Celebrating Earth Day: How FMP Builds a Culture of Sustainability, Together!

At FMP, sustainability is the result of intentional choices, at both the organizational and individual levels, that reinforce one another over time. Our corporate practices create the foundation for our sustainable workplace: working in an efficient building, encouraging reusable items, and prioritizing responsible partnerships. However, it is up to individuals to bring these systems to life through daily choices, interactions, and changes. In our experience, aligning corporate commitment and personal actions helps build a culture of sustainability that continuously evolves over time, unified by a commitment to a better future. FMP uses Earth Day as a reminder of our responsibility to protect the planet and an opportunity to celebrate the sustainable habits we’ve built together.

Corporate & Operational Commitment: Designing Sustainability into Where We Work

As an organization, we are proud of FMP’s commitment to environmental stewardship. FMP facilitates sustainable workplace practices, as displayed through the efforts below:

• Rethinking refreshments is one way that FMP has reduced our collective waste over the past several years. By removing our Keurig machines, we eliminated approximately 6,000 non‑recyclable K‑cups each year from our waste stream. We also replaced plastic sparkling water bottles with a Bevi dispensing system that tracks our impact, saving more than 20,180 bottles to date. To further support this effort, FMP’s kitchen is fully stocked with reusable glasses, mugs, plates, and silverware, which eliminates the need for single‑use plastics and paper products.
• FMP’s Shirlington Office is a LEED certified (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) building, which means it operates with sustainability and energy efficiency as a top priority. Simply put, the building works smarter so we can work greener. Our office space is run with sustainable practices, such as motion‑sensor lighting and regular energy checks to prevent wasted electricity.
• Recycling wherever there’s waste is one way that FMP encourages sustainability. In our office, next to every trash can is an accompanying recycling bin, with clear signage to help us do our part and comply with Arlington County’s recycling standards.

Individual Impact: Empowering Sustainable Choices

While organizational practices matter, sustainability relies on individual participation and empowerment to really thrive. Over time, small individual habits and choices can compound to create a larger impact for our planet.  At FMP, we advocate for sustainability through access, encouragement, and leading by example:

• Reusable water bottles and travel mugs are given to new employees as a gift from FMP during onboarding. Employees are encouraged to use these environmentally friendly items, as they help FMP maintain our low single-use footprint.
• Bike to Work Day is a fun way to encourage lower emissions from our employees on their commute to work. While traveling via bike provides numerous health and social benefits, there are environmental reasons to consider as well. In 2022, transportation accounted for the largest portion (28%) of total U.S. greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. While that includes cars, trucks, aircraft, and other vehicles, 57% of the total transportation GHG emissions were from light-duty vehicles like passenger cars. Further, for each mile driven, the average passenger vehicle emits about 400 grams of CO₂, making commuting a major environmental concern. Not only does FMP’s dedicated Bike to Work Day combat this issue, it also opens the door for new habits and patterns to develop.

Culture of Sustainability: Where Corporate and Individual Efforts Meet

At FMP, the culture of sustainability excels when corporate initiatives and individual actions reinforce each other. FMP’s Sustainability Committee was established to connect our corporate commitment to our daily culture, making sustainability actionable and accessible for our entire workforce. The committee champions smarter, greener practices across the company and fosters open conversations around sustainability through the efforts below:

• FMP’s third Secondhand Market is happening this month! This “buy nothing” market is like a yard sale, where everything is free. It promotes sustainable practices such as reducing waste, promoting sustainable consumption, and supporting charitable causes. Employees sign-up in advance to bring in any items they no longer need, or plan to get rid of. Throughout the day, employees peruse and ‘shop’ the market to take home some great items at no cost at all! We’ve had some incredible finds ranging from table linens and gardening tools to books and craft supplies. Afterall, one FMPer’s trash is another FMPer’s treasure! At the end of the day, all items left over are donated to charity.
• Collecting electronics to recycle is another one of the Sustainability Committee’s ongoing green practices. What started as an annual E-Recycle drive now exists as a standing bin in the office for employees to drop off old batteries, cords/ wires, and other small electronic devices at any time throughout the year. Keeping this bin available year-round ensures that electronics are responsibly recycled and/ or disposed of. Over the last 18 months, our employees have filled the bin three times! If this bin didn’t exist, most of these items would’ve likely been improperly disposed of in household trash.

This Earth Day, we’re proud of the progress we’ve made so far and excited about what’s next! Like any strong approach should, our sustainability journey is continuously evolving. By combining thoughtful organizational practices and employee engagement, we can share the commitment to protecting our planet.

Sustainability Call to Action: This Earth Day, we invite our employees, partners, and community to join us in our efforts…share an idea, adopt one new sustainable habit, or start a conversation about how we can continue building a more sustainable future together. You can think locally about your immediate home or community, or think big picture about your workplace, supply chains and partnerships. Join us as we better ourselves for a better future!

Natalie Johnson joined FMP as a Human Capital Consultant in June 2022. She earned her Master’s in Industrial-Organizational Psychology from George Mason University. During her undergraduate time at The College of New Jersey, she studied Psychology with an Industrial-Organizational concentration, and minored in business and human resources management. Natalie has worked with organizations to improve their effectiveness in multiple capability areas. At FMP, she primarily works in Change Management and Communications as well as Employee Recognition and Engagement.