Independent Container Line (ICL) takes its place on the list of Greater Richmond’s Top Workplaces for the 13th time in 2026. President Mark Workman said that ICL’s company culture reflects Richmond’s strong sense of community and long-term business relationships. Many of ICL’s employees have longstanding ties to the region — a connection, said President Mark Workman, that “encourages collaboration, long-term relationships, and a commitment to doing business in a way that benefits the broader community.”
Mark Workman, President USA
What do you believe most contributed to your organization being recognized as a Top Workplace this year?
We’ve been fortunate to appear on the Top Workplaces list every year since 2014, and what I believe sustains that recognition is authenticity. At ICL we try to communicate openly about how the business is performing and give people real ownership of their work. Because we’re a relatively small company operating globally, every employee can see the impact of what they do, and that creates a strong sense of engagement. In a company of our size, authenticity matters. Employees can tell very quickly if leadership is genuine.
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What steps have you taken to promote employee well-being and prevent burnout?
We recognize that people do their best work when they have balance and feel supported and valued. We try to create an environment where people support one another and communicate openly about workload and priorities. Just as important, we focus on creating a respectful workplace where people help each other and feel comfortable raising concerns early so issues can be addressed before they lead to burnout.
With AI and automation reshaping many industries, how are you helping employees feel prepared and be assured they will not be replaced by emerging technology?
We view technology as a tool that helps our employees work smarter, not as something that replaces them. Technology helps us operate more efficiently, but the real value comes from the experience and judgment of our teams. We’ve used technology to perform those rote, monotonous, administrative tasks and allowed our people to perform our more thought-centric tasks. Never has it been about using technology to implement a reduction in force. We use it to facilitate growth. This has expanded our company in volume by 50%, and we have roughly the same number of people.
How do you encourage philanthropy and a connection to the Greater Richmond community among your employees?
We encourage employees to stay connected to the community through volunteer work and charitable involvement. Many members of our team support local organizations, and we’re proud to see that engagement across the company. We’ve supported Feed More and Backpacks of Love, among other nonprofits. Being part of the Richmond community is something we value and want to continue strengthening.
