They have the skills and passion for making a difference in their communities, and we are committed to giving them opportunities to get involved—and to compensate them for doing so.
Contributions of time and talent are another way our associates make a difference in the world. Volunteering for important causes not only helps improve the quality of life in our local communities but also helps build stronger bonds among associates and reinforces a culture of caring inside Zurn Elkay.
In 2022, we provided associates in the combined Zurn Elkay 20 hours of paid volunteer time, equivalent to roughly 1% of an associate’s annual work hours. For Elkay team members, this benefit represented a four-hour increase in company-sponsored volunteer time over the legacy Elkay paid volunteer hours program. Some highlights:
Zurn Elkay India teamed up with United Way Hyderabad to support a home for senior citizens who lack basic day-to-day support. Nearly three dozen associates volunteered at NEST – Home for the Aged, providing emotional support for the residents and serving meals.
Zurn Elkay’s Eastern Energy Squad ERG sponsored a Habitat for Humanity volunteer event. Thirteen associates helped build a home in Waukegan, Ill., raising the walls for the first level of the home and installing foam board insulation in the basement.
Associates from Downers Grove participated in a volunteer week in partnership with Feed My Starving Children (FMSC). Over one week, a total of 144 associates participated in two-hour volunteer shifts, packing rice, soy, dried vegetables and a nutritionally complete blend of vitamins and minerals. The packages were shipped to FMSC partners serving the neediest children around the world.
Associates from Savanna, Ill., participated in a Living Lands & Waters volunteer event, planting 140 trees in all the public parks throughout Savanna.
The Milwaukee team sponsored the annual Turkey Ticker Challenge with the food bank Hunger Task Force. It was the 12th consecutive year sponsoring the campaign to raise funds to purchase turkeys to donate to needy families for Thanksgiving dinner, with Zurn Elkay matching each public donation dollar for dollar. In 2022, the Turkey Ticker Challenge raised $122,000 to purchase 8,133 turkeys, and our associates volunteered 90 hours with the campaign. In addition, our associates volunteered to pack and load boxes and work on the Hunger Task Force's farm during the summer.
We also integrated our volunteering incentives into our efforts to promote overall associate wellness: associates who volunteer during the year receive wellness points through the Zurn Elkay Wellness Program, which they can use to reduce the cost of their insurance premiums.