Leading by example: the founder of Clif Bar grows a sustainable company by green actions and an unconventional office.

Gary Erickson, owner and creator of Clif Bar & Co., has created a unique, earth-friendly, and community-based approach to business. Striving for health, wellness, and sustainability, he launched an environmental program in 2001 and has since made it his goal to conduct every aspect of Clip Bar business in a sustainable way.

Clif Bar tries to reduce its ecological footprint in all its business practices. Elysa Hammond, a staff ecologist hired in 2000 to guide the company through its environmental initiatives, says, "The most important thing to us [the company] is that we run our business in harmony with the environment, with the least environmental impact possible."

Clif Bar's environmental program started small and continues to grow. In 2004, it partnered with AMERICAN FORESTS and formed the "Cool Commute" program. The company now plants trees through AMERICAN FORESTS in an effort to offset the impact of carbon emissions from its employees' daily commutes.

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According to Erickson, Clif Bar's partnership with AMERICAN FORESTS' Global ReLeaf program "recognizes the importance of trees to our ecosystem and is another way that Clif Bar can reduce its own ecological footprint."

"From top to bottom, Clif Bar is one of the most environmentally forward thinking companies out there," says AMERICAN FORESTS' Greg Meyer. "They are committed to making wonderful products and to helping the environment."

So far the joint effort has planted 8,000 trees. While 8,000 may not sound like a lot in the grand scheme of things, Hammond points to it as part of a holistic program that takes several different approaches to reducing Clif Bar's environmental impact.

Consider wind energy. In 2003, Clif Bar added up all the energy used in its offices, bakeries, and air travel and estimated their "carbon footprint." The company then partnered with Native Energy's Windbuilders program, and purchased enough renewable energy credits to offset 2,000 tons of C[O.sub.2] emissions. That support helped build the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Wind Turbine Project in South Dakota, a wind farm that generates electricity without producing air pollution.

By promoting wind energy, Clif Bar is achieving results comparable to taking 250 SUVs off the road for a year. At many Clif Bar events, anyone can purchase a $2 "cool tag," which will offset up to 300 miles worth of carbon dioxide emitted by cars.

"At Clif Bar we have created a business model that looks well beyond the bottom line," Erickson says. "We are a vision-centric company and we work hard to not only sustain our brand and business, but our people, our community, and our planet."

Other steps the company has taken include a 2003 switch to only 100 percent recycled paperboard for the cartons in which Clif Bars are packed--a move that saves 7,500 trees per year and decreases the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere by 660,000 pounds. The cartons had been redesigned the year before to use 90,000 fewer pounds of shrink-wrap per year. And the boxes are packed with snacks made of 70 percent organic ingredients, including honey, rolled oats, and roasted soybeans. Even promotional t-shirts are 100 percent certified organic cotton.

Gary Erickson's efforts have not gone unnoticed. In 2004, Clif Bar received the EPA's Green Power Partner of the Year Award, EPA's highest honor for buyers of "green power" (electricity created by renewable resources). That same year, Clif Bar received the StopWaste Efficiency Award given out by the Alameda Waste Management Authority, an honor that rewards corporate efforts to recycle, compost, and prevent waste.

The green concerns go on inside Clif Bar's unconventional office setting as well. Erickson's interest in the health and well being of the community is obvious. Employees can work out while at the office, either climbing a rock wall, working with personal trainers in the on-site gym, or attending classes like yoga and kickboxing.

Employees's dogs are regular visitors, and it's not unheard of to see employees have a massage or get their car washed while they work. Friday is bring your baby to work day. The company encourages staff to pursue volunteer opportunities and makes it easy for them to volunteer at local organizations on company time.

Hammond believes the positive atmosphere makes a world of difference. "It's the close, trusting, casual atmosphere that keeps people motivated," she says. Erickson's concern and consideration for his employees' well-being earned him a place among the best bosses in America in Fortune Small Business Magazine, and his company was recognized as being the healthiest work-place for women in America in a 2003 issue of Health magazine.

"I have a responsibility to the people of Clif Bar. We want to sustain a business where people can live, not just make a living," Erickson says. "We believe that if we provide meaningful work as well as something beyond work, people will do their jobs well and lead healthier, more balanced lives."

Clif Bar's focus on health, well-being, and sustainability sets it apart from the average company. Erickson willingly turned down the opportunity to make $60 million by selling Clif Bar so he could fulfill his vision of a sustainable business. In addition to the many environmental groups that Clif Bar supports, it also supports the Breast Cancer Fund and athletic groups such as the International Mountain Biking Association, the American Hiking Association, and the League of American Bicyclists.

Erickson has committed his company to conducting business in a way that helps sustain natural resources and nourish communities. Leading by example, he hopes to encourage other companies to do their part for social responsibility.

Gabriela Rodrigues, a student at New York University, was a summer intern with American Forests.