Corporate Express has a strong background in environmental efforts and Corporate Express’ Anchorage facility is the first Corporate Express store in the nation to earn an award targeting waste reduction efforts. The employees at Corporate Express have been enthusiastic about the program. The Green Star efforts have been successful as a result of the development of a strong team composed of members of each business department.
Corporate Express’ in-house recycling program is successful because of employee buy-in. The company has initiated an “adopt-a-bin” program in which each employee is responsible for one bin in the workplace. The employee makes sure that the bin is clean, uncontaminated, and emptied on a regular basis. Feedback is posted about each bin and includes the name of the person responsible for the bin so employees can compare the quantities collected in their bin to others.
Corporate Express Alaska is currently recycling and/or reusing pure white paper, office pack paper, mixed paper, magazines and catalogs, packaging materials, plastic envelopes, diskettes, used office supplies, aluminum cans, cardboard, and newspapers. Besides recycling the basic materials, Corporate Express has worked to find users of several other waste products. Ream wrappers, bubble wrap, and shredded paper are all offered for use as packaging material.
Paper is a large waste stream in offices. Corporate Express has reduced paper usage by periodically reminding staff, via All Employee Meetings or All Employee Emails, to print documents double-sided whenever possible, and to use the printers/copiers capable of printing double-sided.
The company’s vendors are asked to provide electronic copies of their flyers to email to customers whenever possible to reduce associated physical mailing products (supplies, air pollution, postage).
As an office supply retailer, Corporate Express has the opportunity to both buy and sell products made with recycled content. These items are designated in the company’s supply catalog with the green “recycled” icon. Corporate Express also uses recycled-content boxes for delivery orders. These boxes have Corporate Express logos on them and the following: “Please return this carton to your Corporate Express driver for reuse.”
In 2000, Corporate Express Alaska made used furniture donations to the United Way valued at $75,000 and offers used office supplies, such as 3-ring binders and used computer equipment, to nonprofit organizations.
To promote its efforts, Corporate Express worked directly with Green Star to develop a television commercial. The commercial showcases several waste reduction activities and highlights the benefits of a Green Star award. The company also announced its Green Star membership in a series of radio advertisements.
Corporate Express Alaska http://www.corporateexpress.com/
