Environmental Management Policy and Priorities
It is the policy of Integrity Staffing Services, Inc., its divisions and subsidiaries to conduct business in a responsible way and in a manner designed to protect the health and safety of our colleagues, customers, the public and the environment.
As a good corporate citizen, we must be conscious of the effects of our operations on the environment. We will continually evaluate and assess our operations and business processes in order to reduce adverse environmental impacts.
National Framework, Local Impact
As a national company that operates in seven states and services a variety of disparate markets, we recognize that it is neither reasonable nor practical to expect that every one of our operations will implement the same set of environmental management practices. However, we can achieve our greatest impact when all of our local operations are aligned to the same goals.
This policy document is intended to provide a framework that defines our organization’s environmental priorities and allows each local office to make reasonable choices to operate within the spirit of that framework.
As an office-based company providing services and solutions, our areas of greatest environmental impact and potential for improvement are:
- Energy used to power our offices and office equipment
- Business travel to sell and deliver our services
- Office waste, including paper and electronics
ISS’s Environmental Credo
We will operate our facilities and business processes in a manner that is harmonious with the communities in which we are located.
We will comply with the spirit and letter of applicable environmental regulations, including national and local laws relating to the protection of employees, the public and the environment.
Each Integrity Staffing Services operation will take responsibility for developing and maintaining local environmental management policies, practices, guidance and training as appropriate to the local business environment.
We will reduce energy consumption and resulting greenhouse gas emissions from our office activities, through cost-effective measures wherever possible.
We will limit business travel whenever possible. When our business necessitates travel, we will choose the most cost-effective and lowest impact transportation modes available. Whenever travelling via personal car or pickup service, every effort will be made to ride-share in lieu of taking individual vehicles, thus reducing our carbon footprint.
We will consume water responsibly and manage the waste generated from our office activities according to the principles of “Reduce / Reuse / Recycle.” Bottled water and other individual-sized containers should be avoided where possible.
We will consider environmental factors when selecting new office spaces and furnishings.
We will provide relevant training to employees, as appropriate to their roles and responsibilities.
We will report and communicate on our environmental commitments and performance in a transparent manner.
We expect that each location will make use of this guidance to embed appropriate environmental management practices that are reasonable, practical and cost-effective.
Best Practices and Guidelines for Local Operations
Temperature Control
Program thermostats to turn on shortly before the start of the working day and turn off shortly before the end of day. In most of our offices, heat and AC is systematically switched off for the weekend. Through this and other minor adjustments, we have reduced our energy consumption by more than 30%.
Only lower or raise thermostat settings by a few degrees. This prevents numerous temperature changes, which result in wasted energy consumption.
Reducing the heating temperature by 3 degrees Fahrenheit throughout the heating season can translate into as much as a 13% energy usage reduction.
Lighting
On average, lighting accounts for 35-40% of an office building’s energy consumption. Significant energy consumption and cost savings can be achieved by using fluorescent or LED lights, which can be up to 10 times more efficient. Where possible, replace incandescent lighting with energy efficient fluorescent or LED lighting.
Turn off lights and electronics at the end of the working day, and any time the office is not occupied. Follow this practice as well for rooms, such as conference rooms, which are not used throughout the entire day.
Office Equipment
As much as 25% of an office building’s energy consumption can be attributed to electronic office equipment. Energy efficient equipment can provide as much as 70% savings.
Regularly asses the state of the office equipment. Are more energy efficient models available? As equipment reaches their end-of-life, include energy efficiency in the evaluation of replacements.
We may require equipment to be replaced that is still functional. In nearly every instance, it is unacceptable to include this equipment in regular refuse pickup. All effort should be made to donate equipment so it does not have a negative impact on the environment. When that is not possible, local officials should be contacted to determine the environmentally responsible method of disposal.
Travel
Leveraging technology such as teleconferencing and video conferencing, we can reduce both the cost and environmental impact of business meetings and training. When possible, use these technologies instead of physically travelling to meet.
When practical, use public transportation instead of individual vehicles. If individual vehicles are to be taken (whether a personal vehicle or ride sharing service), take as few vehicles as possible by sharing rides with your colleagues.
If it is necessary to rent a vehicle, request energy-efficient rental cars.
For hotel stays, participate in green initiatives, such as requesting that your linens not be picked up and washed daily.
Office Waste
Communicate guidelines to employees, and train them on how to use special printer/copier features, such as printing double-sided to reduce paper waste.
Whenever possible, choose paper and other office supplies that contain recycled content and are recyclable. If between two vendors, consider how they are creating their materials. Are they reforesting if they use wood? Choose ecologically responsible companies whenever possible.
Request that suppliers use fewer packing materials, or arrange for suppliers to take back reusable packaging. A good example of this are promotional items that often come individually wrapped.
Use larger sizes of everything from coffee cream to soap. If necessary, use these to refill smaller containers.
Place marked recycling containers in convenient locations. If recycling service isn’t available, try to take the materials home for recycling or take them to a facility.
Be Proactive
These guidelines are not exhaustive. Opportunities to not only reduce our carbon footprint, but opportunities to improve the environment – such as by having office plants to clean the air – abound. Keep an eye out for these opportunities and speak up to your supervisor or the owner of the company. The Earth is everyone’s home and we each have a responsibility to do our part to take care of it.