supply company type employee owned industry retail founder will raap number of locations 2 retail stores 2014 area served worldwide key people will raap founder chairman products gardening items number of employees 220 2014 website www.gardeners.com gardener s supply company is an employee owned company providing environmentally friendly gardening products and information through its website catalogs and retail stores . the gardener s supply company headquarters in burlington vermont include administrative offices a retail store and display gardens . an additional retail store outlet and display gardens are located in williston vermont . contents 1 employee stock ownership program 2 b corp certification 3 founder will raap 4 community involvement and support 5 references 6 external links employee stock ownership program edit in december 2009 founder will raap sold the majority ownership of gardener s supply company to its employees officially making the company 100 % employee owned through its employee stock ownership program esop . 1 the esop was adopted in 1987 to allow all employees to earn stock and share in company profits . 2 current ceo jim feinson said the employee owned company has also developed a community culture of support that offers benefits and flexibility to its employees including encouraging them to make their own schedules . 3 b corp certification edit in 2014 gardener s supply company became b corp certified . 4 founder will raap edit in 1983 his interest in food systems led gardener and businessman will raap to found gardener s supply . he moved his company to five acres at the entrance to the intervale 350 acres of neglected land located in burlington vermont 5 in 1985 . raap also helped found the non profit intervale center in 1988 . as of 2014 it is home to several sustainable businesses in addition to gardener s supply company including food and flower farms a caf and a market . 6 community involvement and support edit gardener s supply company donates 8 % of pre tax profits to gardening related community programs and organizations . 7 organizations supported by gardener s supply include the american community gardening association acga the green education foundation gef www.greeneducationfoundation.org and ampleharvest.org www.ampleharvest.org . the company established the garden crusader awards 8 to honor individuals who improve their communities through gardening . gardener s supply company is a champion member of vermont businesses for social responsibility vbsr a non profit trade organization that advances business ethics through education public influence and workplace quality . 9 references edit patrick josh . the questions to ask before adopting an esop . the new york times . retrieved 22 july 2014 . teague allison . cindy turcot grows a company and profits for employees . vermont woman . retrieved 13 april 2014 . monty lynn . the push to help workers with flex time paid leave . www.burlingtonfreepress.com . burlington free press . retrieved 22 july 2014 . b corp community gardener s supply company . retrieved 13 april 2014 . the intervale center history . community food enterprise . retrieved 21 april 2014 . the intervale center introduction . community food enterprise . retrieved 21 april 2014 . b corp community gardener s supply company . retrieved 20 april 2014 . de morsella tracey . gardener s supply invites nominations for garden crusader awards . the green economy post . retrieved 13 april 2014 . about vbsr . vermont businesses for social responsibility . retrieved 21 april 2014 . external links edit official website v t e burlington vermont mayor miro weinberger metropolitan area county lake champlain champlain valley general buildings climate government history timeline mayors media notable people transportation economy bruegger s burlington international airport burton snowboards ccta church street marketplace burlington town center creston electric instruments dan s chocolates gardener s supply company interstate highways i 89 i 189 lake champlain chocolates lake champlain transportation company rhino foods seventh generation inc. vtrim education burlington college burlington high school burlington school district champlain college rock point school trinity college university of vermont the university of vermont medical center sports green mountain roller derby vermont catamounts gutterson fieldhouse vermont city marathon vermont lake monsters centennial field vermont lumberjacks culture battery park burlington concert band burlington memorial auditorium champ champlain valley national heritage area echo lake aquarium and science center the firehouse gallery house of lemay island line trail maypo phish religion in burlington fleming museum vermont mozart festival retrieved from https en.wikipedia.org w index.php title gardener % 27s supply company & oldid 657073657 categories companies based in burlington vermontemployee owned companies of the united 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