Raleigh, N.C-based Hughes Pittman & Gupton has earned the Green Plus certification from the
The Green Plus program encourages businesses and nonprofit organizations throughout the country to learn best practices in the areas of triple bottom line sustainability people, planet and performance.
To earn the certification is not easy. HPG underwent an extensive review of its organizational policies and procedures. First the firm completed an 86-question diagnostic survey. Second, the firm received a diagnostic report on its sustainability performance, strengths, weaknesses and areas of opportunity for improvement. HPG then had to develop an action plan to implement new practices. The process took more than eight months and the firm was subjected to random site visits by the Institute.
As a result HPG launched multiple initiatives to integrate sustainability into its culture, including:
A staff-led recycling program
Sustainability topic lunch and learns
An Earth Day awareness event
Green initiative boards
Monthly green e-mails
Green Monster awards for staff
But the firm didnt stop there.
They also assessed their resource use including energy and water. They added energy efficient appliances, switched to reusable kitchenware and eliminated unnecessary lighting.
As part of the program, HPG have come up with goals for further reductions and are subject to post-certification random site visits by the Institute to audit the firms ongoing performances.
The initiatives add to practices that were already in place a paperless office environment and software that allows employees flexible scheduling and the ability to work from home or other remote locations.
Earning this elite certification is a tremendous honor and a testament to the efforts of the entire HPG team, said Tim Naylor, HPG partner. We are especially thankful to Lauren Joyce, who has been instrumental in leading our initiatives and our Clean-Tech Client Team. Without her efforts, this certification would not be possible.