Sustainability starts with what we do best

Sanborn Head’s ‘Go Green Team’ practices sustainability at the engineering firm

Ann Foley of Sanborn Head participates in the disposable glove recycling pilot project. By addressing the waste from single-use gloves required for field services, this program marks a meaningful step toward reducing the firm’s internal waste stream, the company says. (Courtesy photo)

At Sanborn Head, sustainability isn’t a new concept, it’s built in to how we deliver value to our clients and communities through our project work and how we manage our generational company with an eye on its legacy.

For example, as the need for innovative solutions to reduce and divert reusable or recyclable waste grows, Sanborn Head has taken a proactive approach — turning our focus inward to build on our external strengths and enhance what we already do well.

Recognizing that internal progress is essential, we launched Sanborn Head’s “Go Green Team” in 2021, an employeeled initiative focused on identifying and implementing practical sustainability improvements across our seven office locations. Since its inception, the team has expanded our waste management program beyond traditional waste, recycling and composting to include battery, ink cartridge and disposable glove recycling at each office.

One standout initiative is the disposable glove recycling pilot project at our Philadelphia office. Sanborn Head’s field services often require the use of many single-use gloves for health, safety and compliance, but these items can contribute substantially to non-biodegradable waste.

“The pilot program is still in its early stages, but it marks a meaningful step toward reducing our internal waste stream and models the sustainability principles we advocate for our clients,” says Lisa Alic, Go Green team leader. “As we track the volume and types of gloves recycled, we aim to quantify the program’s impact and explore opportunities to expand it to other offices and materials.”

Implementing this recycling program reflects the kind of creative thinking Sanborn Head does best — reimagining routine practices, procedures and processes to develop innovative solutions that benefit our stakeholders.

As Sanborn Head President and CEO Barret Cole observes: “True progress in sustainability begins with focused, practical steps such as our internal recycling program. Even small changes can have meaningful impacts.”

These in-house programs reflect the power of applying our expertise in providing sustainable solutions externally to our clients, while encouraging the incremental positive change we aspire to see across all industries.

Catey Selby, associate project professional within Sanborn Head’s Solid Waste Client Service area, supports internal sustainability initiatives and understands firsthand the mounting pressures facing our solid waste infrastructure.

“This challenge isn’t just an industry problem; it’s a call for businesses and communities to rethink how we manage and reduce waste,” Catey emphasizes, highlighting the broader responsibility we all share in shaping a sustainable future.

When contemplating sustainability initiatives, Sanborn Head encourages other businesses to first consider leaning into their own strengths and developing actionable steps, small or large. Our approach centers on curiosity — questioning what could be done differently, then collaborating closely with teams to achieve outcomes that benefit our clients, our communities and our firm. It is what we do best.

Ann Foley is a project engineer at Sanborn Head, which operates offices in Bedford, NH, and several other locations in the U.S. New Hampshire Businesses for Social Responsibility produces “Sustainability Spotlight” monthly for NH Business Review.