At BL Companies, we’re committed to showing that sustainability is more than just a buzzword. Leading this effort is the Sustainability Committee, a passionate group of employee owners dedicated to promoting environmental awareness and driving action throughout the company.
“It’s the passion that fuels the Sustainability Committee that makes it so special,” says Heather Halotek, Executive Director of Marketing & Corporate Communications and Principal at BL. “There’s a lot of enthusiasm, and it’s our employee owners who bring that energy.”
What began as a subcommittee of BL’s Giving Back Committee has grown into its own entity, championing initiatives that educate, inspire, and engage our team in sustainable practices.
The Foundation of the Sustainability Committee
The committee’s formation was sparked by two employee owners who recognized the need for BL to better align with environmentally conscious values.
“The Sustainability Committee emerged from a request by two staff scientists who saw an opportunity for us to make sustainability a bigger priority in our work and in our company culture,” Heather explains. “We started asking ourselves what we can do as an employee owned company and have it be impactful.”
To kick things off, the committee began spotlighting employee owners’ sustainable efforts—both at work and at home—in hopes of inspiring meaningful change through everyday actions. Monthly meetings, employee engagement, and the bi-monthly BLeaflet newsletter offer tips and insights on sustainable living. Topics have ranged from biodiversity and hydroponics to green building design and food sustainability.
Education is central to the committee’s mission. Recent lunch and learns have featured experts on trail conservation, organic gardening, and gleaning—presented by the Boston Area Gleaners, a regional organization that repurposes farm surplus to reduce food waste and improve food access.
How We Celebrate Earth Week
One of the committee’s most impactful initiatives is Earth Week. In 2024, BL’s first Earth Week Celebration featured interactive activities—from a sustainability-themed Codenames game to an organic pollinator garden workshop. Employees also took part in a scavenger hunt, a Bushnell Park clean-up, and succulent planting with the Wellness & Healthcare Committee. The enthusiastic response proved sustainability can be both impactful and fun.
Building on that momentum, the 2025 Earth Week Celebration (April 21–25) promises to be even more engaging. Activities will include Green Theme Trivia, a butterfly habitat lunch & learn, moss wall art, an organic wine tasting, and an upcycled art contest encouraging employees to turn discarded materials into creative works.
With its focus on education, engagement, and action, the Sustainability Committee continues to grow its impact—encouraging a collective effort toward a more sustainable future at BL and beyond.
“We started this committee focusing on our employee owners and what they can do with the belief that if we can teach people internally, the word will spread from friend to friend,” says Heather. “What we hope is that our little committee can have a large impact.”