Sarasota County earns Green Supply Chain Award for the fourth time

Employees recognized for commitment to sustainability and cost savings

Image courtesy Supply and Demand Chain Executive

Sarasota County Government’s Materials Management team members have earned the Supply and Demand Chain Executive Award for the fourth time, “continuing their commitment to sustainability and cost savings,” the county has announced.

“The award recognizes companies and organizations that make sustainability a core part of their supply chain strategy, while working to achieve measurable goals within their own operations,” a news release explains.

County Administrator Jonathan Lewis noted in the release that the county’s materials management team “continues to fully embrace one of the county’s organizational goals, which is environmental stewardship.”

“Their actions further demonstrate that Sarasota County Government is home to the most forward-thinking and resourceful employees in the entire state,” Lewis said in the release.

General Services Department Director Jeff Lowdermilk noted in the release that the team “is always looking for ways to improve, and that drives their repeated successes.”

“I’m very proud of their continued efforts and their dedication to hard work. These awards demonstrate the ways in which they provide the highest level of service to the organization and community,” Lowdermilk added.

As part of the division’s efforts to promote and practice sustainability, the workers “have made strides in eliminating waste, through recycling and joint collaboration with key suppliers and vendors,” the release points out.

Lee Hayes Byron, director of the University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Extension and Sustainability program, noted in the release that the team members “truly are leaders when it comes to sustainable practices for warehouse and supply management.”

“We are fortunate to have such innovative members here in Sarasota County,” Byron said in the release. “They are constantly looking for opportunities to protect our environment.”

Marina Mayer, editor-in-chief of Supply & Demand Chain Executive and Food Logistics, explained that “the award recognizes small, mid-size and large enterprises that leveraged green practices and solutions to further drive sustainable improvements in their supply chain.”

“From software solutions to transportation management systems to several other initiatives designed to reduce carbon footprint and improve the re-use of materials, sustainability continues to rank as a key component to a stronger, safer and more efficient supply chain,” Mayer said in the release.