Plantronics factory in Tijuana honored as great place to work

A Plantronics factory in Mexico is being honored for its corporate excellence, just a few weeks after it was finished being built in Tijuana, according to the Santa Cruz Sentinel. The factory provides work for 2,200 employees and has gained national attention for its contributions to Mexico.

There are a total of 12 U.S. companies that have been nominated for the Secretary's Award for Corporate Excellence, which honors American companies that promote social responsibility and "contribute to the overall growth and development of the local economy in which they work."

Two to three winners will be announced early Wednesday, Jan. 29 2014 in Washington, D.C. by Secretary of State John Kerry. The event will be broadcast worldwide.

The U.S. ambassador to Mexico, Earl Anthony "Tony" Wayne, nominated the factory personally, citing its "support for host country technology and science development through establishing a center and sophisticated testing lab employing 100 professionals." He also admired the various other programs that Plantronics was doing for the community nearby, such as employee education programs that were done with local colleges and trade schools.

Plantronics has been working with facilities in Tijuana since 1972 to take advantage of the labor market. The company has received many awards for its work there. It has fostered programs having to do with protecting the environment and working on quality control. It has health care programs as well as child care programs and housing assistance. The facility features a soccer field, gym and a basketball court. There is also a place on site where employees can hold wedding ceremonies.

"One of our values is people," Ken Kannappan, CEO of Plantronics said. "Everyone in Tijuana wants to work for us. We have our pick of anybody. At end of the day, you know when you join Plamex you having an opportunity to do lot more with your career that you will elsewhere."

One of the best places to work
In 2013, Plantronics was voted one of the best places to work in Mexico for a third-consecutive year, according to the Great Place to Work Institute.

The Great Place to Work Institute, which gave out the award, defined a great place to work as "a place in which you trust people you work for, have pride in what you do, and enjoy the people you interact with." It evaluates companies based on a variety of techniques.

"We are honored to accept this award on behalf of Plantronics," said Alejandro Bustamante, senior vice president of Operations at Plantronics. "We strive to create an environment in which our associates can take pride and feel respected, a community that is dedicated to helping each member succeed. This award is as much a testament to our employees as it is to Plantronics - together we have built a culture that is like family. When our associates are happy and successful it directly impacts our customer satisfaction and overall operational efficiency."

While Plantronics is not a shelter company itself, If businesses work with an offshoring partner, they have greater time and resources to become a social and community player.

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