Issue 25, June/July 1999
WasteWise Takes Technical
Assistance to a New Level
WasteWise has published 11 Updates and 25 Bulletins, sent out more than 40 list server messages, expanded the WasteWise Web site to more than 40 pages, and responded to more than 6,000 helpline calls since 1994. Now, WasteWise is taking technical assistance on the road with a pilot onsite visit program. In response to strong partner interest, WasteWise has initiated a limited number of onsite visits to provide direct technical assistance to large partners that have significant waste reduction potential, but have encountered barriers to expanding or enhancing their waste reduction programs.
|
Offering
Customized Assistance Common components of a WasteWise onsite visit include informal roundtable discussions and facility tours to facilitate interaction and help WasteWise staff understand the nature of the partner’s operation and the waste it generates. Throughout the visit, WasteWise staff help the organization identify waste assessment options, generate new ideas to develop and improve its waste reduction program, and locate useful resources to aid in implementation of new activities. More specifically, WasteWise program staff can provide guidance in conducting waste assessments, establishing baselines for waste reduction, collecting data, and overcoming challenges specific to a facility. This information can help partners assess the impact of waste reduction activities on the environment and their bottom line, maintain management support for the program, and motivate employees to participate. In addition, the success stories of WasteWise partners that participate in onsite visits might be featured in future WasteWise publications. Initial Visits If you think that your organization might be a good candidate for
an onsite visit, please contact your WasteWise representative. |
During
onsite visits, WasteWise staff plan to give program partners personal
recommendations tailored to their concerns, goals, and facility
conditions. 
To
date, WasteWise has conducted onsite visits at three partner facilities—Kaiser
Permanente’s main office in Oakland, California; Kaiser’s
Springfield, Virginia, facility; and the Internal Revenue Service’s
New York City facility. WasteWise staff helped these partners
identify new waste reduction options, approach challenges from a
different angle, and find valuable contacts and other resources.
In the near future, WasteWise plans to conduct its next onsite visit
with Potomac Electric Power Company (PEPCO) in Washington,
DC. |
Environmental Partnerships: Beyond WasteWise You know about WasteWise, but do you know about the dozens of other voluntary programs that EPA conducts? Partners for the Environment encompasses and coordinates these programs—each of which addresses specific environmental concerns ranging from greenhouse gas emission reductions to energy efficiency to water conservation and many others. As a WasteWise partner, you are part of this important network. The Partners for the Environment programs challenge participants to work voluntarily to prevent pollution, to the ultimate benefit of both the partner and the environment. Most programs provide technical assistance as well as recognition for program participation and/or outstanding performance. Through these partnerships, EPA cooperates in a nonregulatory capacity with a wide range of interested groups—businesses; state, local, and tribal governments; citizen groups; trade associations; and schools and universities—to improve their environmental performance. Here are several EPA voluntary programs your organization might be interested in learning more about. |
|
|
|
|
Wanted: Socially Responsible Business
One way for businesses to show that they merit socially responsible investment is by actively participating in WasteWise. Waste reduction represents a tangible and rewarding way for businesses to improve their performance and reputations in the field of social responsibility. To do so, however, requires both taking bold steps to reduce your waste and quantifying your achievements through the kinds of measurement methods available on the WasteWise Partner Network site http://wastewise.tms.icfi.com/report.htm. Promote your waste reduction results in your annual reports and on your company’s Web site so that investors can learn about your commitment to the environment. So far, 22 WasteWise partners are ranked on Fortune’s list of the top 50 socially responsible businesses. WasteWise partners also are featured in the list of honor-roll companies on the Council on Economic Priorities’ Web site, based on ratings of more than 320 companies including issues like environmental stewardship and charitable giving. Your business could be next on these lists! How to Learn More The Internet is a great source of information on SRI. A good place to start is with the Coalition for Environmentally Responsible Economies (CERES) at www.ceres.org/. CERES is a nonprofit coalition of: investors; public pension funds; foundations; labor unions; and environmental, religious, and public interest groups, working in partnership with companies toward the common goal of corporate environmental responsibility. The coalition created the CERES Principles, a set of 10 environmental standards enabling companies to take responsibility for the environment. These principles include sustainable use of resources, reduction of wastes, energy conservation, management commitment, and audits and reporting. In fact, several WasteWise partners, including BankAmerica Corporation, Ben & Jerry’s, Coca-Cola, and General Motors, have already adopted the CERES Principles and reported on their accomplishments. CERES is just one of the several organizations dedicated to improving businesses’ acceptance of their social and environmental responsibilities. The following four organizations also provide resources and services to assist companies in building and maintaining strong social values, facilitating opportunities for SRI:
By putting these resources to work and informing the public about your organization’s socially responsible activities, you can increase your company’s standing in the $1 trillion SRI market sector. What qualities do socially responsible investors look for? In addition to strong market performance, these investors and financial managers seek businesses that are engaged in socially beneficial practices including:
Since an increasing number of investors are seeking models of sustainability and corporate social responsibility, public companies must demonstrate strong social values in their operations to remain competitive. At the same time, companies that make a corporate commitment to responsible business practices can gain more productive workers, community support, and a better corporate image.
|
Reward:
$1 trillion. Too good to be true? Not at all. Unwilling to finance
companies that profit at the expense of the environment or society,
socially responsible investors want a “positive” return on their
money. These investors are part of a trend known as socially responsible
investing (SRI) and they look for socially responsible businesses
in which to invest, through the stock market, mutual funds or other
vehicles. According to the Social Investment Forum, more than $1
trillion, or nearly 10 percent of all assets under professional
management, is dedicated to SRI (visit the Forum’s Web site, cited
on page 4, for more details). However, the buck does not stop there.
The influence of SRI in the national and global economies continues
to grow as investors put more money into socially responsible businesses.
As a WasteWise partner, you can be part of this widening trend.|
What’s on the Web? Sustainable Business.com President’s Council
on Sustainable Development World Resources Institute
- Management Institute for Environment & Business Publications Environment: Value to Business (EVTB). Global Environmental
Management Initiative (GEMI). 1998. Uncovering Value: Integrating Environmental and Financial Performance.
Aspen Institute. 1998. Meeting Changing Expectations: Corporate Social Responsibility.
World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD). 1999.
|
|
