Bank of America Employees Award Ocean Conservancy through Sustainability Contest
Published by Ocean Conservancy
One thing I love about the International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) is the way it brings people together and inspires environmental stewardship well past any single-day effort of collecting trash. Ultimately, the ICC is about people and community. And a great example of this is the partnership we’ve formed with Bank of America (BofA) over the years.
For a multinational company with more than 200,000 employees like Bank of America Merrill Lynch (BAML), building a sense of camaraderie and community can be a challenge. Employees are scattered all across the globe, in different time zones, speaking different languages… But one thing that unites them—and that unites all of us—is the ocean, and the International Coastal Cleanup has served as the perfect platform for bringing BAML staff together in a positive way. That’s why since 2000, Bank of America Merrill Lynch has been a sponsor of Ocean Conservancy’s annual ICC, providing resources to support cleanup partners around the world and activating their own employees through signature BAML-run cleanup events. Where there are no BAML-run cleanups, employees still participate by finding local cleanups organized by other ICC partners.
Over time, the ICC has become a beloved staple of BAML’s corporate culture—so beloved, in fact, that earlier this year Ocean Conservancy was honored to be chosen by BAML employees to receive a special prize donation as part of the company’s Recycle Now campaign.
Here’s how it worked:
In an effort to meet the company’s broader sustainability goals, BAML launched a three-week campaign this past June to encourage its employees to reduce waste and recycle more through a special incentive system, wherein certain sustainability actions (such as bringing a reusable water bottle to work) were assigned a point value. At certain point thresholds, employees—organized into teams—could choose to make BAML-sponsored donations to one of two organizations, including Ocean Conservancy. At the end of the cycle, the team with the most points would choose a winning organization to receive a final donation. In August, Ocean Conservancy was announced the winner!
We were thrilled and grateful to be selected by BAML staff, and impressed by Bank of America Merrill Lynch’s deep commitment to sustainability. As a company, they walk the talk, constantly encouraging employees to think about their footprint and live more sustainable lives, one small action at a time. And I believe their Recycle Now campaign could serve as a model for other companies—everyone loves a little competition, after all.
But as importantly, we were moved to see just how powerful and inspiring the International Coastal Cleanup has been for staff. That they chose Ocean Conservancy for their winning prize is a testament to the legacy and impact of the ICC, showing us that grassroots efforts can change hearts and minds and move us toward a future of trash free seas.
So thank you to BAML employees all around the world; we are already looking forward to celebrating next year’s International Coastal Cleanup with you!
The post Bank of America Employees Award Ocean Conservancy through Sustainability Contest appeared first on Ocean Conservancy.
Read the full article at: https://oceanconservancy.org/blog/2017/10/02/bank-america-employees-award-ocean-conservancy-sustainability-contest/
