TERESA MADALENO
There was a time when competitive pay, great perks, and a progressive culture attracted top employees. While these are still important qualities if an organization wants to capture the attention of the most talented in their field, there seems to be a new criteria creeping into the fold - how green the company is.
More and more companies are attracting people because of their environmental leadership. According to NBS Leadership Council, a number of studies indicate that job seekers are drawn to companies that have sustainable practices. This could be happening because employees are looking to be part of an organization that can give them a sense of pride or so the research suggests. Experts say a sustainable company is a sign that the organization cares about its employees. There is also a theory that many workers are looking for a job within an organization that has values that are close to their own.
For 10 years editors of Canada’s top 100 employers project at Mediacorp Canada Inc., have run a contest to see who the country’s greenest employers are, and as each year passes they say the competition is getting stiffer.
This year organizations like Aramark Canada Ltd., Mountain Equipment Co-op, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Center, Humber College, and Nature’s Path Foods, Inc., made the list. From participating in local food hubs, telecommuting, maintaining organic gardens and greenhouses, to establishing zero waste targets, these companies have put a great deal of effort into green practices.
Managers say putting the environment first, allows everything else to fall in line. It helps employers reduce their energy consumption; it eliminates waste, and it draws happy, productive employees. When announcing the 2016 winners of the Greenest Employers, Managing Editor at Mediacorp, Richard Yerema said, "Today, we've moved well beyond the business case to the point where we can say that a large part of Canadian society now expects the organizations they deal with to incorporate sustainable business practices into their operations. “
The 2017 winners of Canada’s Greenest Employers will be announced on April 22, 2017, which happens to be Earth Day. To see the full list of 2016 winners follow this link http://www.canadastop100.com/environmental/