Voices of GoTo: In this series we highlight the people that make flexible work, work: our employees! GoTo is a global company with over 3000 employees around the world, these are their stories.
You don’t have to be a top eco innovator to invest in our planet. And celebrating Earth Day can be as simple as getting outside, Sr. Director, Head of Corporate Responsibility Amy Wendel reminds us. Food, water, and energy are all the main staples for modern life. When rethinking how we consume everything – from food to power – Amy says that the small things can make a difference. For GoTo’s Environmental, Social, and Governance program, this looks like maintaining carbon neutrality or building sustainable practices for our offices and our employees’ home offices, to name a few. ‘Travel’ with us from Canada to Kenya and India to find some perspectives on some old problems.
Eve Cote’s annual family camping trips trace back to her early days. “Once I got old enough to leave the house, it was just part of my life,” says Eve, so much so that Eve has spent five months at a time in her tent. On the top of a hike at the Glacier National Park in British Columbia, Eve’s eyes landed on clear blue ice. “When I was in front of the glacier, I couldn’t take any pictures because I was soaking in the moment with mixed feelings.” For the past five years, Eve has grappled with a sense of duty to protect the biodiversity in the north that is impacted by climate change. “Once I saw the glacier, I thought about all the suffering wildlife,” says Eve. “I want to understand this landscape better to help protect it.”
From carpooling to shopping at thrift stores, Eve has made several lifestyle changes that have evolved into habits that have a long-lasting impact. Eve refills bottles with soap at a zero-waste store behind the office to reduce her plastic use. Eve’s love for being surrounded by nature has instilled in her an eagerness to get involved in projects. “If anyone knows of an organization that is doing something great for the north or just loves polar bears as much as I do, let’s get in touch.”
‘Vast,’ ‘wild,’ and ‘beautiful’ are just a few ways Wilson Mazimba describes the Masai Mara National Reserve in Kenya – a reminder of home. “It was such a stunning cascade of raw nature mixed with clear, rugged terrain,” says Wilson. Wilson grew up with completely simple, whole, and sustainable foods in contrast to today’s practices which prioritize profit over nature. Through taking environmentalism classes, Wilson worked on his school’s farm practicing self-sufficiency through composting, egg rearing, and grounds cleanup. “I had early exposure to sustainability efforts and never looked back,” says Wilson, “so I’m happy that GoTo has a strong presence in this space.”
Wilson and his wife participate in organizations that turn everyday items into conservation and community efforts, like Nola Cans 4 Food, which collects empty cans and containers to buy food for community fridges, and Glass Half Full NOLA, which converts glass into sand and gravel. "All those times that you think to yourself, ‘What is recycling these six cans going to do for the environment?’ There’s your answer!” says Wilson. Wilson says to do the little things when incorporating more sustainable practices into your home and personal life. “They add up, I promise.”
Life is full of firsts, like visiting The Union Territory of Puducherry for Malkeet Singh and his wife. “The trip holds a lot of emotion for me,” says Malkeet, “since my spouse was visiting a beach location for the first time in her life.” As Malkeet watched a state of shock and happiness take over her, he thought about the impact that protecting coastal resources – like wetlands, floodplains, and estuaries – has on the people who live nearby.
At work, Malkeet is inspired by GoTo’s investment in working to preserve our planet, from procuring renewable energy certificates to offering sustainability training. And at home, Malkeet nurtures a potted plant. “Taking care of it makes life – and the world – greener and full of positivity.”
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