Focusing on a green future for everyone

 

How does sustainability fit into financial security? Pretty well, it turns out: An unsustainable future may put financial security out of reach for many. But building a greener, more resilient world can also feel big and unwieldy: When there’s so much to do, how does any single choice make a difference?

At Principal, single choices and the urge to change came together in 2015 when a group of Principal employees decided to do something for Earth Week. Recycling, trash collection, and paper shredding ensued, as did collaborative enthusiasm for future efforts.

“We were a group of like-minded people and decided to stay together informally to share ideas,” says Kate Anderson, business analyst with Principal^®.

First Des Moines, then the globe

Recycling days have continued, for example, but so have community efforts to plan trees in historically underserved neighborhoods.

“We always knew we wanted to grow beyond the Des Moines campus,” says Karin Eshelman, distribution trainer and developer with Principal. She and Anderson co-chair the Green ERG. “We’re really aware that we’re a global company and our customers are everywhere.”

That will take time, but now Green ERG leaders are learning from other Principal groups, offering education and events, and emphasizing inclusion. “Our mission is to connect people to resources and promote sustainability, no matter where someone is,” says Anderson.

Green ideas for everyone

The Principal Green ERG has shifted efforts in response to the pandemic. Pre-COVID-19, a big win was helping usher in on-site composting in food lines. That’s less of a need right now. Instead of standing in cafeteria lines and offering insight into compostable materials, the group emphasizes options for trash at home with resources and links for inspiration and action.

What Principal does	What you can do	Why it matters
Donates 12,000 lbs of leftover food to divert it from landfills2	Compost food scraps	Reduces your trash by 20%3
Installs 100% LED lighting	Swap 1 traditional bulb for 1 LED	Reduces your energy use for that fixture by 75%4
Planted 106 trees with Trees Forever	Plant one tree (utility companies often provide at no or low cost)	Improve property value and prevent soil runoff5

They’re also working on how to offer ideas for action outside central Iowa. “We don’t want employees to hit ‘delete’ on a message from us because they’re not in Des Moines and don’t have that event,” says Anderson. “Our message is, we may not be able to organize an event for your area, but these ideas work no matter where you are.”