Alpine Bank

STAYING GREEN The Green Team's Work is Never Done When Alpine Bank rst met tough environmental standards in 2006, one might have thought its employee-led Green Team's work was done. Far from it. Alpine Bank is the only U.S.-based nancial institution to be awarded ISO 14001 certication for its environmental practices. To maintain this stringent registration, the bank-wide Green Team has had to pass detailed annual audits and even more demanding re-registration requirements every three years. "Everyone who works for Alpine Bank is a member of the Green Team," David Miller, senior vice president and Green Team chair. "What began as a grassroots commitment by employees in 2003 has been driven ever since by the Green Team's determination to maintain a baseline of environmental best practices while also pushing for continuous improvement in several areas." The reach of the Green Team's ongoing work can be gauged by the 40 plus projects undertaken through Alpine's environmental management system. An impressive 23 of these initiatives have been completed. An example is bank-wide replacement of lighting with energy ecient bulbs. This upgrade to LED lamps has led to signicant cost savings and energy conservation. "We continue to improve, but this action plan is considered complete as it is ingrained in our culture," said Pete Yang, senior vice president and Green Team Environment Management System lead. Alpine Bank demonstrates its commitment to environmental stewardship through membership in the Environmental Leadership Program of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. The Green Team reports an array of detailed metrics annually, achieving Gold status in this program since 2008 and receiving its distinguished 24-Karat award in 2016. Alpine again stands out as the only nancial institution in Colorado participating in the program, let alone at the rigorous Gold level of sustainability. The bank also takes an active role in saving energy and reducing environmental impacts at the local level. Alpine has worked for years to not only participate, but often serve as a role model for certication in programs such as Certiably Green Denver, EcoAction Partners in Telluride, Ridgway and Ouray, High Country Conservation in Summit County communities, Actively Green in Avon, Vail and Edwards, and Sustainable Steamboat Springs. Each requires its own ongoing assessments and audits each year. At the national level Alpine Bank is an EPA Green Power Partner, which requires annual reporting by the Green Team on bank-wide electricity use. Since 2009, the bank has used 100% renewable energy sources across its growing bank facility footprint in Colorado.

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