Why a Sustainability Policy?


We at Zerofootprint have to be mindful of our own impacts as we pursue our mission. It’s known as walking the talk-and Zerofootprint is doing it. We believe that when it comes to sustainability, no action is insignificant, so we at Zerofootprint will lead the way by bringing our habits into line with our philosophy.

Policy Statements


  • Our team - Zerofootprint’s team members are our most important resource and we are dedicated to creating an atmosphere that supports them and their values.
  • Health Benefits - All of our full-time staff is covered by a comprehensive healthcare benefits package.
  • Balanced Lifestyle - We believe a balanced lifestyle is a key to a happy life. Because a person’s life doesn’t revolve solely around work, we recognize the value of accommodating our team with flexible schedules and time to work from home when necessary.

Our office


Our values extend to the way we do business. Creating an office environment that supports our values gives us a direct touch to the sometimes overwhelming and intangible world of carbon footprints. It is one of the ironies of working to reduce carbon footprints that in doing so, we find ourselves creating an impact. We choose to see this as an advantage and support those who include sustainability in their business practices too.

  • Bulk Paper Purchases - We bulk purchase our office paper, making sure that it is Forest Stewardship Council (FSC™) certified to promote sustainable forests and is 100% recycled, processed without the use of chlorine or chlorine-based compounds.
  • Zero Paper Waste - Any paper that comes into our office either leaves in a useful state or goes into the recycling.
  • Organic Purchases - Zerofootprint has organic fruit, organic fair trade coffee and organic milk delivered weekly from a local Toronto company.
  • Using Better Technology - We strive to reduce our footprint by using better communication technology. This means teleconferencing instead of driving or flying and presenting virtually instead of printing.
  • Printing Sustainably - At Zerofootprint we inevitably find ourselves printing some information. Zerofootprint is committed to searching for printers that effectively manage their environmental impacts. For example, our business cards are printed on FSC™-certified stock, with 100% post-consumer recycled content.
  • Sustainable Transport - At the Zerofootprint offices, indoor bike parking is offered for the large group of our staff who bike to work. In fact, 90% of Zerofootprint employees walk, bike, or take public transit to and from work everyday!

Carbon neutrality


At Zerofootprint, we view the problem of climate change as one of the most significant threats our world is facing. This fact has motivated us to facilitate carbon offsetting strategies. Offsetting is central to our approach to reducing carbon footprints-after the standards of reducing, reusing, and recycling have been employed-and we make sure to practice what we preach. We take steps to make sure we are reducing our impact as much as possible before we offset. At Zerofootprint we understand that offsetting is part of a suite of environmentally-friendly actions and that offsetting should not replace actions that make it unnecessary.

Zerofootprint offsets are sound investments into our future and each of our offset projects comply with the ISO 14064 standard. As a company, we strive to account for all of our environmental impacts and offset the ones we cannot yet eliminate. This includes:

  • Travel, including all air and car travel.
  • Paper and printing, including all of our marketing collateral.
  • Energy, including our electricity use and natural gas use.
  • Shipping and courier services.

Social and Environmental Responsibililty


We are not going to fool ourselves into thinking that all of our activities fall neatly under the headings above. At Zerofootprint we want the consideration of carbon footprints to be something that is included as an element of every decision and action one makes. Zerofootprint believes our responsibility extends far beyond our own impacts.

  • We have cultivated strong relationships with other individuals, organizations, and communities that share our values. By working in this way we can improve the quality of our programs and increase the reach of our message.