*Green Is Good: How Sustainability Grows Your Talent Image* by Fran Durekas Going green is no longer a fad. Organizations that build sustainability into their daily operations are able to realize significant cost savings as well as improve their image in the marketplace. Though practices vary greatly by levels of incorporation and participation, formal support for sustainable or green policies has emerged as a growing trend as companies look to reduce costs, help support employees' interests, create a loyal workforce and attract new talent. According to the 2009 Green Workplace survey conducted by the Society of Human Resources Management (SHRM), 20 percent of participating HR professionals indicated their companies now have formal, environmentally responsible policies. Companies with no formal policy and no plans to develop one went down from 43 percent in 2008 to 35 percent in 2009, which indicates companies are finding these types of programs worthy of corporate support. But what does it mean for companies to adopt a green policy, and what do they actually get out of it? *Shades of Green* For businesses, going green can mean anything from implementing simple initiatives, such as telecommuting incentives and recycling at the office, to more complex projects, such as developing facilities that incorporate sustainable practices and renewable energy. Common green workplace initiatives today include Web conferencing or teleconferencing, promoting reduction of paper use, encouraging electronic communication and direct deposit, implementing wellness and mass transit programs, and recycling. According to the SHRM survey, 88 percent of participating employers offer a recycling program and 84 percent encourage employees to be environmentally friendly by cutting down on paper use and conserving energy. Children's Creative Learning Centers (CCLC), a national provider of employer-sponsored child care, chose to pursue Eco-Healthy endorsement from the Oregon Environmental Council (OEC) in all schools nationwide, and it recently achieved its goal of 100 percent endorsement in more than 100 facilities. This initiative was designed to support parents' growing desire to see sustainable practices modeled in early childhood education. It also supports the green initiatives of the employers that sponsor these child care centers and aligns with many of CCLC's clients' desire to pursue development of new facilities under Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards, a green building rating system developed by the U.S. Green Building Council. The OEC outlines safe and sustainable practices and has compiled a checklist that helps centers adjust their practices and policies and meet recommended minimums for endorsement. In practice, this can vary significantly from one school to another, just as it can at any business. One CCLC center in Georgia routinely repurposes materials for use in classroom projects. Recently, it began a project to reuse cereal boxes brought in from home to build a classroom playhouse. Another center in Texas has an outdoor classroom complete with a garden where the children help grow vegetables and herbs, and the center recently incorporated a program where families and staff can bring in batteries to be collected and sent to a facility for recycling. One location in Illinois implemented a center-wide recycling program that has been so successful the center was able to downgrade to a smaller trash container - helping both the environment and the center's budget. Further, this level of commitment has encouraged CCLC recruiters to hire teachers who are committed to promoting a healthy environment for children. *Saving Some Green* Bottom-line cost reductions are one of the primary benefits organizations can realize from going green, such as the school that was able to reduce costs for waste disposal. Many of the popular green initiatives cited above naturally result in lower costs for the organization. Teleconferences cut down on travel costs; telecommuting requires less energy used in the office and less office space needing to be built out; and paperless policies such as direct deposit reduce the cost of consumable office supplies and garbage pickup. According to PayItGreen, a business partnership that supports electronic billing and payment programs, direct deposit has saved U.S. businesses roughly $6.7 billion over the past 10 years. Something as simple as switching to direct deposit has effects that go further than money saved. PayItGreen estimates in one year, if every U.S. employee who has access to direct deposit used it, it would save more than 11,000 pounds of paper and more than 4 million gallons of gas, as well as reduce wastewater and the release of greenhouse gases. Small initiatives such as the switch to direct deposit can, therefore, make a significant contribution to creating a sustainable workplace and reduce the impact of the business on the environment while saving it money. Other benefits that appear to demonstrate an even greater draw for organizations than cost reductions include improved employee recruitment and retention rates. SHRM noted in its Green Workplace survey that improved employee morale and a stronger public image are also positive outcomes of a sustainable environment. *Looking Through Green-Colored Glasses* The Sustainable Business Network of Washington offers a list of reasons organizations should go green. The No. 1 reason is increasing employee satisfaction, retention and productivity. Now is a great time to be on the cutting edge of employee recruitment and retention by integrating sustainable practices into everyday business operations. Efforts can lower a company's bottom line by reducing costs for expenses such as consumable materials and energy use, as well as have long-term branding effects by creating a reputation in the marketplace as an employer of choice, one that supports the personal lives and choices of its employees. According to a 2008 nationwide survey completed by The Marlin Co., which specializes in workplace communications, almost 78 percent of U.S. workers indicated it was important to them that their employers are going green in a significant way. In fact, Sattie Clark, founding board member of Voice for Oregon Innovation & Sustainability (VOIS), a newly formed sustainable business network, said adoption of sustainable practices is vital for employers. It makes a difference beyond what you can justify practically. It's about how an employee feels about their employer. They want to feel like they're participating in something that's doing good, she explained. A 2007 study by Tandberg, a provider of HD videoconferencing, backs this up. The study found 81 percent of surveyed employees would prefer to work for a company that has a firm reputation for environmental responsibility. Companies are beginning to respond to this type of employee demand. Buck Consultants performed research last year on the types of green initiatives employers are using in workforce management and HR practices. According to this research, more than 60 percent of survey respondents have made environmental responsibility part of their organization's mission statement. Some companies take this a step further, supporting employees' green practices outside the office. For example, in 2008, Cisco Systems created VIP parking spaces for hybrid cars or cars that use biodiesel or ethanol. Clif Bar launched the nation's first biodiesel fuel initiative in 2006, offering cash incentives for employees who purchase vehicles fueled by biodiesel, natural gas or high-mileage hybrids. Bayer Healthcare recently held an environmental fair, partnering with local utility companies to hand out energy-saving light bulbs and educate employees on cost- and energy-saving initiatives they can implement at home. *Are You Ready to Go Green?* Obviously, there are many ways companies can go green to support their cost-saving initiatives and organizational philosophies, as well as integrate practices that are important to their employees into the culture. Improving the corporate image can increase employee loyalty as well as improve an organization's ability to attract employees who are interested in working for a company that shares and supports their personal values. So much of employee retention is morale, Clark said. Everybody wants to feel like they work for a company that does great things, so employees believing in the company and seeing leadership take sustainability seriously is incredibly good for the company. Clark is also the owner of Eleek Inc., a sustainable design and manufacturing company, and she said she sees proof of this in her own recruiting. When Eleek advertises open positions, it gets swamped with interest from people who really want to work for a company that shares their values. Companies that don't have a formal green vision can get started by taking the following steps. a) First, look at the organization and any green or sustainable practices already at work, such as direct deposit, recycling and public transportation assistance, as well as any the organization could possible incorporate. b) Then, look at the employees. Are they interested in supporting current or future sustainable practices? Are there individuals who would likely take on leadership of such initiatives, which would increase the likelihood of successful outcomes? c) Next, evaluate what industry competitors are offering to their employees to be green. d) Define the company's position and identify specific areas to concentrate on - things that can be measured with results that can be shared with employees. These can be as simple as reducing paper usage or providing incentives to increase use of mass transit. e) Once an organization's green position is defined, the message must be communicated and supported consistently via internal and external vehicles, such as involvement in community activities, as well as throughout processes to attract, interview and hire candidates. This will help integrate the practices from a cultural perspective and begin to weave the green initiatives into the organization's overall vision and mission. f) Regular follow-up is essential to analyze progress toward _object_ives, continue to set clear goals and actions, measure the success of the programs and ensure ongoing support from leadership and employees alike. *[About the Author: Fran Durekas is the founder and chief development officer for Children's Creative Learning Centers.]* Regards, Harvinder http://harvinderjit.multiply.com