The true strength of Universal Fibers lies in the hands, hearts, and minds of our people. In this chapter of "Our Story", we want to celebrate some of the individuals who breathe life into our company's vision, culture, and commitment to excellence. As we delve into the core of Universal Fibers, we’d like to introduce you to a few of the the driving forces, the brilliant minds, and the dedicated teams whose collective efforts deliver unrivalled innovation and progress.
1. It’s wonderful to interview a woman working in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics), who/what sparked your interest?
I’ve always loved animals, as a child I would bring home any stray big or small, much to the stress of my mom. Every time my mom would come to the door, she would let out a yelp or scream depending on what pitiful looking animal I brought home that day. It got so bad, she eventually took away my keys and insisted on checking I wasn’t hiding an animal before entering the house.
My love of animals and protector of the voiceless has never gone away. My pursuit of science became my pathway for understanding the world and its inhabitants. I fell in love with chemistry, “chemistry is life and life is chemistry”, as they say.
My path to sustainability was unplanned. I earned a Bachelor's degree in Chemistry from Tuskegee University, where I noticed few women entering science fields. While working during the day, I pursued a Master's degree in Colloids, Polymers, and Surface Chemistry from Carnegie Mellon University. My first career achievement in sustainability came at Valspar, where I helped develop next-generation waterborne interior coatings that were safer for the environment. Although I didn't realise it at the time, that marked the beginning of my sustainability journey.
2. What do you love most about working at Universal Fibers, your role, and the industry?
I love that every day is different. One minute I’m educating our customers on our product line, supporting them on their sustainability goal, the next I’m in a school talking with kids about the importance of sustainability or even accepting an award on my company’s behalf for “Environmental excellence in the community”.
I love having a voice in our business and being involved in setting the vision and strategies. This is important to me, especially as a woman and vitally as a woman of colour. Women play a significant role in combating climate change in many ways. They are often the first responders to the effects of climate change, such as natural disasters and food insecurity. They are also disproportionately affected by climate change especially women of colour, as they are more likely to live in poverty and have less access to resources. Being able to participate in a meaningful way when historically we’ve been left out of the decision-making process is one of the things I love most about my role at Universal Fibers.
3. How do you maintain Universal Fibers focus; do you think the term “sustainability” is becoming overused?
Our EnLIST 4-point commitment to sustainability keeps me focused. When taking on a project or thinking about an initiative I always ask myself how does this fit with EnLIST. How can it be measured and does it have an impact. I remember a time when the word sustainability was hardly ever used. Now, one could easily argue that sustainability is being overused and, arguably, abused to the point it’s losing credibility.
Should we do away with the word, no, not necessarily. I think when we talk about sustainability, we have to show how we are measuring it. Whether a company is being innovative with developing eco- conscious products with a negative footprint, or making capital invest in a region with jobs. It’s essential we include metrics.
4. What is your key focus over the next 12 months and beyond?
My focus is to continue to move the needle and elevate Materiality. Examples include our recent C2C Material Health Certification milestones. We received the first such certificates to be issued to any fibre under the Institute’s rigorous new Version 4.0 standard. Across all industries and categories only 74 products have received Version 4.0 certification to date. Our focus on Material Health is ongoing, ensuring no PFAS or RED list ingredients.
I will also be working on programs and initiatives focused on helping our associate’s development with things like tuition reimbursement and community support programs, in addition to funding various non-profits in support of our social responsibility impact.
We will continue to focus on maximizing our efficiency directives related to water and energy use. We often say that our approach to sustainability is a journey. We’ve been on this journey since 1969 and as pioneers in our sector we recognize that the journey gets steeper.
5. When not at Universal Fibers, what do you do to relax?
I love watching animal videos on social media. When I retire, I plan to foster animals. I love the idea of finally being able to open up the door to my home to an animal in need of care whether they’re big or small, matted or pitiful. I can’t imagine a more rewarding experience. Enjoying the company of many fun animal personalities to watch them flourish, and prepare them to go to their forever home.
This is the first posting in part of Universal Fibers' Faces of Innovation, Q&A series. Be sure to stay tuned for more about our team.