• When it comes to environmental awareness, Grainger makes a difference by participating in recycling programs and using energy efficient building designs.
• In 2008, Grainger became the first industrial distributor to have a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified facility. To date, we operate 8 LEED facilities and currently operate over 1 million square feet of LEED certified space.
• We are also a member of the U.S. Green Building Council, EnergyStar and WaterSense. Additionally, Grainger has strong relationships with major “green” product certification programs such as Green Seal, EcoLogo, the Environmental Protection Agency’s Design for the Environment program and Underwriter Laboratories Environmental Services.
• Our customers can also take advantage of our commitment to sustainability as we offer thousands of environmentally friendly products to keep their facilities efficient and green. These products are categorized as: energy conservation, indoor air quality, waste reduction and water conservation.
• Grainger also partners with suppliers like GE, Georgia Pacific, 3M, American Standard, Fluke, Bradley, Sloan and Gojo to offer training and audits to help “green” facilities across the country.
• Allegheny County, a Grainger government customer in the Pittsburgh, PA area, can attest to the importance of going green. The County enlisted Grainger to conduct a series of sustainability audits at its jail. Together, Grainger and its suppliers helped them identify a number of green solutions, including lockers made from recycled content; an environmentally friendly dilution control cleaning system; concentrated personal hygiene products for staff and inmates; and a broad recycling program.
• Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato was pleased about the cost savings, but also pleased to partner with Grainger. “By taking steps to be more sustainable in our operations, we are saving taxpayers money and helping to preserve the environment. Between the recent changes and installation of LED lights in the jail last year, we’re expecting to save more than $350,000 annually, while reducing energy consumption and waste.”

Grainger is also committed to another set of stakeholders – the community. We have a long tradition of being a good corporate citizen and focus our progressive philanthropy in two main areas: disaster preparedness and relief, and technical education.

Disaster preparedness is a natural fit, given Grainger’s product mix and distribution capabilities – we are always assisting customers in an emergency, whether it’s a downed assembly line needing a part, or a hurricane that has devastated their local community.

Our signature programs include: Ready When the Time Comes – our national partnership with American Red Cross training employees to assist in emergencies; and Grainger Rebuilding America® – our grant program that awards seed funds to businesses in communities severely affected by natural disasters.

Grainger serves as the National Founding Sponsor of the Ready When the Time Comes program, leading a consortium of more than 100 businesses and organizations that also train their employees in disaster relief. Grainger itself has trained upwards of 1,000 employees in more than 20 markets across the country.

Technical education is our other core focus area. Due to the shortage of skilled laborers, many Grainger customers and suppliers are in desperate need of welders, plumbers, electricians and more to keep their businesses running.

Our signature program, the Grainger Tools for Tomorrow® scholarship – awards a $2,000 scholarship and Westward® toolkit to 100 community college students across the country to help raise awareness of the issue and addressing the shortage. Since 2006, Grainger has awarded 151 scholarships through this program, even hiring students upon graduation.

According to Jacksonville, Florida branch manager Frank Lopez, who hired a scholarship winner, the possibilities are endless. “Grainger helps provide opportunities for students to pursue a career. The branch has an opportunity to develop relationships with the school and the recipients who might become a customer or employee. Through this program everyone comes out a winner.”

Our programs and initiatives are employee driven, allowing them time to volunteer and contribute to organizations that matter most to them. In fact, Grainger’s 3-to-1 charitable matching gift program is a perfect example. Less than 3% of companies match their employees’ charitable contributions at this rate. In 2008, Grainger donated $2.7M to thousands of non-profit organizations through matching gifts.

In addition to our people, we’re also investing in technology, enabling us to keep pace with the needs and demands of our customers and employees. Today, customers are changing the way they view product, purchase product and communicate with vendors. Grainger strives to make their experience smooth and seamless by leveraging technology in multiple ways.

• Externally, we recently revamped our web search engine, grainger.com, making it easier for customers to search and buy product. We also implemented the largest SAP platform in the world in 2006 to connect the company’s broad product line, supply chain and customer service functions.
• Several of Grainger’s Specialty Brands are also experimenting externally with social media applications such as Facebook (profEquip, McFeeleys) and Twitter (AW Direct). We’re also developing an IPhone application that would enable users to find a Grainger branch and look up product from their mobile devices.
• Internally, leaders use social media to foster two-way dialogue via blogs and podcasts. More than 4,000 Grainger employees share information across functions on projects via Yammer (a microblogging site) and some Grainger teams use wikis and knowledge sharing sites for specific projects.
• Every Grainger employee has access to Instant Messenger and a company-wide intranet, which provides breaking news on strategy and allows employees to comment on the direction of the business.
• Webex and video are also changing the way Grainger employees meet. Our largest U.S., Canadian and Mexican offices now have video conferencing to facilitate face-to-face communication.
• Our technology efforts have not gone unnoticed. ComputerWorld named Grainger one of the 100 Best Places to Work in IT in 2009!