Month: September 2023

Our purpose is what unites us at Henkel North America: Pioneers at heart for the good of generations. Our pioneering spirit is reflective of the diverse backgrounds, experiences and talents of our employees and partners. They dare to make an impact for the world by collaborating to tackle challenges, find solutions and open up new perspectives.

Their contributions allow us to deliver products, services and innovations that enrich and improve everyday life. We invite you to “meet” our pioneers in our new series, “Pioneers for Good”.

As a Senior Scientist at Henkel, Gerhard supports the beauty care business and its market-leading brands. He takes his passion for chemistry and uses it to help deliver innovative solutions for customers and promote diverse representation in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math).

Gerhard was born in Venezuela and moved to the United States at the age of thirteen. He initially had plans to pursue a career path in the medical field, but after taking research labs in undergraduate school he became interested in a career in chemistry.

When it comes to the beauty industry and the products Gerhard and his team formulates, representation is important. “Having people working in the lab who represent the broader population can go far in developing products that meet the needs of all consumers,” he says.

Incorporating diverse perspectives is an absolute necessity in the R&D process and within our teams.

Gerhard Kummerow, Senior Scientist, Henkel Consumer Brands

In addition to his role as a scientist at Henkel, Gerhard is active in the community and involved in various professional development organizations and employee resource groups (ERGs) at Henkel.

One of Gerhard’s missions is to encourage interest in STEM and build a more diverse pipeline of future STEM talent. As co-founder and mentoring chair for Henkel’s ¡Unidos! ERG, Gerhard works with MentorSHPE, a program that aims to empower the Hispanic community to realize its full potential by partnering students with professionals in the STEM field. This year, 12 Henkel employees mentored and provided guidance for Hispanic students aspiring to be STEM professionals through the MentorSHPE program.

“Working with and mentoring emerging STEM talent has been such a fulfilling experience,” he says. “Not only do I get the opportunity to give back by sharing my expertise and advice, but it is exciting to learn from and foster the growth of this next generation of scientists who will be pioneering new products and solutions that can improve lives and even change the world.”

In addition to his work with Henkel’s ¡Unidos! ERG, Gerhard also serves as a leader for the PRIDE ERG. Through both ERGs, Gerhard has been able to connect with employees from all over the world and support emerging professionals.

Gerhard hopes to see employees continue to get involved with Henkel’s mentoring programs and believes the ERGS are an important way to connect with each other. “Our work feels more meaningful when we have a community that supports us,” said Gerhard. “It’s important that people feel included at work so they can be as successful as possible.”

By: Danny Leonard, Director of Sales, Sofidel America

Over the last few years, restaurants have been feeling the heat amid concerns about COVID-19, worker shortages and rising food prices. But the industry is poised for a comeback according to a recent National Restaurant Association survey – it found the restaurant workforce is projected to grow by 400,000 jobs. There’s also pent-up demand from consumers who want to return to dining at restaurants as often as they had pre-pandemic.

With this expected influx on the horizon, it’s important that your restaurant takes stock of proper cleaning and hygiene measures for key front-of-house (FOH) and back-of-house (BOH) areas.

Don’t Put Restrooms on the Back Burner

While there are many areas of a restaurant that guests encounter while dining, one of the most impactful is the restroom. These spaces are highly frequented and hold major weight when it comes to how diners view your business. In fact, a recent Harris Poll uncovered that almost three in four Americans (74%) say a dirty restroom leads them to have a negative perception of a business.

To keep your restroom inviting and hygienic, consider the following best practices:

Schedule regular restocks. The aforementioned Harris Poll found over two in three people say when restaurant restrooms are inadequately stocked with hand soap, toilet paper and paper towel dispensers, it negatively impacts their views of the business. Ensure your staff regularly restocks restrooms by developing a schedule or appointing a certain person to check on restroom supplies, particularly during busy times.Encourage proper hand hygiene. It’s an unfortunate fact that toilet and urinal flushes can spread pathogens through the air and onto surfaces and the hands of restroom users. This makes proper hand hygiene vital. On top of having hand hygiene supplies like soap, sanitizer and paper towels properly stocked, also educate guests and employees via signage on hand washing techniques, like washing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.Opt for paper towels. To decrease the spread of germs, consider replacing jet air dryers with paper towels or adding towel dispensers near sinks. A study from Cambridge University found using paper towels to dry hands resulted in lower contamination rates when compared to jet air dryers. Plus, research finds that people overwhelmingly prefer using paper towels in public restrooms compared to air dryers.Quickly address toilet clogs. Toilet clogs at your restaurant are a major deterrent for customers. In fact, 86% of Americans agree that a clogged toilet causes them to have negative perceptions of a business. To limit the risk of guests refusing to return to your restaurant, consider stocking toilet paper that actively reduces the occurrence of toilet clogs. This toilet paper works by releasing good microorganisms once it comes in contact with toilet water, which eat away build-up in pipes. This type of toilet paper also enables staff to spend less time dealing with cleaning up messes and more time focusing on guests.

BOH Processes Gain Visibility in FOH Areas

Guests often don’t know what occurs in restaurant kitchens due to their closed-off designs. However, increasingly restaurants are bringing the BOH to the forefront. This can come in the form of build-your-own meal models like Subway or Chipotle and open-concept kitchens in full-service restaurants. These designs have altered how restaurant staff prioritize cleanliness and hygiene.

Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic has required restaurants to leverage their trusted cleaning protocols in other areas to reduce the spread of pathogens. Kitchen staff have always been accustomed to cleaning regularly to ensure food safety. Now, guests have higher standards and expect thorough cleaning and sanitizing practices to take place where they dine. Furthermore, 6 in 10 people shared concerns if restaurant employees have a lack of personal protective equipment (PPE) – make sure kitchen staff is prepared with proper PPE.

Whether a kitchen is out of view of customers or in plain sight, it’s important to give diners reassurance that your restaurant is following infection prevention and food safety best practices where food is prepared and where it is enjoyed. Consider developing a cleaning checklist to ensure all key areas and surfaces that guests may or may not see are properly addressed on a regular basis.

BOH employees must also follow proper hand hygiene to reduce the risk of pathogen transmission. Keep soap, sanitizer and absorbent paper towels stocked in kitchen areas at all times.

Cleanliness and Hygiene: The New Bread and Butter

At the moment, your restaurant may not be experiencing foot traffic like it had pre-pandemic, but that doesn’t mean that it’s easier to maintain cleanliness. Many foodservice operations are struggling to hire enough workers and guests are scrutinizing cleanliness and hygiene more closely. Be sure to consider the impact that both FOH and BOH areas have on your reputation and bottom line to keep your restaurant safe and inviting. Cleanliness and hygiene are a vital duo that support public health and customer satisfaction when executed correctly.

Danny Leonard is Director of Sales at Sofidel, a world leader in the manufacture of paper for hygienic and domestic use, including its Papernet brand of sustainable hygiene solutions. For more information, visit www.papernet.com/americas.

About The Sofidel Group

The Sofidel Group, a privately held company owned by the Stefani and Lazzareschi families, is a world leader in the manufacture of paper for hygienic and domestic use. Founded in 1966, the Group has subsidiaries in 12 countries – Italy, Spain, the UK, France, Belgium, Germany, Sweden, Poland, Hungary, Greece, Romania, and the USA – with more than 6,400 employees. A member of the UN Global Compact and the international WWF Climate Savers program, the Sofidel Group considers sustainability a strategic imperative and is committed to promoting sustainable development.  For more information, visit www.sofidel.com.

Media Contact:   

Brianna Fitzpatrick 

Mulberry Marketing Communications

bfitzpatrick@mulberrymc.com 

The wounds of history can be healed if we apply social innovation, resilience and strong community connection.

This was the theme that underscored our final WELL Summit 2023 MainStage session. “Lessons from Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Process: Centering and Celebrating Indigenous Wisdom” began with powerful stories from each panelist as well as land acknowledgements that recognized those that came before us, the contributions they made and their relationship with the land we occupy today.

These opening remarks were followed by an intimate conversation among Davina Rooney, CEO of the Green Building Council of Australia; Victoria Grant, chair of the Counseling Foundation of Canada; and Diane Roussin, project director of The Winnipeg Boldness Project. Grant is of the Loon Clan, Teme-Augama Anishnabai, and a member of the Temagami First Nation. Roussin is an Anishinaabe community leader and a proud member of the Skownan First Nation in Agowidiiwinan Treaty 2 Territory.

The engagement with each other and the audience exemplified a teaching Grant shared from her grandfather: when you walk in a room and engage with people, you take a little of each of the people there with you.

“We are the sum of our experiences and the people who have walked with us through life,” Grant explained, adding, “We live in a world that has been made much smaller as a result of transportation, technology and communication. We all have much more diversity within our communities and in our countries. We need to understand that diversity is natural. It’s not something that needs to be overcome.”

Truth and reconciliation

The panelists’ presentations and conversation shined a light on the systemic racism that has profoundly impacted the lives of Indigenous peoples and the importance of truth and reconciliation.

As Rooney observed in facilitating the discussion, it’s important to pause and acknowledge – to sit in the truth for a bit first — because “If you’re not uncomfortable, you’re not listening.”

Another key to reconciliation is education. “The history of Canada and the history before there was a Canada is not being taught in our classrooms. So the idea that there were Indigenous people living on the land with sophisticated systems (political, economic, health and more) is not taught in our schools,” Roussin shared.

This omission contributes to the racism faced by Indigenous peoples and fails to leverage wisdom that can be essential in tackling environmental and social challenges around the world.

Centering and celebrating indigenous wisdom

Acknowledging that successful efforts require systemic changes and a cross-sector approach, Roussin reflected on the value of her culture’s clan system teachings about collaboration. Clans are made up of a lot of different people, but everyone has a role. Every voice is needed at the table, and you have to understand your role and responsibility to make a difference.

These indigenous principles and those of strong community connection and people’s relationship with animals, water, trees and other people stand to have a positive impact on the world.

“We call these relations and our culture strives to live in a good, balanced, reciprocal relationship with them,” Roussin indicated. “We literally talk about Earth as our mother. And so I hope if you have a motherly figure in your life, you’re not thinking about extracting every ounce of value you can out of that mother and that you don’t care how she’s doing.”

For more information about the WELL Summit, please visit https://www.wellcertified.com/well-summit.

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