“Making a Difference” is Orange County Business Council’s feature series that brings the face and voice of OCBC
members to life by sharing how they’re making a difference in their communities.
February 2024
Welcome to the first 2024 issue of OCBC’s “Making a Difference” series. This issue features four leading Orange County companies that have chosen to invest in the nation’s sixth most populous county. Whether through expansion, relocation, consolidation, or a new business, these companies are contributing to the workforce by creating jobs and helping Orange County, California to remain an economic leader regionally, nationally and globally. See what shaped their decisions to “choose OC.”
Chipotle
Q: How does your organization invest in Orange County and why is it important?
A: As a food-focused, people-first company, Chipotle‘s mission of Cultivating a Better World means more than just using real ingredients. It means hiring passionate people and investing in their future. And, it means investing in the communities we serve. Chipotle’s investments in Orange County include, but are not limited to investing in 2,100 team members between the company’s restaurants, Restaurant Support Center in Newport Beach, and Chipotle Cultivate Center in Irvine. Unique employee benefits include an all-crew bonus program, which allows restaurant employees the opportunity to earn up to an extra month’s worth of pay each year; English as a second language for employees and their families; 401(k) with employer match, student loan retirement match program, and more. In the community, we offer the opportunity to host fundraisers that give back to established causes. In 2023, Chipotle donated more than $120,000 from restaurant fundraisers in Orange County. We also invest in youth sports programs, fire and police departments, and hospitals, among other organizations across Orange County.
Q: What drew your organization to invest in Orange County?
A: The decision to move Chipotle’s headquarter office to Orange County in 2018 was made to help drive sustainable growth while continuing to position the business well to compete for top talent.
Q: What should organizations be doing to help make their county strong?
A: Organizations should invest in their people, support innovation, promote sustainable practices, and foster diversity and inclusion to strengthen their community. Chipotle is proud to support Orange County through advancements in all of these areas annually.
Q: Who inspires you/your organization to do what you do?
A: Since its founding in 1993, Chipotle has been committed to serving food with integrity and revolutionizing the fast food Industry. Our real ingredients are responsibly sourced and classically cooked with people, animals, and the environment in mind. Everything is connected. Though our heritage is one of transformation and innovation, one thing will never change: Chipotle’s commitment to doing what’s right. Our relentless pursuit of making ethical choices at all times is what has built trust in Chipotle — from our customers, business partners, colleagues, investors, and community. Every person within the organization is responsible for maintaining trust and accelerating our mission forward. To ensure buy-in from the top down, Chipotle’s officers’ annual incentive bonuses are based on the company’s performance against its rigorous environmental, social, and governance goals. Cultivating a better world is not easy, but when we all do our part, we can make a difference.
Q: What is your organization planning to do in the future in its continuing mission to invest in Orange County?
A: Cultivating a better world is an ongoing priority for Chipotle. The company will continue investing in its people, and the community.
Q: How is your organization making a difference in Orange County?
A: Chipotle makes a difference in Orange County through world-class people leadership and expanding access and convenience to real food across Orange County.
Q: What is your organization’s favorite part about living/working in Orange County?
A: Orange County is a wonderful place for Chipotle’s Restaurant Support Center and restaurants, offering great talent, resources, and a dynamic community.
Coca-Cola
Q: How does your organization invest in Orange County and why is it important?
A: The Coca-Cola System, which is made up of The Coca-Cola Company and our independently owned bottlers, contributes $6.4 billion to California’s gross domestic product. For each direct Coca-Cola system job, 11 additional jobs are supported in the value chain. The Coca-Cola System has been investing in Orange County since 1984 with The Coca-Cola Company’s office in Irvine, and our bottling partner, Reyes Coca-Cola Bottling’s, West Coast headquarters also in Irvine and a distribution facility in Orange.
Q: What drew your organization to invest in Orange County?
A: The Coca-Cola Company continues to invest in its infrastructure and people resources in Orange County working with our bottling partner, Reyes Coca-Cola Bottling, to jointly serve key markets and customers.
Q: What should organizations be doing to help make their county strong?
A: Help build a strong Orange County community by creating both economic impact locally and in California at-large and investing in communities where we operate.
Q: Who inspires you/your organization to do what you do?
A: People are at the center of everything we do at Coca-Cola, from our employees to those who touch our business to the communities we serve. In the state of California, The Coca-Cola System made up of The Coca-Cola Company and local bottlers, employs 6,400+ employees. The jobs supported by the Coca-Cola System (Coca-Cola and Coca-Cola bottlers) represent multiple sectors of the U.S. economy across every state—service, trade, and manufacturing.
Q: What is your organization planning to do in the future in its continuing mission to invest in Orange County?
A: Most recently, in 2022 The Coca-Cola Company relocated within Irvine to a new 10,000 square foot space in the Spectrum Terrace; and Reyes Coca-Cola Bottling, a franchise bottling partner of Coca-Cola renovated their newly expanded 23,000 square foot West Coast headquarters at 4 Park Plaza in Irvine.
Q: How is your organization making a difference in Orange County?
A: Our purpose is to refresh the world and make a difference. The Coca-Cola system is committed to its community both through philanthropic giving and volunteer efforts, as well as through its sustainability commitments. The Coca-Cola system supports a number of local non-profit organizations including Children’s Hospital of Orange County, Ronald McDonald House Charities, Special Olympics Southern California, and the American Red Cross.
Q: What is your organization’s favorite part about living/working in Orange County?
A: Orange County offers a work/life balance with a strong sense of community and diversity for our associates and the customers we serve.
Disneyland Resort
Q: How does your organization invest in Orange County and why is it important?
A: Disneyland Resort has been part of the fiber of Orange County for nearly 70 years. We’ve grown to be the county’s largest employer, with 35,000 Cast Members, and the economic engine that helps fuel the county’s thriving tourism industry. Investment has always been important as Disneyland has evolved from a single theme park (with a hotel that we did not own) to a resort destination with two renowned parks that continue to expand, three distinctly different hotels — the four-diamond Disneyland Hotel and Grand Californian Hotel and Spa and the newly reimagined Pixar Place Hotel — and the thriving Downtown Disney District, which will open several new restaurants in the coming months including Paseo, Din Thai Fung and Porto’s.
Q: What is your organization planning to do in the future in its continuing mission to invest in the county?
A: We are at an exciting milestone as DisneylandForward, our multiyear planning effort with the City of Anaheim to update existing development approvals, nears the final approval process. Through DisneylandForward, we are committed to investing a minimum of $1.9 billion in attractions and lodging over the next 10 years, which will allow us to bring new, integrated experiences and immersive lands and stories to the Resort. The possibilities are endless… the first-ever land based on Wakanda from The Black Panther franchise, a land based on Zootopia, like was recently opened at Shanghai Disney Resort, or even the opportunity to celebrate Dia de Los Muertos in a Coco-themed land, resonating with the diverse community in Southern California.
What’s more, investment of this size is expected to create an estimated 4,584 jobs during operations and 8,960 jobs during construction, according to a study by CSUF. It also will bring benefits directly to the city’s residents, including $30 million for affordable housing in the first five years, $85 million for improved traffic flow, pedestrian circulation and safety, $8 million for park improvements.
Q: Who inspires you/your organization to do what you do?
A: We know our Cast Members are truly what makes Disneyland Resort a magical place and we are putting a huge emphasis on being an employer of choice in Orange County. With competitive wages, great development opportunities and our fun Disney Cast Life culture, working at Disneyland Resort is a truly one-of-a-kind experience. And speaking of investing…we are also investing in the professional development of our Cast Members through Disney Aspire, the education program that provides hourly Cast Members with 100% tuition paid up front to help them achieve their educational goals. Currently, about 4,000 Disneyland Resort Cast Members enrolled in the Aspire program. And to date, over 1,000 Disneyland Resort Cast Members have graduated with associate, bachelor’s and master’s degrees. Of special note is our partnership with Fullerton College and Cal State Fullerton, which allows Cast Members to take in-person courses at these incredible schools.
Q: How is your organization making a difference in Orange County?
A: Giving back is in part of Disney’s DNA and this past year we celebrated 40 years of Disney VoluntEARS, which started at Disneyland Resort. Just last year we hosted more than 80 workforce development sessions for local nonprofits and school districts. And we are committed to having our Cast Member continue to provide these sessions and mentorship, which reach about 10,000 residents annually. And now in its 32nd year the beloved CHOC Walk in the Park fundraiser is returning this July to support Children’s Hospital of Orange County. Through the walk, we are proud to have raised $44 million for children and families in Orange County.
Q: What is your organization’s favorite part about living/working in Orange County?
A: More than seven decades ago, when Walt Disney began scouting locations to build his original theme park, he had choices… and he selected Orange County. And it’s evident why! We are a county of dreamers and doers and we are proud to be part of this thriving economy and culturally diverse population with so many options for entertainment and recreation. And the weather’s not bad either!
T.S. Conductor
Q: How does your organization invest in Orange County and why is it important?
A: TS Conductor is one of the fastest-growing start-up conductor hardware companies in the world. Headquartered in Huntington Beach, the company invested over $6 million in its manufacturing facility and achieved profitability only after nine months. As a minority-owned business enterprise, we have grown from five employees in 2021 to 65 in two years. While our commitment to continually invest in new technology helps lead to increased profits, it also helps to generate tax revenue for the region and the state. In addition, we are dedicated to California’s green initiative of carbon neutrality, which is the sole purpose of our award-winning technology.
Q: What drew your organization to invest in Orange County?
A: Huntington Beach happens to be a hotbed of industrial and commercial activity for prominent manufacturing companies. In addition, California’s diverse and abundant labor pool has been an attractive draw for our company as we continue to seek skilled machine operators.
Q: What should organizations be doing to help make their county strong?
A: Orange County organizations should work to economically incentivize companies with green initiatives, like TS, in order to expand in the state, which helps to also strengthen the labor force. This can take many forms such as training programs, tax subsidies/credits, and fostering partnerships.
Q: Who inspires you/your organization to do what you do?
A: We are motivated by our company’s vision and mission—to reduce the world’s carbon footprint by adopting breakthrough technology like TS Conductor’s advanced conductor for power transmission lines.
Q: What is your organization planning to do in the future in its continuing mission to invest in the county?
A: We are currently expanding our existing facilities, almost doubling our footprint, which will create new jobs. We are collaborating with city and county officials in order to gain support for the implementation of our breakthrough technology.
Q: How is your organization making a difference in Orange County?
A: As a minority-owned company focused on sustainable development and greenhouse gas reduction, we’re working on different levels, but most importantly here in Orange County, for a clean environment.
Q: What is your organization’s favorite part about living and working in Orange County?
A: Orange County’s diverse labor pool helps to sustain our company’s continued growth, as does having a stimulating and manufacturing-friendly region—all essential for a start-up company to succeed.
