Workhuman, pioneers of the human workplace, announced key milestones on its global sustainability journey. Workhuman is on a mission to make work more human around the world, and a large part of that is ensuring that the company is making progress toward a more positive impact on the environment. To commemorate Earth Day, the company is sharing more details about its sustainability programs, commitment, and achievements.
As an important step in its sustainability journey, Workhuman has achieved carbon neutrality for its global 2021 Scope 1 and 2 emissions, in addition to a portion of its Scope 3 emissions, through verified carbon removal offsets and renewable energy certificates (RECs). The joint procurement was conducted alongside six other global software companies, arranged by Sustainability Roundtable, Inc., a strategic advisory and support service for ESG program assistance, of which Workhuman is a member.
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“The movement towards a human-centered workplace led by Workhuman is a source of hope,” said Jim Boyle, CEO & Founder of Sustainability Roundtable, Inc. “A more sustainable business is one that grows beyond extracting value to create value. This begins with recognizing and promoting our inalienable human and ecological dignity. For this reason, Sustainability Roundtable, Inc. considers it a privilege to assist Workhuman.”
Workhuman offset all its 2021 Scope 1 emissions in addition to Scope 3 business travel and estimates of employees’ electricity emissions while working from home. Workhuman worked with Natural Capital Partners, the world’s leading experts on carbon neutrality and climate finance, to procure these offsets from the Mississippi Valley Reforestation project, which is certified by American Carbon Registry and aims to reforest one million acres of the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley. Unlike other carbon offsets that avoid the release of additional carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, this project will remove existing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. As Workhuman explores the possibility of adopting a Science-Based Target, the procured offsets align with the Science-Based Targets initiative’s new guidance for supporting carbon removal projects.
Workhuman also matched 100% of its global 2021 Scope 2 electricity emissions with third-party Green-e® certified RECs through ACT Commodities, the leading provider of market-based sustainability solutions.
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“Workhuman’s mission to make more human workplaces starts with our own, and a key ingredient in that is ensuring we’re doing all we can to protect our environment,” said Eric Mosley, co-founder and CEO of Workhuman. “Making the workplace more sustainable requires that a company’s environmental practices, places, and people are building for the future – a healthier planet for all living creatures. We know there’s much more work to be done. But we are fully committed to this journey and are energized to be working with so many like-minded companies. Reducing climate risk takes everyone.”
Workhuman has several other internal and external efforts as part of its multi-year sustainability strategy and journey, including:
- Completing a Materiality Analysis in 2021 to identify key areas to focus on within ESG (environmental, social, and governance). As part of the analysis, Workhuman partnered with Sustainability Roundtable to conduct briefings and confidential surveys with 40 key stakeholders and executives across key business divisions and departments. The resulting independent analysis will be used to guide current and future ESG investment and priorities.
- Creating a new ERG group – called LiveGreen – focused on advancing and modeling more sustainable practices in Workhuman offices and in the communities around them. For Earth Day 2022, the group is sponsoring clean-ups in Ireland (in Dollymount Strand, Sandmount Strand, and the ParkWest Canal) and in East Boston (through Friends of Boston Harborwalk) and also hosting Catherine Cleary, journalist and environmentalist, to speak to the company about the Circular Economy.
- Achieving the Ecovadis Silver award. EcoVadis is the world’s largest provider of business sustainability assessments. Its methodology weights criteria for ESG performance across four areas: ethics, environment, sustainable procurement, and labor/human rights. Workhuman’s silver-medal designation places it in the top 25 percent of companies rated.
- Working with environmentally conscious partners to magnify impact. Through GRS and their Evergrow global climate change challenge, Workhuman has helped fund tree planting around their world. During 2021 and 2022 to date, Workhuman transactions have resulted in The Eden Reforestation Project planting nearly one million new native trees and mangroves in Madagascar, Mozambique, Nepal, Kenya, Haiti, and Indonesia.
- Donating to non-profits and charities that are making a difference in the world’s fight against climate change. Over the past two Earth Days, Workhuman will have donated $10,000 to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) with a focus on Climate and Oceans. As the world’s leading conservation organization, WWF works in nearly 100 countries. At every level, they collaborate with people around the world to develop and deliver innovative solutions that protect communities, wildlife, and the places in which they live.
- Recycling laptops and other electronics to non-profits near our offices. These efforts will lessen the impact on the environment while improving the lives of countless others. Groups we have donated electronics to include Science Club for Girls, Future Chefs, Foróige, Camara Education, Catie’s Closet, and Innercity Weightlifting.
- Building a new symbiotic working model and future sustainable office. As the world starts to return to the office in greater numbers, Workhuman is meeting the needs of its people through increased flexibility to work from home. This results in less commuting, thereby reducing the company’s overall environmental impact. Workhuman is also revamping physical offices in Dublin and Framingham to create even more human workplaces and spaces. The reinvigorated offices will include in-office composting bins, revamped recycling, enhanced fitness and wellness areas, and several biophilic elements in support of human health and mental and physical well-being.
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