One of the commonalities among companies with a philanthropic perspective seems to be that they place employee well-being at the top of their priorities, particularly their purpose and fulfillment. Fluidmaster Inc. says it’s embraced that idea since its 1957 inception.
The still privately held plumbing supply company says founder Adolf Schoepe placed high value on the people who worked for him and on the communities they were based in.
“My father … created seven founder’s goals shortly after he started the company,” says Chief Executive and board Chairman Robert A. Schoepe. “One was Be a Good Citizen in the Community. It has been part of Fluidmaster’s culture for almost 60 years.”
The directive led to Fluidmaster garnering special recognition by the Business Journal as the Emerging Company on our second annual Civic 50 list.
Purpose-Driven People
For more than 60 years, the San Juan Capistrano-based toilet systems maker has invested in programs that enrich the lives of employees and connect them with a greater purpose. Today, Fluidmaster supports more than 100 organizations, in particular Habitat for Humanity, the American Cancer Society Relay for Life, Boys and Girls Club of Capistrano Valley and Boy Scouts of America.
Its corporate giving program includes a matching gift component; paid employee volunteer hours; a program that provides employees training to serve on nonprofit boards; sponsorship of employees’ childrens’ sports teams and clubs; and major fundraising efforts and donations to charities.
“The ethics and values established early on have created a culture where trying to do the right thing is natural,” says human resources Vice President John Wohlfiel.
The commitment has earned it multiple recognitions related to corporate responsibly, including from the Orange County chapter of the Association for Corporate Growth and from the Association of Fundraising Professionals. Individual employees have also received nods, including Andy King, vice president of IT, who was named volunteer of the year this year at OneOC’s annual Spirt of Volunteerism awards. A Habitat for Humanity OC board member has given hours of his time and his professional skills while also contributing financially.
Last year, 40% of Fluidmaster employees volunteered at local charities and nonprofits. And so far this year, it’s made $350,000 in donations throughout the county through grants, events sponsorships and in-kind donations.
The company established a scholarship program this year for the plumbing trade, partnering with a few Orange County organizations and schools to combine a job with a plumbing company with formal plumber certification training. It says the scholarship is worth about $14,000 over four years.
“Plumbers are in high demand, and it is a very lucrative career,” Wohlfel says. “School programs are not available anymore, skilled plumbers are retiring, and many schools are pushing kids towards college, even if it is not suited for them. Becoming a plumber is a career many have not heard about. We would like to share it with kids seeking career options and help support an industry [that] has supported our success.”
Beyond Business
Fluidmaster’s success was built on Schoepe’s vision of a more reliable, efficient toilet fill valve. He wasn’t content to go with the status quo. Thanks to the innovation, Fluidmaster has become an icon in the industry, with operations in North America, Europe, the United Kingdom and China, and a worldwide distribution network in more than 80 countries, selling more toilet tank replacement valves than any other manufacturer in the world.
The company’s innovation doesn’t end with its products. Its OneOC Charitable Giving Fund allows companies to contribute any amount to the charities of their choice while allowing more flexibility and tax benefits compared to establishing their own private foundations.
Fluidmaster President Todd Talbot, a member of OneOC’s board of directors, is a fan of the fund, saying on its website, “The donor advised fund that Fluidmaster established through OneOC was a great alternative to setting up a foundation of our own. Any donors, including ourselves, are able to make contributions to our fund, take an immediate tax deduction, and then we are able to make grants to the charities of our team’s choice.”
Decades before other companies began looking for ways to improve employee engagement, Schoepe was trying to make sure his staff knew their work mattered, and talking with them about what was important to them in making a difference on the job and giving back.
