Reducing Our Impact
Omnicom is working with our networks and agencies to reduce our environmental impacts, especially when it comes to energy consumed for electricity. Omnicom aims to reduce overall consumption 10 to 20 percent from our 2008 baseline by 2013.
Energy Reduction Initiative
Electricity use at Omnicom accounts for more than a third of our total CO2 emissions. It also represents a significant expense for our company. To address both, we launched the Omnicom Energy Reduction Initiative in early 2010.
Specifically, we focus on:
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Green Building. We have several corporate initiatives to improve efficiency through renovations, technology improvements, energy purchases and collaboration with building owners.
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Lighting. We have special lighting efforts, designed to reduce the impact our commercial buildings have on global CO2 emissions.
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Computers and Office Equipment. Led by our Strategic Alliance Services (SAS), we use energy-efficient methods of procurement and seek out energy-efficient office equipment such as personal computers and servers, printers and paper sourcing.
Partnering with Agencies
Many Omnicom agencies also are passionate about environmental issues and have helped spark innovative solutions for their own agencies, and our entire network. Omnicom has developed a series of tools to support their efforts, including:
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Knowledge and Information Sharing. Through OmnicomLink, our agency service intranet site, we provide tools and training materials, gather feedback and highlight creative approaches to engage agency employees and develop programs for their offices.
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Training Materials. We offer a series of resources to support our Energy Reduction Initiative, including a "Quick Start Checklist" that provides a starting point for agency directors and their designees. These are also available through OmnicomLink.
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Support for Sustainability Committees. Omnicom encourages agencies to form active committees to reduce energy use and encourage sustainable practices. In turn, we provide them with supporting data, training, start-up ideas, promotional tools and ongoing advice.
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Real Estate Guidance. Our corporate Real Estate team works one-on-one with agencies to reduce electricity consumption.
Engaging Omnicom Employees
Hand in hand with our agencies, we have been taking simple steps at our Connecticut headquarters to encourage employees to adopt more sustainable practices. For example, we ask that employees turn off lights and power down computers at the end of the day. We also have a comprehensive recycling program and use high-efficiency, double-sided printing. In 2011, our Greenwich, Conn. office partnered with Apple to host the first electronics recycling day. We collected nearly two tons of equipment for recycling.