Our organization has calculated a greenhouse gas baseline, using World Resources Institute. This baseline helps to define a starting point against which future progress can be measured.

Our organization has a Social Responsibility Manager responsible for addressing internal sustainability issues.  This position, within the Public Affairs department, is a staff member in charge of strategy, policy, communications (internal and external), employee engagement, and measuring and reducing environmental impact.  They work with a volunteer, a cross-functioning Green Team and an executive Social Responsibility Steering Committee.

Our company executes the following internal GHG-reducing actions:

• Employee Transportation Incentives
• Pre-tax commuter benefits
• Subsidized Transit Passes
• Bike to Work Day incentives
• Energy-Efficiency and Production
• Performs Energy Audits
• Installs energy-efficient lighting or CFL’s
• Energy Star and/or EPEAT-certified computing products, appliances, lighting, etc.
• Waste Management
• Provides composting
• Provide Recycling
• Waste Audits
• Water
• Installed high-efficiency toilets
• Installed high-efficiency faucets

Our organization engages employees around sustainability and provides them with sustainable employee benefits. We do this by:

• Holding employee education/training programs on climate change or sustainability
  
• Providing resources for employees to help them calculate and reduce their personal environmental footprint
  
• Having a green employee pledge & a team recognition program for reducing environmental impact

Our organization is not becoming a Certified Green Business because we cannot meet the requirement of 100% recycled paper for our member communications.  However, our organization is pursuing the following certifications:

• EPEAT
  
• FSC
  
• Other responsible forestry designations
  

Environmental factors are important to our organization when selecting an office space.  When doing so, we take the following environmental factors into account:

• Minimal square footage
  
• Close proximity to public transportation
  
• Janitorial Practices (including cleaning and waste management)
  

Our organization's Bay Area buildings and buildings outside the Bay Area are LEED and/or Energy Star-certified.

Our organization practices the following as a part of our formal policy:

• Use green work procedures: Compostable dining ware, double-sided printing, green cleaning products, non-toxic paints, recycled materials, reduction of bottled water, etc.
  

Our organization has made supply chain improvements through our:

• Office supplies: Switched to 30% PCW office copy paper in 2010; approved green office products for employee purchasing
  

Our organization engages clients on climate issues through:

• Hosting climate-focused community events at the company
  
• Our company website
  
• Facebook
  
• Twitter
  

Our organization engages employees on climate issues through:

•  Sustainable resources/information for staff: Employee pledge, green website
  
•  Employee website
  

Our organization has invited non-member companies to participate in BC3 events as guests.  Increasing BC3's membership and network helps us develop a critical mass of businesses to fight climate change. 

Our organization would be willing to share our experience about our community leadership as a member of BC3.

We actively engage with policy members through signing on to a joint statement on climate: BC3 COP 15 letter.

Our organization is also engaged in industry advocacy, business coalitions, supply chain management or other initiatives related to climate change.  

Over the past year, members of our organization have collaborated with other BC3 members by:

• Attending BC3 events
  
• Collaborating on a BC3 event content
  
•  Providing mentorship or advice to a member or internal implementation
  

Our organization uses LinkedIn, which provides avenues for communication and discussion on climate-related news and issues among BC3 members.

We are willing to provide the following resources within the BC3 network:

• Provide testimonial
  
• Sponsor green activities
  

We feel that BC3 members can collaborate with one another to more effectively address climate change through expanding events to more than members in order to recruit.  Our organization likes the idea of experts in subject areas listed above presenting what their company has done, via BC3 events/brownbags, etc.

Our organization shares its greenhouse gas baseline publicly at www.blueshieldca.com/socialresponsibility

Our organization communicates progress on its climate goals:

• Internally
• Monthly/quarterly bulletins or newsletters
• Meetings
• Other: Green Website
• Externally
• Our organization’s website
• BC3 Participation