NEW YORK, April 21, 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 HR communications (72 percent)
- Green Web site via organizational intranet (58 percent)
- Online Summary Plan Descriptions (57 percent)
- Telecommuting (57 percent)
- Rideshare (52 percent)
"The survey indicates that more companies and their leadership are not only deploying
green programs in the workplace but also realize the significant benefits to their
business,” said Allison Artnak, director at Buck Consultants. “From increased
employee involvement to costs savings, the survey is evidence that going green
can boost morale and the bottom line.”
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 ROI measures.
A critical factor of success for green initiatives in the workplace is leadership.
The survey found that 80 percent of employers with green programs include the
CEO in development and communications while 86 percent of respondents appointed
a dedicated leader for their green efforts.
Among employers that provide incentives to encourage green behaviors, 31 percent
provide special employee recognition, 24 percent give prizes, and 9 percent provide
a monetary reward.
“We learned long ago that you don’t have to choose between the environment and
profit,” said Patty Calkins, vice president, Environment, Health & Safety
for Xerox Corporation. “For years green innovation at Xerox has either saved us
money or created new markets and new revenue. Today we share our knowledge and
expertise with our customers to help them reach their sustainability goals while
meeting the needs of their business.”
About the Greening of the American Workplace Survey 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. Buck’s solutions include GreenSpotsm,
a website devoted to green communication that clients can use off the shelf or
have customized to their needs.
ACS takes advantage of these programs and others including a comprehensive Green
IT initiative to reduce power consumption, administering a program that keeps
trucks moving and not idling during safety inspections reducing CO2 and many others.
About Buck Consultants
Buck Consultants is a leader in human resource and benefits consulting with more
than 1,500 professionals worldwide. Founded in 1916 to advise clients in establishing
and funding some of the nation’s first public and private retirement programs,
Buck is an innovator in the areas of retirement benefits, health and welfare programs,
human capital management, compensation, and employee communication. News and other
information about Buck Consultants are available at http://www.buckconsultants.com.
Buck is an independent subsidiary of ACS, A Xerox Company.
About Xerox Corporation and ACS, A Xerox Company Xerox Corporation is a $22 billion
leading global enterprise for business process and document management. Through
its broad portfolio of technology and services, Xerox provides the essential back-office
support that clears the way for clients to focus on what they do best: their real
business. Headquartered in Norwalk, Conn., Xerox provides leading-edge document
technology, services, software and genuine Xerox supplies for graphic communication
and office printing environments of any size. Through ACS, A Xerox Company, which
Xerox acquired in February 2010, Xerox also offers extensive business process
outsourcing and IT outsourcing services, including data processing, HR benefits
management, finance support, and customer relationship management services for
commercial and government organizations worldwide. The 130,000 people of Xerox
serve clients in more than 160 countries. For more information, visit http://www.xerox.com,
http://news.xerox.com or http://www.acs-inc.com. For investor information, visit
http://www.xerox.com/investor.
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