Progressive workplace: N&O profiles Replacements
by Matt | February 25th, 2008 |The News & Observer (Raleigh, N.C.) profiled Greensboro, N.C.-based Replacements, Ltd. in an article Sunday.
Replacements, a glassware, china and dinnerware specialty company, is one of many businesses nationwide scoring a perfect 100 score on the Human Rights Campaign Corporate Equality Index. CEO Bob Page, his partner Senior Vice President of Product Services Dale Frederiksen and Vice President for Community Affairs Gary Palmer are all active in Greensboro civic and social arenas. In fact, Palmer and Page have been instrumental in shaping Greensboro into a city with full non-discrimination policy protections and domestic partner benefits.
Far beyond LGBT issues, however, Replacements is truly a progressive workplace. More after the jump.
The company also allows workers to bring their pets to the office. It’s a popular perk, based on the number of dogs seen romping through the executive offices and snoozing behind baby gates inside cubicles.
These policies are important to employees such as Micheal Smith, an Internet marketing specialist who has lost 130 pounds over two years through exercise, diet and support from on-site nurse Carol Harris.
“It’s awesome to come to work and feel like your superiors and co-workers care about you and want you to be happy,” said Smith, bending down to greet Tucker, a 6-month-old boxer who shares her cubicle.
Harris, the occupational health nurse, said her screenings have caught at least four cases of prostate cancer, 14 thyroid conditions and a number of elevated cholesterol counts.
Inventory manager Michael Quinn was one of the prostate cases. A blood test at work led to surgery a year ago that eliminated a condition that might have shortened his life.
“If it wasn’t for doing the free wellness program here, I probably wouldn’t have caught it for a while,” said Quinn, who joined Replacements 12 years ago after touring the place while on vacation from his job in Toronto.
He moved his wife and two children to Greensboro and hasn’t looked back.
“When I came down here, that’s the first thing I picked up on,” Quinn said. “People accept people for who they are. It’s a very respectful place.”
Other North Carolina companies receiving perfect 100 scores on the HRC Corporate Equality Index include Mitchell Gold+Bob Williams in Hendersonville, N.C. and Bank of America and Wachovia in Charlotte, N.C.
Matt, 22, is an LGBT journalist, activist and youth advocate currently living and working in Charlotte, N.C. A native of Winston-Salem, N.C., Matt attended the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and is still continuing to pursue his bachelors degree. He is the Owner & Editor of InterstateQ.com and has been active in LGBT advocacy work since the age of 14.
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