Sustainability

For Cambia and its subsidiaries, stewardship is an integral part of our commitment to the health of our communities and to the people we serve. Sustainability is a natural extension of this resource stewardship.

Right Thing to Do

Before sustainability became a buzz word, there were things we did because we believe they are right and fair:

• Subsidizing mass transit use and carpools
• Telecommuting
• Implementing "green" building practices such as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)
• Recycling
• Tiered benefit structure: Higher pay grades have a higher cost share of employee health insurance

Inspired to Do More

Operating in a region that is a leader in sustainability, the example of other great Northwest companies inspired us to become much more purposeful and strategic about sustainability. Now we incorporate it into our daily operations, use it as a gauge for our companies and seek out business partners that share these values and beliefs.

Taking our cue from the "triple bottom line" concept of financial health, environmental stewardship and social progress, our efforts since 2009 are seeing some results:

• Reduced energy consumption by 12 percent
• Reduced travel and meeting expenses by 48 percent
• Reduced paper consumption by 30 percent
• Further reduction of an additional 17 to 30 percent expected from new printers with "greener" functionality
• Network printers use paper containing 30 percent post-consumer content

Expanding Existing Programs

We examined our current practices to see where we could have greater reach.

Transit. Going beyond subsidizing mass transit, Cambia offers:

• Zipcar car sharing with no application fee, half-off annual membership fee and discounted rates to Portland/Seattle employees
• Support of employee-led bike commuter initiative; our effort to be a bicycle-friendly business earned us a bronze medal from the League of American Bicyclists

Green buildings. All facilities will integrate some LEED principles such as:

• Having minimal impact on indoor air quality
• Being made from recycled or easily recyclable materials
• Being manufactured by companies recognized for their sustainable products and processes

Building stronger communities. Working toward social progress through:

• Grants to support health clinics in our communities
• 50 percent match of employee giving campaign to support nonprofits
• Volunteer opportunities through our Community Investment program
• Worksite wellness opportunities: encouragement, support and rewards

Integrating Sustainable Practices

Our goal in the years ahead is to expand and build on this early start, to embed sustainability into our culture and operations through:

• Building sustainability criteria into our purchasing and vendor management evaluation processes
• Adopting "green" meeting and travel practices
• Implementing "green teams" across more Cambia locations to engage front-line employees as ambassadors of our sustainability program

Long-Term Commitment: "Greener" Pastures

We recognize that we have only begun to scratch the surface in our efforts to become a more sustainable organization. We still have a lot to learn and a lot to do. Along the way, we hope to inspire others the way "green" companies have inspired us, further extending the reach of sustainability.