Two local employers earn kudos

Mohawk College in Hamilton and Sodexo in Burlington have made Canada’s Greenest Employers list.

The announcement was made in honour of Earth Day Tuesday.

Mohawk made the list for the first time. Among the reasons cited were: its commitment to reducing its carbon emission by 20 per cent by 2020; its encouragement of the use of alternative transportation for staff and students through discounted and free transit passes, carpool parking and bike share; and a community garden program.

Mohawk is the first college to adopt an environmental management plan, said acting Mohawk president Bob Carrington. It has already met its target on carbon reduction and is working on setting another goal.

The Mohawk Student Association has partnered in a car-sharing program on campus, and the college has also banned the sale of bottled water. Sodexo Canada, an onsite food and facilities management service company with 6,000 employees in Canada, was recognized as a green employer for the third year in a row.

Among the reasons were its own ethically sourced brand of coffee and tea that supports nonprofit projects, companywide commitments to reducing its environmental footprint, and a 10-year plan to instil sustainability into all business practices.

“Some employers mistakenly think ‘going green’ is too expensive, too difficult or somehow makes your organization uncompetitive,” said Richard Yerema, managing editor of the Canada’s Top 100 Employers project, which manages the competition.

“We see the opposite: incorporating environment values into your culture encourages efficiency, attracts top talent and makes your organization more competitive.”