Who we work with
MY ECO programs work for companies, municipalities, schools, non-profits, and communities that are part of our network — all working together to increase reuse. With a variety of partners, MY ECO facilitates a range of initiatives, from reward incentives at Partner Retailers, to environmental advocacy and training in schools. The MY ECO methodology is a formula that works.
How MY ECO partnerships succeed
RETAIL: Shaw’s/Star Market
Shaw’s instituted a zero waste policy in 2000, and the grocery chain sought out best practices to execute it. They learned that working with MY ECO could increase their customers’ use of reusable bags, which was one of their primary goals. When shoppers bring their own reusable bags, Shaw’s saves money – money that they would have had to spend purchasing disposable bags, shipping the bags to their stores, as well as storing them until needed. Through their partnership with MY ECO, Shaw’s now offers its shoppers a financial reward every time they bring their own bags. And by donating these rewards to area schools, Shaw’s is promoting reuse to future generations. The MY ECO reuse reward program proved successful to Shaw’s policy, as well as its bottom line.
MUNICIPAL: Jersey City
When Jersey City became an affiliate of the national network Keep America Beautiful, Mayor Steven M. Fulop kicked off a variety of initiatives to help make it a more beautiful, livable city. To help achieve one of the program’s goals of waste reduction, Jersey City tapped MY ECO to implement a rewards incentive reuse program for its residents. MY ECO developed partnerships with store owners, coffee shops, and other retail establishments throughout Jersey City, encouraging reusable bag use among their customers by providing rewards donated to area schools. With a city-wide mandate to decrease disposable bag use, Jersey City is promoting the MY ECO smartphone-based app to assist its residents in remembering their reusable bags. And Jersey City officials use the MY ECO Reuse App to track and measure the ongoing results of their sustainability efforts, along with their constituents.
CORPORATE: Sanofi
Sanofi was looking for an employee engagement initiative with an environmental focus. The program had to be accessible in the biotech’s 25 locations throughout North America, and easy to use by a range of employees from scientists to administrators, in-house staff and telecommuters. So Sanofi turned to MY ECO for a Corporate Reuse Program. As a way to reach their different audiences, Sanofi utilizes the MY ECO Reuse App, and links to MY ECO information and support from company desktops and smartphones. As part of the program, Sanofi is offering prizes to reward employee reuse goals, including MY ECO Bag Sets to the most active participants. Sanofi works with MY ECO to create fresh collateral materials including visuals for a booth at the Sanofi Center; posters for buildings in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Arizona, Georgia and Toronto; and a voice-narrated video for the corporate intranet. MY ECO helps Sanofi sustain employee participation by implementing customized program metrics and ongoing incentives.
SCHOOLS: Pawleys Island
Schools in Pawleys Island, SC, wanted to implement a fundraiser that would not only earn money for the schools but would teach the children about environmental responsibility. They knew MY ECO from a 2008 fundraiser selling the MY ECO 4-in-1 Bag Sets; and rediscovered the company hearing about the MY ECO Reuse App, currently used in Massachusetts as a new spin on school fundraising. MY ECO worked with the Pawleys Island schools to develop partnerships with grocery stores, drug stores and other local business who agreed to install QR codes to track reuse throughout the community. The students created promotional campaigns to encourage their town to use reusable bags. The Pawleys Island PTO was awarded an environmental grant from the Bunnelle Foundation; and they used the grant to provide financial rewards to the schools as an incentive for the community to reuse. With the community reuse program in full swing, the schools will collect data from the MY ECO Reuse App to track results for their report to the Bunnelle Foundation due August 2014.