18 | INNOVISION MAGAZ INE SPRING 2022 | 19 FEATURED JOEL BRADY The College of Business partnered with East Penn and invited Joel Brady (‘96) to talk about understanding sustainability in the business world. Over the past twenty-five years, Joel built his career from his starting role as a factory floor worker to the Director of Marketing Communications at East Penn. In this role, he helps oversee sustainability messaging and reporting. He also helps develop and maintain the company’s communications. Sustainability can spur economic growth, which East Penn values. In the 1940s, a young boy dreamed of developing a battery business. This boy, DeLight Breidegam Jr., and his father grew this business into what it is today. From the start, East Penn had a mindset to promote sustainable reuse. During the war, materials for new batteries were limited and to meet consumer demand, East Penn found the solution of fixing old batteries for resale. This early foundation has been maintained even as times changed. East Penn is always looking for ways to conserve resources, reduce waste, and be efficient. “Being sustainable is in our heritage and DNA.” Because of the chemical components of batteries, recycling them properly is essential. East Penn facilitates this with its own battery recycling program that processes thousands of spent batteries per day. East Penn sets an example with their proactive environmental protection plan. East Penn managed to follow sustainable paths and has been awarded the Governor’s Award for Environmental Excellence. Joel discussed how it is possible to be a successful business while also following sustainability practices. “When you are doing the right thing, people recognize it and respect that. It sustains your workforce and your credibility with those around you.” During the online webinar, Joel described how sustainability revolves around three components: environmental, social, and economic. With respect to the latter, Joel advised creating a product that will bring long-term success. He added, “One more component of sustainability is you, the decisions you make, and the influences you have in your future career.” When concluding his discussion, Joel asked to see if people want to be a thermostat or a thermometer. The latter is aware of the temperature in the room but does nothing. While a thermostat recognizes the current state of a room, it also has “the ability to use its influences to make a difference.” JULIE K. O’BRIEN Sustainability is a prominent issue in the world today. As it becomes a growing concern, businesses must find ways to tackle it. The College of Business at Kutztown University invited Julie O’Brien to walk us through why sustainability is important. Julie works as a Sustainability Director at Air Products and Chemicals, a leading company that produces gases and chemicals for industrial use. She is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering. She also obtained a Master's in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Lehigh University. Her education and background allowed her to pursue various roles at Air Products. She joined the company in 1986 and has worked on assignments in environmental engineering, product safety, and sustainability. During her presentation, Julie stated, “sustainability drives what we do.” To the company, sustainability is about managing risks and resources. They approach this concern by looking at sustainability from an economic, environmental, and social viewpoint. Specifically, they ensure that they grow sustainability-driven opportunities, conserve resources, and care about their public. So, what creates sustainability risks? Some factors that are seen as risks revolve around environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria. These are conditions or events that can negatively impact a company. Many sustainability risks are due to population and consumption growth. For instance, climate change and COVID-19 are key examples. With COVID-19, many businesses saw a decline in production or sales. Climate change risks also include physical and transition risks. Transition risks incorporate new regulations, technologies, and markets. These risks could lead to business closures, increased costs, restrictions, or dissatisfied employees. Even though these events negatively impact some businesses, Julie explained how they could create opportunities for others. In Air Products' case, climate change presents opportunities since they produce hydrogen, “a great source for the future of energy.” These opportunities also push companies like Air Products to ensure they monitor their impact on sustainability. Julie advised that sustainability is a topic you can tackle in any job field. SPEAKERS
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