by Rebecca Walker — May 5, 2010—Going green in the workplace can lead to more green in the bank according to a new survey released today from Buck Consultants, an independent subsidiary of ACS, A Xerox Company.
The survey showed that the number of U.S. employers with formal “green workplace” programs rose significantly last year with many organizations reporting cost savings from reduced use of paper and electricity.
Buck’s second annual “Greening of the American Workplace 2009” survey showed 53 percent of employers have green programs in place, an increase from 43 percent last year. Among the organizations that have a formal green program, more than half have implemented the following offerings:
- Recycling and paper reduction (95 percent);
- Web and/or teleconferencing (85 percent);
- Healthy living and wellness (80 percent);
- Internal green communication program (78 percent);
- Online human resources communications (72 percent);
- Green Web site via organizational intranet (58 percent);
- Online Summary Plan Descriptions (57 percent);
- Telecommuting (57 percent); and
- Rideshare (52 percent).
Companies surveyed identified favorable returns on investment from green programs in their workplace. Nearly two-thirds of respondents report cost savings related to paper use and electricity. While 94 percent of survey respondents list cost savings as the most desired return on investment from green programs, 82 percent cited community goodwill and 59 percent mentioned improved stakeholder perception as additional return-on-investment measures.
The survey analyzed responses from more than 100 organizations in the United States, representing a wide range of industries including financial services, manufacturing, health care, and non-profits. Individuals who responded represent a range of management positions from managers to C-suite executives. The research was conducted during the fourth quarter of 2009, and examines the types of green processes, policies, and programs employers are using to manage environmental and operational issues.
Buck Consultants supports clients’ green initiatives by providing customized solutions that integrate measurement of employee attitudes with employee education that motivates and rewards green behavior. For more information, see the Buck Consultants Web site.
