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Employees Identify Aon Hewitt’s “Green 30” Organizations Based on Eco-Friendly Programs and Practices
Workplace Perceptions of Employers’ Environmental Initiatives May Impact Employee Attraction and Retention
Toronto
NYSE: AON

TORONTO, April 28, 2011 — The list of Canada’s “Green 30”—organizations whose employees are most positive about their record on environmental stewardship—was released today by Aon Hewitt, the global human resource consulting and outsourcing business of Aon Corporation (NYSE:AON). The list (attached) was compiled from employee feedback using Aon Hewitt’s Employee Green Index, which focuses on employers’ environmental strategies and activities, and their efforts to consider long-term social, environmental and economic impacts when making decisions.

As part of the 2011 Best Employers in Canada and Best Small & Medium Employers in Canada studies, Aon Hewitt surveyed over 130,000 employees at more than 250 organizations regarding their employers’ commitment to environmental stewardship. At the Green 30 organizations, an average of 82 per cent of employees have a positive perception of their employers’ eco-friendly efforts. At the 30 organizations with the least positive reviews, that figure is 46 per cent.

“Our findings show that employees really see the difference when their employer is focused on developing and implementing environmentally-conscious policies and practices,” said Neil Crawford, Aon Hewitt’s leader of the Best Employers in Canada study. “Effective green programs and practices may persuade certain employees to join or stay with an organization. Certainly employee engagement scores at the Green 30 are higher than those at the 30 organizations that ranked lowest on the Employee Green Index—67 per cent for the Green 30 versus 46 per cent at the 30 lowest ranked employers.”

The Green 30 are more likely to implement practices and programs to support and reinforce their commitment to environmental stewardship, as the following table demonstrates:
 

Eco-Friendly Practice The Green 30 30 Lowest Ranked
Using environmentally preferred office equipment or supplies 96%
 
63%
 
Events to facilitate participation in Earth Day or Earth Hour 89% 61%
Program(s) to reduce Green House Gas emissions from business operations

85%

43%
Programs to reduce fuel use / emissions of  vehicle fleet 63% 14% 
Subsidize costs of storage / showers for employees who cycle to work 59%  45%
Pay for / subsidize carbon offsets related to business travel 27% 5%
Subsidize travel by public transit to work, or provide parking discounts for employees who drive alternative fuel vehicles to work 26% 23%

 “There are significant variations in the use of some of these practices amongst the Green 30,” stated Crawford. “Nevertheless, they all demonstrate real passion and commitment to reducing the impact of their business on the environment in the eyes of their employees.”

The Green 30 list appears in the May 9 issue of Maclean’s magazine, available on newsstands today, April 28, 2011.

Organizations that participate in the Best Small & Medium Employers in Canada (50 – 399 employees) or the Best Employers in Canada (400 or more employees) studies are automatically eligible for The Green 30 list.  The deadline to register for each studyand therefore be considered for the 2012 Green 30 listis May 31, 2011.  For more information and to register online, please visit www.hewitt.com/bestemployerscanada


About Aon Hewitt
Aon Hewitt is the global leader in human capital consulting and outsourcing solutions. The company partners with organizations to solve their most complex benefits, talent and related financial challenges, and improve business performance. Aon Hewitt designs, implements, communicates and administers a wide range of human capital, retirement, investment management, health care, compensation and talent management strategies. With more than 29,000 professionals in 90 countries, Aon Hewitt makes the world a better place to work for clients and their employees. For more information on Aon Hewitt, please visit www.AonHewitt.com.

 

About Aon
Aon Corporation (NYSE:AON) is the leading global provider of risk management services, insurance and reinsurance brokerage, and human resources solutions and outsourcing. Through its more than 59,000 colleagues worldwide, Aon unites to deliver distinctive client value via innovative and effective risk management and workforce productivity solutions. Aon's industry-leading global resources and technical expertise are delivered locally in over 120 countries. Named the world's best broker by Euromoney magazine's 2008, 2009 and 2010 Insurance Survey, Aon also ranked highest on Business Insurance's listing of the world's insurance brokers based on commercial retail, wholesale, reinsurance and personal lines brokerage revenues in 2008 and 2009. A.M. Best deemed Aon the number one insurance broker based on revenues in 2007, 2008 and 2009, and Aon was voted best insurance intermediary 2007-2010, best reinsurance intermediary 2006-2010, best captives manager 2009-2010, and best employee benefits consulting firm 2007-2009 by the readers of Business Insurance. Visit http://www.aon.com for more information on Aon and http://www.aon.com/manchesterunited to learn about Aon's global partnership and shirt sponsorship with Manchester United.

The list of The Green 30 of 2011 appears in the attached in alphabetical order.

 

Media Contact: 
Marcia McDougall
416-227-5713
marcia.mcdougall@aonhewitt.com
 

 

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