DERMagic Skin Care for Animals has been awarded the Outstanding Washington Employer award by the Community Employment Alliance and the Association of Washington Business — recognising the company’s work employing people with developmental disabilities.
The announcement
News in from Adelia in the USA — DERMagic Skin Care for Animals has just received the coveted Outstanding Washington Employer award from the Community Employment Alliance (CEA) and the Association of Washington Business (AWB).
When DERMagic was founded, one of the company’s stated goals was to reach a point where it could give back to its community. This award marks the point where that goal became real and visible.
What the award recognises
The CEA and AWB Outstanding Employer Award honours Washington State businesses, government agencies and non-profit corporations that have made exceptional efforts to employ people with disabilities — and whose recruitment, hiring, retention and promotion policies make them role models in their community.
Recipients are commended for their work on behalf of people with disabilities across Washington State during an awards luncheon at the Kitsap Conference Center in Bremerton, WA.
The Northwest Center partnership
The award specifically celebrates DERMagic’s support of the Northwest Center — a leader in promoting the rights and independence of infants, children, teens and adults with developmental disabilities.
DERMagic employs five part-time team members from the Northwest Center, who make product samples and label some of DERMagic’s products. It’s meaningful, hands-on work, woven into the company’s day-to-day production line.
Larissa, making the samples
One of those team members is Larissa, who prepares the samples of DERMagic shampoo bars that go out to customers and stockists.
Why it matters
A company can talk about ethical production. Putting it into practice — by employing people who too often get overlooked by mainstream employers — is a different thing entirely. The CEA award is the recognition that DERMagic has done the second.
A special thanks to the Northwest Center for creating such a strong network of people, and to the Association of Washington Business for continuing to support this cause. Together we are stronger.
The company will continue working towards community initiatives that improve the lives of pets and their people.
Wags and woofs — Adelia