Most companies list their corporate values somewhere in their marketing materials, but to what extent do they actually follow them?
Pretty closely, it seems — if you work at any of these green tech companies. Employees at these startups are passionate about sustainability (one company is even named after a flower), and they all make it a point to practice what they preach.
Gotham Greens is a Brooklyn-based startup that uses technology to provide restaurants and retailers with local ingredients. They hold their produce — and employees — to the highest standards of environmental sustainability. Employees literally eat the fruits of their labor by regularly indulging in their own local greens. They also prioritize composting waste and conserving energy at their headquarters.
Note from the CEO: “We don’t just blindly talk about being local, sustainable and natural,” said CEO Viraj Puri. “We work hard to preserve water and soil resources, fairly treat workers and spend our dollars closer to home.”
Enertiv provides a platform that helps clients track and improve their buildings’ performance. Using their advanced data analysis tool, customers are able to pinpoint where they can reduce waste and predict critical system failures across their portfolios. It only makes sense, then, that Enertiv would embrace these same values in their own office. In addition to recycling and turning off faucets and LED lights when not in use, the team uses its own software to determine where they can be more energy efficient.
Note from the CEO: “When we were looking for new offices to move into, this one caught our eye for its eco-friendly properties,” said CEO Connell McGill. “Large windows let us leave the lights off for as long as possible, and the dishwasher (which we only run when it’s absolutely full) helps us save water. We also have a few office sticklers who constantly make sure we’re being energy efficient!”
Callida Energy is a service that reduces energy use, costs and carbon emissions for facilities across the world. The company was founded by software and building energy experts with a passion for sustainability, and even got its name from a flowering plant that uses scarce natural resources to flourish. Talk about symbolism. Employees see sustainability as a way of life, and not just an empty corporate value.
Note from the CEO: "We believe all of our individual choices make a difference. So, we turn off lights when we leave a room, use mugs over disposable cups, recycle as much waste as possible and walk rather than use the elevator,” said Raphael Carty, CEO. “I also walk to any meeting location within a 20-minute range. It all adds up!"
Photos via featured companies, Facebook and Shutterstock.
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