Social Well-Being - Jacob Holm ImpactJacob Holm Impact

Donation to Diaper bank of NC

Jacob Holm is a family business, and we believe all families should have access to proper hygiene. Though we’re most known for our consumer wipes products, we’re also heavily involved in the hygiene market, producing a range of diaper components. ]

As part of our commitment to social sustainability, we were excited to make a donation to the diaper bank of North Carolina as part of their inaugural fundraising gala in 2019.

Research shows that providing families with access to diapers leads to improved physical health in children and better mental health in their parents. Another benefit is improved employment consistency for working parents, which contributes to both social and economic sustainability.

A grassroots non-profit founded by moms, the Diaper Bank has made huge strides toward ensuring no baby in North Carolina goes without the basic necessity of diapers. It’s a simple step toward the overall goal of greater family stability, and Jacob Holm is proud to be a part of it.

Donation to Diaper bank of NC

Jacob Holm is a family business, and we believe all families should have access to proper hygiene. Though we’re most…

Welcoming New Employees in a Dire Time

During the coronavirus crisis, demand for medical-grade nonwoven fabrics used in care facilities across the globe has increased sixty-five percent. To keep pace, Jacob Holm welcomed sixty-seven new employees in March and April of 2020. In trying times, taking care of our employees is more important than ever, which is why our Human Resources team initiated a staffing drive that prioritized our existing employees ‘family members who had been laid off or furloughed due to the crisis. By the end of April, our new employees had already logged more than 2000 hours of overtime. We’re proud to produce solutions to unprecedented problems, both in our products and our commitment to the sustainable health of our communities.

Welcoming New Employees in a Dire Time

During the coronavirus crisis, demand for medical-grade nonwoven fabrics used in care facilities across the globe has increased sixty-five percent….

Jacob Holm Supports United Way

Each year, Jacob Holm workers foster social sustainability in the most direct way possible: by giving from their own paychecks. Our employees support the United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County with tens of thousands of dollars yearly, and we’re proud to say that we match their donations. In addition to this direct monetary support, we encourage our workers to take an active role in helping United Way, offering paid time off for volunteer events such as the United Way Days of Caring, and other community events like building and renovation projects at local schools . In the United Way, we’ve found a valuable partner to make use of our employees’ generosity and community spirit, and we look forward to our ongoing partnership.

Jacob Holm Supports United Way

Each year, Jacob Holm workers foster social sustainability in the most direct way possible: by giving from their own paychecks….

Staying Home for Safety – and Sustainability

The coronavirus pandemic has changed our world, but a time of change is also a time of opportunity. Jacob Holm was an early adopter of a work-from-home policy: On February 26, 2020, we implemented our first travel restrictions, and by March 11, we mandated that as many of our administrative employees begin working from home as possible.

Of course, our chief goal is the safety of our workers, but that’s just part of the social sustainability benefits we’ve seen from working remotely. Since the beginning of the pandemic, our reduced commuting has achieved a savings of almost fourteen metric tons of carbon emissions per week. According to the EPA, that equals the amount of carbon that would have been produced by powering 1,772,698 smart phones each week, or the weekly carbon-equivalent consumed by 946.4 acres of US forests!

To learn more about our social and environmental efforts in Coronavirus, click here: https://www.jacob-holm.com/us/en-us/jacob-holm-nonwovens/news/2020/2020-05-04/

Staying Home for Safety – and Sustainability

The coronavirus pandemic has changed our world, but a time of change is also a time of opportunity. Jacob Holm…

Building Community through the United Way’s Homework Diner

Employees at Jacob Holm’s Candler, NC, plant advance social sustainability by engaging in “Homework Diners,” a program of the United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County. According to the United Way, Homework Diners, which began in late 2016, “are a dynamic, comprehensive strategy that surrounds students and their families with a continuum of coordinated supports including: tutoring, opportunities to build parent-teacher relationships, a free and nutritious meal, connections to community resources and workforce readiness. ” Jacob Holm employees volunteer as tutors and give ongoing support to local middle school students and their families, continuing virtually even during the COVID-19 crisis.

Building Community through the United Way’s Homework Diner

Employees at Jacob Holm’s Candler, NC, plant advance social sustainability by engaging in “Homework Diners,” a program of the United…

Quality of Life at Work: The Wellness Challenge

On two continents, Jacob Holm fosters a work environment that supports our employees’ health. Business and social sustainability depend on nurturing the physical well-being of our workers. In our plants in Soultz, France, and across our three plants in the US, our employees are offered workshops and challenges to improve their own physical health. Specifically, in Soultz, workshops are offered on themes of smoking cessation, achieving quality sleep and a balanced diet, and physical wellness practices such as yoga and pilates. At our Candler plant, employees may choose to participate in the annual Wellness Challenge, engaging in fun competition toward the goals of healthy eating, increased exercise and creating a work environment that supports healthier habits.

“We spend many hours of the day together,” says Candler Human Resources Manager Amy Taylor. “That’s why I want to make sure that our workplace helps us maintain and even improve our health.”

Quality of Life at Work: The Wellness Challenge

On two continents, Jacob Holm fosters a work environment that supports our employees’ health. Business and social sustainability depend on…

Every Employee is Bonus-Eligible

Jacob Holm believes that social and business sustainability are not competing goals. In fact, they’re complimentary. In both a profitable business and a sustainable society, workers are paid well. That’s why every single Jacob Holm employee — everywhere on the globe, whether in production or administration — is eligible for an end-of-year performance bonus. Based on key performance indicators at the plant level, and individual accomplishment, we hope these bonuses are just one way we let our workers know how highly they’re valued.

Every Employee is Bonus-Eligible

Jacob Holm believes that social and business sustainability are not competing goals. In fact, they’re complimentary. In both a profitable…

Investing $150M in Minority-Owned Businesses

As part of our conscious effort toward social sustainability, Jacob Holm tracks every penny we spend, making sure we contribute to the diversity of the marketplace by investing in minority-owned businesses. In 2018, this number amounted to $ 150 million — from our Candler, NC, plant alone!

The majority of that money was invested in woman-owned ARM Trucking, a small transfer company based in neighboring Waynesville, NC, but we’re also tracking our investments in Hispanic, Native American, African-American and other communities.

Since 2018, Jacob Holm has created a new position called Vice President of Sourcing. The current Vice President, Erik Lomholdt, leads the charge to increase transparency in our supply chain, tracking diversity in supply chain, at all plants, with an eye toward sustainability. This is in addition to our already-rigorous assessment of our suppliers, equipment, training, safety and end-product quality.

While we’re known for taking care of our workers, Jacob Holm believes that sustainability requires more: Caring not just about our own employees, but every person in the marketplace.

Investing $150M in Minority-Owned Businesses

As part of our conscious effort toward social sustainability, Jacob Holm tracks every penny we spend, making sure we contribute…

Caring for our Workers – Both On and Off the Job

Jacob Holm aims to provide our employees worldwide with a sustainable working environment. In the US, we work hard to provide the best possible healthcare coverage to all of our employees, and we’re proud to say that more than 90% of our US workers have chosen to participate in our healthcare benefits program.

While most employers contribute only 82% for their workers’ employee-only plans, and only about 71% for family plans, Jacob Holm pays between 85% -95% of our employee premium, providing a meaningful benefit for our employees.

In addition, we offer two outstanding options for both medical and dental plans, allowing our employees the opportunity to find the best fit for their needs. Jacob Holm covers our health reimbursement plan 100%, giving our workers peace of mind. Employees choose between dental plans: We cover 65% -70% of one option and 100% of the other.

Caring for our workers means valuing their safety and wellbeing in all aspects of life. This is why, in addition to healthcare coverage, we also provide monthly physical and financial wellness programs. In Europe and the Americas, we offer activities that provide employees with opportunities to become more financially aware, so they can be happier and more comfortable with their finances in the future. In addition, we provide financial counselors to help our employees improve their overall financial well-being.

“Our new team members are always surprised by and pleased with our benefits package and say their employee cost is much less than what was paid at previous jobs” says Robin Devlin, Regional Benefits Specialist.

We value our people. Our investment in their physical and financial well-being is one way we have invested in caring for them and their future.

Caring for our Workers – Both On and Off the Job

Jacob Holm aims to provide our employees worldwide with a sustainable working environment. In the US, we work hard to…

Upcycling For Childrens’ Happiness

Community outreach is a key pillar of the Jacob Holm social sustainability strategy. As part of these initiatives, we seek sustainable solutions for our production waste that benefit our local communities. We’re proud to say that one of our solutions is the donation of fiber and fabric from our converting site in Madison, Tennessee, to a local company that up-cycles the materials for use as stuffing in teddy bears.

Upcycling For Childrens’ Happiness

Community outreach is a key pillar of the Jacob Holm social sustainability strategy. As part of these initiatives, we seek…

Sustainable Products Made with Groundbreaking Technology

Jacob Holm uses groundbreaking technology and processes to pioneer the use of natural fibers in nonwovens. We began using cotton ten years ago, long before Millennial consumers began developing preferences for natural products. Five years ago, we innovated and patented technology to build the market leading line for dispersible and biodegradable material. As a part of our sustainable processes, cotton fibers are organically grown near our production site and our production site in Soultz, France has completely eliminated waste through recycling, regeneration, and repurposing. We at Jacob Holm make sustainable and innovative products without landfill waste because we care about our local communities and strive to minimize our environmental impact. We are continuously investing in technology to reduce our carbon footprint,

For the past 10 years we have led the market in sustainability. We were one of the first companies to validate the efforts of our supply chain through the strict requirements of GOTS, SFI®, FSC®, and PEFC ™ ensuring that our forests and raw materials are managed and procured responsibly. We also ensure product safety for eco-checks, ISO certification, and many others to provide customers with high quality nonwovens. Our leadership in sustainable fabrics and solutions includes concern for social responsibility and community engagement. At Jacob Holm we continuously strive towards making a difference by caring for the well-being of our employees, our local communities, and working towards making a positive impact on our future.

Sustainable Products Made with Groundbreaking Technology

Jacob Holm uses groundbreaking technology and processes to pioneer the use of natural fibers in nonwovens. We began using cotton…

Supporting Breastfeeding At Work

Anyone with a newborn knows that family isn’t something you return to after work: Family is always with you. Jacob Holm values family as an integral part of our business and our social sustainability efforts. This empathy comes from the top: CEO Martin Mikkelsen has four children and takes pride in the fact that Jacob Holm is a family-owned business. That’s why we have a global policy in place to support breastfeeding at work. We make accommodations for anyone who would like to breastfeed at work, for as long as they would like to breastfeed at work, because nothing is more important to sustainability than our children.

Supporting Breastfeeding At Work

Anyone with a newborn knows that family isn’t something you return to after work: Family is always with you. Jacob…

Sontara® Old Hickory Donates Over 800 Items to Children in Need

Social sustainability begins with a sense of community, and Jacob Holm takes pride in being a good neighbor. When the United Way of Middle Tennessee asked for help with their 2018 “Stuff the Bus” campaign, Sontara® employees stepped up. The campaign, which distributes donated school supplies to ensure at-risk students have the resources they need to start the school year, received 820 items from team members at our Old Hickory plant.

“We have a lot of success with supply drives,” says Amanda Murrah, Human Resources Manager at the plant. “Our workforce is deeply dedicated to the community we live in, and this shows in their ongoing generosity. I’m continuously impressed. “

Sontara® Old Hickory Donates Over 800 Items to Children in Need

Social sustainability begins with a sense of community, and Jacob Holm takes pride in being a good neighbor. When the…