Collaborating With Communities at Dow
Originally published in Dow's 2022 Progress Report
Dow is committed to building resilient communities to address unmet needs while keeping our employees and our communities safe.
UNDERSTANDING COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS’ NEEDS
We provide resources to listen to community needs and collaborate with community organizations to create social impact and achieve shared goals.
Among our 2022 actions, we:
- Continued to assess the data from the Community Opinion and Needs Assessments survey and completed additional surveys to inform our community investment and engagement strategy.
- Continued Community Advisory Panels at key sites to understand community perceptions, share product and technology information, and understand how Dow can improve collaboration with partners to address community needs.
- Initiated a new partnership with Teach For All to support STEM teacher recruitment, professional development and placement in underserved schools in Lagos, Nigeria; Bahía Blanca, Argentina; and Tarragona, Spain.
- Partnered with The Nature Conservancy Australia on the organization’s Shuck Don’t Chuck project, which recycles oyster, mussel and scallop shells used for reef restoration.
- Launched a campaign with DonorsChoose to provide teachers in Dow communities across the United States with materials for 257 classroom projects that inspire inclusion, diversity, equity and belonging.
DISASTER RELIEF
In 2022, Dow and the Dow Company Foundation responded to the Russian government’s invasion of Ukraine and the escalating refugee crisis by contributing $275,000 to support immediate humanitarian needs for the people of Ukraine. Dow employees contributed an additional $116,000 through our Workplace Giving campaign. In addition, colleagues came together across Europe to support those displaced by the conflict. For example, the Women’s Academy of Power program in Poland, funded by the ALL IN ERG Fund, pivoted its project goals to support women and children fleeing the conflict.
Dow also partnered with Good360, the global leader in product philanthropy and purposeful giving, to repurpose and distribute 33 RV trailers to disaster-impacted regions throughout the United States. Utilizing their nonprofit network, Good360 placed the donated trailers, which were used for Dow employee housing following past disasters, with five different disasterrelated organizations. Because of this donation, 21 families and individuals now have a roof over their heads, and 12 disasterrelated rebuild projects were supported through temporary housing and workspaces.
Together, Dow, the Dow Company Foundation and Dow employees contributed nearly $400,000 for Ukraine relief and recovery.
PREPARED FOR EMERGENCIES
Dow’s Emergency Preparedness Standard applies to all sites, facilities and buildings and improves emergency response readiness to prevent harm to the community, environment and workers, minimize loss, and preserve critical business continuity.
Dow’s comprehensive standard includes:
- Applying process safety risk management studies to develop emergency response pre-plans for training.
- Using on-site and off-site air monitoring to recommend protective actions.
- Establishing on-site incident management teams, along with primary and backup Emergency Operations Centers with trained personnel.
- Conducting emergency communications on and off site, including to those with disabilities.
- Providing medical emergency support, including trained emergency responders fit for task with appropriate personal protective equipment.
- Conducting drills, scenario planning, self-assessments, audits and security risk assessments that are reviewed and updated annually – for all shifts and with local emergency response agencies aligned to community standards.
COMMUNITY AWARENESS AND OUTREACH
Dow is committed to engaging communities to effect real change. We share information on environmental performance, safety and emergency preparedness, and collaborate on a range of topics impacting communities, such as economic development, health and wellness, infrastructure, poverty, housing and food security. See the Community/Society Engagement section under GRI 2-29 Approach to stakeholder engagement.
In 2022, Dow partnered with nearly 700 nonprofits, educational institutions and other community organizations to accelerate social change and create a more sustainable and equitable future.
