June 28, 2010
Professional Engineers Ontario (PEO) won the nation-wide search to find the greenest information technology (IT) department, the Quest for Canada’s Smartest IT, at its Toronto gala on June 16, 2010.
The annual campaign is run by Info-Tech Research Group to recognize and
reward the smartest and greenest mid-market IT departments. PEO’s CEO
and registrar Kim Allen says: “I’m very proud of the leadership role
our information and technology services (I&TS) department has taken
in establishing and maintaining green initiatives as well as their
commitment to making PEO a healthier and greener corporate citizen.”
PEO’s I&TS department has engaged in numerous projects in its commitment to making the association greener, including:
– Outsourcing and consolidating its servers, and virtualizing the test development;
– Replacing 104 personal inkjet printers with 13 energy efficient laser and five multifunctional printers;
– Engaging vendors and purchasing energy efficient computer supplies and printers;
– Replacing fax machines with a FoIP (fax over Internet protocol)
solution that allows staff to send and receive faxes from their
desktops;
– Embracing innovative meeting room and conference technology to reduce the need for travel;
– Incorporating the use of motion detectors to ensure lights are turned off when rooms are empty; and,
– Reviewing all business processes to determine opportunities to reduce paper and waste.
Additionally, PEO created a Green Team – led by the manager of Internet
services, Paula Habas – to ensure sustainability efforts are
incorporated into every aspect of the association. The Green Team has
also been working with architects and office designers to stick to
their initiatives by transforming their building through Leadership
Energy Environmental Design (LEED) certification, carbon reduction, and
procuring energy efficient products and services.
The team has also teamed up with Toronto Public Health and has designed
programs to engage PEO employees in green awareness, such as a steps
challenge that encourages using the stairs instead of elevators.
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