Boston Nonprofit Ceres Stresses Green Effort

Its philosophy: Good environmental policy is good for business
Mar 10, 2015 2:05 PM ET
Mindy Lubber is chief executive of Ceres, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year.

Originally posted on the Boston Globe.

By Jill Terreri Ramos

In 2007, the technology giant EMC Corp. turned to a Boston nonprofit to help it become more environmentally sensitive — but worried that relations could become tense.

The nonprofit, Ceres, insisted that the Hopkinton company open its boardroom to financial, environmental, and social issue specialists, including critics ready to tell executives things they might not want to hear. But the relationship proved productive, and EMC, by one measure, reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent from 2005 and energy consumption per employee by more than 35 percent.

“The intent is not to get yelled at,” said Kathrin R. Winkler, EMC chief sustainability officer. “The intent is to collaborate to find ways to move the needle.”

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