CSR Exemplified: Climate Wise Program Forges Viable Public & Private Partnership

Looking for a an example of a successful CSR public and private partnership? Here's one worth checking out.

In Fort Collins, CO, the Climate Wise program has a 10-year history of demonstrating that a municipality that sponsors a program aimed at businesses interested in CSR can make a difference in a community. In a nutshell, Climate Wise reaches out to businesses wishing to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and save money. Climate Wise staff empowers organizations to reduce their waste, conserve energy and water and lower their transportation footprint. The CSR proof is in the pudding. Consider these facts.

In 2009 the collective efforts of approximately 200 local partners, large and small, saved those organizations $8.4 million and slashed COe2 (carbon dioxide equivalent) emissions by a whopping 116,907 tons. In case you wonder what 116,000+ tons of greenhouse gas emissions looks like, imagine the equivalent of planting 9.3 million trees. Or think of a stretch of highway on which you remove 16,600 cars off the road in one year. These are the kinds of results that are likely to leave a grin on the face of most CSR officers. There are more gee-whiz factoids, too.

Last year partners diverted in excess of 110,000 tons of waste from reaching the landfill, thanks to their reducing, reusing and recycling efforts. For a quick mental visual , picture 7,900 public transportation buses. They weight roughly that 100,000 tons. Businesses also saved 5 billion gallons of water, the equivalent amount that it would take to fill a Fort Collins community pool 24,000 times. In regards to energy, they reduced the equivalent of the yearly energy use of 33,600 homes--that's about 369 million kWh (kilowatts per hour). Incidentally, the yearly natural gas use in 13,300 homes, or 9.4 million therms, is what these businesses saved cumulatively as well.

In exchange for their voluntary participation, the CSR-focused partners receive technical assessments of their operations, mentoring opportunities, public recognition and the chance to attend training opportunities and an annual recognition event. The program is structured around a four-tiered partnership level--platinum, gold, silver and bronze. The more ambitious a company becomes in pursuing more rigorous environmental goals, the higher milestone criteria.

Climate Wise has received local, national, regional and international recognition. Businesses and municipalities far and wide have knocked on the doors of City staff to get advice on establishing similar programs in their own backyards. Amongst its accolades are innovation and outstanding achievement awards from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government as well as the Alliance for Innovation.