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On June 25, Mascoma Bank’s B Corp Environment Impact Team hosted its first Waste Characterization Day. In an effort to reduce the Bank’s impact on the environment, the team’s long-term goal is for the Bank to be zero waste. To get there, we first needed to understand what—exactly—is in the waste.
A team of courageous bank professionals donned gloves to sort through waste from several different branches. With an aim toward gaining accurate data, the team sourced waste from smaller branches (such as Route 120 in Hanover) to the Operations Center, which can see several hundred visitors and employees every workday. With a deep breath, the team attacked the trash, sifting through all sorts of treasure and curiosities: unopened tea bags, banana peels, expired cans of soup, and an astonishing number of paperclips.
Bank president and CEO Clay Adams said, “This is the type of forward-thinking action we encourage at Mascoma. If we want to ‘Use business as a force for good’ as Certified B Corporations are charged to do, the environmental aspect of our work needs to be front of mind. I look forward to hearing the results of this group’s work as we strive for zero waste.”
Impact Team Chair Cailin McMurdo-Minnich praised the team and their willingness to get to work to help reduce the Bank’s environmental footprint. “Sometimes, in the day-to-day world of finance, it can be hard to remember that Mascoma is a community bank in every sense of the word. We want to lead by example, and the group here today is totally committed to reducing the waste the bank generates. I appreciate their work ethic and their commitment to this important cause.”
The team will report on their findings to the Bank’s Senior Leadership Team and propose a course of action to move the Bank closer to zero waste.
There are hundreds of B Corps worldwide, including dozens of familiar names in Vermont and New Hampshire (Ben & Jerry’s, Seventh Generation, King Arthur Baking Company, Gardener’s Supply, Badger Body & Skin Care, the Alchemist) and nationwide (Patagonia, Cotopaxi, Bombas, Athleta, Uncommon Goods). Mascoma Bank is proud to be among this group of forward-thinking companies.
We encourage to you to view the Mascoma Bank annual impact report here.