Based on its widely recognized 100 Best Companies to Work For in Oregon project, the 100 Best Green Companies are determined by an anonymous employee survey and an independent assessmentof the employers’ sustainability practices.

For the third annual 100 Best Green Companies in 2011, SustainablePractices questions were incorporated into both the 100 Best Nonprofits survey, conducted April-June 2010 and the 100 Best Companies survey, conducted August-November 2010. Nearly 19,000 employees from 419 Oregon workplaces took part in these two surveys.

In late March, we will notify all comany and nonprofit survey participants whether or not they are a 100 Best Green Company. We weil celebrate these workplaces at a luncheon event on May 25, 2011 at the Hilton Portland & Executive Tower. 

SCORING

Employee ratings on satisfaction with and importance of sustainable practices for 15 survey statements count for 2/3 of each workplace's overall green score while 15 sustainable practice questions answered by the employer count for the remaining 1/3 out of 300 possible points.

GREEN EMPLOYEE SURVEY QUESTIONS

For each statement below, employees rate:
 • Satisfaction with the performance of their company in that area.
 • How important that particular item is to their overall satisfaction.

 1. Sustainability as part of the company’s mission
 2. Company’s written sustainability policy and statement of clear goals 
 3. Management support for sustainability including rewards and recognition for employee efforts toward goals
 4. Company’s measurement of progress toward sustainability and sharing of results internally and externally
 5. Workplace recycling of paper, glass, metals, packaging and other materials 
 6. Conservation of water, such as low-flow plumbing fixtures, no bottled water and native-plant landscaping
 7. Waste reduction, such as composting, reuse of materials, and minimal packaging
 8. Efforts to reduce use of toxic materials and chemicals
 9. Company’s sustainable purchasing choices, such as renting/borrowing instead of owning and/or considering purchases with low environmental impacts
 10. Support for alternatives to single-occupancy-vehicle commuting, such as public transit, carpools, telecommuting, walking and bicycling
 11. Company support and/or purchase of renewable power or carbon offsets
 12. Workplace practice of energy conservation, such as turning off unused equipment and use of compact- fluorescent/LED bulbs and high efficiency appliances
 13. Company efforts and steps to create green workplaces, such as LEED-certified buildings, weatherization, using recycled materials, solar panels, eco-roofs, etc.
 14. Company practice of buying local for materials, food, etc.
 15. Use of a green supply chain by choosing vendors and service providers who practice sustainability

GREEN EMPLOYER SURVEY QUESTIONS 

 1. Is sustainability part of the company’s mission? (Y/N)
 2. Does company have a written sustainability policy and a statement of clear goals? (Y/N)
 3. Does company reward and recognize employees for efforts toward sustainability goals? (Y/N)
 4. Does company measure progress toward sustainability and share results both internally and externally? (Y/N)
 5. Does company support and encourage recycling of paper, glass, metals, packaging and other materials at its Oregon sites? (Y/N)
 6. Does company conserve water, such as with low-flow plumbing fixtures, banning bottled water and native-plant landscaping? (Y/N)
 7. Is waste reduction, such as composting, reuse of materials, and minimal packaging, a regularly practiced policy at company sites? (Y/N)
 8. Does company take actions to reduce use of toxic materials and chemicals? (Y/N)
 9. Does company have a policy of making sustainable purchasing choices, such as renting/borrowing instead of owning and/or considering purchases with low environmental impact? (Y/N)
 10. Does company support and encourage alternatives to single-occupancy-vehicle commuting, such as public transit passes, carpools, telecommuting, walking and/or bicycling? (Y/N)
 11. Does company purchase or directly utilize renewable power and/or carbon offsets? (Y/N)
 12. Does company practice energy efficiency and conservation, such as turning off unused equipment and using compact- fluorescent/LED bulbs and high efficiency appliances? (Y/N)
 13. Has the company made its facilities and land more sustainable, such as selecting a LEED-certified building, weatherizing, rehabilitating an existing building with recycled materials, installation of solar panels, use of eco-roofs, etc? (Y/N)
 14. Does company support and encourage a policy of buying local for materials, food, etc.? (Y/N)
 15. Has company established a green supply chain, by choosing vendors and service providers who practice sustainability? (Y/N)

HOW TO APPLY

Companies interested in entering the survey should contact Brandon Sawyer, research editor, at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it . There is no cost to participate.

HISTORY

Sustainability is an important value and sustainable industries are acritical sector in Oregon. And green practices also are key to being a great place to work, according to a new survey by Oregon Business Magazine. To honor that, Oregon Business launched its first annual 100 Best Green Companies project in 2009.