THE GREEN TEAM AT DPI PRINTING
The Company
Located in the painted desert of Arizona, DPI Printing is nestled between the towering mountains of the West and the expansive desert of the South. The organization was founded on the solid principles of hard work, innovation and quality. From the very beginning, the founders kept their sights outward, toward the wide open space of new possibilities.
Established in 1986 as the first major direct-mail check printer, DPI Printing was founded to offer an exceptional value on high-quality checks. By maintaining a clear focus on this original objective, the company evolved and expanded over the years based on market trends and customer needs and desires. It currently offers more than 70 personal check designs, plus a full line of address labels, checkbook covers, check-related accessories and a complete line of business checks. In the last five years, the business line was expanded to include business printing beyond the financials, including rubber stamps, business cards, marketing materials, brochures and promotional items such as pens, mugs and shirts. The company prides itself on being the leader in corporate printing.
The Task
Differentiation in the market has been vital to this organization’s success. As a result, the company has come to you, the HR manager, and asked you to be a participant on the newly formed company “green team.” This team’s focus is on what DPI must do to become a more environmentally friendly business while maintaining its competitive edge. Your role on the team will be to identify what HR practices will be influenced by this new direction and to offer recommendations on changes that can be made within the HRM functions. You have already participated in several meetings where the following commitment statement was adopted:
10 © 2009 SHRM. Myrna L. Gusdorf, MBA, SPHR, and Sandra M. Reed, SPHR
Committed to the environment
Damage to our environment threatens the long-term sustainability of our economy, our prosperity and our way of life. At DPI Printing, our environmental policies are shaped by our conviction that the health of our company is dependent on the health of our communities and society.
Understanding that every part of our business has a potential effect on our environment, we are committed to integrating environmental policy at every level of our company’s operations.
Reducing our impact
We strive to decrease our impact on the environment by: n Exhibiting environmental sensitivity in our core business products and services.
n
Implementing programs to recycle, reduce consumption emissions and eliminate waste.
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Getting employees involved through lifestyle changes.
While many tasks still need to be addressed, you are currently preparing for the next meeting where you will discuss how your department will support the new mission and purpose. You must identify measurable objectives from an HR perspective about how your department’s efforts will support this new organizational direction. Your presentation must include:
1. Internal company policies or programs (i.e., benefits, rewards, policies, systems, etc.) that will promote the three elements of the commitment statement. What do you recommend for this printing business using the eight HRM functions discussed in the first class session?
2. A plan for how employees will be educated about the programs. What methods should be used to engage employees in this process? Discipline? Promotions?
Financial incentives? None of the above?
3. Additional staffing recommendations, if any.
4. Behaviors or changes that can be made in the HR department to reduce waste and contribute to the organization’s new mission.
© 2009 SHRM. Myrna L. Gusdorf, MBA, SPHR, and Sandra M. Reed, SPHR 11
RESEARCH RESOURCES
To help with this presentation, feel free to do your own research or use the following resources:
1. GreenBiz.com How To (www.greenbiz.com/toolbox/howto.cfm)
2. McGinn, D. (2007, October). Workers