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Creating a Greener, Healthier and More Socially Responsible Work Environment a Priority For 2009 Companies That Care Honor Roll Recipients

Creating a Greener, Healthier and More Socially Responsible Work Environment a Priority For 2009 Companies That Care Honor Roll Recipients

Published 03-19-09

Submitted by Center for Companies That Care

CHICAGO, Ill. - MARCH 19, 2009 - Not all news from the business world is disturbing. At a time of declining profits and rising unemployment, companies around the country are being honored for making employee satisfaction and community service a priority. Chicago-based Center for Companies That Care has named 37 employers to its 2009 Honor Roll, announced Marci Koblenz, Co-founder and President of the organization.

"President Obama is calling for individuals and businesses to get involved in community service, but our Honor Roll companies are already walking the walk," says Koblenz. "These companies get 'it'."

The newest trend among this year's Honor Roll employers is in creating programs that support a 'greener' philosophy as a way of limiting the companies' environmental footprint. Companies are demonstrating this in a variety of ways:

  • The Care of Trees, a national landscaping company headquartered in Wheeling, IL, donates its arborists' services to train jobless Chicagoans in tree care. This effort works in conjunction with a City of Chicago program aimed at training unemployed for work in green jobs, and as a service to enhance the outdoor beauty of the city.

  • InterfaceFLOR, a carpet manufacturing company in Georgia, successfully engages its employees in its sustainability goal of Mission Zero(TM) - the company's commitment to eliminate any negative impact on the environment by the year 2020. One initiative, which enables employees to offset travel emissions, has resulted in more than 4.7 million pounds of carbon dioxide being absorbed by planting trees.
Two other notable acts of community service are:
  • California's CB Richard Ellis, a real estate services company, decided to cancel their internal incentive trip and donated all of the excursions to charitable organizations chosen by employees, thus enabling the charities to use them for their service recipients or to raffle off to raise much needed funds for their programs.

  • Peñasco Valley Telecommunications of New Mexico established a corporate goal to increase employee volunteerism and achieved an 89% increase in participation.
The selection committee also saw an increase in the number of Honor Roll employers offering wellness programs and health assessments to encourage preventative health care. Some even extend this often life-saving benefit to employees' immediate family members. Examples include:
  • Delnor Health System in Illinois helps employees lead healthier lives by reimbursing employees for health club dues when they meet their fitness goals. The organization also covers the health care premiums for employees earning less than $35,000 per year.

  • Missouri-based CHAN Healthcare Auditors has found medical costs steadily decrease as physical activity increases, regardless of gender or age. As a result, their associates can receive up to $480 for a full year of participation in a fitness program.

  • Grant Thornton provides a personal health management web site for employees to access tips for improving health, nutrition, and fitness for themselves and their families.

  • Enterprise Fleet Management, in an effort to continue providing employees with high-quality health care plans at affordable rates, offers a lower premium rate for employees who are non-tobacco users.
Honor Roll recipients are selected for their strong commitment to elevating the quality of life for their employees and for people in the broader community as well as adhering to all ten of the 10 Characteristics inherent to a "Company That Cares."

Those named to the 2009 list feature large, medium, and small, public and private, for-profit and not-for-profit U.S. - based companies in diverse industries across 15 states.


AAA Mid-Atlantic
Automatic Data Processing, Inc.
Allscripts
AmTrust Bank
Baxter Credit Union
Bon Secours Hampton Roads Health System
Bon Secours Richmond Health System
Bright Horizons Family Solutions
California Independent System Operator (California ISO)
CB Richard Ellis Group, Inc.
CHAN Healthcare Auditors
Childrens' Creative Learning Centers
Cleveland Clinic - Florida
Convergint Technologies LLC
Delnor Health System
Enterprise Fleet Management
Grand View Hospital "“ Sellersville, PA
Grant Thornton LLP
InterfaceFLOR
Johnson Financial Group
KPMG LLP
Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants
Lake Forest Graduate School of Management
McKinley, Inc.
Nationwide Insurance
Opto Technology, an illumination business of PerkinElmer, Inc.
Penasco Valley Telecommunications
Rainbow Station, Inc.
Rush University Medical Center
Sherman Health
Sysmex America, Inc.
The Care of Trees
The Golden 1 Credit Union
Triangle Printers, Inc.
Umpqua Bank
University HealthSystem Consortium
WellStar Health System

Each of the organizations named to the Honor Roll sustains a work environment founded on dignity and respect for all employees, develops great leaders, and actively supports the community, among other outstanding attributes.  

"Fortunately for all, when employers care, it not only benefits individuals, families and communities, it also can give them an advantage with customers, employees and investors," commented Cynthia Cobb, SPHR, Board Member and Honor Roll Program Director. "Being named to the Honor Roll requires a steadfast commitment to employees and communities and detailed proof a company adheres to all 10 Characteristics of Companies That Care. Given our current economy, we are truly inspired by the many creative ways the employers we've named to the Honor Roll continue to invest in their employees and provide service to communities. In instances where these employers have had to eliminate jobs or programs, they have done so as respectfully as possible, offering as much support during transitions as is practicable."  

The Honor Roll is announced annually on the third Thursday of March in conjunction with the annual launch of CAREDAYS, a month-long, national initiative to engage individuals and employers in activities addressing a significant societal issue in our communities. This year, CAREDAYS09: Terrific Tales, supports childhood literacy by ensuring that under-resourced classroom libraries have books for children to read. Individuals and organizations are encouraged to either donate books or raise funds that will be used to purchase books for 1000 classrooms over the next two years.

Best practices of Honor Roll organizations will be featured at the Biannual Community Symposium: Creative Caring in Tough Times on May 18-19 in Atlanta, GA.

Center for Companies That Care is a national, not-for-profit organization dedicated to enhancing the well-being of employees, families and communities by encouraging employers to integrate the 10 Characteristics of Companies That Care into their daily business practices. For more about Center for Companies That Care, the Honor Roll process, 2009 Honor Roll recipients or CAREDAYS09: Terrific Tales, visit www.companies-that-care.org or call 312.661.1010.

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Center for Companies That Care

Center for Companies That Care

Center for Companies That Care is a national, not-for-profit organization dedicated to enhancing the well-being of employees and communities by educating and inspiring employers to practice employer engagement and integrate the 10 Characteristics of Companies That Care into their daily business practices.

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