MiMfg Magazine September 2017 | Page 14

14 MiMfg Magazine September 2017 BorgWarner Brings Back Community Engagement to Greater Detroit From its environmentally-friendly technologies to sustainable operations practices centered around conserving, recycling and reusing, BorgWarner is making sure their vision of a cleaner, more energy-efficient world stands at the core of everything they do. With five locations in Michigan, a top priority of the global leader in energy efficient propulsion solutions has been to support the local communities where they live and work. “We have long-term established partnerships, which we’ve cultivated over the years on a corporate level,” says Katya Pruett, public relations manager, BorgWarner. “Our investment in education builds a strong workforce for the future. Our support of employee volunteer efforts connects us to our neighbors. Our passion for product leadership drives success in the market- place, providing meaningful work for employees and sustaining local economies.” Recently, the manufacturer has run the whole gamut of activities primarily centered around the health and well-being of the community and STEM education. “We participate in heart and cancer awareness walks, contribute to local family assistance programs, organize food drives or contribute through “ large-scale annual campaigns like the United Way,” Pruett tells MMA. “We also have an employee-led committee which vets and organizes local community initiatives for the employees to participate in. We’ve recently contributed to an organization involved with reviving a Detroit neighborhood via agricultural efforts.” The biggest challenge is sifting through the requests to ensure resources are allocated properly. Staying true to long-term BorgWarner partnerships and aligning itself with the right causes help to focus the whole effort of community engagement. “Ultimately, it’s about staying true to our vision and giving our employees a choice to participate in the causes they are most passionate about,” Pruett says. Investing in and supporting our communities has been part of Shape’s culture since its founding — community is simply part of our company’s DNA. We take great care to give back and support organizations and individuals that need assistance; donating time, talents and funds through Shape volunteer programs and initiatives. Shape Corp Leads the Way in West Michigan Corp. “We take great care to give back and support organizations and individuals that need assistance; donating time, talents and funds thr