Responsibility. Corporate. a Freese and Nichols publication

Transcription

1 2015 Responsibility Corporate a Freese and Nichols publication

2 Corporate Responsibility is ingrained in what we do every day at Freese and Nichols. Wellness, community service, sustainability and professional service are themes threaded through our history and remain strong pillars of our culture today. Supporting employee health, volunteering our time, promoting sustainable initiatives and serving as leaders in our professions are just a few of the ways we show our commitment to these areas. Please join me as we visit a sample of this year s activities demonstrating our corporate responsibility to our clients, communities, and employees. Robert F. Pence, P.E., BCEE President and CEO 2 Freese and Nichols 3

3 Wellness Freese and Nichols LiveWell program helps employees live healthier, happier lives. Whether employees have specific goals or just want a positive lifestyle, our goal is to help them along the way. Each year, we provide expanded options and a variety of activities to fit each employee s schedule and needs. Through increased awareness of their health and participation in LiveWell activities, many employees have made significant lifestyle changes. 4 Freese and Nichols Freese and Nichols 5

4 Dozens of employees, family and friends raced in the 19th annual Victory Over Violence Walk/Run in Fort Worth. Freese and Nichols is a Red Ribbon sponsor for the event, which benefits anti-violence programs for a local women s organization. We also organized several office picnics, group outings and gatherings throughout the year. Spending time together outside of the office means we are better team players in the office. More than 100 employees joined in the six-week FitWorth Challenge, a fitness program encouraging increased activity and friendly competition. Freese and Nichols placed fifth out of 16 teams in the corporate division and a lucky group of employees won Fitbit fitness trackers. 6 Freese and Nichols Freese and Nichols 7

5 Community Service Giving back to our communities is a longstanding tradition and highly regarded guiding principle at Freese and Nichols. We embrace the opportunities to partner with local organizations and serve those in need. As we build relationships and dedicate our time, we are privileged to act as stewards of the communities where we live and work. 8 Freese and Nichols Freese and Nichols 9

6 Employees from our Dallas office worked together to frame a new house for Habitat for Humanity. The group constructed the interior and exterior walls of the house in one day. In Corpus Christi, we built a ramp to help a couple safely navigate their front porch steps. GIS Analyst Sabrina Joplin led permitting and planning for Adelphi Acre a community garden developed in partnership with the City of Austin s Neighborhood Partnering Program. The garden exemplifies what it means to build community, said Program Manager Justin Golbabai. It is amazing to see how it rallied and united skills and talents from across the neighborhood from GIS analysts to landscape architects to local businesses to Boy Scouts to the local library. We also donated more than 4,500 cans to the Tarrant Area Food Bank through the Canstruction charity, a competition involving large structures made of cans of food. 10 Freese and Nichols Freese and Nichols 11

7 Sustainability We define sustainability as a comprehensive approach to our work, striving to both meet the needs of the present and preserve the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. It encompasses everything we do, as a company and for our clients, from technical projects to corporate processes, so we can be responsible stewards of our community, environment, and finances. With more than 30 certified Envision Sustainability Professionals and more than 20 others holding LEED certifications from the U.S. Green Building Council, our commitment to sustainability is proven every day through our passion for designing and building resilient projects and instituting practices that evaluate the social, environmental, and economic spectrums. 12 Freese and Nichols Freese and Nichols 13

8 Tarrant County College s 87,000-square-foot Center of Excellence for Energy Technology is an innovative showcase of energy conservation, designed with a goal of LEED Platinum certification and featuring solar panels, geothermal heat pumps and a wind turbine. Freese and Nichols was the Architect of Record and designed the project in collaboration with the architectural firm BNIM. Freese and Nichols designed the City of Rowlett s Merritt Road to accommodate expected growth. The new road is environmentally friendly, incorporating stormwater bioswales in the medians, redesigned intersections to reduce idling and protect air Freese and Nichols and the City of Fort Worth used Envision sustainable principles to develop a walkable East Rosedale Street corridor that honors neighborhood priorities and creates a more livable community. Featuring two roundabouts and a bridge that addresses flooding concerns, the project also reduced waste by salvaging bricks for reuse. To see the video, visit quality, and a trail for pedestrians and cyclists. 14 Freese and Nichols Freese and Nichols 15

9 Professional Service Continued leadership and support of our professions are priorities for every Freese and Nichols employee. We are passionate about dedicating time and service to further our professions. Many of our staff members hold positions on boards and committees across the country, serving as voices for our industries. Dozens of employees share their technical expertise in the form of papers and presentations at national conferences or technical seminars. Through multiple opportunities, our employees leave lasting impacts on the profession, their colleagues, students and future leaders. 16 Freese and Nichols Freese and Nichols 17

10 Freese and Nichols was recognized at the Top 25 Prime Contractors for Diversity luncheon in Houston, highlighting firms that devote resources to enlarging opportunities for minority-owned companies. Freese and Nichols presented scholarships to several students from North Carolina State University and Appalachian State University. Our partnership with colleges across the region has been instrumental in helping us support students as they learn more about the profession and their career goals. Tricia Hatley, Oklahoma Regional Manager, was named a Fellow member by the National Society of Professional Engineers. She was recognized for her years of service for NSPE, including her role as the Texas Chapter President. To see the video, visit Seventh-graders from the Fort Worth Independent School District s Vital Link program visited Freese and Nichols to learn about our professions. In one activity, they applied principles of structural engineering by building bridges using only toothpicks and gummy candies. 18 Freese and Nichols

11 Mission Innovative approaches Practical results Outstanding service Vision Be the firm of choice for clients and employees Guiding Principles We are ethical We deliver quality We are responsive We add value We improve continuously We are innovative We develop professionally We respect others We appreciate our employees and clients We give back to our communities Freese and Nichols, Inc. delivers innovative solutions to clients across the country, providing engineering, architecture, environmental science, planning, energy, program management and construction services. A full-service professional consulting firm, Freese and Nichols is the first engineering/architecture firm to receive the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. For more information, visit We d like to hear from you: send us your feedback publications@freese.com Subscribe for the latest industry insights Printed to a high-level of environmentally responsible standards: Paper is certified to the standards of the Forest Stewardship Council TM and is recycled with 10% post-consumer waste. Soy-based ink was used for printing.