April 22, 2019
Earth Day Spotlight: The Employee behind Herff Jones’ Diploma Frame Sustainability Initiatives
Some of the earliest memories Peter Molin has of his childhood are ones spent outdoors climbing and “talking to trees” with his uncle, who taught him to appreciate nature and all of its beauty.
Now, as a father of two and the plant manager of Herff Jones’ diploma frame production facility, Framing Success, Molin wants to do his part to preserve the land and ensure his children and future generations can experience a similar connection to nature.
Pictured from left to right: Peter, Kara, Piera and Kyle.
In his 26 years with the company, Molin has demonstrated a commitment to introducing initiatives that give back to the environment. Perhaps the most important is Herff Jones’ partnership with Trees for the Future, an organization that works with farmers to plant trees in dozens of countries around the world.
“We really believe that businesses have a social responsibility to take care of the environment,” Molin said. “Being in an industry that uses natural resources to create our products, we believe it’s our duty to replenish those resources in a responsible manner.”
It’s simple – for every frame sold, Herff Jones donates the cost of one tree planting.
With this approach, we are able to give back in surplus. For each cultivated tree, Herff Jones can produce roughly 700 frames. Therefore, for every tree used during our production process, the company replenishes 700 more.
Since 2015, Herff Jones and Framing Success have planted over 620,000 trees in partnership with Trees for the Future. And, a recent Framing Success Earth Day social media campaign helped to up that number by nearly 1,000 trees!
“Trees for the Future has been planting trees for over 30 years. In our decades of experience, we have learned the best solution to ending hunger, poverty, and deforestation for small-holder farmers,” said Trees for the Future Executive Director John Leary. “We know the Forest Garden Approach works and we will reach our goal of planting 1 million people out of poverty by 2025 with the support of business partners like Framing Success.”
But the environmental commitment doesn’t stop there, says Molin, who is “always looking for new and better ways” for the division to go green. From utilizing shipping boxes made from 100% recycled fiber to ensuring products are solely manufactured using Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®) Certified Wood to the eco-friendly design of the production facility, Framing Success is leading the way for Herff Jones’ green efforts.
While Molin’s personal passion for a greener world aids his focus on sustainability in the workplace, what truly keeps him focused on doing his best work is the student whose achievement will be captured by a Herff Jones product for years to come.
“My main driver is the opportunity to impact people’s lives on a daily basis,” Molin said. “I’ve attended grad fairs and have met first generation college students and students who didn’t think they would make it through. Getting to create the product that produces such an emotional feeling for them is so special.”
Read more about our partnership with Trees for the Future, including testimonials from farmers whose lives have been changed by the program, by visiting our farmer stories page.
ABOUT HERFF JONES
Indianapolis-based Herff Jones is the leading provider of graduation and educational products and services designed to inspire achievement and create memorable experiences for students. A division of Varsity Brands, Herff Jones’ products include class rings and jewelry, caps and gowns, yearbooks, diplomas and announcements as well as motivation and recognition programs. Focused on building long-term relationships through a nationwide network of over 2,000 employees and sales partners, the professionals at Herff Jones have been helping elevate the student experience throughout the lifelong journey of education for more than 99 years. For more information about Herff Jones or Varsity Brands, please visit www.herffjones.com or www.varsitybrands.com.