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Recognizing Hawkins, Inc. as one of America's most responsible companies by Newsweek Magazine.
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WHEREAS, Hawkins, Inc. was founded in 1938 on University Avenue in Saint Paul and remains based in Minnesota; and
WHEREAS, Hawkins has grown to include 46 locations in 21 states with a workforce of approximately 750 people who enjoy good, well-paid, union jobs with exceptional benefits; and
WHEREAS, Hawkins produces chemical products for customers in a wide variety of industries, including municipalities throughout Minnesota and the nation, and their safe and effective products are used to purify and protect drinking water across the country and in the water we all drink every day; and
WHEREAS, Hawkins operates three manufacturing plants in Saint Paul on land leased from the Saint Paul Port Authority at Barge Terminal One, Southport and Red Rock Terminal; and
WHEREAS, Hawkins is committed to reducing their carbon footprint by investing in our working river to sustainably transport materials for manufacturing and distribution; and
WHEREAS, Hawkins is using ingredients shipped up the Mississippi River to Red Rock on marine highway (M-35) to maximize the use of the inland waterways to drive economic growth, improve safety, and decrease carbon emissions, while providing quality job opportunities and valuable resources to our region; and
WHEREAS, Hawkins manufactures bleach disinfectants, vitally important in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, which it has donated to the State of Minnesota for use at nursery schools and by Minnesota American Indian tribal governments throughout the state; and
WHEREAS, Hawkins, Inc. has been named to Newsweek’s list of America’s Most Responsible Companies for 2021, which recognizes the companies spanning 14 industries in three areas of Corporate Social Responsibility - environmental, social, and corporate governance; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, that the Saint Paul City Council recognizes Hawkins, Inc. for bringing this esteemed national recognition to our city as a model of corporate and civic leadership, for providing products that keep the environment clean, for reducing its customers’ overall environmental footprint, for increasing its own energy efficiency, for investing in its local communities and for treating its employees equitably and ethically; and be it further
RESOLVED, that the Saint Paul City Council recognizes Hawkins, Inc. as a model employer for its outstanding employment opportunities for those with a high school diploma, including a starting wage of over $27/hour, and benefits including medical, dental and life insurance, a company 401K match as well as a company-funded employee stock ownership plan and profit-sharing; and be it further
RESOLVED, that the Saint Paul City Council recognizes Hawkins, Inc., whose operations qualify as Essential Critical Infrastructure under guidelines issued by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and provides products and services that impact millions of people across the United States each and every day, including the critical products needed to maintain safe drinking water, and ingredients essential for large-scale food, pharmaceutical and other health product manufacturing and nutrition products needed to support our nation’s critical infrastructure.