"It's a neat way to express our commitment and to express what's happening in the industry to deal with a problem, as well as trying to get the public to understand their role in the whole process of a circular economy," says Greenham. Indeed, the Plastics Pathway, created in partnership with the environmental organization Pollution Probe and GreenMantra Technologies, is a timely reminder of what many employers are doing to help Canada meet targets set by the Paris Climate Agreement. The zoo itself, for instance, intends to reduce plastic use to a minimum by 2027, in line with its own goals and the federal government's long-term commitment to phase out plastic use. This year, the federal ban came into force on the import and manufacture of single-use plastics, including checkout bags, cutlery, food-service ware, stir sticks and straws.

"It's kind of a landmark year," says Richard Yerema, executive editor for Mediacorp Canada, which runs the Canada's Greenest Employers competition. "The whole conversation in terms of green employers has been evolving. It used to be that having recycling bins in every office and diverting waste was a big part of the green effort. That has become more mundane now. But it's still essential – you're not going to reduce pollution and emissions if you don't address these things. And the best way to do it is boring, mundane, day-to-day stuff."

Yerema notes that the competition is built around the notion of involving employees in sustainability efforts. Increasingly, those employers are finding more and more ways to expand what they do for sustainability. Many say they are seeking to "embed" green values in their organization or create a sustainability "mindset" among their people. At the same time, they are calling on their employees, often through green teams, to suggest more ways to mitigate the negative environmental impact of their operations.

"The foundation of the project comes out of the idea of community, that employers are very much central to an individual's community in the modern age," says Yerema. "Our communities are defined not so much geographically but by where we go, where we spend our time and how we interact. It's about employers that demonstrate that they care, not just about their people, but about the world in which they live, and that try to mitigate negative aspects of their operations and listen to their people. So this list is very much practically oriented in how employers can reflect those values. It's how do we get there?"

Naturally, too, when an organization makes major reductions in its water or energy usage, there can be financial benefits. Being a green employer can also be a boon for recruitment, given that so many young applicants are looking for solid evidence that a potential employer aligns with their values. "To be green doesn't mean you're just doing it because you feel good about doing it," says Yerema. "It can actually be an engagement initiative."

Not surprisingly, technology is becoming ever more present as organizations look to monitor metrics and engage with employees or, in the Toronto Zoo's case, with visitors as well. At the waste bins In its restaurants, the zoo has set up Oscar sorting systems which use scanners and artificial intelligence to help patrons.

"It tells someone, that's a pop can, that goes in recycling, or that's a paper plate, it goes in composting," says Greenham. "It gamifies the interactions." Besides awareness, the system also creates macro statistics on how much waste has been diverted and emissions reduced, a key need for green employers. As with the zoo and plastics, Canada's Greenest Employers are on a pathway to sustainability success.

– Berton Woodward

This story appeared in the official magazine announcing Canada's Greenest Employers (2023), co-published on April 18, 2023, and featured in the Globe and Mail. Used with permission.