<This article was first posted at Great Eastern Energy site>
By Virginie Glaenzer
We believe that happy employees lead to increased productivity, profit and customer satisfaction. You only need to look at Fortune’s Change the World list to see the correlation. At Great Eastern Energy, we have put a lot of effort into creating an office and culture that enhances the well-being of our employees, especially as it affects our customer relations.
As one part of this philosophy, we’ve integrated a number of sustainable living practices throughout the company. Among the many ways we do this is by providing group exercise classes as well as two fully functioning kitchens for the staff to prepare fresh meals. We also turn off lights when not in use, go paperless wherever possible and provide an incentive program for employees to purchase their energy through Great Eastern Energy. This encourages reducing consumption to minimize costs. Basically, we try to practice a commitment to sustainable initiatives when and wherever possible.
With increased social awareness about the importance of sustainability, many companies have taken on new initiatives in the name of corporate social responsibility. Initiating such a program can be a complex undertaking, and each company’s unique business focus and culture will require a different approach.
So where does a company begin on its path to being more sustainable?
1. Use existing corporate programs to connect with sustainable companies
GEE’s gift to non-profit organization
Great Eastern Energy presents $10,000 to White Roof Project.
Establishing partnerships with other organizations that care about sustainability is a great place to start.
Last December, our company selected a New York City nonprofit,White Roof Project, as the recipient of our “Energize the Community” annual holiday donation. White Roof Project is an organization that raises awareness about energy efficiency and cost savings by painting black tar roofs with a solar-reflective bright white coating.
It’s a simple change that lowers building temperatures inside and out, decreasing energy use and carbon emissions. Since then, the Great Eastern Energy team has remained in close contact with White Roof Project, attending events such as its spring kickoff on June 10, to network with like-minded individuals who are dedicated to a sustainable future.
2. Network and engage within the sustainability community
At the White Roof Event
(From left) Tina Chan and Emily Verner of Great Eastern Energy and Heather James, Jacqueline Lyoussi, and Paul Davis of White Roof Project at White Roof Project’s spring kickoff at Revision Lounge, an East Village lounge with furnishings, lighting, and even the bar itself all made entirely of recycled materials.
During one green event, our Director of Digital Marketing, Emily Verner, struck up a conversation with Shoko Sekiguchi, Founder and CEO of Ampleen, an organization dedicated to driving employee engagement through sustainability and corporate social responsibility initiatives.
Ampleen strives to bring about greater engagement by creating a communal sense of purpose at organizations and igniting each employee’s own sense of well-being. It turns out this is a big win for companies looking to attract millennials.
3. Try it out and Take the lead
Ampleen’s Principle at the workshop
Ampleen presenting to Great Eastern Energy employees during an Ampleen workshop.
Seeing an opportunity to partner with Ampleen, our teams began working together.
First on the agenda, Ampleen planned a sample workshop for our team to learn firsthand about its mission and their four-pronged approach to sustainability: environment, wellness, community and corporate culture.
Then, Shoko revealed data demonstrating proven increased revenue for companies that implemented sustainable strategies. We also heard from nutritional and health counselor, Danny Arguetty, along with career and life coach, Barbara Kurka. It was both an educational and inspirational afternoon during which our team was able to openly share experiences and discuss sustainability.
Through collaboration, our organizations hope to expand and educate our customers and the public about sustainable best practices and overall benefits to the triple bottom line: people, profit and planet. For our next steps, Great Eastern Energy will offer our sustainability expertise to Ampleen customers in the form of energy for their businesses and homes, and the tools they need to reduce consumption and purchase renewable energy.
To schedule a workshop with Ampleen, please send an email to info@ampleen.com and let Ampleen know you’re interested in becoming a more sustainable company. Tell them Great Eastern Energy sent you!
And, as usual, to learn about sustainable options for your business, reach out to us at Great Eastern Energy at webinquiry@greateasternenergy.com.
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