What began as an aspiration in late 2008 “to do everything thru the lens of sustainability” has now become a way of life at Clarke. Proof of that came in November 2016 when Clarke received its third Illinois Governor’s Sustainability Award.
The Illinois Sustainable Technology Center (ISTC) and the Office of the Governor honored 25 Illinois companies and organizations for their significant achievements in energy efficiency, waste reduction, pollution prevention and environmental programming. Since 1987, the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center, a division of the Prairie Research Institute at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, has presented Governor’s Awards to organizations in Illinois that have demonstrated a commitment to environmental excellence through outstanding and innovative sustainability practices.
Recognized for Six Major Initiatives
The honor received was based on Clarke’s progress against six key initiatives in 2015, including:
- On-site renewable energy – Completed installation of 280 rooftop solar panels, 20 exterior facade awning solar panels, and a 48-panel carport charging station.
- Carbon reduction – Completed installation of an 8-vehicle electric car charging station at the Clarke headquarters in St. Charles, IL.
- Energy efficiency – Efforts at all Illinois locations reduced electrical consumption by 28.4% and natural gas usage by 35.6% – equal to a carbon emissions reduction of 113 metric tonnes.
- Global reporting initiative – Completed our first stakeholder materiality survey with 196 internal and 132 external stakeholders, assessing the importance of six key areas: products & services, financial, human resources, social responsibility, environmental and governance.
- Community involvement – Clarke coworkers contributed 3,717 hours of paid in-community volunteer time.
- Philanthropy – Awarded $161,000 to 7 non-profit organizations around the world focused on environmental protection through its Give to Tomorrow grant program.
