Our Commitment to Our Community.
At Graphic Packaging, we are committed to the community in which we live and work. We have embarked on a number of initiatives to help meet our community’s needs and be a good neighbor.
From supporting the Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Southwest Michigan to investing directly into Kalamazoo’s economy, we are dedicated to serving our neighbors and continuing to champion the future of our city.
Community Advisory Committee
We created a Community Advisory Committee as part of our effort to meet regularly with community leaders to learn about their priorities, better listen to community concerns and respond to stakeholder feedback. We’ve hired former City Commissioner Eric B. Cunningham as our community relations liaison to provide input and guidance on community priorities and how we can best serve our neighbors in an impactful way.
Trees Into Cartons Cartons Into Trees (TICCIT)
Through the TICCIT program, Graphic Packaging provides outreach and an educational program for school aged children that highlight the renewability and sustainability of paper and paperboard packaging. Students learn about the many uses for trees and importance of recycling through a hands-on experience. Each student receives a tree sapling to take home and plant.
Read more about our Earth Day celebration with TICCIT at Northeastern Elementary here.
Workforce Development
Our local outreach helps us maintain a strong talent pool from the community and breaks down barriers in the job application process, so that people who are interested and qualified can get a fast track to join our team. Below are just some of the ways that we have partnered with the community to enable this:
- We participate annually in the job fair conducted at the Kalamazoo Expo Center, sponsor other local job fairs, and partner with Michigan Works on additional recruitment events and opportunities.
- In addition to our work with Michigan Works, we work with the City of Kalamazoo to provide ex-offenders with opportunities to re-enter the workforce.
- We have partnered with Western Michigan University to enhance the school’s paper technology curriculum, which serves as a talent pipeline.
- We have introduced a program called “Walk-up Wednesdays,” where we conduct walk-in interviews for any positions on our campus.
Learn more about our community impact programs
Community Updates
Northside Ministerial Alliance Stands Against Gun Violence with 3rd Annual Community Carnival / August 25, 2023
Graphic Packaging is honored to be a sponsor of this year’s Northside Community Carnival. The annual event is free to the public and intended to unify, engage and encourage Northside residents. In 2022, event organizers changed the theme to an Anti-Gun Violence Community Carnival to raise awareness and stand against the evolving issue of gun … Continue reading "Northside Ministerial Alliance Stands Against Gun Violence with 3rd Annual Community Carnival"
Graphic Packaging Surpasses its Goal of Donating 150 Backpacks to Big Brothers Big Sisters / July 17, 2023
Since the beginning of May, Graphic Packaging’s Kalamazoo mill has been actively contributing to the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwest Michigan backpack drive. This meaningful initiative collects backpacks for “littles,” aged six to 16, who are part of the nonprofit organization’s programs. We are excited to share that we have proudly donated more than … Continue reading "Graphic Packaging Surpasses its Goal of Donating 150 Backpacks to Big Brothers Big Sisters"
Graphic Packaging Invites Channel 3 on Mill Tour / June 30, 2023
Graphic Packaging invited Channel 3’s Andy Dominianni to the Kalamazoo mill for a tour and interview with mill manager Tom Olstad. The focus of the interview was on the progress Graphic has made to reduce H2S emissions at the mill, and the steps the company continues to take to protect employees and neighbors. Watch the … Continue reading "Graphic Packaging Invites Channel 3 on Mill Tour"
Backpack Drive Benefiting Big Brothers Big Sisters is Underway / May 8, 2023
On May 1, Graphic Packaging’s Kalamazoo mill kicked off its backpack drive benefiting Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwest Michigan. The drive, which runs through June 30, collects backpacks for “littles” ages six to 16 involved in the nonprofit’s programming.
Hillside Courtyard Revitalization Project Well Underway / April 28, 2023
Graphic Packaging is proud to announce that the courtyard revitalization project we are sponsoring at Hillside Middle School is well underway and on target to be complete this June. On March 24, we broke ground on the project, which will update two courtyards at the school into urban greenspaces and incorporate refreshed landscaping and seating … Continue reading "Hillside Courtyard Revitalization Project Well Underway"