Corporate Social Responsibility

Overview

P&A Group (“P&A”) is dedicated to achieving commercial success in ways that honor ethical values and respect people, communities, and the natural environment by minimizing any negative social and environmental impacts and maximizing the positive ones. We have organized our Corporate Social Responsibility (“CSR”) statement into areas focusing on business conduct, employee and human rights, health and safety, community participation, and environment protection. The CSR is foundational to our corporate culture and the values that we live each day as employees and citizens within our communities.

Business Conduct

First and foremost, P&A is committed to serving our customers both ethically and honestly, which means our business decisions – such as who we hire, how we invest our capital, how we treat our employees, etc. – must all be made with these values as a backdrop.

 

  • We will communicate promptly, completely and accurately with our customers, employees, service providers, community members, regulators, and all others with whom we do business. We will not mislead these stakeholders and will only make promises to them that we can keep.
  • We are committed to complying with the laws, rules, and regulations of the jurisdictions and industries within which we operate.
  • We will never offer, pay, solicit or accept bribes in any form, either directly or indirectly. On occasion, and to the extent appropriate under the circumstances, we may give or accept gifts and entertainment that are for business purposes. Such gifts and entertainment are not material or frequent and reflect the customs in the industry and local settings.
  • We will seek business partners that foster and value trust in all relationships. When considering a business partnership, we will base our choice of partner not only on economic considerations, but also on a number of other factors, including, where appropriate, ethical human values, safety, health, environmental management and sustainable conduct.

 

Employee Responsibilities

At P&A our employees must first pass a rigorous background check prior to joining the Company. They must also read and acknowledge our Code of Ethics on an annual basis. We also require all employees participate in sexual harassment prevention training annually.

All the company supervisors and managers, including our officers and directors, have a responsibility to lead according to our values and commitments in both words and actions. All the company employees are encouraged to raise questions or issues about these matters with their supervisors. All concerns, questions and complaints will be taken seriously and handled promptly, confidentially and professionally. No retaliation will be taken against any employee for raising any concern, question or complaint in good faith.

Employee and Human Rights

We are committed to equality in the workplace and will respect the rights, culture and dignity of all individuals. We will act equitably and justly and will not tolerate any form of discrimination or harassment directed at any individual or group.

We believe that all employees have the right to develop and grow within their careers. As such, we encourage our employees to use on the job training, rotation and continuing education to further their personal and professional development.

Health and Safety

The health and safety of our employees is of the utmost importance to our Company. We encourage safety conscious behavior, both in the workplace and beyond. We seek to create an incident and injury free work environment for all employees and contractors.

We have implemented a business continuity plan to allow our workforce to work remotely in the event that environmental, social, or medical reasons prevent us from occupying our offices.

We also promote a flexible work environment to allow our employees to both meet the requirements of their jobs, but also the demands of their personal lives while remaining legally compliant and true to the expectations of our customers and participants.

Community Participation

Giving back to our communities is foundational to our culture at P&A.  As a company, we support a number of local charities and community organizations, and we actively encourage our employees to use P&A as a platform for their own individual ways of giving back, from blood drives to bake sales to charity runs.

Most recently, P&A Group has supported the following organizations through fundraising and participating in annual charity events:

  • Kleinhans Music Hall – built in 1940, Kleinhans Music Hall is a national landmark and home to the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra. Musical performances, concerts and literary events are held here throughout the year. In February of 2020, P&A Group donated $10,000 to the National Geographic series held in the spring at Kleinhans. The educational series brings speakers from National Geographic to the local Western New York community.
  • Hilary Grace Foundation (HGF) – founded after Hilary Grace White tragically lost her battle with addiction, the HGF seeks to improve treatment options for people struggling with opioid addiction. The HGF is working on building “Hilary’s House,” a transitional house where people finishing a certified rehab facility can get the proper support they need to be successful as they transition between rehab and their home environment. P&A Group holds frequent donation drives to help support the HGF’s efforts. In addition, P&A Group presented a $10,000 donation to the organization in 2019.
  • St. Luke’s Mission of Mercy – this organization serves the poorest communities in Western New York by providing basic needs and support. P&A Group adopted a family during the holiday season and ran donation drives to gather clothing, toys and gift cards for food.
  • The P.U.N.T Foundation – founded by NFL Pro Bowl Punter Brian Moorman, this non-profit organization aids Western New York families who are facing the challenges of pediatric cancer. From financial assistance to emotional support programs that address everything from diagnosis to bereavement, the P.U.N.T foundation helps many Western New York families. P&A Group adopted a family of 10 through the P.U.N.T foundation during the holiday season.
  • J. P. Morgan Corporate Challenge Buffalo – a series of running events held at different cities throughout the country, P&A Group participates in the Buffalo race. In addition to promoting workplace health and fitness, the Corporate Challenge raises money for a different charity every year.
  • Hospice & Palliative Care Buffalo – P&A Group participates in the annual spring bouquet sale, a major fundraiser that brings public awareness to the community about Hospice and its mission.
  • Martin Family Turkey Drive – Two P&A employees chair an event with their family that provides full Christmas dinners to over 140 families locally. P&A Group helps support this annual event with a turkey drive.
  • Sister Johnice and the Response to Love Center – a community outreach center that serves the poorest of our communities, the Response to Love Center provides clothing, food, and other necessities to the poverty stricken. P&A Group has hosted collection drives based on the center’s need. Over the years, employees have donated supplies ranging from diapers and pillows to cleaning supplies and toiletries.
  • Food Bank of WNY (FeedMore WNY) – P&A Group helps supply the organization’s food pantry by holding canned food drives throughout the year.
  • Luca Calanni Foundation – established in 2020 after the tragic passing of Luca Calanni due to complications from the flu, the foundation seeks to help other children live an enriched life through sports, camps, arts and other activities. P&A Group raised money by holding dress down days.
  • Niagara County SPCA – P&A Group helps cover the cost of care for animals.

Environmental Protection

We strive to minimize the impact of our operations on the environment. As a company focused on professional services and business process outsourcing, we encourage people to work from home, and use energy saving lights and HVAC technology in our offices in order to minimize our carbon footprint. We are also digitizing aspects of our operations in order to minimize our use of paper and improve sustainability.