Axalta Coating Systems will host the 2017 Axalta CSR Summit: The Chemistry of Partnership on Friday, Sept. 22. The top corporate social responsibility (CSR) and sustainability leaders throughout the Philadelphia region – home of Axalta’s global headquarters – will gather at the Elaine Levitt and Joel Gershman Education and Conference Center at The Franklin Institute, and will focus on how businesses can positively impact their communities and the world at large through the support of charitable and community initiatives, environmental sustainability practices and science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education.
“As a global coatings manufacturing company, with more than 150 years of continuous operations, Axalta has a deep commitment to sustainability and corporate social responsibility,” said Axalta Chairman and CEO Charlie Shaver. “We fully recognize the power of local and global companies to become positive influencers for change in the world. For Axalta, this translates into supporting, as well as bringing together, local members of the public and private sectors who can make a difference.”
The full-day, dynamic program features presentations from distinguished speakers, including keynote speaker Stephanie Monahon, chief service officer for the City of Philadelphia; Jayatri Das, Ph.D., chief bioscientist at The Franklin Institute, who will share a lively history of STEM education and why STEM education is necessary to create the foundation for a thriving and well-rounded workforce; and James Margolis, partner at Environmental Resources Management (ERM), who will discuss how to advance business sustainability and address global environmental challenges.
“We designed the Axalta CSR Summit to provide thought-provoking educational content and generate ideas for results-based tools for professionals who oversee their company’s corporate giving and sustainability initiatives and for non-profits that benefit from their support,” said Regina Tracy, said head of Axalta’s global corporate social responsibility. “This is an important event for our partners and other local companies to learn from and expand their relationships. By working together and learning from each other, we can help transform the communities where we live and work.”
In an exclusive and intimate presentation, special guest and four-time NASCAR Cup Series champion, philanthropist, vintner and Chevrolet dealer Jeff Gordon will discuss the critical role of partnerships and corporate involvement in helping to shape the Jeff Gordon Children’s Foundation, which supports research dedicated to finding a cure for pediatric cancer and treatment programs that increase childhood cancer survivorship.
The Summit also will feature an interactive demonstration with students from the Science Leadership Academy, a public magnet high school founded by The Franklin Institute in partnership with the School District of Philadelphia, and a panel of five journalists from leading Delaware Valley news organizations, who will share how media organizations explore and cover CSR and the myriad of topics that are under its umbrella – from environmental sustainability to corporate citizenship to workplace diversity.
