Corporate Social Responsibility
At SEM, we are committed to corporate social responsibility, namely, improving our environment and our communities, both locally and globally. Therefore, we weave philanthropic and green initiatives into the very fabric of our brand identity. SEM was the first company to offer a zero-landfill paper destruction solution that contributes to LEED points, and the first to proudly manufacture equipment with CE marking that meets essential requirements of European health, safety, and environmental protection legislation.
SEM’s manufacturing facilities prioritize recycling and energy-savings initiatives, and SEM consistently seeks out opportunities to reduce our carbon footprint. SEM’s commitment to the health of our environment and the people in it is unparalleled.
But our corporate social responsibility doesn’t stop there. SEM consistently contributes to philanthropic initiatives and actively seeks out ways to support our local communities and charitable organizations. While SEM doesn’t have one specific charity of choice, veterans are our beneficiaries of choice. SEM provides financial support to Habitat for Humanity to support veterans, partners with Habitat for Humanity annually to build a playhouse for a veteran family, and makes financial contributions to America’s VetDogs. SEM also supports 21Kill, a non-profit organization that provides mental health services and support to US veterans in an effort to reduce veteran suicide, and holds an annual necessities drive for Veterans Inc.
Outside of veteran support, SEM is the annual naming sponsor of a charitable 5K that benefits Second Chance Animal Services, a central Massachusetts non-profit organization that provides low-cost veterinary services and a no-kill shelter to vulnerable and abandoned pets. In addition, SEM consistently donates to area schools and students and non-profit organizations requested by employees. If an employee has a cause near and dear to his or her heart, SEM will support it. In fact, it’s how SEM ended up donating a paper shredder to an Asheville, NC man who is now considered part of the SEM family.
Operation Playhouse
And speaking of employees, SEM’s small but mighty team consistently practices corporate social responsibility by giving back to our local and global communities. We have an engaged and company-sponsored culture committee that drives philanthropic efforts throughout the year, from food drives for our area food pantries to push-up challenges to support veterans to toiletries drives for battered women’s shelters to valentine’s cards for overseas service members to necessities drives and financial assistance for foster children and so much more. SEM leadership fully supports these initiatives and always matches all donations collected by employees.
While SEM has grown into the global leader in high security data destruction through over 50 years of innovation and industry leadership, we are proud to have remained a small, privately-owned company dedicated to integrity, quality, and “doing the right thing.” SEM gladly supports initiatives that support our world and the people in it — whether customers, employees, friends and family, or any of the other eight billion people with whom we share our planet.