FSC Showcases: Anthesis
Our Made with Care program integrates a developmentally disabled assisted workforce team directly into our manufacturing process. Every single fixture we make helps to provide employment to this group of talented but often overlooked individuals. In return, we get the benefits of a skilled, dedicated and dependable workforce. Our customers and partners experience craftsmanship and dependability in every product, and have a hand in contributing to job creation for this valuable, positive project.
“Our partnership with Anthesis is helping us achieve our goal of having more than 25% of our direct workforce be developmentally disabled. The relationship is good for Anthesis staff, FSC and the community. Our Anthesis staff benefits as do FSC direct employees. We’re proud to have the Anthesis team working alongside us every day,” says FSC President John Watkins.
Anthesis’s success is due to the on-going dedication of their workforce and the business partnerships they have developed within their community. As the employment program’s customer base increases, so does the skill of their workforce.
“It’s amazing to see how much attention the staff pays to every detail and the incredible job they do with each project they are assigned,” says FSC Director of Operations Holly Pugno. “Our Anthesis team mates have consistently outperformed the temporary employees we have used in the past. They are a core part of the FSC Lighting’s operational success and company culture that we intend to continuously expand upon.”
An Inspiring Trailblazer
When we started our Made With Care program back in 2013, we were following in the footsteps of Randy Lewis, a Walgreens executive and (in his words) an “accidental disability advocate.” As a Senior Vice President, Randy led the logistics division of Walgreens for 16 years, during which time the chain grew from 1,500 to 8,000 stores. But the accomplishment he’s most proud of is spearheading an incredibly successful initiative to integrate adults with disabilities into the Walgreens workforce.
Now the founder of the NOGWOG Disability Initiative, Randy is showing companies around the world why integrating an assisted workforce isn’t just a “nice” thing to do – it’s the best decision that you can make for your business and the community. Watch the video of Randy below to find out why.