At Butler/Till, we’re driven by our passion to make a difference and serve as a catalyst for positive change. That’s why Earth Day is so important to us—it represents our year-round goal of leaving the world around us better than we found it.
Read on to learn about the positive impact we are having on our planet and the actions you can take to join us on our journey to cultivate a more sustainable future.
Improving the Planet: What it Means to be a B Corporation
Being a purpose-driven organization and a certified B Corporation means we do business as a force for good. “As a company, Butler/Till doesn’t have to be a B Corp,” says Lynn Duffy, Chairperson for the B Corp committee & Director of Research. “We do it because the B Corp ethos aligns perfectly with ours as an agency, for us, it just makes sense.”
The B Corporation certification by B Labs is a designation that a business is meeting high standards of verified performance, accountability, and transparency on factors ranging from employee benefits and charitable giving to supply chain practices and input materials. At Butler/Till, we have our very own dedicated B Corp subcommittee that works to constantly improve the environmental standards we hold for ourselves. This committee helps Butler/Till not only maintain our B Corp status but seize every day as an opportunity to improve the world around us and use business as an avenue to make a positive impact. A B Corp application takes about a year and half to complete, and it must be renewed every three years. “Recertification is not easy,” says Lynn. “Butler/Till has to show continuous impact and improvement to get recertified.” In fact, Butler/Till is one of only 8,000 Certified B Corporations from more than 90 countries and 160 industries across the globe.
An example of our continuous improvements is the upcoming Color Your Org Green program, which aims to help companies reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. Our environmental subcommittee members are creating a climate action plan for Butler/Till—playing a big part of our B Corp recertification efforts.
“Being a B Corp allows us to be spokesperson for the Earth,” says Lydia McClure, a member of the B Corp committee & Senior Media Investment Specialist. As Lydia grew increasingly passionate about sustainability, she wondered how she could encourage others to take small, easy steps to positively impact the world around us. And what could be easier than planting a seed?
How Butler/Till is Honoring Earth Day
This year, Butler/Till is celebrating Earth Day by giving our employee-owners seeds to plant in their gardens. These seeds are meant to inspire our employees to be the seeds of change that can impact our planet for the better—at Butler/Till and beyond.
“We decided on handing out seeds because it is a very easy action to take, and it allowed us to empower our remote employees across 18+ states,” Lydia explains. “The seeds are even from another B Corp!”
How to be a Seed of Change
As a B Corp, Earth Day means a lot to us, and we are committed to serving as a catalyst for environmentalism year-round.
“Butler/Till makes being sustainable easy,” says Lydia. Here are the actions Butler/Till takes daily and how you can join us:
- Reducing energy usage: The Butler/Till building was built from the ground up with sustainability in mind. Our systems are set up to use less energy, reducing our carbon footprint. Reducing your energy consumption doesn’t have to happen building-wide, but rather small steps right in your own home. Consider getting an audit, only using appliances with a full load, and turning off your power strips when not in use.
- Reusable water bottles: When new employees start at Butler/Till, they receive a reusable water bottle on their first day. Opting for reusable water bottles instead of plastic ones is a simple, cost-effective way to leave a positive impact on the planet.
- Composting: In the Butler/Till Café, we have a composting bin located right next to the recycling bin. Composting at home is one simple way to reduce your carbon footprint. Did you know that food scraps in the garbage create methane, a greenhouse gas that is 28 times more potent than carbon dioxide?
- Reusable silverware: Butler/Till provides reusable silverware for employees to use daily. Avoiding plastic utensils at home is an easy way to avoid over-contributing to landfills.
Let the Seeds Take Root
At Butler/Till, we do business for the greater good. We’re fueled by the purpose of improving the environment around us, and we hope you join us in taking action this Earth Day—and every day. To learn more about our commitment to sustainability, connect with our experts!
Contributors: Katie Palmer, Lynn Duffy, Lydia McClure
