Ruby Receptionists was recently honored to receive a RecycleWorks Award from the City of Portland’s Office of Sustainable Development. RecycleWorks is an amazing program encouraging local businesses to engage in environmentally friendly practices. We are proud to join the list of Portland-area businesses dedicated to sustainable practices.
We could not have earned this award without the hard work and dedication of Charlene, our Ruby in charge of Human Resources and Accounting. Charlene spearheaded the effort to reduce waste and increase green practices throughout the office. Because we are a virtual receptionist company, we are fortunate to naturally use little paper and produce minimal waste. A specialist from RecycleWorks visited our office and determined that our main source of waste was from food eaten during the lunch hour. To counter this trend, Charlene implemented Ruby’s lunchtime waste reduction campaign. The campaign rewards staff members for bringing or buying waste-free lunches, or eating meals that create only recyclable waste. Our staff was happy to modify their lunchtime practices, and improvements were immediately discernable. Ruby’s daily trash output has since decreased substantially, and many more recyclable materials are finding their way into the appropriate bins rather than garbage cans.
Above, Charlene (left) accepts the RecycleWorks Award.
Our RecycleWorks representative presented us with the award during a company-wide staff meeting last month. It felt great to acknowledge the changes we have made, and recognize their importance. Thanks to Charlene, RecycleWorks, and our thoughtful, earth-conscious staff, being green has become a way of life Ruby Receptionists.
