News

“Every B Corp should make it part of their mission to educate their employees, customers, and suppliers about why being a B Corp is important.” — Jared Meyers, Chairman of Legacy Vacation Resorts and Salt Palm Development in Florida and one of the founders of Florida for Good.

The intention of AMS’ B Corporation series is to do just that – educate all of our readers about why AMS is a B Corporation and why B Corps are important in the changing world.

Education is vital. If given a choice, everything being equal, and one of the companies is a B Corporation, people who are knowledgeable about B Corps will naturally consider it a plus. The B Corp might be the one they want to do business with. And with that choice comes growth and a world changing for the better.

Ultimately we want business to be good for the world: for the people who work at the business, for the customers and clients, for the surrounding community, for the environment, and for the owners or investors. It’s not too much to desire and it is clearly possible… because businesses are doing it!

This week’s blog features an interview with Jared Meyers, the Chairman of Legacy Vacation Resorts and founder of Florida for Good. Mr. Meyers is quoted above. The article also features an interview with Kevin Christopher, Founder and Principal of Rockridge Venture Law in Tennessee and a founder of B Tennessee. Both are champions of the B Corp movement.

We hope you enjoy the article.

Making It Easy to Choose Better Business: Southeast U.S. B Corp Champions Build Regional Movement

Local Networks Provide Opportunity to Build Community in Multiple Ways

“While the global Certified B Corporation community now includes more than 3,500 companies — and continues to grow — many people around the world remain unfamiliar with businesses operating as a force for good. Certain regions of the United States, including the Southeast and the Midwest, have lower concentrations of B Corps than other areas. To raise awareness of B Corps and attract more businesses to the movement, two Southeast U.S. business leaders are among those building local networks and organizing outreach and education.

“It’s no accident that B Corps include community as one of their stakeholders that drives business decisions and practices: The local level is where many companies can make the biggest impact through close connections that provide strength, especially during challenging times.

“As part of my research on purpose-driven business I recently talked with B Corp leaders in the Southeastern U.S., a region where the stakeholder-minded certification remains fairly novel, about their efforts to raise awareness of B Corps and encourage others to learn how business can be a force for good.”

Read the full article HERE.

November 12, 2020

Series: What B Corporations do for the World #9

One would be hard pressed to find a B Corporation that is not focused on their company’s impact on the environment. Being earth-conscious is a part of being good for the world, and B Corporations, no matter what their primary focus, will be focused on ‘green’ practices.

When AMS began doing business in 2002 it engaged in the ‘green’ practices of the time, such as recycling and thoughtful purchasing. Through the years the company reduced waste, purchased recycled packaging and kept the company’s impact on the environment as small as possible.

In 2017 a group of employees under the guidance of President (now CEO) Jay Catlin decided to organize a Green Team. The Green Team would monitor AMS business practices within each of the operating warehouses and recommend additional ways to reduce the ecological footprint.

The Green Team looked at some additional ways to face the environmental challenges of a fulfillment company: waterless urinals; non-toxic cleaning products; reducing copy paper waste and going electronic; separating comingled trash, paper and food in order to properly recycle and so on.

Since that time the Green Team has been hard at work. Today the team is under the guidance of AMS CFO, Anthony (Tony) Shepherd who has assumed the role of Green Team Executive Administrator. In a future blog we will focus exclusively on the Green Team and take a look at the changes that they have accomplished and the information they’ve gathered on ways for AMS to be Good for the World.

This week’s featured ‘B The Change’ article about the United Nations Climate Change Conference and the way that B Corporations are responding to the climate crisis. We hope you enjoy the article.

Earth Rising: The Global B Corp Community Responds to the Climate Emergency

Optimism and Radical Collaboration on the Road to a Zero-Carbon Future

On December 11, 2019, on the floor of the United Nations Climate Change Conference known as COP25 in Madrid, Spain, Commander Luca Parmitano of the European Space Agency connected by video from the International Space Station (ISS) and spoke directly to the thousands of delegates assembled. As he floated above Earth, with the blue-green hues swirling across the marble-like surface of our planet below, Commander Parmitano made an emotional appeal for world leaders to step up their pace on climate action. “Our planet is incredibly beautiful. We also see its incredible fragility. … I have seen with my own eyes the terrible effects of climate change.” The ISS itself, the largest manned object ever put into space, was built through a historic triumph of international cooperation and knowledge sharing by 16 nations and five space agencies.

That same day, on the same stage at COP25, 533 Certified B Corporations from 33 countries committed to Net Zero by 2030. It was the largest and most aggressive climate commitment to date by a group of businesses — and 20 years ahead of the Paris Agreement 2050 targets.

Both of these are shining examples of what humans can achieve when they are united in purpose and hope.

There are now nearly 800 B Corps committed to Net Zero by 2030.

You can read the full article HERE.

November 10, 2020

AMS’ safety record is no accident: Workforce safety during COVID #11

In this week’s Safety Blog we will look more closely at AMS’ compliance and stellar record with OSHA safety standards. In Blog #9 we talked about our AMS Team’s monthly OSHA safety walk. This week we’ll go into the subject further.

Safety in American warehouses is regulated by a series of standards from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, known as OHSA. Congress created OSHA under the Occupational Safety and Health Act, which was signed into law in 1970. The main focus of OSHA is to prevent work-related injuries, illnesses, and deaths.

When our safety team takes the OSHA walk around the warehouse they review the top areas of concern. They are given a comprehensive workbook that covers all of the areas OSHA cites plus more of concern to AMS. The workbook makes it clear – all employees are asked to, “Speak Up if you find anything – as small as it may be – that you feel could be done better, or may become a safety issue or cause of injuries.”

First on the list of safety concerns is Forklifts.

Forklifts can be dangerous. OSHA records about 100 warehouse employees are killed and 95,000 injured every year in forklift accidents while operating forklifts. The majority of fatalities are caused by forklift turnovers.

OHSA issues guidelines on forklift operation including the following:

“Train, evaluate and certify all operators to ensure that they can operate forklifts safely, follow safe procedures for picking up, putting down and stacking loads. Drive safely, never exceeding 5 mph and slow down in congested areas. Maintain sufficiently safe clearances for aisles and at loading docks or passages where forklifts are used.”

AMS has two active certified trainers that perform a classroom style instruction and test prior to an actual session of training on our three types of Powered Industrial Trucks.

Our trainers have developed study materials that allow employees to take the classroom portion by themselves. Once they have finished with the self-study, the test is given to them. After passing the test they move on to a one-on-one training. Students are given instructions on the controls and safety devices prior to stepping on each type of forklift, and then the real training begins.

Student materials include a 33-page manual that goes fully into how forklift trucks operate, what are the rules of the road and what can cause a forklift accident or to flip over. The manual goes over careless mistakes and reckless operations that can create dangerous situations. Responsibility for safety is strongly emphasized as students are instructed on AMS’ rules on the operation vehicles and the expectation that the operator will have the vehicle under control at all times.

With more than 400 employees in six warehouses, AMS’ safety record is remarkable: only one lost-time injury in more than 2 1/2 years! Congratulations to the entire safety team, and keep up the good work!!

Click here to access the LA County recommendations for business

October 28, 2020

Series: What B Corporations do for the World #8

This week in our B Corporation series we will focus on the B Corporation responses to two subjects of strong interest to us – COVID-19 safety and employee development.

Like the first of the featured corporations AMS has addressed COVID-19 safety in a CDC-based, determined and broad ranging manner. We have published a number of safety blogs on the subject relaying in detail the changes that were made and decisions that were taken. We invite you to read those blogs HERE at our blog page. Also like the featured B Corp, Cabot Creamery, we have had no cases originate in our warehouses as we also got ahead of it early.

The second article features interviews with business leaders from a fairly new Black-owned, Iowa-based B Corp called BLK and Bold, and South Mountain Company, one of the founding B Corps. The article talks about employee development and putting the local community first. AMS has a long and very inspiring history of workforce development and working closely with organizations in the community to hire individuals who have faced obstacles in finding employment. So this subject too is of interest to us.

We hope you enjoy reading about the many things B Corporations do to ‘Be the Change’ and be good for the world.

B Corp Cabot Creamery Leans on Interdependence to Safely Address COVID-19

Stakeholder-Based Adaptations Help Cooperative Manage Distribution Issues in Dairy Industry

“As many of us spend more time in our homes than we previously did, the beginning of this year can seem like a distant past in which we were able to go about our day-to-day lives without fear of the novel coronavirus. But even though the virus had not yet spread through the United States, its effects were being felt in other parts of the world. Noticing the significant toll the coronavirus was taking on countries in Europe and Asia, Cabot Creamery, a Certified B Corporation dairy cooperative based in Vermont, began shifting operations to anticipate its arrival in the United States early in 2020.

“We have been fortunate to not have any COVID-19 cases in any of our plants,” says Bill Beaton, the recently appointed CEO of Cabot. “And that is really because we got ahead of it so early. We jumped on it in February and early March.”

Read the full article HERE.

What It Looks Like When Businesses Put Employee Development and Their Local Community First — Even in Challenging Times

How B Corp Certification Improves Impact Strategies in Unexpected Ways

“The thousands of businesses around the world that have joined the Certified B Corporation community since 2008 represent a variety of industries and sizes, but they share a common focus on business success beyond the bottom line. By striving to create benefit for people and planet as well as profit, B Corps also establish strong company values that keep them rooted through turbulent times.

“This year has tested those values, and many B Corps have found new strength in their purpose-driven values and impact strategies. To hear firsthand how B Corp values have provided stability in an ever-changing reality, B The Change spoke with business leaders from BLK & Bold, a Black-owned, Des Moines, Iowa-based specialty coffee and tea roastery and wholesaler launched in 2018, and South Mountain Company, a 45-year-old architecture, engineering, building, and renewable energy business based on Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts. South Mountain is among the initial founding B Corps, gaining certification in 2008, while BLK & Bold is a newly certified B Corp.”

Read the full article HERE:

October 27, 2020

AMS’ safety record is no accident: Workforce safety during COVID #10

It’s week #10 of our Safety Series and we’ve covered a lot of ground. We began by demonstrating how the AMS safety team was protecting employees and making our warehouses and work, lunchroom and classroom spaces ‘pandemic safe’. We then covered how we were using Zoom for communication and working from home, handling visitors, giving potential clients ‘virtual’ tours, and continuing ongoing OSHA compliance in all areas.

This week our Security & Safety Supervisor, Matthew Warholy, and our Operations Manager, Eric Wiseman, take us into an area that not every warehouse or office contends with… earthquake safety. In the following paragraphs we learn the what, why and how of the annual Great California Shakeout drill at AMS Fulfillment.

Matt and Eric offered the following:

Every year, on the third Thursday in October, California businesses, schools and individuals participate in the Great California Shakeout. This is an earthquake preparedness drill that simulates a real earthquake scenario (without the shaking). This year, the drill was on 10/15 at 10:15 AM. Over 6.6 million Californians participated this year in preparation of the “Big One.” Of course, AMS needs to be prepared for any earthquake in our line of work so, it is in our best interest to make sure that we all know what to do when it happens. All warehouse and office personnel participate in the drill at the same time for maximum effect.

We could tell you that AMS prepares a few weeks in advance and makes sure that we sound the alarm at the chosen time, everyone evacuates safely, and we are done. It is much more complicated than that.

AMS is in preparation mode every day because of the way that our warehouses are set up. Like Ken Wiseman says, “Our Safety Record is No Accident”.

We make sure that pallets loaded with product do not exceed the weight limit of our racks
We use approved pallets for the weight of our products
Our racking is also bolted to the floor and braced together for maximum stability and meant to sway with the shaking of an earthquake
We make sure that exits are never blocked inside or outside in case of evacuation
Most importantly, we prepare our employees with our monthly OSHA walks to learn about safety and empower them to be our safety advocates in such an emergency

These are all important points to consider in case of any natural disaster or accident in our warehouses.

In the weeks prior, AMS prepares our Directors, Managers and Supervisors to speak with employees in their safety meetings on what will happen when an earthquake occurs. On the day of the drill, air horns are sounded signifying that an earthquake is occurring. Employees need to stop, take cover, wait until the shaking stops & then evacuate safely out of the warehouses. We instruct them to evacuate to pre-determined areas and check in with a supervisor. In the case of a real earthquake, we want to make sure that each employee is accounted for. Supervisors observe employees taking cover, evacuation times and if there are any issues stopping them from evacuating safely. We also give them instructions on staying safe at home with their families.

This year was one of our most successful. Out of four warehouses, we had an average evacuation time of just over 1 minute 20 seconds. There were mistakes made and we look for those errors to correct in our training process. Some people evacuated without taking cover. Some did not take cover at all. As a company, we take all these factors into account to correct for when the “Big One” happens for real.

Click here to access the LA County recommendations for business

October 21, 2020

Series: What B Corporations do for the World #7

Much of the B Corporation news in the US this week is about how businesses can help and encourage their employees to participate in the democracy by voting. We know that voting decisions have much more to do with our lives than simply choosing the President and the Congress. At AMS Fulfillment we encourage all employees to familiarize themselves with the elected representatives near to us, in our local communities, as well as those who represent us in the State and Federal Government, and to cast an informed vote that represents their values.

At the B The Change website we see the following encouragement to vote:

“This year, B Corporations and other businesses are doing their part to make sure their employees and other community members can vote safely, whether by providing paid time off for voting and volunteering or encouraging them to make a plan to ensure their ballots are cast.”

This week we’re presenting two articles. The first is regarding an organization of B Corporations that works to prevent voter suppression. The second is about a B Corporation, Rivanna Natural Designs, that has been creating jobs for recently arrived refugees. They are committed to helping their employees overcome obstacles to voting and participating in the democracy.

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B Corps Address Voter Suppression in 2020 and What to Remember When Taking Action
During Its First Virtual BLD Conference, B Local Bay Area Highlights Voter Suppression and the Upcoming U.S. Election

“As business leaders, we believe that democracy works best when all eligible voters can have their voices heard and that every vote matters. But what can we do to address voter suppression in the coming weeks leading up to and on Election Day in the United States? And after the election, what can we do to support and protect the democratic process moving forward? There’s so much information out there, and it’s hard to know where to start. As part of BLD Bay Area 2020, Certified B Corporation community leaders set out to answer these questions, provide attendees with the resources, and empower them to take immediate action.

“BLD (B Corp Leadership Development) began seven years ago by B Corps determined to foster community among the 30,000 B Corp employees throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. Each BLD is organized entirely by volunteers from local B Corp communities every year. This year was B Local Bay Area’s first-ever virtual BLD. Attendees included employees of B Corps and members of the greater B Economy, including students, academics, investors, and community members representing benefit corporations, aspiring B Corps, and nonprofit organizations.”

Read the full article HERE.

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How Businesses Can Help Employees Vote Safely
Ensuring Workers Have the Time and Tools They Need to Participate in the 2020 Election

“As the COVID-19 pandemic rolls on and the election draws near, business leaders across the United States are working to ensure that their employees and the communities they serve have a safe and healthy voting experience. At our Certified B Corporation, Rivanna Natural Designs, voting has a special significance. Since 2001, we’ve been creating jobs for recently arrived refugees. For almost two decades, our coworkers have been rebuilding their lives from scratch, learning English, passing their U.S. citizenship tests, and earning their right to vote.

“As members of a team that has always included individuals who have fled persecution, war, and violence, we take elections seriously. For us, voting is a privilege and a priority. Our additional priority, in this election, is health and safety.

“We’re joining fellow B Corps and other businesses in making a concerted effort to provide employees with the time and the tools they need to be active and engaged citizens while protecting themselves, their families, and their communities. Here’s some of what we and others recommend.”

Read the full article HERE.

October 15, 2020

AMS’ safety record is no accident: Workforce safety during COVID #9

AMS Fulfillment has been publishing a weekly safety blog covering our efforts to keep employees safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. For us, and for all work environments considered essential, COVID safety has been seen as having primary importance since early in 2020. But that doesn’t mean that other areas of warehouse safety can be neglected. In this blog we’ll talk about how to give equal attention to warehouse safety in general.

When our safety teams take their OSHA walk around the warehouse they look at the following areas for any violations or neglect: Forklift Charging Areas, Cardboard Balers, Dock Areas and Doors, Racking Systems, Shipping Areas, Electrical Drops and Extension Cords, Egress, Fire Extinguishers, Fire Risers, Housekeeping, Safety Data Sheets (SDS), Broken and Good Pallets.

OSHA refers to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. This government entity sets standards to ensure safe and healthful working conditions for working men and women. They not only set and enforce standards, they provide training, outreach, education and assistance.

We spoke to Matthew Warholy, Security & Safety Supervisor for AMS, about the most recent walk (see photos):

“We pride ourselves on our safety record, our OSHA compliance and stellar record of below average lost time injuries. When Eric Wiseman, Mark Fese and I conduct the monthly OSHA walks, we not only point out potential safety hazards, but we are empowering each attendee to be our safety advocates in the warehouses. We follow the mantra here at AMS… ‘If You See Something, Say Something’. This gives each employee the encouragement to point out a safety or ergonomic issue with no fear of reprimand.

“They can point it out to me as I walk each warehouse, or they can tell a supervisor or manager and even AMS’ Chief Workforce Development Officer, Ken Wiseman. The best part is that they will never get reprimanded for pointing out a safety issue. I personally, came from an environment where I pointed out a potentially deadly safety violation and was let go from that company because I spoke up. They didn’t want anyone making waves. Ken encourages you to speak up no matter what your role is here at AMS.

“Because of Ken starting these monthly OSHA tours, we now have a large number of employees as our own personal safety advocates and it keeps growing. We can’t be successful without their help. Another mantra for Ken is, ‘Our Safety Record Is No Accident’. It’s the truth.”

Click here to access the LA County recommendations for business

October 13, 2020

Series: What B Corporations do for the World # 6

In this weekly series we’ve been looking into various B Corporations to see how they bring to life their intention of being good for the world. This week we will highlight more B Corporations, and look again at the beliefs and intention of the creators of the ‘B Corporation’ concept. We’ll begin with a quote from Andrew Kassoy, CEO and co-founder of B Lab Global:

“It’s amazing what capitalism can produce. I think we, at our peril, underestimate how much business can do for social good if the system is structured in the right way.”

The following paragraph tells us more about how the B Corporation organizers view their mission, and what they believe:

“Society’s most challenging problems cannot be solved by government and nonprofits alone. The B Corp community works toward reduced inequality, lower levels of poverty, a healthier environment, stronger communities, and the creation of more high quality jobs with dignity and purpose.”

AMS Fulfillment is fully aligned with the B Corp vision. Information on our various programs and policies has been published in a number of blogs at the AMS website. We have made exciting advances in workforce development and education programs. Our hiring practices, our commitment to diversity and inclusion, and our involvement in the community are well known. We’ve made outstanding efforts in the past few months with regard to employee safety during COVID. We’re proud to be a B Corp.

This week we feature B Corporations that are also focused on their workforce and their communities in special ways. The first article is about Rhino Foods. As a benefit, this company offers a no-interest loan program, so that if employees have an emergency they won’t have to take out a high interest payday loan.

The next article goes into three different B Corps who are creating a better world by building strong community connections as a safety net for the people. These companies are Kinetic Communities Consulting (KC³), based in New York City; in Maine, Luke’s Lobster and in Oregon, AllCare Health.

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B Corps Turn to Stakeholder Connections to Help Workers and Community During COVID-19

Amid Public Health Crisis and Financial Upheaval, B Corps Provide Assistance to Maintain Stability

As the ripple effects of the COVID-19 pandemic spread around the globe, shaking economic, health care, employment, and education systems, the impacts were and continue to be felt most by the least fortunate among us. In the United States, the effects include historically high unemployment rates, financial instability, and food and housing insecurity. On a global scale, the pandemic has fragmented global trade and supply chains while further exposing health inequities and infrastructure shortfalls.

Even before COVID-19, many people in the United States were on a shaky financial foundation: 78% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck, and 69% have less than $1,000 in savings for an emergency. That means small and large unexpected events, from car trouble to medical bills to job loss, can lead to a financial spiral or force workers to borrow against their retirement fund.

The HoneyBee program differs from other employer loan programs, including the Income Advance program launched by B Corp Rhino Foods, in scale and design. The program is offered as an employer-provided benefit, like health insurance or retirement savings.

Read the full article here.

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Why Doing Good for All People Is Good for Business

B Corps Demonstrate the Power of Connections with Services Focused on Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion

As a community of companies that realize how business can be a force for good, Certified B Corporations see interdependence as a strength. By creating and strengthening connections — in their community, their workforce, or their industry — B Corps create a safety net for people who often fall between the systemic cracks.

Whether it’s improving housing while fighting climate change, developing workplace skills, or enhancing community health, the B Corps highlighted below are making an effort to reach out to people who often are overlooked in our society and economy. It may be part of a justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion program (JEDI) or just inherent in the policy and practice.

Read the full article here.

October 9, 2020

AMS’ safety record is no accident: Workforce safety during COVID #8

When the year of 2020 began in January, AMS had an incredible safety record of only one lost time injury in two and a half years. Here we are, nine months later, immersed in a global pandemic, and thankfully our safety record holds up. No lost-time injuries, and no COVID 19 cases arising within our warehouses and offices.

As the blog title states, our safety record is no accident. We work on it. Our safety team conducts regular walks through the warehouse, looking for any issues. We conduct OSHA training classes, we do safety challenges to see if safety teams can spot staged issues… in other words, safety is always a priority. Why? Because we value the wellbeing of our 400+ employees. As our CEO, Jay Catlin has often said, “Our employees are the reason for our success.”

In last week’s blog we promised to report on our ongoing warehouse safety efforts.

Our VP of Operations, Marco Pelaez, reports as follows: “We are continuing to enforce social distancing and wearing a mask as we believe it helps to keep everybody healthy and safe. We also have added more sanitizing stations across all buildings so employees can clean their hands as often as they need to, and we provided hand sanitizing bottles to each employee as well. Recently we installed electronic temperature reads in the lobby and employee entrance so we can read temperatures more accurately. (see photos)

“If any employee is experiencing flu-like symptoms we arrange for them to get a rapid test done, at our expense, so they can come back to work right away without losing any time. And we have extra face masks on hand in each building in case someone doesn’t have a mask with them. So we’re holding steady and the employees are feeling well.”

When asked about ongoing “non-covid” safety issues, Marco said, “We have been doing safety walks once per week, but now we have begun conducting a monthly 4 hour tour of all buildings in one day. We want everyone to be aware of how important safety is for our company. Also we have given every employee the authority to report any safety fails and safety hazards that can potentially injure anybody.

“We are having a general monthly meeting with all our employees where we talk about different topics such as how to deal with weather conditions. For example, if we have a very hot day, we encourage our employees to drink lots of water to stay hydrated and if we have employees unloading containers, we rotate them every 10 minutes to keep everybody safe from overheating.”

AMS employees and clients are very grateful to AMS Management for focusing on safety. It matters!

Click here to access the LA County recommendations for business

October 9, 2020

Thank You!! AMS Employees of the Month September 2020

Congratulations to the AMS Fulfillment Employees of the Month for September, 2020! We are proud to honor the following members of our corporate family! Thank you Cheyenne K., Damon P., Janeth C., Josue M. and Eboni Y.

In the fulfillment industry, employees directly serve the company’s clients, making their efforts vital to the growth and success of the business. We know their value, and we respect and invest in our employees.

Each month employees within AMS’ Santa Clarita, CA (Valencia) facilities nominate a co-worker who has provided outstanding service to the team and the clients. The nominations demonstrate that the individual being recognized has gone above and beyond, and deserves Special Thanks!

Congratulations to the following:

Cheyenne K., Account Manager (March, 2018)
HQ Administration, 29010 Commerce Center Drive, Valencia, CA 91355

I just really want to acknowledge how amazing Cheyenne is at working with Operations. She’s very understanding on both ends – Client side and Operations side. I know this isn’t my first time acknowledging nor will it be my last time but this young lady goes above and beyond to do whatever she can to appease both. She always has a great attitude during the most stressful period which is month end, and she is always willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done. Everyone here on the Op’s team is very happy to work with Cheyenne!

Damon P., Receiving Clerk (June, 2019)
HQ Warehouse, 29010 Commerce Center Drive

I would like to nominate Damon for EOM because he is always warm, welcoming and respectful to everyone regardless their level of experience. He brings a level of enthusiasm and willingness to learn that gives you the motivation to put forth your best effort. Ever since Damon started in Receiving he has shown that his personal performance and his teamwork skills are very efficient for the team and he influences us to find ways to attack every order given to the team in the most efficient way. He is appreciated by the receiving team!

Janeth C., General Warehouse II (November, 2019)
WIL: 28936 Avenue Williams

I would like to nominate Janeth for EOM because she is an amazing team member. She is willing to help in any department with no issues or complaints and always has a great attitude. She is such an important member of our team and a pleasure to work with. Janeth goes above and beyond, volunteering to help other departments and learn new things. She helps others and we are proud she is a member of our team.

Josue M., Shipping I Supervisor, (July, 2019)
WIT: 28624 Witherspoon Parkway

I would like to nominate Josue for EOM. He is a professional and gets his work done. He is a great supervisor to his employees and they say the same. He works well with everyone and is always polite and a joy to work with. He works so hard and makes sure his department is taken care of. Josue deserves the recognition.

Eboni Y., General Warehouse II (January, 2019)
LIV: 28545 Livingston Avenue

I would like to nominate Eboni for EOM. She started as a B2C picker for CT and has become the top picker, picking more units per hour than the rest of the team! After she mastered picking she let it be known she wants to learn more. Eboni chose shipping and she was given a chance and became a great shipper. She always brings up suggestions to make things more efficient and is a great team player. Eboni is a great asset to our team in every way.

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Our ‘Employee of the Month’ recognition is meant to convey extra appreciation to individuals in the AMS Fulfillment Family! Whatever role they play, our employees are the reason for our success. Congratulations to this month’s honorees and Thank You!

September 30, 2020

AMS’ safety record is no accident: Workforce safety during COVID #7

During the past few months, the AMS warehouses and work, lunchroom and classroom spaces have been transformed into ‘pandemic safe’ spaces. It has been a great effort, and one we have all been appreciative of. Those changes are outlined in our workforce safety series #1 through #6.

In this blog we will cover the work from home response to the pandemic, and the use of Zoom for meetings and communications between the office and warehouses.

There are approximately 300 employees in the Santa Clarita campus and 62 of these are stationed in the HQ office. When it became necessary to respond to the COVID crisis, decisions had to be made with regard to working from home. Employees with health conditions that made them more susceptible were the first to set up a home office, followed by others who volunteered to set up at home. Employees with no health issues, whose presence on campus was needed, stayed in the office.

Carmen Kernek, Human Resources Director, explained that in general, remote employees are grateful for the opportunity to work from home versus the alternative. “Though we have many safety protocols and methods, working remote allows the perfect ‘social distancing’ atmosphere for everyone (remote and in the office),” she said.

We understand of course that dealing with this pandemic hasn’t been easy for any one of us. Mark Fese, Director of Facilities, was one of the employees who had to transfer to a home office to protect his health. Mark said, “Zoom has been a great tool in my everyday schedule yet not as effective or powerful as a face to face conversation.” He went on to say, “I’ve always been hands on with what I do and miss being able to visually be a part of projects where I know I can add positive input, saving time and labor.”

We miss having employees like Mark on campus, as his presence at the facility is valuable. We’re confident other businesses are experiencing similar challenges. AMS does not yet have plans to return remote workers to the facility, but will do so when the dangers from COVID have passed.

Zoom conversations are also being used between the warehouse and office, and many more meetings are now taking place via Zoom. While we used to frequently have clients and prospects visit our operation for tours and routine meetings, potential clients are now given virtual tours so they don’t have to travel to our location. Almost 100% of our meetings have been moved to Zoom calls, and these calls have proven very effective to allow productive interaction.

Other warehouse safety concerns have not disappeared because of COVID 19, so in next week’s blog we will cover our ongoing warehouse safety training.

Click here to access the LA County recommendations for business

September 28, 2020

Series: What B Corporations do for the World #5

Every week we have been looking into various B Corporations to see the efforts they are making to be ‘good for the world’. The B Corp stories are always inspiring. We’ve also talked about our own efforts in workforce development, and the safety of our workforce during the pandemic. This week we’ll do both once again, with a focus this time on diversity.

With around 400 employees, AMS serves the community as a provider of employment. As such a provider, we have a strong focus on diversity in hiring, offering fair pay, benefits, training and education, opportunities to advance, and safety at the workplace.

AMS works with a number of SCV community organizations to identify job seekers who might face discrimination, or who might have obstacles to overcome. This includes individuals with disabilities, persons with a prison or justice involved record, homeless persons, single mothers or fathers and senior job seekers. We do not tolerate discrimination based on race, religion, ethnicity or sexual orientation.

Recently AMS’ Chief Workforce Development Officer, Ken Wiseman, outlined the steps forward that AMS is taking with regard to diversity and inclusion. The programs, plans, changes and ideas are inspiring. You can read about it in our latest blog, Keeping our Promises: Diversity and Inclusion at AMS.

The other B Corporation we are featuring this week is TMI Consulting. You can read about their efforts at creating an inclusive economy at the B The Change website, article linked below.

A ‘Perfect Storm’ for Inclusion: Now Is the Time for B Corps to Lead Anti-Racism Work

Founder of B Corp TMI Consulting Says Community Must Be Intentional with Inclusion Efforts

As a community of businesses founded with the goal of creating a more inclusive economy, Certified B Corporations have been innovators in justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion practices — a field now known as JEDI. But as Dr. Tiffany Jana of longtime B Corp and JEDI consulting firm TMI Consulting notes, these same companies have plenty of room for improvement as well as an opportunity to provide real-world examples of progress that other businesses can follow.

Paying a fair wage, providing health care benefits, building a workforce that reflects its community, offering training and educational programming — these are just a few of the ways that B Corps can and have advanced inclusion, sometimes through the Inclusive Economy Challenge program that B Lab operated in previous years. But as recent violent attacks against Black Americans that sparked racial justice protests across the country and around the world have shown, much work remains.

Click here to read the full article.