Kleinfelder - Corporate Social Responsibility

About Kleinfelder / Corporate Social Responsibility

Corporate Social Responsibility

Kleinfelder is committed to its vision to be a legacy company for our employees, provide value for our clients and contribute to our communities. In early 2007, Kleinfelder initiated the development of a corporate social responsibility program (CSR) to reflect its commitment. CSR will integrate awareness of social and environmental concerns into our business operations, striving to strengthen the firm in a morally and ethically responsible way while simultaneously contributing to the welfare of our communities and society at large.

Kleinfelder’s CSR program is designed to deeply inspire and celebrate the company-wide participation of our employees around four fundamental pillars: Disaster Relief, Diversity, Sustainability and Volunteerism. Each pillar is supported by a champion who is forging the strategic and tactical plans necessary to ensure an exciting, effective, durable and self-perpetuating program.

Disaster Relief: Kleinfelder is committed to contributing to our communities through direct financial assistance. We believe that giving directly to the community is not only socially responsible, but it also enhances our firm by supporting and strengthening the environment in which we do business. For example, Kleinfelder set up disaster relief programs following Hurricane Katrina and the Sumatran tsunami to match the generous contributions of our employees.

Diversity: Kleinfelder recognizes and promotes a culture where diversity is valued as a significant driver of our success. Kleinfelder promotes an environment of opportunity for all employee-owners and partners, valuing the variety of individuals offering unique backgrounds, perspectives and ideas.

Sustainability: Kleinfelder is committed to the development and incorporation of sustainable practices into our personal and professional lives. Sustainability will benefit our communities, our employees, our company and our clients by reducing our use of diminishing or non-renewable resources, and lessening adverse impacts to the natural environment in which we live.

Volunteerism: Kleinfelder commits to continue the momentum of the volunteering spirit across the company and encourage the efforts of our many employee-owners who give their personal time and energy to the betterment of their communities.

Kleinfelder Supports Engineers Without Borders
Engineers Without Borders - USA (EWB-USA) is a non-profit humanitarian organization established to partner with developing communities worldwide in order to improve quality of life on a local and global level. This partnership involves the implementation of sustainable engineering projects, while involving and training internationally responsible engineers, engineering students and a variety of other professionals, including geologists.

A segment of the Corporate Social Responsibility volunteerism pillar includes continued participation in the local chapters of EWB. At a high level of participation, Kleinfelder hopes to reach out through our many participating offices to the local communities by organizing and hosting workshops, training seminars and field trips in support of local student chapters.

Kleinfelder anticipates growing our relationship with the extended family of EWB volunteerism, including partnering with local universities, Rotary International and Habitat for Humanity. The firm's participation in EWB is not limited to professional engineering staff but can utilize the strengths of any Kleinfelder employee.

“The work our principals’ group volunteered and accomplished, and the company’s commitment to turn that volunteered time into much needed cash for the St. Bernard Project, though extremely modest in the overall scheme, was extremely rewarding.”

- Eastern Division Manager, Don Pomeroy

Community Involvement

Principals Group AidsGulf Coast Relief Effort
As part of Kleinfelder’s commitment to our communities, the firm’s Principals Group decided to hold their January meeting in New Orleans, to support recovery efforts currently underway. After volunteering more than 220 man hours of work on three homes, the principals donated $7,500 of their personal funds, which was matched by corporate bringing the total amount to $15,000 to the St. Bernard Project. The donation helped the organization fulfill its commitment of $5,000 for each of the three houses.

Michael Barnett Uses Martial ArtsClass to Teach Lessons in Defenseand Self-Respect
Michael Barnett started the martial arts program for the Topeka, Kansas YMCA nearly 15 years ago. In that span, he has helped countless at-risk, disrespectful or angry teens learn life lessons to keep them off the street and away from drugs and alcohol.

Gerry Salontai Serves Motorcyclist Advisory Council to Promote SaferRoads and Highways for the Motorcycling Public
Gerry Salontai was appointed by the Secretary of Transportation as a representative of the American Road and Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) to serve on the Motorcyclist Advisory Council to the Federal Highway Administration. The council is comprised of ten industry representatives, who are motorcycling enthusiasts, that advise the Secretary of Transportation on infrastructure issues of concern to motorcyclists. Members make recommendations on topics relating to design, construction and maintenance of highways as well as intelligent transportation initiatives.

Great Lakes Region Employee-Owners Bill Peters and Adam Etringer Volunteer with National EngineersWeek Future City Competition
The mission of the Future City Competition is to provide a fun and exciting educational engineering program for 7th and 8th grade students that combine a stimulating engineering challenge with a hands-on application to present their vision of a city of the future.

Michael Majchrzak Named 2007 Moraga Citizen of the Year
The Moraga Kiwanis Club has named Michael Majchrzak, principal geotechnical engineer in the firm’s Bay Area region, 2007 Moraga Citizen of the Year. Majchrzak is a former Moraga mayor who has also served as a member of the Town Council for 12 years on the Design Review Board and with the Planning Commission.

Ric Olade Serves with Workforce Development Board As Vice-Chairman
Ric Olade is currently in his second year as vice-chairman with the Workforce Development Board (WDB) of Riverside County and also serves as liaison for the Council for Youth Development. The WDB administers about thirteen million dollars in federal funds to assist Riverside County Economic Development Agency in boosting the workforce needs of businesses, as well as providing economically challenged youth an avenue to get training for future job/career building.