Nobody ever said that doing the right thing is easy. More often than not, it means making a bigger effort, giving up something important or taking responsibility. We do these things because, even if they’re harder in the moment, they’re worth it in the end.

Which is why Do the Right Thing is one of SanMar’s Family Values, stitched into the fabric of the company. It shapes how we treat our customers, our colleagues and our communities around the world.

“I think doing the right thing is sometimes admitting that you made a mistake,” says Angie Monasmith, Assistant Merchandiser at SanMar. “It’s something I really try and stand by myself – it happened, so let me take responsibility and ownership for that.”

Paul Stewart, a SanMar Business Intelligence Developer, expands on this idea: “There’s no issue, there’s no argument, it’s just a case of ‘We’re very sorry, let us fix that.’ That definitely shows a level of integrity.”

Do the Right Thing is Anna Leos’ favorite Family Value. In her work as a Sourcing and Product Development Manager, she sees it as an act of selflessness. “Is it doing the right thing for me? Probably not. It means doing the right thing for SanMar, or for our customers, or for the team.”

Do the Right Thing is why we maintain consistent standards of product quality, safety and sustainability for our customers. These are not only standards that we strive to meet, but ones which we constantly examine and seek to improve upon.

Do the Right Thing is why we give back in our communities at home, by supporting organizations like the Why Not You Foundation, Friends of the Children, United Way and the local Cold Weather Drive in Washington State.

And perhaps most importantly, Do the Right Thing is why our aim is to improve the lives of the workers around the world who develop and create our products, as well as those who get them to our customers.

In a way, Do the Right Thing is a value that encompasses all the other Family Values we hold dear at SanMar. Why do we passionately serve our customers? Why do we invest in each other? Why be nice? Because all of those things, even when they’re not easy, are the right things.

Melissa Castillo, Tradeshow Project Coordinator on SanMar’s Marketing team, sums it up best: “You do the right thing, because it’s the right thing to do.”

How can anyone possibly argue with that?