HC&S Receives Awards for Community Commitment

The Community Business Award was presented by the Maui Nonprofit Directors Association for HC&S’ longstanding support of the Maui community. HC&S photo.

Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Company was recently presented with two awards—the Community Business Award and Outstanding Employer of the Year in Maui County.

The Community Business Award was presented by the Maui Nonprofit Directors Association for HC&S’ longstanding support of the Maui community through volunteerism, sponsorships and corporate grants, including the establishment of the HC&S Community Initiative grant program in 2014. The award was conferred at a ceremony on Oct. 29 at the Hui No‘eau Visual Arts Center in Makawao,

The State of Hawai‘i Department of Human Services, Division of Vocational Rehab, named HC&S Outstanding Employer of the Year in Maui County. HC&S photo.

MNPD, established in 1989, provides its membership of 51 nonprofit agency directors with the opportunity to gain personal and professional support through cooperative development activities, peer-to-peer networking and advocacy.

MNPD honors an organization with its Community Business Award each year, selecting the recipient from a field of five to seven businesses.

Last year, HC&S and its parent company, Alexander & Baldwin, granted $1.4 million to Hawai‘i charities and programs, with $445,000 awarded directly to Maui nonprofits and community organizations.

Maui County Nutrition Program at Kaunoa Senior Center, Maui Interscholastic League Sports Spotlight program and Maui United Way (formerly Maui Community Chest) nonprofit organizations have been longtime beneficiaries of HC&S funding and support, with more than six decades of sponsorship and millions of dollars in donations.

“Our employees and their families benefit from strong community organizations that provide support to them as they raise their children, care for their kupuna and live and work here on Maui,” said HC&S General Manager Rick Volner. “We all watch out for one another and HC&S is proud to be part of this Maui ohana. It has long been a part of our company tradition to contribute to the organizations that serve our island community, and we’ll continue to seek out ways to make a difference through causes large and small.”

This Community Business Award honor follows a recent announcement by the State of Hawai‘i Department of Human Services, Division of Vocational Rehab, which named HC&S Outstanding Employer of the Year in Maui County.

HC&S was recognized for hiring people with disabilities and for their warm assimilation into the company, as well as its advocacy work in the community, increasing awareness of hiring individuals with various abilities.

For more information, visit www.hcsugar.com.