We strive to improve our community through social responsibility. The following efforts are just some of the steps we take to improve our surroundings. The biggest step we take is one we repeat every day: respecting the people and resources we work with.
FSC and PEFC Certifications: Fry currently holds certifications with both the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) regarding chain of custody for certain papers that we offer. Chain of Custody certifies that all wood raw materials, from which paper is manufactured, are from legal sources and not from protected forest areas. This ensures the long term, responsible sustainability of paper manufacturing.
Environmental Initiatives: We have initiated many capital projects over the last decade that have been targeted at reducing energy consumption, recycling products, and reusing materials. Some of the major projects include the following:
- installing a state-of-the-art photovoltaic (PV) solar collection system on the roof of our largest building;
- installing roof reflective coatings on the other buildings;
- installing state-of-the-art controls to regulate heating and air conditioning; and
- replacing aging oil-fired heaters with energy efficient natural gas heaters.
Soy Based Ink: One of our ink suppliers, Sun Chemical, has worked with us and with the American Soybean Association (ASA) to determine the maximum soybean levels that can be utilized across the various types of printing applications including news inks, heatset inks, and sheetfed inks. Sun is now formulating inks that meet the minimum soy requirements to use with the “SoySeal” label. Fry is currently using several grades of ink that contain the soy formulation.
Philanthropic Activities: Fry is a major supporter of our local Breakthrough T1D chapter (formerly the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation), and is proud to be continuing over 25 years of partnership and participation in the Annual Breakthrough T1D Walk. We have been an Education Partner with two local school districts (Cumberland Valley and Mechanicsburg) over the last decade. We support various organizations with in-kind donations or placing ads in their programs. We supply the Shining Light Ministry with clothing donations as they support the poor and homeless, and our local United Methodist Home for Children with food donations from our annual employee appreciation event. We also support nonprofits that are important to customers and employees with donations of money or silent auction items. These organizations include, but are not limited to, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, the P.A.P Foundation, the Lions Club of Mechanicsburg, the Mechanicsburg Fire Department, Bikes for Kids, the March of Dimes, the American Cancer Society, the American Heart Association, and the Muscular Dystrophy Association.
Diversity, Ethnicity, and Inclusion: Fry hiring and employment practices treat each employee and applicant on the basis of merit, experience, and other work-related criteria without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, or any other protected class.