Our GHG inventory indicates that some of our biggest environmental impacts are energy consumption, paper usage and, prior to COVID-19, associate commuting — so that’s where we focus our environmental efforts.
Energy conservation
Facility managers are responsible for conservation projects at their respective buildings. Improvements have been made by upgrading to energy-efficient LED lighting and removing desktop printers in existing buildings. However, the biggest gains come from new facilities that are designed for efficiency from the start: LoyaltyOne’s headquarters has received LEED Platinum certification and the Company has been recognized as one of Canada’s Greenest Employers.
In 2020, employee communications focused on environmental education and awareness, and saving energy while working from home. At AIR MILES, the Company launched its first environmentally focused employee resource group, called Sustainables.
Paper and plastic
The majority of our paper purchase is based on the needs of our clients. Paper is used in client-driven marketing materials and cardholder or collector statements, although many clients are shifting from print to digital formats. We’ve made strong gains internally by switching from individual desktop printers to multi-function devices (MFDs), which are shared by multiple users and discourage unnecessary printing. MFD defaults are set to double-sided black-and-white printing.
In 2020, BrandLoyalty launched a focus on smart packaging, which resulted in the removal of plastic from the packaging of their reward products.
Commuting
Efforts to minimize emissions from commuting include work-from-home programs, which are rare for the industry, electric car charging stations, and bike racks and on-site shower facilities to encourage cycling to work. In 2019, we launched a business-wide evaluation of our office footprint, which resulted in a significant number of associates moving to work-from-home arrangements and will help us reduce energy consumption and commuting-related emissions. With an additional 16% of AIR MILES’ frontline workforce moving to home offices in 2019, a full 84% of its frontline associates now work from home on a full-time basis.
In March of 2020, 95% of associates moved to work from home due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and remained such through the duration of the year.
Our headquarters in Columbus, Ohio, participated as an Acceleration Partner in the Smart Columbus “Smart Cities” initiative aimed at inspiring and motivating employees to drive electric and drive less. As a partner, we committed to five engagements: appointing a program leader, encouraging executives to buy electric vehicles (EV), installing charging infrastructure, educating our associates on smart mobility and incentivizing behavior change. Smart Columbus’ goals are to bring the city’s EV adoption rate to at least 1.8% by 2020 — a four-fold increase that would put more than 3,600 electric vehicles on the road — and decrease single-occupant vehicle commuter traffic by 10%.
To contribute to these goals during the program, Bread Financial installed electric charging stations, offered a $2,000 (post-tax) EV rebate for associates in the Columbus region and $1,000 (post-tax) rebate for non-Columbus associates. We hosted a Ride & Drive Roadshow and a EV 101 lunch and learn to educate associates on the benefits of driving electric.