CHICAGO (February 28, 2008) — According to eWeek magazine, only 7 percent of companies in the U.S. have fully implemented their IT green initiatives, and now The San Jose Group (SJG) has joined this elite group. The agency has incorporated a variety of policies to conserve energy and increase efficiency, from IT solutions to lights-out policies. SJG’s initiatives have resulted in 92.5 percent of its computers and monitors being energy efficient, a percentage that indicates top performance.
The term “going green” refers to any efforts designed to conserve natural resources and that often subsequently reduce demand for electrical power and carbon emissions when referring to IT specifically.
“Going green is benefiting our agency in several ways,” said David Follman, IT specialist at SJG. “Not only is it allowing our team to be environmentally conscious, but it also provides cost-saving solutions and increased efficiency.”
IT has led SJG’s most recent green initiatives as the agency has switched to the most energy efficient computers and monitors available outside of laptops. These new machines use 20 percent of the power consumption the normal desktop computers previously employed. Furthermore, all computers in the office are programmed to turn off at a set time every evening so that even if an employee forgets to shut down, the computer will not remain on all night, consuming precious resources.
IT initiatives are only half the solution. “Our entire office is dedicated to conserving energy and being environmentally conscious,” said Antonio Zamora, human resources manager at SJG. “Something as simple as sharing the responsibility of shutting off the lights in the office after each workday allows our employees to be actively invested in SJG’s green initiatives.”
SJG’s green policies began with strategic lighting choices. The agency uses energy-saving bulbs in place of regular ones and certain areas are on an automated motion-sensor switch so that lights don’t remain on when no one is using the area. Furthermore, SJG had implemented its lights-out policy several years ago. Employees are responsible for turning off lights in their office, and others are assigned to monitor shared areas.
A few years ago SJG also established an on-site recycling program in response to employee demand. Each employee now has their own recycling bin, ensuring that the commitment to environmentally-friendly practices is shared throughout the company.
About The San Jose Group
Incorporated in 1981, The San Jose Group specializes in developing innovative marketing communications solutions that connect brands and consumers to their core purpose. The agency is the anchor to The San Jose Network, Ltd., the largest group of marketing communications agencies serving U.S. Hispanic and Latin American markets. For more information, visit www.thesanjosegroup.com.