This year, Sto celebrates its sixth year of receiving the prestigious SHARP’s Award.

The manufacturer promotes a culture of consciousness, and as a result continues to maintain a strong commitment to safety in the workplace. This strong commitment to not only the quality of its product, but its commitment to safety has long been ingrained in the way the company operates. For the last six years this commitment has been recognized nationally with the distinctive SHARP Award, “Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program,” for which OSHA and the Department of Labor recognizes business employers who operate an exemplary injury and illness prevention program.

According to Frederick Stutts, engineering manager at Sto Corp, acceptance of Sto Corp.’s multi-worksite SHARP’s award is an achievement that ensures that Sto stays in alignment with our “Building with Conscience” philosophy. In addition to Sto’s sixth year SHARP’s accreditation, its Vermont site was presented with the prestigious “Governors Award for Outstanding Workplace Safety” beginning in 2009.

According to the Department of Labor, the SHARP listing for Sto is one of only eight companies in the state of Vermont, one in 18 in the state of Georgia, and one in 21 in the state of Arizona to receive this nationally recognized award.

“For many years, Sto Corp has persistently and continuously differentiated itself amongst business peers as a model for worksite safety and health. In addition to our already recognized Quality 9001:2008 (Certified since December 1998) and Environmental 14001:2004 (Certified since April 2009) Management Systems, Sto Corp. continues to find ways to continually improve and stay progressive with its many management systems, while maintaining true to its longstanding commitment to safety and health,” said Stutts.

The “Building with Conscience” philosophy doesn’t stop there. According to Victoria Vasquez, environmental and quality systems coordinator for Sto Corp., there are many current and ongoing projects at Sto Corp., including its Freight Savings project. This threefold environmental project will position Sto Corp. to reduce its carbon footprint by minimizing the amount of fossil fuel used to transport material, air pollution, and cut operational costs. The GA Plant Rainwater recycling aims to reduce the amount of water the Atlanta Plant uses by recycling rain water.

“In 2012 we were able to reuse 31,000 gallons of rain water. This rain water was used for various maintenance functions. Our goal for 2013 is to continue to use rainwater collection as an alternative source for maintenance functions,” said Vasquez.

In addition, the low VOC project highlights another key environmental effort.

“We are keen to our market, customers and the environment, and by offering reduced VOC pigment this will allow us to continue our commitment to the environment and to reducing our carbon footprint,” said Vasquez.