Dow’s Response to Flint Water Crisis Strengthened by Sustainability Mindset
By Neil Hawkins, Chief Sustainability Officer, The Dow Chemical Company, and Rob Vallentine, President, The Dow Chemical Company Foundation
When Flint, Michigan, was hit with the recent lead-contaminated water crisis, through its people, products and partnerships, Dow took action to provide a new source of clean water to 150 local families and provided relief support to those in need.
After nearly 120 years in business, we’ve learned how important it is to consider the long-term impact of everything we do. Dow employees have developed a sustainability mindset, which has come to permeate our organization and business model, from day-to-day operations to strategic planning and partnerships.
At Dow, sustainability and global citizenship are a partnership. That is why we have designated Engaging Employees, Customers and Communities for Impact as one of our 2025 Sustainability Goals, a set of seven goals that serves as the foundation of our commitment to improve the lives of people around the world by helping lead the transition to a sustainable planet and society.
Our journey has led us to focus our global citizenship strategy on building more sustainable communities, and through this sustainability goal, we are committing to using the time and talent of our employees to positively impact the lives of 1 billion people across the globe.
When the citizens of Flint, Michigan, about an hour’s drive from Dow’s global headquarters, learned that their municipal water system was tainted by lead, Dow people wanted to help. This enthusiasm was enhanced by the expertise of Dow’s Water and Process Solutions (DWPS) business, a leading innovator in water purification and separation technologies. The result was a team of employees gathering in Flint’s Foss Avenue neighborhood to outfit homes with filters, contributed by a key Dow customer, that make the water safe by using DWPS reverse osmosis technology.
Building off of our 34-year relationship with Habitat for Humanity—a relationship in which we’ve supported 50,000 homes through product or volunteer contributions—we provided and installed water filters into every Habitat home in Flint, bringing relief to about 150 families. More about this project, including the reaction of several of the residents is available in the video below.
In addition, Dow committed $60,000 in direct funding to United Way, and our long-term support for the United Way in Flint allowed us to quickly set up an online account to which Dow employees around the world could make donations. Together with matching funds from The Dow Chemical Company Foundation, this account quickly accumulated more than $11,000 for United Way emergency support services and prevention efforts.
We believe our contribution was especially effective because of our sustainability mindset. Building strong, sustainable communities isn’t always a matter of reacting to a short-term crisis, but taking a longer-term solutions-based approach, and thinking outside of the box with partners to meet local needs.
Dow people are a force for good around the world and we are committed to supporting their inclination to strengthen their communities. By supporting and celebrating the passion and expertise of our employees, we maximize the benefits to society, now and for many years to come.
About the authors:
Neil Hawkins
Corporate Vice President for Environment, Health and Safety
Chief Sustainability Officer
The Dow Chemical Company
Dr. Neil Hawkins drives strategy and implementation of Dow’s sustainability and EH&S programs, including the Company’s 2025 Sustainability Goals. Dr. Hawkins is a global leader in the private sector in sustainable business practices, EH&S management, and public policy platforms for global sustainable development, and he is an appointed member of the Financial Stability Board (FSB) Task Force on Climate Disclosures. Follow him on Twitter @NeilCHawkins.
Rob Vallentine
President and Executive Director
The Dow Chemical Company Foundation
Rob Vallentine is responsible for corporate engagement with stakeholders at the global, regional and local levels to ground business decisions in sustainability and citizenship principles while utilizing Dow’s capabilities and resources to meet societal expectations. He works closely with Dow’s Foundation Board of Directors to provide strategic direction on the Company’s philanthropic priorities around the Dow world. During his 28 years at Dow, Rob has held leadership positions within Public Affairs, Sales, Marketing Research and Marketing.
