Three Clark County Firms Link Environment and Business
bi-o-kleen, business, clark county, environment, seh america inc, vancouver-based businesses,
Three Vancouver-based businesses are proving that environmental stewardship is both good corporate citizenship and good business.
The 2007 Governor’s Award for Pollution Prevention and Sustainable Practices was presented to The Holland Inc., Bi-O-Kleen and SEH America Inc., setting Vancouver apart as the community with the most companies in the state of Washington to be recognized.
“These winners represent the best of the best at protecting the environment while running profitable businesses,” says Jay Manning, Department of Ecology director. “I never fail to be impressed by the creativity and vision displayed by these award winners. They show that in Washington you can protect the environment and succeed commercially at the same time.”
The Holland Inc., which is the parent company of Burgerville, a popular chain of fast-food restaurants in the Northwest, has successfully – and profitably – launched a host of green strategies.
“We began in 2007 with a recycling program, where we have a dozen restaurants actually composting,” says Jack Graves, The Holland’s chief cultural officer. “Between our composting and recycling programs, we are reducing by about 50 percent the total garbage going to the landfill.”
Once the program is fully on line, the company will see an 85 percent reduction. “That is a substantial impact,” says Graves, noting that this will cut Burgerville’s garbage bill by $100,000 annually. “While we’re doing the right thing, there is a business case for it.”
The company is also recycling its waste vegetable oil annually into about 77,000 gallons of bio-diesel – “the cleanest burning fuel there is,” says Graves.
In addition, 100 percent of Burgerville’s energy is backed by the green tax for wind power.
“When you look at those three things alone, you see that they are sustainable practices and contributing to pollution prevention,” says Graves.
The Holland is just as interested in implementing renewable resource practices relating to the human factor. The company’s health-care initiative, which provides employees with health, vision and dental insurance for just $15 a month, has reduced annual turnover rates from 130 percent to 54 percent in the first year. That has saved the company more than a half-million dollars in training and retention costs, says Graves.
“Our employees are happier, which means they come to work, and they work hard to keep their jobs,” he says.
SEH America Inc. produces silicon wafers for computer chips. The company succeeded in maintaining high quality while reducing and eliminating the use of toxic chemicals in the processing operations. In less than four years, SEH went from discharging 270,000 pounds of chromium-contaminated wastewater to zero, and reduced by three-quarters the amount of isopropyl alcohol used in processes.
Bi-O-Kleen, a manufacturer of non-toxic cleaners and detergents made from soy and citrus extracts, considers impacts to the environment in all aspects of operations. Bi-O-Kleen manufactures products from renewable resources and sells them in concentrated form to limit packaging.
“Bi-O-Kleen is honored to be recognized and awarded for our continued environmental efforts,” says Cindy Rimer, vice president of sales and marketing. “We are proud to be among some great Vancouver companies doing great things to better our planet.”
Story by Betsy Williams
Photo by Wes Aldridge
