Employees Beautify Local Treasure and Help Protect Marine Life through Beach Cleanup in Boca Raton

A dozen of our employees recently volunteered for a beach cleanup in Boca Raton, Florida, bringing energy and enthusiasm to an event that made a meaningful impact on a local treasure. Held on March 7 at South Beach Park, only five miles from our Boca Raton Innovation Center (BRIC), the cleanup was organized by the BRIC Sustainability Committee in partnership with the City of Boca Raton and the Gumbo Limbo Nature Center.

"The team members who volunteered for the committee have a genuine passion for sustainability," said Sr. Research Chef Eleonora Lahud. "They immediately embraced the opportunity to support this work despite their busy schedules and have collaborated to drive positive change at the BRIC. It’s been a true pleasure to be part of this team.”

The committee was established last year, inspired by the ongoing efforts of the Sustainability Committee at our corporate headquarters in West Palm Beach. In addition to Eleonora, its members include Sr. Research Manager Kristina Sheahan, Manager of Innovation & Commercialization Lucía Murla, Director of Global Regulatory Affairs Carlos Morales and Packaging Engineering Manager Erica Wysocki.

“Since its creation, the committee has implemented various initiatives, including energy reduction measures like turning off lab equipment and lights after hours, adjusting thermostats during nights and weekends to reduce air conditioning use off-hours, and converting to rechargeable batteries in soap dispensers,” said Kristina, explaining how the team has embraced our empowerment of employees to take the initiative to drive change. “Employees also now use company-provided reusable cups to reduce single-use plastics and have encouraged additional sustainable practices like automatic double-sided printing. These small changes can add up to make a big difference in reducing our environmental footprint, both as a business and as individuals.”

The idea for the beach cleanup arose from the committee’s desire to extend its sustainability efforts into the community. The team carefully researched opportunities for community engagement that aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, ensuring their work would have a meaningful environmental and social impact. Partnering with the Gumbo Limbo Nature Center was a natural fit, given its focus on conserving coastal land and wildlife. Boca Raton’s beaches are critical nesting grounds for sea turtles, which visit annually from March to October, underscoring the importance of protecting the area.

“As a good corporate citizen, we wanted to expand our efforts to benefit the broader community," said Carlos. "The Nature Center’s work is vital, and partnering with them through the beach cleanup allowed us to make a real difference. It gave us the perfect opportunity to come together as a team, which was one of the most rewarding parts of the cleanup for me. It was eye-opening to see how much trash we collected working together.”

Local residents and beachgoers thanked our employee volunteers, expressing gratitude for their efforts in making the beach cleaner and healthier for the community and its wildlife.

"It was important for us to support the community where we live and work," said Lucía. "Doing it together with our colleagues at the BRIC, and even several who joined from our Clematis Office, brought a new perspective to community service and what we can achieve as a team. It felt good to represent our company and show the pride we have in our community.”

“We started the committee with ideas on how to make our workplace greener, but it has expanded into improvements for the local community as well,” said Erica. “It's wonderful to see how our efforts are making a positive impact beyond our initial goals.”

"Alongside the dedicated members of BRIC’s Sustainability Committee, Chief Science Innovation Officer Richard Dyer has provided tremendous support to the team since its inception," said Eleonora. “We’re grateful for his and the company’s support of our continued efforts here at the BRIC and in our community.”