On December 7, 2007 Universal American formally launched its Green Initiative. The mission of this effort is to identify ways that the company and its employees impact the environment and to focus on various steps that can be taken to mitigate this impact.

Many of the first steps are low key and significantly cost neutral. They center on how we use paper in our printers and how we can increase the amount of waste that is recycled. Unexpected support has come from property managers at various locations with respect to recycling. As we come up on our first anniversary of the Green Initiative, Universal American can say that all locations are now recycling and using 35% post consumer printer paper.  Recent renovations and build-outs to some offices were all done with a “green” eye that included the use of environmentally-friendly paint, carpet, cubicles and Energy Star appliances. We are cleaning green.

A parallel mission is to educate and inspire employees to a heightened awareness of their individual ability to support a cleaner environment and to take pride in their company and themselves for doing so. A "small steps count; it all adds up" campaign has been undertaken using the intranet as a resource where we created a "green corner." In addition, a survey of environmental practices and attitudes was conducted in the first half of 2008 -  70% of employees responded to a short online survey that gave us yet another benchmark with which to measure progress over time, and later in the year, employees were asked to complete a carbon footprint.

It's a start … and it is the right thing to do.