Commitment to Compliance
Honesty and ethical behavior have always played an important role in Cook's work. Our operations involve important legal and ethical responsibilities that extend to customers, fellow workers and employees; to the healthcare providers, public and private agencies with whom we do business; and to the public at large. It has always been Cook's policy that its directors, officers, employees, representatives and agents behave ethically and follow all laws, regulations, policies and procedures that affect their jobs.
Diversity Mission Statement
Cook values diversity at all levels and strives for full participation from all groups regardless of gender, race, age, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, disability or class. We believe that inclusion fosters creativity and innovation and empowers all our employees, thus making Cook a stronger organization. To this end, Cook promotes a corporate culture that maintains a balanced and diverse workforce.
Diversity Vision Statement
Create an inclusive, corporate culture and a workforce that resembles the global communities in which we work and live.
Diversity Definition
Provide Cook employees with an inclusive, accepting, inviting environment in which FAIR (feedback, acceptance, inclusion, respect) practices are embraced.
Sustainability:
Our Commitment to a Healthier World
Cook Medical's commitment to enhancing the quality of life extends beyond providing improved technologies for patient care. We also strive to protect the environment and our communities through the ongoing support and advancement of conscientious, sustainable business practices.
Environmental Policy
At Cook Medical, we strive to perform in an environmentally responsible manner by incorporating best management practices, fostering the sustainable use of natural resources, promoting pollution prevention, reducing waste, and recycling and reusing materials where applicable within our operations.
Cook Medical Environmental Commitment
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Compliance Prevention Continual Improvements |
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Cook supports environmentally responsible practices and technologies by promoting the use of renewable and sustainable resources and ensuring that, where possible, products reaching their end of life are recycled or disposed of in the most environmentally friendly way. We do this through:
- Waste minimization/reduction/disposal
- Energy/utility reduction
- Environmental compliance
- Recycling efforts
- Utilization of recycled materials
Cook is committed to adherence to and continual improvement in the following five areas:
Compliance
We seek to comply with legal requirements and voluntary green industry standards, where applicable.
- Report requirements yearly to ensure compliance of wastewater discharge, waste disposal, toxic release inventories and reduction programs.
Prevention
We seek to prevent accidents that endanger the health and safety of employees and our environment.
- Store and monitor hazardous waste and flammable and caustic materials appropriately.
- Continually improve handling and proper disposal of hazardous wastes.
- Provide all in-house employees with safety orientation, including HazCom (chemical awareness), bloodborne pathogen training, operating room protocol (for sales representatives) and hazardous waste training.
- Prepare emergency response programs for natural and man-made disasters.
Reduction
We seek to reduce unnecessary waste and natural resource consumption.
- Reduce HCFC-124 discharge into the atmosphere.
- Reduce employee fuel consumption by offering a 4-day/10-hour work schedule for manufacturing employees at several facilities.
- Reduce water and electricity consumption with automatic faucets and light switches.
- Use high-efficiency, 4-pipe HVAC systems in newer facilities.
- Use a packaging reduction checklist on every new package design.
- Use green vendors for the majority of printing needs.
- Use windows and skylights to reduce lighting demand and transition to green fluorescent light bulbs in many facilities.
Reuse
We seek opportunities to exercise our ingenuity by reusing items that would otherwise be discarded. We also seek to restore historic or significant buildings in the communities in which we are invested.
- Reuse significant portions of existing building materials during historic renovations.
- Donate plastic trays to an organization that provides supplies for school projects and local artists.
- Use plastic recyclable pallets in shipping areas and recycle damaged pallets.
- Send e-waste (computers, monitors, etc.) to be processed for reuse or reclamation.
Recycling
We seek to maximize recycling opportunities to reduce waste and preserve natural resources.
- Recycle first-generation “clean” plastic waste to resell to toy manufacturers.
- Print Instructions for Use (IFUs) on recyclable paper while transitioning to web-based IFUs.
- Use green building products and brownfield building sites in new construction projects where possible.
- Use primary shipping boxes made of recycled content materials.
- Recycle scrap metal.
- Recycle electrical and electronic equipment as well as packaging waste. Learn more about Cook's recycling efforts in Europe.