Wisconsin is filled with quality companies that meet payroll and please their customers every day. Corporate Report Wisconsin writes about them every month as they do good things for their communities. Many state companies don’t stop there. They make extra efforts to protect the environment, support charities, bolster their employees, help their communities and relate to their customers. At Corporate Report Wisconsin magazine, we wanted to recognize and honor these extraordinary corporate citizens.

Wisconsin’s largest private landowner takes its role seriously

With about 330,000 Wisconsin acres in its care, Plum Creek Timber Company relies on ever-changing technology to sustainably and responsibly manage its forests in the state. The company, based in Washington with an office in Tomahawk, was recently recognized for its efforts by being named to the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index, an honor bestowed on approximately 300 of the world’s most sustainability driven companies.

Though Plum Creek is Wisconsin’s largest landowner, that doesn’t mean the company is unable to think “small.” In fact, a recent Sustainable Forest Initiative audit praised the company for its work in the Karner blue butterfly protection program. Other acreage is home to Kirtland’s warbler, a bird on the endangered species list since 1973.

Nearly 60,000 acres of Plum Creek’s Wisconsin holdings, stretching across six counties, is managed under a statewide Habitat Conservation Plan. From a timber standpoint, last year the company planted approximately 1.5 million seedlings statewide in an effort to regenerate and grow Wisconsin forests for future generations.

Plum Creek understands the value Wisconsinites put on our great Northwoods, and nearly 98 percent of its acreage is open to free public recreational use. And in a nod to future forestry professionals, Plum Creek maintains an extensive internship/co-op program, which gives college students, most from the UW-Stevens Point College of Natural Resources, the opportunity to train one-on-one with Plum Creek foresters and gain hands-on experience.

An excellent environmental record is just the beginning for Professional Plating

As one of Wisconsin’s newest participants in the Green Tier program, Tier 1 participant Professional Plating of Brillion is a leader in environmental responsibility. As a metal finishing business, PPI has always kept in mind its responsibility to its local neighbors and its impact on the environment. Because of this, the company’s actions in this area have always exceeded compliance with environmental laws.

Professional Plating also takes its role as a major employer in a small community seriously, understanding that involvement in local projects and organizations is important. Team members are involved in a variety of activities, from Coats for Kids to food drives and care box donations for military personnel. The owners of Professional Plating, Bob and Pat Endries, also have established the Endries Foundation for the support and betterment of philanthropic causes. The Endries Foundation’s most recent effort is a $25,000 matching grant for The New Hope Center of Chilton’s capital campaign.

PPI consistently receives accolades from its customers, including quality awards presented by numerous companies. The ISO certified company has made an ongoing commitment to live up to its customers’ expectations of zero defects and 100-percent on-time delivery. With its diverse customer base and reputation for excellence, PPI is growing in this down economy. The company is pursuing an expansion and plans to increase its workforce by more than 20 percent in the next few years.

K-tech Kleening Systems keeps the earth in mind when helping customers

As a cleaning company, Weston-based K-tech Kleening Systems is taking a leadership role in preserving the environment and energy resources. Though the company began in 1975 as a traditional cleaning company, it has diversified in the past three decades, both in the scope of its business and in implementing a green cleaning program with earth-friendly strategies at all levels.

The company’s commitment to the environment started with the 2006 implementation of its “Be Green” program, designed to help customers reduce the use of harmful products, save energy and help create a more sustainable environment. K-tech uses eco-friendly cleaning products, equipment that requires less water and new trucks that operate on soy based diesel fuel. It’s a leadership role that the company enjoys — and they share their green message by offering free CFL spiral light bulbs and tips to save energy to customers and as promotional giveaways.

K-tech Kleening Systems is also concerned about people, and in 2006 the company established K-tech Charities, a non-profit organization. During the past three years, K-tech has provided more than $150,000 in services and financial donations to community organizations, including cleaning and restoration services at no charge, or a substantial discount, to uninsured and underinsured property and fire loss victims.

The environment and people are priorities for Industrial Towel and Uniform

Through its nearly 60-year history, Industrial Towel and Uniform has held itself to the principles of delivering superior service, obtaining the newest technologies available and factoring them into their environmental solutions, being the innovators of new products and processes and remaining active in the community.

The New Berlin-based company operates all its processing facilities, which span from Wisconsin to South Carolina, under the belief that environmental responsibility is not optional. With a business based partially on reusable textile products, ITU automatically assists customers who value environmental stewardship. But internally, ITU also uses advanced management and technology advances to conserve natural resources and reduce consumption of energy, water and packaging. The company uses systems that recover and qualify numerous materials, including solvents and waste oil from aqueous and dry cleaning operations.

The company also places a priority on treating people right, from teaching
customers the meaning of genuine service excellence to embracing a multi-ethnic and diverse workforce. ITU maintains a StraightUp! business philosophy which consistently exemplifies a dedication to being honest and ethical in all business dealings. Externally, ITU employees are supporters of numerous community organizations.

People are priority one at Milwaukee’s Deloitte LLP office

With a business based on knowledge, Deloitte recognizes that talent is a critical issue for its organization as well as those of its many clients across the globe. Deloitte offers numerous programs that are used to nurture those employees navigating the changing workplace, from charting a career path to real-life benefits including a robust parental leave program, tuition reimbursement and participation in workplace advisory committees. Deloitte has also recognized the importance of diversity and offers networking and education to all employees as well as Business Resources Groups for partners and employees who share a common background or characteristic.

All Deloitte employees are also encouraged to share their talents with the community, and the corporate focus is on using the organization’s intellectual capital to strengthen the non-profit sector. The Milwaukee office has a robust skills-based workplace volunteerism program and pro bono service opportunities among other things. Milwaukee’s Deloitte employees are involved with a number of local nonprofits, including Repairers of the Breach and the Boy Scouts Milwaukee Council. The office is also well represented through participation on numerous boards and foundations through the greater Milwaukee area.

Deloitte has also made a commitment internally to the environment, and all associates are actively involved on a day-to-day basis in reducing the office’s total carbon footprint.

A helping hand is always extended at The Ellenbecker Investment Group

Clients of The Ellenbecker Investment Group of Pewaukee know that making educated choices are a critical part of a wise investment strategy. Some clients know that directly; others simply have tuned in for the past 17 years to the weekly “Money Sense” show on WISN 1130 to hear host Karen Ellenbecker, founder of The Ellenbecker Group, talk about finances. It’s just the beginning of the ways this company shares its knowledge and expertise.

Ellenbecker, as well as her staff, is also exceptionally involved in the community. The Ellenbecker Investment Group not only supports existing charities but also proactively creates new charities to reach unmet needs, including Reconstruct, an organization that provides alternative rehabilitation for chemically addicted fathers dealing with the effects of incarceration, and Women Connected, a unique women’s giving circle that has awarded 18 grants totaling $140,000 in the Waukesha County area since its inception.

The company hasn’t forgotten about its most valuable resource either. Employees of the Ellenbecker Investment Group enjoy benefits that far exceed traditional benefit plans, including the getMore health reimbursement plan, an extra vacation day on their workplace anniversary and a profit sharing plan for both full- and part-time employees.

Volunteering is part of the corporate fabric at TDS

While the average work week is 40 hours, there are some weeks where TDS employees put in a little extra time, and that’s not a problem. This year, all TDS full-time employees now receive four hours of paid time off each quarter to volunteer. While the program is new, the commitment to volunteerism is not, and Wisconsin’s TDS employees can be found ringing bells for the Salvation Army, volunteering for Meals on Wheels, participating in numerous chambers and business associations and even serving as volunteer fire fighters.

TDS also makes it a priority to invest in its own people as well as the greater community, from diversity programming to benefit programs that start on the first day of a new hire’s employment. Flexible scheduling is offered as well as work-from-home options when possible, and quarterly wellness programs help employees make ongoing, positive health changes to their lives.

As a Fortune 500 company based in Madison, TDS is a corporate leader in many ways. The company has introduced a number of environmental programs and is the first company in Wisconsin to use green billboards in its marketing efforts.

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