Author: Tim Malik, Senior Director, Facility Maintenance & Property Management
At FNBO, we operate under the vision of successful communities in all the places we call home. We understand that our role as a strong community bank places us in a unique position to positively impact individuals and entire communities at every level. It’s no surprise that a bank can help communities succeed by providing financial advice and guidance, giving loans to individuals and businesses, investing in community partners, and by supporting its employees. But a bank can also help communities succeed by taking measures to improve the environment around them.
Like many organizations, FNBO’s focus on sustainability has been steadily increasing in recent years and we’ve made it one of our community goals to positively impact the environment. As we work to reach this goal, FNBO strives to be resilient and have a net-positive impact on the environment by engaging in proactive efforts to conserve energy, water, and divert waste. We strive to protect future generation’s access to natural resources.
With over 100 buildings and more than 2.5 million square feet of real estate across our seven-state footprint, FNBO’s Property Management Team plays a major role in reducing the bank’s carbon footprint. The team’s responsibilities range from the construction, renovation, and maintenance of all FNBO buildings to the management of landscape upkeep, utilities consumption, and recycling/waste diversion programs. Each responsibility presents multiple opportunities for the Property Management Team to implement sustainable practices that can improve our impact on the environment.
The first step toward improvement is to understand how our operations are currently impacting the environment. In early 2020, FNBO partnered with Verdis Group, a sustainability consulting company based in Omaha, Nebraska, to conduct a study. This study yielded baseline environmental metrics, including FNBO’s current waste diversion and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions rates. Here is what we learned:
With the baseline understanding of our environmental impact, we know where to focus our energy and resources to address our goal. Our next step is to continue down the path of ongoing sustainability initiatives the Property Management Team has been implementing since 2015. Because of these initiatives, the bank’s consumption of utilities across our footprint have significantly decreased over the past five years. Examples of our current and ongoing initiatives include:
Improving the environment happens through individual contributions as well. Everyone has a role to play. Opportunities exist at work and home that positively impact the environment.
About the Author:
Tim Malik is the Senior Director of Property Management and Facility Maintenance for First National Bank of Omaha. Tim leads a Team tasked with protecting business continuity, ensuring an inviting environment for customers/employees, and maintaining critical building equipment. He joined FNBO in 2014 and has focused on implementing sustainability initiatives, leveraging innovative technologies, and investing in people development. Tim brings operations and people leadership experience from years in the retail industry. In his spare time Tim enjoys coaching his boys in sports, going to live music concerts with his wife, and restoring classic cars.
The articles in this blog are for informational purposes only and not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations. When making decisions about your financial situation, consult a financial professional for advice. Articles are not regularly updated, and information may become outdated.