W.S. Badger at the Frontline of Addressing the Opioid Crisis in New Hampshire

Throughout the year New Hampshire Businesses for Social Responsibility collects "Just One Thing" stories of sustainability initiatives from across the state, in the areas of community, environment and workplace. These leading efforts are then showcased as part of NHBSR's Sustainability Slam in the fall. Last year W.S. Badger won NHBSR's 2017 Sustainability Slam for its invaluable contributions to New Hampshire communities.

(Photo Credit 1 & 2: W.S. Badger)

W.S. Badger in Gilsum, NH is a small, family-owned and operated company that uses only the highest quality ingredients in its organic and all-natural skin care and body care products. With a strong commitment to our environment, Badger upholds a rigorous standard for any natural ingredients it sources, ensuring that its supply chain supports healthy agriculture, is minimally processed, and promotes sustainability. Badger also strongly invests in its community. Last year it donated 10% of before-tax profits to organizations that benefit people and the planet. Furthermore, the company encourages employees to volunteer through its paid community service program.

Badger's winning Just One Thing story at NHBSR's Sustainability Slam detailed the company's efforts to address recovery and substance abuse in the workplace. Businesses are able to change people's thinking, vocabulary, and approach to coworkers and colleagues around issues of substance abuse and recovery. Last year Badger worked closely with a trained advocate in the field of addiction and recovery to offer training that helped employees better understand ways they might help a colleague, friend, or family member struggling with addiction.

By creating a welcoming and supporting environment for employees struggling with substance abuse in their lives, whether their own or that of a loved one, Badger helps destigmatize the issue and encourages employees to seek resources and support services. From day one, this work environment and support network is made available to anyone at Badger. An internal point person and the Human Resources team are all committed to supporting employees through the recovery process.

"We believe," says Dee Fitzgerald, Marketing & PR Manager at Badger, "That the same person who drove to work is the same person walking into the building. Often, people are expected to leave their private life at the door when walking into work, but we know this isn't possible, and we don't want our employees to do this. We want to be able to be a source of support for them."

And, as far as results, the response to this initiative has been great. Everyone in the company went through training introducing the concepts and approaches to helping provide recovery support. Badger hopes to be a model that other companies may look to in creating workplaces that best serve the needs of their employees, which, as Badger understands, has an important impact on the greater community as a whole.

You can hear more stories like W.S Badger's on important initiatives throughout the state by attending NHBSR's Sustainability Slam in the fall. "I love that the people presenting at the Slam are the same people who are implementing or helping to implement the programs they're sharing," Says Dee, "The Slam format is so unique and different, it's a fabulous and validating way to bring people together to not only meet, mingle, and network, but to share inspirational stories. And there are so many great stories occurring in New Hampshire. People often discount what they're doing internally and thinking that it's the same as everyone else, but each approach is truly unique and has a positive result worth sharing."

Bernadette Gleeson leads Badger employees in a training on addressing addiction issues at work

(Photo Credit: Paige Sutherland/NHPR)

Connect with Dee at our Sustainability Slam on Nov 1 at Labelle Winery in Amherst, NH or email her at deef@badgerbalm.com! Any company or nonprofit is welcomed to attend the Sustainability Slam and submit a Just One Thing story. Top submissions will be featured in the NH Business Review and presented at the Slam. This year's Sustainability Slam presenting sponsor is Velcro.

**Stories submitted by September 21 get entered into a drawing for free Sustainabilty Slam tickets and those submitted by Septeber 14 get entered in twice!

Watch Badger's winning Just One Thing story video here.

Submit your Just One Thing story here.