A MESSAGE FROM OUR CEO TO EMPLOYEES

Hello Essentia Nation,

Over the past week I have been deeply moved and heartbroken by the tragic death of George Floyd and the loss for his family. For the people of Minneapolis and for our entire nation as a whole. I know all of you share my sadness and outrage over the current injustice that has once again taken place within the Black community.

While I can’t imagine what the Black community is currently going through at this moment, I want to be very clear that discrimination and injustice of any kind is never, ever tolerated at Essentia. It’s not who we are as a culture or an organization. We will always be a company that leads with empathy and a continuous commitment to embracing our common bond as human beings with an open mind to all people of color and to our society as a whole.

Together we will ask the tough questions of ourselves and as an organization and listen to gain a better understanding of racism and injustice in our communities throughout our country. I speak for our entire Leadership Team when I say we are committed to our deep internal conversations, listening from the heart and creating positive ACTION and change against racism and injustice within our Black communities and wherever it continues to plague us.

Our country is at an intersection none of us have ever lived through before. In the face of protests and riots over systemic racism and injustice, we are also battling the coronavirus pandemic and Covid-19 which has now claimed over one hundred thousand American lives and propelled over forty million Americans into unemployment. In these unprecedented times, Essentia will galvanize as One to make a difference for those in need. We are committed to be a voice for EQUALITY for all human beings no matter what you look like, where you come from, or who you love. We will be a voice for inclusion, equality and justice and in the following days, we will communicate what actions we are taking to demonstrate that voice.

Our voice will show up in social media, specific donations to organizations advancing the important work of justice and equality, engaging in community outreach and encouraging dialog within our company itself. I encourage each of you to take some time and gather in small groups on a call to have a real discussion on these critical issues that have affected every single one of us, in one way or another. We don’t have all the answers. We need your help and we need to listen to your past experiences, so we can create change together. We are always better together than we are apart as an organization and more importantly, as people. Martin Luther King said, “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter. In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.”

Finally, may we all work to stand together as one team, always putting PEOPLE-first in our organization and in our daily lives. Let’s continue to learn from each other and challenge each other to be a voice for positive change in our world. Remember it’s never about one of us, it’s always about all of us working together to make a difference each day!

From the heart with my deepest thoughts,

Scott Miller

CEO of Essentia Water