Biz Briefs: SABIC Donating to Local United Way to Support COVID-19 Response Efforts
SABIC donation
SABIC, a global leader in diversified chemicals, is donating $25,000 to the Berkshire United Way to help serve the community during the COVID-19 pandemic. Aside from $1 million in monetary donations to food banks and community-based agencies in the communities where the company operates, SABIC, whose head office is based in Houston, also is donating approximately $500,000 of its products. SABIC products are used to manufacture personal protection equipment for healthcare workers and medical equipment such as ventilators, patient monitoring devices, face shields, respiratory therapy machines and diagnostic equipment.
The company, which operates the Polymer Processing Development Center in Pittsfield, Mass., also is donating face shields made with SABIC’s LEXAN polycarbonate sheet product to local police and fire departments. SABIC employees, too, are joining together to raise funds that will go to charitable organizations of their choice and the company is matching the employee contributions dollar-for-dollar.
SABIC currently operates 60 manufacturing and compounding plants in more than 50 countries worldwide.
Small business survey
The Community Development Corporation of South Berkshire has released a small business survey to assess the greatest needs of small businesses during this COVID-19 crisis. This Small Business Technical Assistance Needs Survey will help CDCSB focus professional technical assistance to businesses where they most need it for them to weather the devastating economic impact of the endemic. All businesses based in the southern Berkshires are encouraged to complete the survey by clicking here.
CDCSB is joining other western Massachusetts CDCs – Hilltown CDC, Franklin County CDC and Valley CDC (Northampton) – in seeking funding to provide free professional business assistance that can include legal and financial advice, strategic planning, access to capital, marketing, pivoting sales to a digital platform, or creating new product lines. This will significantly expand the capacity for small business assistance throughout western Mass., a central part of CDCSB’s economic development mission.
The CDCSB is a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating job opportunities, promoting economic development, and building low-moderate income housing in the southern Berkshires. In collaboration with other local organizations, CDCSB has helped build over 60 affordable housing units, leveraged over $30 million in private and public funding for south Berkshire County and has a current development pipeline of 120 new affordable housing units.
Webinar on Google rankings
Downtown Pittsfield Inc. is sponsoring a free two-part webinar, titled "How to Rank Higher on Google," to be held on Wednesday, June 3, at 9 a.m. and Wednesday, June 10, at 9 a.m.. The webinar is free to everyone via Zoom. The "new normal" will dramatically change how people connect, shop, and interact even after businesses reopen. It will be more important than ever to rank higher on Google, to make it easy for customers to find what they need, and to support them with social media.
Participants will learn concrete steps they can implement at a low cost to improve your web presence and search engine results, and thrive in the upcoming business environment. There will also be plenty of time for questions and talking about specific concerns during the webinar. To register for "Quick Wins" on Wednesday, June 3, at 9 a.m., click here. To register for "Big Wins" on Wednesday, June 10, at 9 a.m., click here.
The webinar will be led by Pittsfield's own Roger Matus, an expert in developing market strategies and in executing digital marketing programs for clients in Boston and the Berkshires. Local clients include Berkshire Yoga Dance and Fitness, the Pittsfield Cooperative Bank, the City of Pittsfield, the Pittsfield Economic Revitalization Corporation, Integrated Eco Strategy in North Adams, Global-Z International, and the William Stanley Business Park.
