One Million Acts of Green
Last fall, BMO accepted the One Million Acts of Green (OMAOG) challenge and encouraged other companies to do the same. OMAOG is a social networking initiative that encourages Canadians to incorporate everyday “acts of green” into their lives. The goal, to collectively reach one million acts of green, was attained in early 2009. Pictured (left to right) are BMO Financial Group’s President and CEO, Bill Downe, with Ula Ubani, Director, Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability, and Jim Johnston, Director, Environmental Sustainability.
We are committed to educating our employees about environmental issues. We encourage our employees to participate in our environmental programs, and to bring ideas to us.
On Earth Day 2009, we launched an Employee Environment Site on the BMO intranet. The site is a place for us to communicate with our employees about our programs, raise awareness about the ways our employees can get involved in our environmental initiatives, and provide tips for saving energy at home and at work. It’s also a place where employees can exchange views about environmental issues and share their accomplishments with each other.
We also have an environmental email address where employees can send questions, comments and suggestions, and a member of the Environmental Sustainability Office will respond.
Employee Volunteer Day in the U.S.
We provide opportunities and encourage employees to volunteer their time in the communities where they live and work. In 2008, more than 700 employees were able to lend a hand to 36 agencies and community centers in Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, New York, and Texas. Volunteers planted gardens, painted walls, organized storage rooms, washed vans, read to children, and so much more.
Environmental Ambassadors
We have a growing team of volunteers. We refer to them as environmental ambassadors at BMO and they support the Environmental Sustainability Office in raising employee awareness with environmental initiatives. Our ambassadors are dedicated to educating their colleagues and promoting environmental programs aimed at reducing the environmental impacts of our operations. These programs focus on those elements contained within The BMO ECO5 Strategy.
Environmental Ambassadors may also be involved in:
- Identifying opportunities for improvement and sharing them with the Environmental Sustainability Office and other Environmental Ambassadors.
- Posting environmental awareness reminders at work, such as “lights out” reminders in meeting rooms.
