Poll: Workers prefer companies with eco-friendly practices

A majority of U.S. workers (64 percent) say that their decision to work for a company or purchase its products are "strongly" or "somewhat" influenced by a company's environmental practices or polices, according to a new survey conducted by Corporate Express US.

Corporate Express US Inc., part of the Dutch-based Corporate Express NV, is a leading business-to-business supplier in the U.S. of office and computer supplies, office furniture, facility supplies, document and print management, imaging and computer graphic supplies, promotional products and other similar products.

The survey gauged the attitudes and opinions of 7,660 office employees about the increasing trend of U.S. companies to incorporate environmentally friendly practices in the workplace. Respondents hailed from a wide array of industries – and ranged in position from the CEO level to administrative office assistants. According to the survey, American preferences toward environmental safeguards in the office continue to increase. The survey found that:

• Approximately two out of three workers at companies without environmental policies would like to see such policies implemented in their office
• 83 percent of employees would like to see their companies use environmentally friendly cleaning chemicals in their offices
• Nearly one in three workers say they possess allergies that are aggravated by environmental conditions in their offices

According to the survey, demand for environmentally focused products has increased steadily over the past 10 years – with most respondents (60 percent) reporting that the environmental policies at their companies have been implemented within the last decade. In fact, the trend reflects workers' personal habits at home – with 78 percent of respondents indicating they recycle at home and 51 percent of respondents indicating they use environmentally friendly cleaning products at home.