Traction for Good

A certified B Corporation since 2013, Traction on Demand (ToD) sees multiple benefits in their commitment to environmental excellence. Their B Corp certification has differentiated them from their competitors, helped them attract fantastic people and kept them honest, transparent and accountable in their operations and reporting. From big to small here are a few highlights of their environmental program:

• LEEDS Certified: Their Burnaby office has always had a comprehensive recycling and compost area and is a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified building.
• Reducing their Carbon Footprint
  • ToD discourages business travel as its impact on the environment is unnecessary. They opened their Montreal office in July 2014 to mitigate their carbon footprint and reduce the impact of travel on the personal lives of Tractionites. They opened their Toronto office in October 2015 for that same reason. A major component of their Small Town Initiative is to help Tractionites live where they work, reducing emissions through shorter commutes.
• Tesla Program – Go Electric Initiative
  • To demonstrate ToD’s commitment to environmentally sustainable technology and to their employees, Traction offered to pay a $1,000 down payment for any employee wishing to purchase a Model 3 as part of their Go Electric program. Ten percent of Tractionites took advantage of this offer and ToD also supports the purchase of any other fully electric vehicle. Electric car charging stations were installed at the office for all building residents to use.



• The Traction for Green (T4Green) sustainability committee was formed earlier this year. The committee has put together several initiatives so far, including:
  • Monthly nature walk and garbage pickup around the office (different routes each time).
  • Education around waste reduction and composting.
  • Introduction on new bins for additional recycling of plastics.
  • A vertical farm where veggies and herbs are grown that Tractionites can take home or which are used for their lunch program.

ToD’s goal to have a positive impact on the community doesn’t stop at the environment. ToD wanted to use their skills to help build capacity for not-for-profits. By using technology they could help improve systems and performance, galvanizing the team around giving and building strong communities. Traction for Good is more than embracing a values-based culture, it is the philanthropic arm of the organization that seeks to build capacity for not-for-profits and communities.

Here are some of the ways how:

• For the last six years, ToD has held an annual road trip from Vancouver to San Francisco en route to Dreamforce. The Bandit Tour for Good, as it’s known, offers them the opportunity to provide pro-bono Salesforce.com services to local not-for-profits. Along the way, the “Bandits” performed clean-up initiatives in Coos Bay and Humboldt to help protect local ecology.
• Recently, Traction For Good (T4G) passed the $1 million mark in service grants donated to not-for-profits. These service grants allow not-for-profits to access transformational services that they may not otherwise be able to pay for. Past recipients of these transformational service grants include the Terry Fox Foundation, Take a Hike Youth At Risk Foundation and the Downtown Eastside Women’s Centre.
• Over the years, Traction has donated a significant sum — in time and expertise — to help not-for-profits realize their missions. Guided by their philosophy of “Giving what we’re good at,” they have supported over 200 not-for-profits all over North America by building capacity through the use of technology. In doing so, they have been able to help organizations in an area that is often overlooked and undervalued by traditional funding sources.

Read more! Giving What We’re Good At: $1 Million Worth of Salesforce Expertise