From Holiday Collections to Reflections

00:00:00: Hello, I'm your host, Adam Brunner, and welcome to the Evonik Minute, your quick bi-weekly podcast for the important stories, news, and announcements for Evonik's North America region.

00:00:12: The date is December eighteenth, twenty-twenty-five, and on today's episode, Pause for Safety's first year comes to a close.

00:00:19: Evonik employees embrace the holiday spirit, and Guido Skodlarik reflects on a year of resilience, safety, innovation, diversity, and investment.

00:00:30: Those stories and more coming up in just a minute first up one year of pausing for safety.

00:00:46: The pause for safety initiative introduced at the end of twenty twenty four has strengthened Evonic North America's commitment to safety.

00:00:53: This program was designed to encourage employees to reflect on their safety practices share lessons learned and implement proactive measures to ensure that every team member goes home safe at the end of each shift.

00:01:03: over the past year the initiative has made significant impact across Evonic sites.

00:01:08: In Jamesville, Wisconsin, employees focused on learning from past incidents and improving operational protocols.

00:01:13: In Waterford, New York, an innovative hose management system was introduced to reduce clutter and minimize tripping hazards.

00:01:19: Meanwhile, in Mexico City, colleagues participated in specialized training as part of brigade units, preparing for emergencies such as fires, health crises, and even earthquakes.

00:01:29: Pause for Safety has inspired collaboration and innovation across North America.

00:01:33: highlighting site-specific solutions on the North America Internet and fostering a shared responsibility for safety.

00:01:39: Sean Marsh, head of ESHQ for the North America region, reflects on the program's success.

00:01:45: The pause for safety articles have helped remind everyone at Avonok of the critical importance of safety.

00:01:51: The case studies shared by our sites throughout twenty-twenty-five revealed an impressive range of important safety focus areas that we all benefited from reviewing.

00:02:01: It's not just about preventing incidents at work.

00:02:03: It's about fostering a mindset that employees can use both at work and at home.

00:02:08: At Avonix, we need to have a continuous improvement mindset and have safety at the foundation of everything we do.

00:02:16: Next, Avonix employees across North America embrace the holiday spirit by organizing and participating in various initiatives to support their local communities.

00:02:25: Highlights include a toy drive competition between Maitland and Morseburg in Ontario, a coat drive in Piscataway, New Jersey, hygiene and food drives in Hopewell and Richmond, Virginia, and volunteer days at food banks in Houston and Pasadena, Texas.

00:02:39: In Tanawanda, New York, employees partnered with little grandma's gifts to provide holiday baskets for children in the Niagara Falls School District, whose families are displaced or experiencing homelessness.

00:02:50: The initiative brought joy to over a hundred families, with twenty of the baskets funded and assembled entirely by Tanawanda employees.

00:02:57: Christine Stewart, a supply chain specialist who helped organize the event, shares her thoughts.

00:03:02: I am beyond grateful for the generosity and compassion of our Tonawanda colleagues.

00:03:07: Thanks to their efforts, we were able to bring holiday cheer to children and families in need, making a meaningful impact in our community.

00:03:14: This initiative is entirely employee-funded every year,

00:03:18: and I'm

00:03:18: amazed by the incredible support and participation we receive.

00:03:22: At Ivonic Tonawanda, we value being an active part of our community, especially during the holiday season.

00:03:30: Lastly, As twenty-twenty-five comes to a close, Guido Skodlarik, President Americas of Ivonic, reflected on the year's challenges and accomplishments, emphasizing the region's unwavering commitment to safety, innovation, and diversity.

00:03:45: His annual year-end message highlighted the success of the company's Pause for Safety campaign, and celebrated key milestones, including the founding of the Ivonic Environment, Safety, and Health Council, and an impressive forty years without a lost-time accident at the Harvard to Grace pilot plant.

00:04:00: This year also marked significant progress on key investment projects and the continued contributions of the Employee Resource Groups, or ERGs, in fostering diversity and inclusion.

00:04:11: At Avonok, we believe diverse teams strengthen decision-making and drive innovation.

00:04:16: Additionally, we welcome new talent including interns and rotational engineers who represent the next generation of leaders.

00:04:23: Guido Skodlark also took the opportunity to welcome the incoming President of America's Alias Lacerda.

00:04:29: I look forward to handing over the regional leadership to Elias Lacerter in February.

00:04:35: Serving as your regional president has been an honor and a privilege.

00:04:41: It's been a challenging year, no doubt, but it's also been a year that has shown the resilience, dedication and strength of our team in the Americas.

00:04:51: Thank you for your hard work, dedication and your commitment to making Yvonic a great and a safe place to work.

00:05:00: Let's carry this momentum into twenty twenty six and beyond.

00:05:04: Happy holidays.

00:05:07: And that's the news.

00:05:08: I'm Adam Brenner.

00:05:09: This is our last episode of the year.

00:05:11: So have a happy holidays and a great new year.

00:05:14: We'll see everyone again in twenty twenty six on the Evonic Minute.