How Shepherd Color drills down into the layers of sustainability

Just a few decades ago, sustainability seemed to be a fairly straightforward concept. It was initially defined as the ability of biological systems to endure, and remain diverse and productive. Fast forward to today and the concept of sustainability has become increasingly complex. Sustainability can be achieved through numerous avenues, including protecting the environment, acting ethically toward people, and adopting sound economic practices.

Throughout its 100+ year history, The Shepherd Color Company has been naturally pursuing sustainability. It’s an outcome of the company’s goal to do what’s right when it comes to people and the environment.

“It goes back to one of the Shepherd family’s core values,” said Mark Ryan, Marketing Manager. “We work for long-term impact. It forms a lot of the decisions that we make.”

“Our products inherently have long life cycles,” Ryan added. “When we bring out a new product, we are looking at it from multiple viewpoints, including regulatory and human safety, both from making it internally and its use in the field.”

Here are the critical ways that Shepherd Color achieves sustainability as part of its manufacturing operations.

Social sustainability, which represents a company’s relationship with people, has been at the forefront of Shepherd Color’s practices from the start. The company’s founders set high standards for the ethical treatment of its employees, clients, and communities, a mindset that continues today.

“Even with Shepherd Color’s extensive growth, its focus on social sustainability is set through its human relations principles and policies,” said Nathan Hatfield, Human Resources Manager for the company.

“We have those principles in place to make sure that we’re providing a work environment that is safe and that allows people to grow and develop,” Hatfield said. “An example would be how we coordinate programs like our tuition reimbursement. Whether you’re a part-time or full-time employee, you’re eligible for tuition reimbursement. And you can pursue any degree program at any accredited university.”

The mindset behind that program is that Shepherd Color is committed to supporting its employees at work and outside of work. “We provide a path to do things that are going to help them grow, develop, and better their own lives. And while they’re with us, they’re going to be happier and more productive.”

“Investing now for the future is one of the core values that shapes how things are done at Shepherd Color. As a result, the company is able to invest in initiatives that have long-term impact on the environment — even if the benefits are not realized for many years,” Hatfield said.

“Our ownership is especially adamant about this when it comes to looking at capital expense projects,” he said. “They may not see ROI in year three or even in year four or five. If you’re a publicly traded company and you’re doing a capital expenditure that doesn’t see ROI in year three, that’s unheard of. Here, we might have capital expenditures that don’t realize an ROI until year six, seven or eight.”

“The company is willing to accept that outcome if the initiative leads to reduced energy usage or doesn’t negatively impact the environment,” Hatfield said. “That’s okay because we’re saying we are making an investment now for the future.”

As it is the Core Purpose of Shepherd Color to create value and brighten lives, one of the fundamental ways they do this is by positively impacting communities and society. “Shepherd Color has committed to double the percentage of renewable, or ‘green’ energy sources that comprise the company’s total electrical spend over the next five years,” says Chris Collesel, Purchasing Manager.

Through Shepherd Color’s focus on growing ethically as a company, it also demonstrates economic sustainability. As a family-owned business that has spanned four generations, Shepherd Color has a long history of supplying a full range of inorganic color pigments for various industries. For more than 100 years, Shepherd has continually expanded operations in Cincinnati, Ohio. It is now under the leadership of Tom Shepherd, who is the CEO of The Shepherd Color Company as well as The Shepherd Chemical Company and Glass Coatings & Concepts (GCC).

Today, The Shepherd Color Company is considered among the leading suppliers of Complex Inorganic Color Pigments in the industry, supporting industries around the world.

The benefits also extend to the surrounding community. “If you’re reflecting in a way so that you’re preventing heat from being absorbed into the roof, you’re theoretically keeping the cityscape cooler,” Ryan said.

“In many ways, durable pigments also represent another way to tap into energy savings because of the product’s lifecycle. Although a product may initially require more energy to produce than other products, it may require less total energy than inferior products that must be replaced more frequently,” Ryan said.