Mixed Results: Voluntary Corporate Environment Programs

THE ISSUE: Whether voluntary corporate environmental protection programs are effective in relation to externally-monitored programs, or other internal initiatives.

THE TAKE-AWAY: Recent research from the U.S. argues that so-called "Voluntary Environmental Programs (VEPs)" may actually be less effective at protecting the environment than companies who aren't engaged in a formal program.

Corporate Voluntary Environmental Programs Backfire, Study Shows

ScienceDaily (2008-03-10) -- Companies which participate in voluntary environmental programs actually do worse in their attempts to help the environment than those that do not take on these programs. Companies that are self-monitored — as opposed certified by an external third party — appear to do even worse in their overall environmental goals. Nonparticipating companies outperformed companies participating in self-monitored voluntary environmental programs by 24 percent. ... > read full article

Time for some fresh air!

THE ISSUE: Relative rates of nature participation -- as measured by visits to national parks in the United States, Japan, and Spain -- are declining by between 1 to 1.3 per cent per year, and up to 25 per cent in total since 1981. This correlates strongly with the rise of predominantly urban, sedentary lifestyles.

THE TAKE AWAY: Apart from the obvious implications for the general wellness of people (and, in particular, children) who are leading less active lifestyles, the decline of nature participation rates raises issues of how future generations will value environmental conservation efforts.

The recent study, funded by the Nature Conservancy and published online in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, was carried out by researchers from the University of Illinois at Chicago and the Environmental Leadership Program, Delaware Valley.

As author Richard Louv has written in his ground-breaking book, Last Child in the Woods: Saving our Children from Nature Deficit Disorder, "At the very moment that the bond is breaking between the young and the natural world, a growing body of research links our mental, physical, and spiritual health directly to our association with nature."

Communing With Nature Less And Less

ScienceDaily (2008-02-05) -- From backyard gardening to mountain climbing, outdoor activities are on the wane as people around the world spend more leisure time online or in front of the tube, according to findings. "The replacement of vigorous outdoor activities by sedentary, indoor videophilia has far-reaching consequences for physical and mental health, especially in children," one of the researchers said. "Videophilia has been shown to be a cause of obesity, lack of socialization, attention disorders and poor academic performance." ... > read full article

Do employees value environmental efforts? YES!

THE ISSUE: Whether a company's environmental efforts influence an employee's desire to work there.

THE TAKE AWAY: A 2007 poll by Monster.ca highlights that some 75 per cent of those polled would switch to a more environmentally conscious employer, if one could be found. Unfortunately, only one in five thought their own company was doing a good job with promoting a greener approach to business.

Coming at a time when the Canadian Council of Chief Executives has started to highlight the need for a more proactive approach to environmental issues by Canadian businesses, the poll points to a disconnect between attempts by individual employees to live a greener lifestyle at home and what they experience in a typical office. Although most modern offices feature a host of more environmentally-conscious services, the infrastructure demands of commercial and institutional buildings mean they still account for a substantial portion of annual greenhouse gas emissions.

According to the Monster.ca poll, areas where employers might consider improving their efforts include encouraging greater use of carpooling, public transit, and alternative modes of transportation -- like cycling to work.

Green Workplaces: Why Canadians Don't Want to Work for Polluters

By Melanie Joy Douglas, Monster.ca

Many Canadians recycle diligently, choose environmentally-friendly products whenever possible, and narrow their eyes at shoppers who actually still use plastic shopping bags. They feel good about the ‘green’ choices they’re making because it all adds up; they are making a difference.

And then they get to work, where, in most offices, the lights and computers have been on all night. The printers and photocopiers are constantly in use throughout the day. The building is frosty cold in the summer and searing hot in the winter. The parking lot is rammed full of cars that carry single employees back and forth from home to work.

What’s wrong with this picture?

Workers are increasingly becoming aware of this glaring discrepancy in their home and work life and are starting to look for "greener pastures" at work, according to series of online polls by Monster.ca.

Currently, commercial and institutional buildings account for over 30% of greenhouse gas emissions in Canada. The average office worker uses a quarter ton of materials each year, including a whopping 10,000 pieces of copier paper.

It’s no wonder that in Monster’s first poll (“How environmentally-friendly is your workplace?”), 81% of 1,275 participants reported that their employer was either “polluting the environment,” “ignoring the need to be environmentally friendly,” or in need of “help to become greener”. Only 18% of employees considered their employer to be extremely green.

Just how serious are employees? Of 2,854 respondents to a second poll, 78% said that given a choice, they would leave their current job in favour of a greener workplace. Recruiters are now reporting that candidates are demanding to know a company’s environmental specs before taking a job.

Canadian workers are realizing that wellness at work goes beyond flex time, extended health benefits, and extra vacation days, and they’re increasingly weighing environmental issues in the context of a healthy work environment.

Read the full post on Monster.ca >>


Source: http://content.monster.ca/14502_en-CA_p1.asp

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