Living Planet @ Work Champion of the month: Laura Vaughan

By Sarah Bertollo
One of my favourite aspects of working on WWF’s Living Planet @ Work program is getting to know the champions who have signed up to the program on behalf of their workplace.   Here’s a snapshot from my recent conversation with Laura Vaughan at the Waterloo Wellington Community Care Access Centre.

Laura Vaughan of the Waterloo Wellington Community Care Access Centre.

What made you decide to join Living Planet @ Work?
Our Green Team decided to join Living Planet @ Work because we felt it was a great opportunity to access WWF resources and support to help launch and build our program.   Our goal is to become an environmental leader.  We think this program will help us reduce environmental footprint to our fullest capacity.
What has been your favourite aspect of the program so far?
 
The abundance of resources and tools available, as well as the personal guidance offered.
What are your sustainability goals this year?
We’re looking at a number of key conservation themes—from trimming waste, to greening your ride, to conserving water.  We’re really looking forward to participating in events like Earth Hour, National Sweater Day and the Great Canadian Shoreline Clean Up.  We’re even planning an event of our own:  a “Think Global, Eat Local” soup fundraiser, which will support WWF’s conservation efforts.
Why is sustainability important to you?  Why is it important to your workplace?
All the choices we make today will affect our future tomorrow.  Much of our daily lives are spent @ work.  Therefore, I feel organizations play a crucial role in the sustainability of our environment.
Here at work, we recognize our social responsibility to reduce our environmental impact as much as possible.   We are committed to making every effort to ensure that environmental responsibilities are an integral part of our performance.
What are you most excited for this year (with regards to conservation at work)?
 
In general, I am most excited for the employee engagement our environmental initiatives will generate in our workplace.  Moreover, I am excited to be able to report at the end of the year the positive impact we have made on the environment.
Do you have any tips for other green champions who are just starting out on this journey?
 
I would suggest that employee engagement is a key factor in the success of creating a Green Culture and the creation of a Green Team is essential.  Research and planning is required for success, so make sure you allot the time you need up front.
If you’d like to be a green leader at your workplace, check out the WWF Living Planet @ Work program and get started now!