Social Impact Heroes Helping Our Planet: Why & How Leslie Adkins of TREX Is Helping To Change Our World
An Interview With Martita Mestey
Beware the complacency of incumbency. That golden nugget came from one of our leaders at Trex and has become a mantra for me. Don’t ever get too comfortable. Always keep your eye on the horizon.
As a part of my series about “individuals and organizations making an important social impact”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Leslie Adkins.
Leslie Adkins is Vice President of Marketing and ESG Development at Trex Company. For the past 14 years, Leslie has not only been a driving force behind one of the industry’s leading brands, but a champion for empowerment, equity, and positive change within the Trex organization and the industry at large. She oversees product and brand management, which includes consumer research, product development, global advertising, trex.com, social media, merchandising, collateral, licensing, packaging, inside sales and messaging through public relations. As a key contributor to the company’s first three ESG reports, Leslie has driven changes to how the organization approaches sustainability and reporting.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit. Can you tell us a bit about how you grew up?
Thank you for the opportunity. I grew up in a very small town in southwest Virginia, where the primary industry was coal mining, when strip mining was gaining momentum. My Dad sold heavy equipment for strip mining, so I sometimes got to visit those strip mines and while they were great for hunting fossils, they were steeped in controversy: destroying the vegetation and tearing at the mountains to extract coal left the land scarred with high walls that were quite unsightly then and remain so today. The controversy prompted federal reclamation laws that were a hot topic throughout my childhood, much like the topic of climate change and carbon reduction today.
You are currently leading a social impact organization that is making a difference for our planet. Can you tell us a bit about what you and your organization are trying to change in our world today?
Nearly 30 years ago, Trex Company was founded on the novel idea that we could recycle plastic waste and turn it into composite decking, offering more longevity than wood decks and far less maintenance. That idea worked and spawned a whole new category. Since then, Trex became the world’s #1 brand of composite decking and remains a pioneer in recycling polyethylene film to this day. As one of the largest plastic film recyclers in North America, Trex recycled nearly 500,000 pounds of plastic film in the last year, turning it into beautiful and durable Trex decking in our manufacturing plants in Virginia and Nevada. As much as we love being a part of the millions of outdoor living spaces where families make memories throughout the world, it is equally gratifying to know that we have diverted billions of pounds of plastic film from clogging our landfills and waterways over the years and will continue doing so for years to come.
Can you tell us the backstory about what inspired you to originally feel passionate about this cause?
As a result of where and when I grew up, I’ve always had an interest in the balance between industry and the environment, but it was not always an active pursuit of mine. As fate would have it, I interviewed for a marketing job at Trex back in late 2008. During the interview, my future manager explained how Trex was made from recycled plastic film and I was astonished! I was aware of Trex from some of the brand’s early and memorable marketing campaigns and from a friend who was an early adopter, building a Trex deck on her home with what was first-generation composite decking at the time. But I had no idea that Trex was made from recycled content and immediately started asking to learn more. Back then, recycled content was considered as a ‘tie breaker’ not a ‘deal maker’ when selling Trex. Accordingly, the eco-friendliness of Trex was not a priority message — in fact, the messaging existed primarily in a stand-alone “green” brochure but was not prominent in other merchandising or marketing vehicles. Luckily for me, I got the job and we started integrating the green message into everything we did. In 2010, Trex was the first brand to be certified 95% recycled content by the ICC and our decking portfolio remains so to this day. And, I’m happy to say that recycled content is much more of a deal maker with today’s consumers.
Many of us have ideas, dreams, and passions, but never manifest them. They don’t get up and just do it. But you did. Was there an “Aha Moment” that made you decide that you were actually going to step up and do it? What was that final trigger?
It was less of an “Aha!” moment and more of a long journey, taking small steps along the way. In 2017, we hired a company to conduct the first life-cycle analysis for Trex decking to gain the data on how our manufacturing process impacted the environment. That report opened our eyes to a number of ways we could do better in terms of water, waste and energy. Around that same time, ESG investing was gaining ground. Everything came together to create the perfect storm: Trex needed to take the next step and I was positioned to take a lead in doing so. In 2019, we conducted a follow-up LCA that showed positive improvements to our manufacturing efforts and, that same year, we also issued our inaugural company-wide ESG report, widening the aperture for what we could be doing not just in the environmental and recycling realms, but also in terms of our people and our communities. I am proud to say that my responsibility for ESG at Trex was formalized in 2022 and now, along with our CEO and Board of Directors, our team is focused on integrated efforts across the organization working to make Trex better.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began leading your company or organization?
The most interesting stories are not always the most shareable, but in the context of social impact, I have a memorable moment from the first executive meeting I attended after being promoted to the Vice President level: It was late summer and the ‘summer hours’ for the corporate office were set to expire at the end of August. Our CEO raised the issue, noting that the employees were asking to maintain those hours throughout the year. Next, he went around the big table asking each person to share their opinion on the topic. Mind you, this was my very first time at this table and I was the lone female in the room. I listened carefully as my colleagues cited hard work and ‘old school’ values, lining up against allowing employees who took a 30-minute lunch to leave at 4:30 instead of 5pm on a daily basis. When my turn came, I took a deep breath and advocated in favor of keeping this option open for our employees, citing the challenges parents face getting children to after-school activities, noting that leaving early is much easier when you’re the boss, and asking if we had any data suggesting that the employees were less productive during the summer hours. After my impassioned statement, the CEO asked if anyone cared to revise their opinion. Amidst some grumbling about my having cited the ‘kid card,’ my colleagues did change their minds and those office hours remain in place today.
It has been said, that sometimes our mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Do you have a story about a humorous mistake that you made when you were first starting and the lesson you learned from that?
Is there a word limit here? I could fill volumes with the lessons learned from my mistakes over the years! Perhaps one of the most humorous lessons learned was to ALWAYS CHECK THE DETAILS: Back in the 1990’s, I was part of the marketing team at Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus, a wonderful opportunity to learn all aspects of marketing because the show typically traveled to a new town weekly and you got to try and test different advertising, promotion and PR efforts in each city. It also required a careful balance between corporate marketing and local marketing. To that end, it was summer and we were running a promotion in Los Angeles for Free Kid Tickets on a particular weekday. And it being Los Angeles, we needed to have Spanish-language advertising. Well, to make a long story short: suffice it to say that online translations were not as sophisticated as today. In English, the word “Kid” has multiple meanings. It can mean a human child or it can mean a baby goat. In Spanish, the words are different. We learned a hilarious lesson that day: we had advertised free tickets for cabritos, which, in Spanish, means goatlings! Channeling the legacy of PT Barnum, we turned it into a PR stunt when someone brought a baby goat to the ticket office. So many lessons in that one…respecting the local culture and language, the devil is in the details, and, of course, rely on the experts for language translations!
None of us can be successful without some help along the way. Did you have mentors or cheerleaders who helped you to succeed? Can you tell us a story about their influence?
Nobody achieves success in life without help along the way. I am enormously grateful for all the supporters and mentors who have made tremendous impacts on my life and my career. My bedrock is my family: from my parents, who always championed (and continue to do so to this day) that with hard work, I could achieve anything I wanted, to my husband, who is and has always been my greatest supporter, and my daughter, who can humble me with her quick wit and astute observations quicker than anyone else on earth. There are many, many career stories from which to choose but I’ll go with this one: In my first company, a private family run business, the CEO once shared this delightful nugget that inspires me to this day. I was in my late 20’s, in his office seeking approval for some marketing piece that I’ve long since forgotten. He looked me in the eyes, across his palatial desk in his palatial corner office and sternly counseled, “Leslie, I’ll never fire you for making a decision. But I’ll sure as hell fire you for not making a decision.” I think about that advice nearly every day — and have shared the story with many, many of my friends and colleagues along the way.
Are there three things the community, society, or politicians can do to help you address the root of the problem you are trying to solve?
- Stop the culture wars: unless we can agree that climate change is real, how will we be able to do anything to help? Trex uses recycled material and runs an eco-friendly business that employs hundreds and yields a profit for shareholders. Being a steward for the environment and making money are not mutually exclusive.
- Recycling in the US could be much better! The dearth of true municipal recycling facilities is painfully low and having them could do so much good just by helping make recycling easy for our residents at large.
- The power of the consumer is immense and forms the backbone of our economy. Mindful purchasing, that factors in the environmental benefits or consequences of a purchase, can drive change. We see it happening already and, with younger generations, it’s much more integrated.
How would you articulate how a business can become more profitable by being more sustainable and more environmentally conscious? Can you share a story or example?
This is a great topic and one that is top of mind for Trex: our business commands high margins because we start with sustainable materials. Using what others consider waste, our raw material costs are lower than someone who makes a similar product using virgin plastic. That is but one example. Installing higher-performance water filters in our manufacturing facility helps us save water and therefore lowers a cost of doing business. Making money while doing good for the planet is not only achievable, but it makes your business stronger and more attractive to your employees.
What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why? Please share a story or example for each.
- Perspective in all things. It matters. I could say I spend my days working for a company that makes plastic fake wood decking — or, I could say I work for a company that takes plastic waste and turns it into outdoor living products that serve as the backdrop for decades of family memories. It’s all in the perspective. And that’s in your control.
- Be a sponge in terms of learning from others, above, below and around you on the hierarchy. I often say the clearest view in the pond is from the bottom looking up. One of my colleagues says it even better: the closer you are to the plant floor, the closer you are to the truth.
- Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right. I did not even know the source of this saying until now (thanks, Google), but Henry Ford knew a thing or two in his day.
- Pick your battles and your timing. A friend of a friend working in PR once had to pick up Gloria Steinem at the airport and asked, “What should I ask her when we are in the car together?” We huddled and quickly came up with this question: Can you really have it all? The response: You can have it all, just not at the same time.
- Beware the complacency of incumbency. That golden nugget came from one of our leaders at Trex and has become a mantra for me. Don’t ever get too comfortable. Always keep your eye on the horizon.
If you could tell other young people one thing about why they should consider making a positive impact on our environment or society, like you, what would you tell them?
Much is written about what makes a job meaningful. While money and titles are nice, they don’t alter how you *feel* about what you spend your days doing. Every employee at Trex, from the plant floor to the warehouse to the office and in-field positions across the world can honestly say this one thing: today, we made/shipped/marketed/sold premium outdoor living products that now serve as the stage for a family’s lifetime of memories. And, the kicker is, it started from a piece of trash that is now upcycled into far higher service that will last for decades to come.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
“None of us gets out of here alive” — jarring words that make you realize that it is incumbent on each of us to make the most of our time, place, and moments. Always.
This was very meaningful, thank you so much. We wish you only continued success on your great work!
Social Impact Heroes Helping Our Planet: Why & How Leslie Adkins of TREX Is Helping To Change Our… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.