Alabama Power recently released its second annual Corporate Sustainability Report, outlining the company’s continued progress in supporting the needs of customers and the communities it serves. The 2021 report provides a broad recap of the company’s accomplishments over the past year, based on Alabama Power’s five pillars of sustainability: People, Environment, Social Responsibility, Governance and Innovation.

“Alabama Power is constantly adapting to meet the challenges and opportunities of the times, while supporting our founding commitment to be of service to the state. And as our story evolves, so does how we share it,” said Stephanie Cooper, vice president of Corporate Sustainability.

This month, Alabama NewsCenter is sharing five stories from the report, highlighting the company’s five pillars of sustainability. Today’s story focuses on Social Responsibility:   

Alabama Power 2021 Corporate Sustainability Report: Social Responsibility from Alabama NewsCenter on Vimeo.

Gee’s Bend is a rural community in Alabama’s Black Belt, a region named for its rich topsoil. Made up of only about 200 people, Gee’s Bend is easiest to reach by ferry from the small town of Camden. It’s one of those out-of-the-way places that you might never hear about, except that Gee’s Bend is home to an African American quilting community whose members have made important contributions to American art.

It is that unique and creative skill set, passed down and perfected over generations, that caught the attention of Patrick Robinson, founder and CEO of Paskho, a sustainable clothing line based in New York. “If you look at the art, and the craft of the people who make it, it blows your mind,” Robinson said.

“What surprised me was how low the average income here is – if they can even find work,” Robinson added.

Robinson saw an opportunity – for his company to be a partner in bolstering the community’s economy and helping the people of Gee’s Bend thrive. Robinson envisioned Gee’s Bend as an ideal location for a new concept for producing sustainable clothing. With an eye toward expanding to other towns across the United States – particularly into rural areas where jobs are scarce – Gee’s Bend in 2021 became the first location for what he hopes will be many sustainable sewing pods that are profitable while helping their respective communities prosper.

RELATED: Why Alabama’s Gee’s Bend was right for clothing company expansion

 The Alabama Power Foundation provided funds, insights and resources to help support Paskho and this community development effort. Robinson said, “We explained what we wanted to do and the foundation bought in from the very beginning. This investment in the company has helped us with so many things. They’ve been a great partner.”

Clothes, in general, are inherently unsustainable, from the thread to the dye and all of the processes that go into producing them. That’s where Paskho is different. Its processes are certified by BLUESIGN, an organization committed to forever changing the environmental impact of textiles. It traces each textile’s path along the manufacturing process, making improvements at every stage, from factory floor to finished product.

Robinson explained, “They look at all of the fabrics and make sure there’s no excesses with things like water or energy or anything else that goes into them.” BLUESIGN also ensures each worker is paid a fair wage. “That was really, really important to us,” Robinson said.

By creating jobs that bring dignity, he aspires to grow his model of shared prosperity. “I really hope that halo effect takes hold, creating opportunity for the younger members of the community, giving them opportunity right here in Gee’s Bend, so they don’t have to look elsewhere for respectful, meaningful work.”

That commitment is already having an impact on Paskho’s Alabama employees. “It’s such a great thing for the community,” said Clara Pettway, a Paskho maker. “We really needed these jobs.” Fellow maker Mary Margaret Pettway added, “We all have pride in the community and pride in the work. It’s about accountability. These things are being made in Gee’s Bend, and that means something.”

Paskho founder and CEO Patrick Robinson decided Gee’s Bend was the place to expand production. (David Macon / Day 22 Films)

It is all part of the bigger sustainability picture for Robinson: to foster a healthier environment and healthier, more vibrant communities.

“Sustainability isn’t just a mission to save the Earth. It’s a mission to save our souls as a world and as a people. Sustainability is about who we want to be and the things we respect,” Robinson said.

“It’s a question of, how do I want to live my life? How do I want my kids to grow up? What world do I want them to experience?” Robinson said. “Whether it’s the natural world or the societal one, we want them to have a healthy environment. When we figure that part out, we’ll become a sustainable society.”

This story originally appeared in the Alabama Power 2021 Corporate Sustainability Report, which was released on Earth Day 2022. Learn more at www.poweringsustainability.com.