper waste with enterprise-wide paperless solution—by Patricia Dozier, Director of HR, Greg Boardman, Sr. HR Business Partner, Kelly Piedra, Sr. Director HR and Talent Management, and Kimberly Ravenscroft, Sr. HR Business Partner
All winners and finalists are being awarded cash prizes. Additionally, Southern Glazer’s provided a charitable donation to the Environmental Defense Fund—$25 for every idea submitted, leading to a total donation of $2,650.
“We are grateful to have employees who are both thoughtful and passionate about creating a more sustainable tomorrow,” said Wayne E. Chaplin, Chief Executive Officer, Southern Glazer’s. “Our ability to contribute to a more sustainable future depends on the support of our entire Southern Glazer’s FAMILY. Promoting and advancing environmental sustainability across the company—and the surrounding hospitality industry ecosystem—are important priorities for us.”
To learn more about Southern Glazer’s growing commitment to environmental sustainability, click here to visit our website.
About Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits
Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits is the world’s preeminent distributor of beverage alcohol, and proud to be a multi-generational, family-owned company. The Company has operations in 44 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and Canada. In 2021, Southern Glazer’s was selected as a U.S. Best Managed Company by Deloitte Private and The Wall Street Journal, as well as named by Newsweek as a Top 100 Most Loved Workplace. Southern Glazer’s urges all retail customers and adult consumers to market, sell, serve, and enjoy its products responsibly. For more information visit www.southernglazers.com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @sgwinespirits.
