by MARTINSVILLE, Va. — As part of its ongoing commitment to reduce its environmental impact, promote equity inside and outside the organization, and support the communities in which its employees live and work, Hooker Furnishings has released its fourth annual Corporate Social Responsibility Report.
The 56-page document outlines the company’s progress toward advancing its many Environmental, Social and Governance objectives including several key areas of focus: carbon reduction, sustainability, diversity, equity and inclusion, health and safety, and corporate citizenship. With a focus on progress and continual improvement, the report takes a look at the company’s current state, identifies areas of improvement, as well as outlines key goals for 2025 and beyond.
“This year marks our 100th year of business and as part of our centennial milestone, we are taking a look back at our rich history of design leadership, culture and legacy of giving,” said Jeremy Hoff, chief executive officer of Hooker Furnishings. “As we reflect, it’s a positive reminder that our company’s core values have always revolved around building quality products, while taking care of our people and leaving the world a better place than we found it.”
Key highlights from the report include:
+ The company was recognized as an Appalachian Power 2023 Top Performer for energy efficiency in Martinsville, Virginia.
+ The company reduced emissions of volatile organic compounds at its Sam Moore facility, resulting in a reclassification of the facility under the Clean Air Act from an EPA Title V Major Source to a Synthetic Minor Source (Emissions Controls and Air Permits).
+ The company implemented process improvements at its Shenandoah facilities, which reduced energy consumption and landfill waste, exceeding the stretch goals the company set for itself.
+ With a focus on talent acquisition and development, Hooker Furnishings established a new internship program focused on building a diverse pipeline of talent for future roles within the company.
+ From a diversity, equity and inclusion perspective, the company conducted an employee survey to understand engagement and satisfaction, gaining valuable insights into how its workforce perceives its mission. Through this survey, employees pinpointed areas for improvement, including the need for inclusive leadership training for all managers and expanded management and leadership training across the organization.
+ The company completed its first DEI annual report and hosted its first employee “listening session,” moderated by its DEI partner, The Diversity Movement. The listening session was aimed at uncovering gaps within the organization and helping gain actionable insights to guide its overall DEI strategy.
+ To build on its commitment to support the communities where its employees live and work, the company donated $1.4 million in a mix of in-kind donations, cash and countless volunteer hours to the charities identified as most important to its employees in 2023.
+ Serving as the cornerstone of its philanthropic efforts in 2024, the company launched a signature philanthropic program — 100 Acts of Kindness — designed to amplify its spirit of giving in an even more meaningful way during its centennial year.
“We have a rich heritage that is centered around enhancing the lives of the people we touch,” Hoff added. “Whether that’s through the products we make, the thousands of people we have employed over the years, the relationships we build with our partners, or the support we provide to our communities, we have always operated by putting integrity, our team and our philanthropic culture at the forefront of everything we do.
“We look forward to sharing our continued progress and hope these initiatives inspire others to enhance their philanthropic and charitable efforts, both within their organizations and in their personal lives,” he added.
The CSR Report is compiled and disseminated annually by the Hooker Furnishings CARE (Community Action & Responsibility for our Environment) Committee. Founded in 2021 with the purpose of addressing the topics of environmental stewardship, social responsibility, ethics and governance at a corporate level, CARE is a cross-functional, cross-company team that encompasses individuals from all divisions and levels of the organization, including the C-Suite. Members of the committee are tasked with identifying gaps and subsequently formulating solutions to issues under the umbrella of Hooker Furnishings’ ESG performance. By seeing these projects through to fruition, CARE strives to continuously improve upon the company’s status as a good corporate citizen, serving the environment and the local communities in which employees live and work.
Access Hooker Furnishings’ 2024 Corporate Social Responsibility Report on the Hooker Furnishings website, here.
