By Jennifer Larson
Chief People Officer
The Global Connections program at SanMar was established to give our employees the opportunity to learn firsthand about the communities around the world where we do business. Each participant takes part in local charitable efforts to impact these communities and create connections with people—both fellow teammates across the company and new friends around the world.
I’ve been fortunate to be a part of this experience from the beginning. The planning and teambuilding have been so rewarding, and I treasure the relationships developed through the program. I can confidently say this year’s participants were all in!
This year, our destination was Accra, the capital city of Ghana, and our vendor partner was Dignity DTRT, whose name stands for “Do the Right Thing.” They were fantastic to work beside, and long-term friendships were developed.
DTRT has been partners with SanMar since 2013. Their values are very much in line with our company values of “Be Nice and Tell the Truth.” Their mission is to supply global brands with high quality, cost-competitive and socially responsible apparel from West Africa.
While we were there, our team saw SanMar products created at DTRT locations.
And with local help, we tackled big service projects with lasting impact.
SanMar, in partnership with DTRT, completely renovated and installed a new Information and Communication Technology Lab (ICT) at a local girls school. Before our arrival, the team at DTRT did extensive work preparing the room with new flooring, paint, wiring and air conditioning.
SanMar donated the equipment for the room, and our Ghana team helped with painting outside the buildings.
We also took a heritage tour to Cape Coast Castle (a UNESCO site) and Kakum National Park, where we completed a challenging forest walk.
Through the Teshie Rotary Club, SanMar donated new sewing machines to the Technical School where DTRT is providing ongoing vocational training in practical sewing skills.
DTRT bused some of their employees in from their two sites to work together with us on a beach cleanup afternoon. Over 500 bags of garbage were collected.
Best of all, we had fun together in Ghana. It meant full days and little sleep, but we loved taking part in local celebrations, embracing the culture and music. We never missed a chance to dance!
Monique Burch, an Account Executive on the SanMar sales team who was there in Ghana with us, summed up our experience perfectly.
I can honestly say it was one of the most eye-opening and life-changing experiences of my career and my life. From visiting factories connected to our work, to engaging with people in the local communities, every moment carried a deeper sense of purpose and connection. It reminded me that what we do is not just about products and business—it’s about people, culture, and the impact we create together.
Monique’s experience is exactly what Global Connections means for SanMar. It’s a critical part of our mission: to create meaningful connections and elevate lives.
As exciting and meaningful as this year’s trip was—for myself and for everyone who went—I’m even more excited to start planning for next year. We have so many amazing team members, and I can’t wait to see who will join us!
