Our business here is color, which definitely has everything to do with diversity. A city like Toronto is enriched by its cultural diversity. That is why we do not seek out nor exclude any particular cultural or ethnic groups in our staffing requirements. When people apply for a job at our site, we focus on ensuring that we select the most qualified person from a diverse pool of candidates. A company is more successful when its team members share diverse ideas and not just ideas that are always the same. That would be like having only one tool in a toolbox.

We have employees from Vietnam, the Caribbean nations, Poland, Ghana, the Philippines and many other countries. They are very well trained and driven by the same dream. We all have the same wishes for ourselves and our families. I myself came to Canada when I was eleven years old. My heritage is Chinese. In elementary school, I was the only visible minority, so I was a bit of a mystery to my schoolmates. I still remember well how I stood in line at the university to enroll. An Asian student came up to me and asked if I wanted to join the Chinese chess club. I declined. I feel that if you want to be accepted as a new member of society, everyone should be inclusive, including yourself.

Today, I have a strong Canadian identity and work in an industry whose products survive generations. That’s why comprehensive waste management is all the more important. That’s why we throw away as little as possible. Cardboard, wood, metal, electronic equipment, and plastic, our main source of garbage are given a second life through recycling efforts. We achieved our environmental targets for 2015 in 2011 and we are proud of that. Sustainability is ultimately something that needs to be put into practice now.

I only found out later in life that I enjoy teaching. It started when I was tutoring my son when he was in high school. I was able to teach him quickly how to rely on his own potential without having to rely on teachers. Then, I heard about a program in our church where the congregation wanted to help Montagnard students, an ethnic group from the Vietnamese highlands. I immediately offered to give them tutoring in science and mathematics. There’s so much that needs to be done, and that was just my part.

Initially, we wanted to meet each Saturday at the library. Sometimes I found myself alone there and had to pick up some of my students from home first. Since then, they ask me over Facebook or via text message if they need help in chemistry or another subject on a certain day. This works much better. Many of them are in classes with twenty or thirty students. They need this one-on-one time. It makes me happy when they stop thinking they won’t understand the material. Once they realize their potential, their self-esteem improves.

To me, they are very special, warm-hearted people. They often invite us to their homes so we can taste their food or enjoy their festivals. They also inspire a certain amount of patience in me, making me realize that you shouldn’t worry too much. These people supported the American army in Vietnam. Now there is an opportunity to help them – and in a way that allows them to help themselves. This also contributes to a more sustainable society.

I have always been blessed. My father worked for forty years in this company, and I was still in college when I started here, taking odd jobs during school breaks. I like my role in customer service. I’m always required to come up with creative solutions when I’m in touch with people. I think my life is good and that’s exactly why I would like to do something for others. That’s why I am involved in our employee-run volunteer committee to support good causes. We organize a lot of in-house fundraising events and come up with a lot of funny themes for them.

A former colleague once asked me if I could participate in an event. I challenged him and said I would collect more donations than him. That actually worked because I put on a costume with goggles, a swim ring, and fins. I made a real show out of it. After that, I never stopped changing roles. I’ve been a snowman, a gnome, a racer, a parrot, and I even once wore a jacket and gloves like Michael Jackson. It probably makes it easier for me to stand up and talk in front of people when I have a costume on.

These moments are special. I often get goosebumps. But first, it’s pure stress. Like a choreographer, I want to make sure that all the details of my presentation are just right and that everyone has fun. I’ve never received any negative feedback. People come up to me and say thanks because they were able to laugh and take a step back. That’s the best reward for me.

It can sometimes get boring for my coworkers to always be sitting behind the computer. That’s why we do these things. At the same time, it’s an opportunity to give something back to our neighborhood in Charlotte by helping those who are less fortunate.

The first animal I hunted with a bow and arrow was at the age of 23 or 24 and I haven’t lost my excitement for it since. Meanwhile, I’ve gotten almost all my clients hooked. It’s an honor for me to show them how to do it. It’s not that easy to hit a target from 30 to 40 yards away. If you aren’t certain that you’ll make it, you’re better off not taking the shot. We only hunt a few animals at my camp because the number one rule is: if you don’t want to eat it, you shouldn’t shoot it.

The oil business is a small world. I was on a rig in 1976 as a standard laborer. It’s hard to describe how close you get with your coworkers out there. You make friends quickly because you need one another. Some colleagues are now plant managers for big oil companies. When I come into their offices to talk about business, most of them have already decided to go with me. I know what these people want. I’ve been there for ages.

Integrity, honesty, trust: these are the values I stand for. There is no recipe for success in this job. You need to find out how to build and maintain relationships yourself. Some people want to see me once a week, others once a month. Then we do what they like to do: fishing, golf, clay pigeon shooting, hunting. Recently, a customer absolutely wanted to cook for us. Most of them don’t want to be treated as something special, and that makes it really fun.

My two grown boys are the most important thing to me. They’ve never given us any trouble. I’ve been married to the same woman for 37 years, have lived in the same house for 37 years and have worked for a previous company for 26 years. That’s my sustainability. I am very proud that I have hardly lost any customers in all these years. I love what I do and would do it for free. Just don’t tell anyone.

I grew up in a family of firefighters and police officers and I also have some of that in my blood. In my work, I become a go-to person for most areas I touch. If someone falls down at a live concert, I’m the one who ends up caring for them. My parents are typical Californians, progressive and environmentally conscious. Being willing to help so that everything turns out okay is a way of life for us.

Mom made her cleaning supplies herself, using mostly vinegar for them. I think I inherited this mind-set that you can do a lot of things for yourself. At college though, I took the easy way out and just did like everyone else. But once I was out on my own, I was reminded of what I was taught while growing up. Today, I also make a lot of things myself: hair products, lotions, deodorants, and lip balm. My husband and I try to live as organically as possible. We buy most of our food from local farms and preserve as much as possible from the last harvest.

After I had my daughter, it became clearer to me how many everyday items we throw away. We spent a lot of money on eco-friendly diapers from overseas, since the childcare center could not use the cloth variety. And we made all her baby food at home and jarred it for storage. Eventually, I’d like to run a childcare center and preschool where the food comes from local farms and all items are reusable. This generation of parents wants sustainable things for their children, which will open up new markets. For these reasons, I am happy to be part of a company that has a vision for sustainability and that provides solutions that have less impact on the environment.

For example in Business Unit Masterbatches, in the beginning, I was teased a bit when I asked if we had any solutions to color bioplastics. Since then, our technical and marketing groups have been working with the producers on solutions in which the plastic is lighter or is biodegradable. It’s also clear in other Business Units, that there is a push to provide more sustainable solutions. So I’m not the only one who cares, and I appreciate that this is being considered by others. It makes the world a better place.

When I heard about the new program we have for training apprentices, I put my name in right away. The apprentices are eighteen years of age on average, and it’s a pleasure to accompany them as they become the future leaders of the company. The areas we focus on are not limited to technical training. We also focus on work ethics, safety and how to conduct oneself in the working world. You can’t help but feel like a father in some ways. I know the opportunities that are available here, and I want to help young people take advantage of them.

Through a Christian-based rehabilitation program, I also help young men who have encountered problems due to drug or alcohol abuse. Many of the young men in the program have lost everything, including hope. So we talk with them about how you can improve your life by changing your attitude. The success rate is quite high because it makes a difference when you feel that someone is really interested in you and understands your needs and troubles. Certainly I’ve made some bad choices in my youth, so I would never pass judgement. It’s rewarding to see that no matter how shattered a life may seem, it can be put back together again.

Our farm would be a good therapeutic center for many people. It’s something about nature and animals that calms the inner man. As soon as I come home, I change my clothes and tend to the animals. I have owned horses, goats, sheep and chicken, but I currently raise cattle, mainly hybrids of Charolais and Angus. I’m trying to buy more land. Our great-grandfather from Georgia had a lot of land, most of which was sold over the years. I want to instill the value of land ownership into my children. At the end of the day, I want to be able to say I made a positive difference in this world.