RESPEC Celebrates Employee Ownership Month by Planting 419 Trees

   “…There’s a Chinese saying. ‘When is the best time to plant a tree? Twenty years ago.’

   The Chinese engineer smiles. ‘Good one.’

   ‘When is the next best time? Now.’

   ‘Ah! Okay!’ The smile turns real. Until today, he has never planted anything. But Now, that next best of times, is long, and rewrites everything.”

   – Richard Powers, The Overstory

Trees give. Oxygen. Shelter. Food. Books. Shade. Each one makes a difference, but they are stronger together.

RESPEC employees give too, and RESPEC gives back to them, thanks to our Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). Learn more about the economic power of employee ownership. Like trees, RESPEC implants in our communities and grows in value. Every time we create a solution, our connection grows, our impact grows, and our company grows. Each RESPEC employee has a stake in these lasting contributions.

October is Employee Ownership Month and raises awareness about ESOP benefits. This year, our theme is “growing your future.” To commemorate RESPEC’s 100% employee ownership, the Vice Chair of our ESOP Committee, Jennifer Vilches, suggested we plant 419 trees – one for every RESPEC employee.

“Planting trees to memorialize our employees seemed to really mesh with RESPEC’s core value of caring,” said Jennifer. “We want to help our community and our environment.”

The ESOP Committee approved the recommendation unanimously.

These 419 trees honor our employees who make RESPEC thrive, remind us of our connection to each other and those around us, and symbolize growth into the future.

A Living Tribute, a non-profit, will plant them on protected, public lands. The trees will restore wilderness damaged by wildfires, invasive insects, natural disasters, and disease. Now, when you travel to a National Forest or State Park, you’ll see RESPEC’s impact there too.

RESPEC believes in Passion, Accountability, Caring, and Teamwork (PACT). These values define our culture and unite us as co-workers, families, client partners, and communities. Every decision we make, project we embark on, and hire we complete considers our PACT. RESPEC seeks in all things to support a culture of shared successes, collaboration, and enjoyment.

We intentionally take steps that help us grow our future together. Whether RESPEC’s creating solutions, planting trees, or expanding our employees’ wealth, we leave a legacy.