Broan NuTone and Menkes Property Management Services take home top prize in Green Procurement Challenge

- Companies invited to join the People Power Challenge Green Building Competition that starts March 1 -

TORONTO, Feb. 21, 2013 /CNW/ - Purchasing decisions have a significant impact on the environment, and offer a huge opportunity to reduce an organization's environmental footprint.  The Green Procurement Challenge was the first competition of the 2013 People Power Challenge, a year long competition designed to encourage staff to generate ways to improve their company's environmental performance and reduce its costs. The Green Procurement Challenge, which ended on February 28, challenged companies to examine the procurement of services or products through a sustainability lens.

"Employees are a company's best resource for new and effective ideas to reduce costs and improve processes," said Jennifer Taves, Project Manager, Partners in Project Green. "Partners in Project Green congratulates Broan NuTone and Menkes Property Management Services for successfully getting their employees to drive the sustainability agenda forward in their procurement of products and services."

The SME winner (499 employees or less) is Broan NuTone, who also won the 2012 People Power Challenge (they won all three sub-challenges, and the Grand Prize).  They earned 39 points for engaging employees in Green Procurement, and for changing purchases to more sustainable options.

"Broan-NuTone Canada takes great pride in our record for continuously improving our sustainability systems," said John Martinovic, Director of Operations, Broan NuTone Canada Inc., "Once again the Partners in Project Green 2013 People Power challenge has provided us with a detailed playbook for implementing this type of improvement in the area of Green Procurement.  Our Eco-Net Green Team finds it quite effective to follow the steps laid out in the scorecard for each challenge, implement the required systems, and then achieve the results!"

The Large Enterprise winner (500 employees or more) is Menkes Property Management Services.  Menkes engaged employees in Green Procurement through a comprehensive communications strategy, and examined its purchases to include more sustainable choices.

"The People Power Challenge is a powerful program that provides a special opportunity to connect our employees and tenants, while documenting our achievements and engagement along the way" says Elena Muto, General Manager of 4711 Yonge Street, Menkes Property Management Services Ltd. "We are honoured to have received this distinguished award and that our efforts in sustainable purchasing have been recognized."

Other participating companies in the Green Procurement Challenge include: Ontario Natural Food Co-op, Canadian Tire Brampton, Canadian Tire AJ Billes, Halsall Associates, Husky Injection Molding, and Region of Peel. All organizations all gained engaged employees, suggestions for improving purchasing performance, and are in the running to win the People Power Challenge Grand Prize at the end of the year.

Companies can still sign up for the Green Building Challenge that starts March 1. This Challenge focuses on helping you mobilize your staff on Green Building management and maintenance projects. There is no cost to participate, and the People Power Challenge is open to any company in the GTA. Visit www.partnersinprojectgreen.com/ppc2013 to get started.

ABOUT PARTNERS IN PROJECT GREEN
Partners in Project Green is a growing community of businesses working together to green their bottom line by creating an internationally recognized eco-business zone around Toronto Pearson. Through new forms of business-to-business collaboration, Partners in Project Green delivers programming that helps businesses reduce energy and resource costs, uncover new business opportunities, and address everyday operational challenges in a green and cost-effective manner.

SOURCE: Partners in Project Green

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