Our Corporate Responsibility
Since Freeman was founded as a family-owned company in 1927, one of its core values has centered around ethical business conduct and a strong commitment to the well-being of our employees, our communities, our industry and our environment. Today, the Freeman family and its 4,200 employee owners continue that legacy every day through a variety of activities, programs, and most of all, through a spirit of caring.
Freeman Cares About Our Industry
Freeman believes the future growth and success of the face-to-face marketing event industry depends on education, professional development and recognition of the major economic impact it has on all areas of business. Freeman actively supports industry professional organizations through financial grants, student scholarships and mentor programs, foundations, institutes and other educational programs. In addition, Freeman employees serve in a wide range of volunteer leadership positions within the events and exhibition industry, both globally and on local chapter levels
We are honored to receive formal recognition for contributions to the industry for personal as well as corporate commitment.
Freeman Industry Awards and Recognition
Freeman Industry News
Joe Pestka Named to CIC APEX Panel on Green Events
Joe Pestka, National Account Manager for Freeman, has been appointed to the newly formed Convention Liaison Council's APEX Green Event Standards advisory panel. As part of the comprehensive APEX program to establish industry standards, consistency and best practices, the APEX Green Advisory Panel will focus on establishing best practices and standards for sustainable and more environmentally friendly events.
Freeman Cares About Our Communities
Freeman employee owners actively participate in a wide range of community service programs and fund-raising efforts, both nationally and in local neighborhoods.
American Heart Association's Start! Heart Walk
Freeman teams across the country walked to support heart health and the fight against heart disease, raising over $200,000 for the American Heart Association.
Teams are now being formed and include Freeman employees, vendor partners, family members, customers—and dogs!—who participate in the 5K walks in major cities across the U.S.
Our Neighborhoods
Freeman Celebrates 30 Years of Support With Love for Kids
For over 30 years, Freeman exposition and AV staff and Dallas branch management have played an integral part in the "Love for Kids" mission to provide some joy to special "children of all ages."
Working with the Circle R Ranch in Flower Mound, Texas, over 150 Dallas Freeman employees pull together to give over 4,000 special needs children a Texas-sized hoedown during the holiday season in December. Kids enjoy horseback rides, hayrides, carnival games, arts & crafts, face painting and a good ole barbecue feast along with gifts to keep.
In the spring, attention turns to senior citizens. Freeman steps up by putting together a lunch celebration and bingo game for over 1,000 seniors from retirement centers throughout the Dallas/Fort Worth metro area by setting tables and chairs, a stage for the band and sound and lighting for the entertainment. This year featured a Fiesta theme for the Senior Fling.
People like Craig Smith, John Gebhard, Larry Blann, Jim Settles and Esteban Bazan have been instrumental in coordinating the staging, props, sound systems, décor and tons of volunteer labor and love to provide these very special programs each year.
Freeman Cares About One Another
As a company, we provide recognition for our heroes, support advancement in professional achievements and maintain communications with retired employees through the Freeman Alumni Association.
Freeman is also a family, and our employee owners take care of each other in times of need, as well as at work.
Houston Freeman Staff Raises Money for Fellow Employee
In February 2008, Laura Farley, a Houston Freeman employee who had semi-retired but still worked part time, had a massive stroke. She was in intensive care for two weeks. When Laura was finally released from the hospital, she needed extensive rehabilitation, as she had no use of the left side of her body. The rehabilitation centers required a large down payment, which she didn't have. True to Freeman family tradition, several Freeman friends arranged the Farley Food and Fun benefit that helped cover Laura's rehabilitation.
By June, Laura's rehab was in full swing, and best of all, Laura can now walk on her own.
Freeman Honors Its Star Nominees
The Freeman Star of Excellence recognition program is designed for peers to honor fellow employee owners who display the true values of Freeman excellence in employee performance, customer service and business results. This year, the selection committee received more than 540 nominations, and all have been honored at companywide celebrations for their outstanding performance. From these initial peer nominations, the final recipients of the coveted Star of Excellence Award were selected by a peer committee comprising past Star Award recipients.
Our Environment
Freeman is committed to seeking ways to produce more environmentally friendly events and also actively engages in green practices within its own day-to-day operations. In addition, Freeman partners with its customers in a collaborative effort to find ways to make their events more eco-friendly.
Grassroots Green Teams
As part of the overall cultural values at Freeman, employee owners in 70 branch facilities across North America are actively involved in fulfilling our Green philosophy. Company activities are structured on a two-tier approach, with a Central Green Committee comprised of various corporate and national branch representatives, and local branch Green champions who lead Green Committee teams at their locations.
The Green team philosophy is to foster innovation and commitment from employee owners—grassroot efforts from the field. This approach allows Green teams to be creative and take advantage of local opportunities. The local committees test and feed successful innovations up to the Central committee, who in turn provides access and shared information to other offices for implementation. In addition, the Central committee establishes standard and best practices for companywide eco-friendly practices.
Freeman's Green Philosophy (PDF: 751KB)
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