ISL Recognized for Workplace Composting Initiative

Edmonton engineers' innovative action recognized as "Clean and Green"

ISL Engineering and Land Services Ltd. has been recognized for its contribution to the environment by the Government of Alberta's One Simple Act program (Click here to go to the original article.and a related article in the Edmontonian), a provincial initiative encouraging Albertans to make sustainable choices at home, at work, and at school that will all add up to make a big difference to Alberta's environment.

 With composting and recycling programs now firmly established in their office, ISL Edmonton's 160 staff are diverting thousands of kilograms of waste from Edmonton's landfill each year. The composting program diverts about 190 kilograms of refuse each month to the City of Edmonton Compost Facility, under a working arrangement with Inglis Environmental, an Edmonton company specializing in compost and environmental remediation.

ISL is the first corporate office in Edmonton, and the only non-hospitality/tourism business, to implement a workplace program to divert their compost. It is just one of three Edmonton companies currently diverting compost to the City's composting facility. Combined with its paper and plastic recycling program, and at no additional operational cost, ISL Edmonton is now diverting about 75 percent of its total waste from the landfill.

"Sustainability is probably the fastest growing factor in today's market. Our office compost program is one simple way to do our part in the workplace," said Gary Mack, President and CEO of ISL. "It's a success because it started with one employee's idea and commitment, and now we all participate whole-heartedly."

ISL's Corporate Sustainability Team developed a Sustainability Action Plan for 2008-2009 to guide staff on making sustainable choices and to help incorporate sustainability into the company's business model. In addition to the compost program, other ISL Edmonton workplace sustainability efforts include using only Forest Stewardship Council certified paper with 100 percent post-consumer waste content, and upgrading their building's HVAC system to a high-efficiency model.

ISL has also recently purchased a company SMART car for business use by staff.

"I bike to work, so it's great to have the SMART car here when I need to get to client and project site meetings", said Marcel Huculak, an ISL Sustainability Team member.

Similar sustainability initiatives are in place or planned for ISL offices in Grande Prairie, Red Deer, Calgary, Lethbridge, Burnaby, Langley, and Squamish.