March 20, 2014, Phoenix, Ariz.—For Ewing, blue and green aren’t just colors that identify its brand; they’re concepts around which the company built its foundation, and plans for its future. That’s why the company today announced an important structural shift in its approach toward sustainability with the appointment of a dedicated officer.
Warren S. Gorowitz, Ewing’s vice president of sustainability, will now focus full-time on the continued development and execution of Ewing’s sustainable initiatives. Jim Hudson, vice president of sales for Ewing, will assume interim management of Ewing’s water management sales team.
“We set out to become an industry-leader in water efficiency in 2005, positioning our brand, education programs, and product offering to support contractors in becoming early adopters of water efficient technologies,” said Ewing President Douglas York. “Our efforts have helped our customers develop new proficiencies to succeed in business despite widespread drought, water restrictions, higher business costs and tighter client budgets,” he said.
Echoing its successful leadership strategy in the areas of responsible irrigation and water efficiency, Ewing is intensifying its focus on sustainable solutions for landscapes and businesses.
“The concept of helping our customers create and manage successful, sustainable businesses is one of the core values on which we operate,” said York. “Expanding our focus on sustainable product solutions is the most logical and necessary step in helping contractors prepare for and succeed in the future of a rapidly evolving industry.”
“Five years ago when we started on the path of formalizing our intentions and defining what sustainability means to Ewing, we recognized the true scope of such an effort—and that it would take a significant commitment on our part to be successful,” Gorowitz said.
He began gathering key stakeholders to develop a baseline for sustainability efforts the company was already executing, as well as identify future opportunities.
Preliminary efforts included the establishment of a Sustainable Solutions Council (SSC) and an Advisory Group to guide and direct the company’s efforts toward learning, modeling and influencing environmentally responsible practices; the development of a sustainability charter; the use of internal employee Green Teams to champion specific initiatives; and the Ewing PRIDE Project, a large-scale annual renovation and installation project benefitting organizations that embody Ewing’s core values of family, wellness, water efficiency and sustainability.
In his newly expanded role, Gorowitz will guide Ewing’s efforts to better serve employees, customers, and communities with a multifaceted approach, including education programs, advocacy for best practices, and a continuous evolution of Ewing’s sustainable solutions product mix.
“I’m responsible for creating a culture in which our employees, customers, and industry partners understand and embrace the role that sustainable people, products and facilities can play in safeguarding profitability in business,” Gorowitz said.
“It’s about aligning our services, education programs and product mix to help contractors not only create and maintain sustainable businesses, but also expand their skills and offerings to proactively meet a rising demand for sustainable landscapes,” said Gorowitz.
Additional areas of focus include integrating best practices into Ewing’s facilities and operations to reduce waste and improve efficiency and profitability; championing employee wellness efforts; increasing customer and employee engagement; identifying and empowering early adopters; and partnering with like-minded organizations to accomplish key goals.
“We firmly believe that sustainable products and practices will become an increasingly important part of our business in the future,” said Gorowitz. “Our customers trust us to help them succeed in business, and we’ll continue honoring that trust by having the most knowledgeable employees, best education programs, and a complete sustainable solutions package for any landscape project.”
About Ewing: A Premier Supplier and Quality Education Provider
Ewing is the largest family-owned supplier of landscape and water management products in the country. Ewing offers commercial and residential irrigation supplies, water management and sustainable solutions, landscape and turf products, hardscape, landscape lighting, water features, erosion control, industry-leading seminars and more to professionals serving the landscaping, sports turf, golf, agricultural and industrial industries.
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