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Greener Pastures

by Anne Marie Hampshire

What's in the black and green all over? For planet-loving job hunters, the answer is: A successful, profitable, eco-friendly company.

If you're in the position of looking for a new job, swelling your bank account while simultaneously reducing your carbon footprint can be a tall order. But as companies grow greener and greener, the odds are good that you can pull down a decent wage and not compromise your commitment to the environment. In fact, in the post-Inconvenient Truth US, going green is a hot corporate trend - one not only driven by public sentiment but also by bigger profits, reduced operational costs, and tax credits.

Over the past decade, words like "green" and "eco-friendly" have found their way from fringe environmental magazines to corporate annual reports and mission statements. We've taken stock of the corporate landscape and picked out several companies that have realigned their internal operations to work in harmony with the welfare of the planet, and some others that are in the business of producing environmentally friendly products and services.

Green Behind the Scenes

The Pepsi Bottling Group - PBG is ranked among the country's biggest purchasers of green power by the EPA. More than 77% of the waste it produces is recycled, and, depending on size, the company's water bottles weigh 14% to 22% less than they did three years ago. The company's extensive green game plan is focused on four areas - water conservation, energy management, solid waste, and recycling.

Whole Foods Market - The corporation's public face is built on organic products, so it's no surprise that it operates in an eco-friendly way behind the scenes too. Four of the company's nine distribution centers fuel their trucks with biodiesel. And in addition to recycling plastic and aluminum at its stores, Whole Foods also composts food waste at its locations. It plans on using its recent acquisition of Wild Oats as a way to boost demand for renewable power.

PNC Financial Services Group - PNC recently trademarked the term "Green Branch" to describe its 40 environmentally friendly bank branches spread over six states. The firm has constructed 42 buildings that are certified by the US Green Building Council - more than any other company in any industry.

Green Out the Door

S.C. Johnson & Son - Family owned and routinely on Fortune's Best Companies to Work For list, S.C. Johnson's biggest contribution to the environment is its Greenlist. The Greenlist system examines the environmental impact of thousands of materials that go into the company's products, such as Drano, Pledge, and Windex, to name a few. The company also provides this service free of charge to other interested corporations.

Seventh Generation - With roots as a small Northeastern mail order catalog, Seventh Generation has become one of the go-to brands for eco-conscious household goods. Its lengthy list of non-toxic and environmentally safe products includes paper goods, diapers, deodorants, and dish soap, among many others. The company's name comes from an Iroquois philosophy that each action should take into account how it affects the next seven generations.

Honda Motor Co. - "Eco-friendly" and "auto industry" don't typically go together, but Honda wears the mantle as one of the most fuel-efficient car manufacturers with pride. Its Insight hybrid turned heads back in 1999 when it was one of the first hybrid cars on US highways, and the company is dedicated to finding ways to use alternative fuels like natural gas and hydrogen.

Green Through and Through

Many major corporations are looking to transform themselves top to bottom to keep in line with the environmental ethos. On World Environment Day, Dell announced its intentions to become the greenest technology company on the planet. And even oil stalwart BP is warming up to the green trend. In 2005, the company launched BP Alternative Energy to produce low-carbon power and followed it up the next year with the introduction of a biofuels operation.

Heavy on Green, Light on Profit

A list of green companies to work for would be ludicrous if it didn't include the heavyweights of the environmental movement: The mighty not-for-profits.

Sierra Club is the oldest environmental organization, started in 1892 with 182 members. Now with more than 1.3 million members, the Sierra Club is stronger than ever-and still keeping it real. Other not-for-profits to look into: The Conservation Fund, The National Wildlife Federation, and Greenpeace.

Wherever you turn in your quest for greener employment pastures, beware of those who "greenwash," that is, make false (or grossly exaggerated) claims about their eco-friendly missions or products and operations. It's standing room only on the green bandwagon in recent years, but there are plenty of legit companies out there committed to making a difference.