The Greener Path

Five ways to a greener firm

by John Meckley, Ernst & Young Southeast Director of Administration

May 18, 2009

I van Allen Jr., mayor of Atlanta during the 1960s, worked through the violence and politics of desegregation to build the city with the economic power to develop businesses, attract professional sports teams and produce an economically greener Atlanta. Now, nearly a half-century later, Ernst & Young, located on the street bearing Allen's name, is doing its part to sustain a diverse, progressive and environmentally greener Atlanta.
     
Ernst & Young is focused on sustaining the environment and finding ways to reduce its carbon footprint. Our environmental sustainability strategy is based on three core objectives:  Reduce our impact, create a culture of sustainability and enhance the credibility of our firm's climate change service offerings.

For us to succeed in our strategy, Ernst & Young is developing ways to live green values so we may bring value to our communities. We operate our facilities daily with aggressive recycling programs, encourage responsible dining, use digital media, promote green technology and support eco-friendly campaigns.

Recycling Programs
More than 85 percent of the paper purchased by Ernst & Young is recycled content paper. In most offices (Atlanta included), unnecessary documents are recycled, saving more than 85 trees and close to 40,000 gallons of water each month. Last year, the Southeast offices reused 81 percent of office supplies and six locations turned used paper into scratch pads.

Responsible Dining
This year, select Ernst & Young cafeterias are going trayless. While this trend has taken hold at many college campuses, our firm is one of the first businesses to implement it. Recent studies have shown that it takes one-third to one-half gallon of water to clean a single tray. Removal of trays in cafeterias with 500 patrons per work week could potentially save 65,000 gallons of water a year in each location.

Using Digital Media
In the past, tax returns were delivered to clients in paper format - today, returns are provided on a CD, resulting in less paper usage - and a fraction of the cost. Our Americas Communications and Marketing team continues to move swiftly to more digital communications, printing 30 percent fewer internal communications than the previous year.

Promote Green Technology
Five years ago, Ernst & Young began using remanufactured toner cartridges resulting in a $500,000 annual savings for the firm. Last year, we purchased carbon offsets for 1,800 laptops, planting enough trees to offset the carbon emissions for the life of the computers.

Support Eco-Friendly Campaigns
In 2008, the firm gave all U.S. employees a ceramic mug to discourage disposable wastes. On Earth Day 2009, Ernst & Young will launch a "Refill not Landfill" campaign across the U.S. in which all employees will be asked to use a reusable mug in place of a Styrofoam cup (which, incidentally, can last up to 400 years in a landfill). This change will keep 20,000 cubic feet of garbage out of the waste stream.

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John Meckley is the Southeast Director of Administration and joined E&Y in 1999 as a technology consultant.  Meckley became the Atlanta location manager in 2003. In 2005, he assumed his current role, which encompasses Administrative Support, Hospitality & Facilities and Creative Services and includes a 220-member support team located across the southeast.