Walking the talk is a challenging and never ending endeavour in the business and environmental community. A growing number of companies are forging ahead and finding innovative ways to be leaders and role models. Five Winds International is an example of such a company. This small, international management consulting firm has shown its commitment by purchasing wind power through a non-profit environmental group, the Pembina Institute.
"It's a perfect fit," says Tina Barzo, Wind Power program coordinator for Pembina. "By purchasing its wind through us, Five Winds is also supporting an environmental organization that promotes sustainable energy solutions."
Five Winds International believes that "all individuals and all organizations can be more sustainable." Its mission is to be recognized by its customers and employees for its ability to help them on this journey. Five Winds has helped numerous clients integrate environmental and social considerations into their purchasing activities. The company has now decided that it was time to assess its own impacts and align its business practices accordingly.
Five Winds International's new Sustainable Purchasing Initiative was designed to help the company advance its commitment to sustainable development, strengthen its bottom line and demonstrate its commitment to clients. The initiative consists of a policy, implementation guidelines and targets.
In 2006, Five Winds has set the following targets:
1. Offsetting 100 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions associated with business travel;
2. Offsetting 100 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions associated with office energy use and purchasing green power for laptops and desktops;
3. Ensuring all new office equipment and electronics meet Energy Star® and Blue Angel criteria (or equivalent); and
4. Purchasing 30 per cent post-consumer recycled paper and paper carrying a label denoting use of wood from sustainably managed forests, and applying those same criteria when choosing printers.
"So far, Five Winds has purchased 22.74 megawatt-hours of wind power. This equates to a reduction of approximately 20 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions, an admirable step in its own journey towards sustainability," Ms. Barzo says, "I hope it inspires more companies to follow the lead of Five Winds."
Jenn Clipsham, a Senior Analyst at Five Winds International, explains the company's move towards renewable energy and its future plans: "We were pleased to make this commitment to becoming more sustainable, and Pembina's Wind Power Program makes it really feasible for us to achieve our goals. Our 2006 targets are the first step in a phased approach to becoming carbon neutral in 2007, a goal we encourage all companies to pursue."
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For more information contact:
Tina Barzo, Development Associate
The Pembina Institute
Tel: 403.269.3344 Ext. 117
tinab@pembina.org
www.pembina.org/green-power
Jenn Clipsham, Senior Analyst
Five Winds International
Tel: 519 822.6668 Ext. 222
j.clipsham@fivewinds.com
www.fivewinds.com