Sara Holt, CEO of Westside Logistics, surprised her leadership team by opening a routine meeting with a pressing issue: substance use disorder in the workplace. Fresh from a conference on the topic, she shared powerful stories of employees suffering in silence and companies that had either ignored the problem or embraced it with empathy and accountability.

“It’s time Westside takes a stand,” she declared. Her vision: a company-wide policy that destigmatizes substance use disorder, supports employees seeking help, and connects them with trusted resources—balancing compassion with safety and performance. The room, initially quiet, came alive with reflection. Leaders from HR, operations, safety, and finance shared personal stories and concerns. They acknowledged missed chances to help and the fear of saying the wrong thing. What emerged was a shared commitment to change.

Together, they pledged to co-create a clear, compassionate, and actionable policy. More than just agreement, they embraced shared responsibility. Sara, proud of the shift in tone and purpose, closed the meeting with conviction: “This is step one. And it’s the most important one. Because if we’re aligned here, we can lead everywhere.” Westside Logistics had begun its journey—from silence to leadership, from stigma to support.