Companies are increasingly realizing the importance of going green

Companies are increasingly realizing the importance of going green. The 2011 Carbon Disclosure Project report, prepared for 551 signatory institutional investors representing $71 trillion of assets, shows that the majority of US companies are taking climate change action, despite an absence of mandatory rule. In addition to a desire to be more socially responsible, companies now understand how being seen as green benefits their business. 

• A study ”The Value of Green: The Effect of Environmental Rankings on Market Cap”  by N Blumenshine of Middlebury College concluded that “companies with high environmental rankings have higher market cap values than comparable companies with lower rankings”.
• Findings in Australia by Nielsen, the market research firm, found that 68%  of consumers are willing to pay more for products from companies who support worthy causes concerned with the environment
• According to an Ipsos Mori survey, 80% of respondents across 15 developed nations would prefer working for a company that “has a good reputation for environmental responsibility” – the figure was 81% in the U.S.
• A poll on green employment by MonsterTRAK.com, a job website, found that 92% would be more inclined to work for a company that is environmentally friendly.
• Cassandra Walsh, an HR coordinator at an IT company, and Adam Sulkowski, an assistant professor, analyzed 113 companies from the S&P 250 and concluded that ”Employees are more likely to be satisfied with their jobs if they work for a company that’s perceived to be environmentally friendly”.  A firm’s financial performance had no correlation with employee happiness levels, the researchers found.
• HSBC, which employs more than 300,000 staff worldwide, has been running a “climate champion” program since 2007. When HSBC staff were asked how they felt about working at the bank, Mr Thomas says the highest scoring item was the company’s sustainability work. (Financial Times, March 21, 2011)
• Gallup’s surveys suggest Indians are more worried about their environment than are people in rich countries (The Economist, Dec 17-30, 2011)

Reducing carbon emissions and shifting to cleaner technology are long-term and costly solutions. A simple, easy and effective way for a company to go green is to plant trees. Trees provide flowers, fruit, fodder and fuel to communities and living creatures, improve water catchment areas, offer shade to nomads and their livestock, prevent soil erosion and give shelter to birds and animals and benefit posterity while decarbonising the world.

Grow-Trees.com gives companies an easy way to go green by allowing them to plant trees with just a few clicks at Rs. 50 per tree. Each tree planted can be gifted out to a recipient through a tree-dedication certificate. Companies are planting trees to celebrate employee birthdays and anniversaries, to honour new and loyal customers, to honour speakers, to recognize dealers and distributors, for new Facebook fans, as part of CSR or to offset emissions.

Grow-Trees has planted over 406,000 trees on public and community lands across India. Over 130 companies such as Thomas Cook, SBI Life Insurance, Panasonic, DHL, Nokia, Franklin Templeton, Kotak Credit Cards and Mahindra Reva have planted trees through Grow-Trees.  Allowing companies to satisfy a private purpose while doing social good by planting trees is a novel way to increase the green cover of the world.

Content Source : http://rise.mahindra.com/why-are-companies-going-green/

How to lighten Anxiety at Employment

Stress at the workplace is a trend that has seen a phenomenal rise in the last few decades. Life is on a very fast pace, technology has made many advances and people are working under higher and higher pressure. Increased use of computers has also generated specific problems. Every occupation has specific stress problems these days, giving birth to the whole new concept of occupational therapy.

While specific problems have to be treated with advice from a specialist, here are a few tips to help you relieve stress at work.

Pay attention to your breathing. This is something everyone from ancient gurus to new age therapists give a lot of importance. For instance, when you have to make or answer a phone call, take a few (three at a minimum) slow and deep breaths. 

Have your meals and snacks sitting down. Avoid hurried eating while you stand or drive to work. It would be a good idea to have your lunch with colleagues, as long as they are not the sort to rehash all the stress during lunch hour.

Listen to an inspirational lecture as you drive to work and some soft music on the way back. 

Spirituality helps. Whether you believe in god or not, feelings of gratitude for the good thing you have make a lot of difference to how you feel. The saying ‘count your blessings’ has a lot of truth in it.

Another concept is forgiveness. If you can think of those people who may have hurt or harmed you and still wish them success, you are bound to feel less burdened. 

Deep breathing and releasing the tension associated with the thoughts will help in the process.

Live every day as if it is your last day. Make it the best day in your life. 

Some of these tips are about attitudes. Practicing these attitudes will help you feel happier and thus reduce the psychological part related with stress. 

                Get on the road to a stress free & Successful life with them.