What is the name of your business or organization? Oregon State University Materials Management

What does your business/organization do? Help OSU achieve its carbon reduction and broader sustainability goals by preventing, reusing and recycling while advancing justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI) throughout the work we do.

Tell us about your business/organization's recycling/sustainability practices. OSU Materials Management provides a broad range of opportunities for engagement of the Corvallis Campus community including contributing and repurposing an average of 500 tons per year of surplus to OSU Departments and other state agencies and charitable groups, and diverting an average of 9,000 tons per year of material through recycling and composting. We are responsive to an engaged body of students, staff and faculty to meet their materials management services needs. We employee 30-40 OSU students, providing them with meaningful work experience and income on campus.

How would you describe your work culture? We operate with a collaborative work culture from the newest student hire to our management. We adjust to market conditions and other trends in a continuous improvement process. We value a respectful, safe and supportive work environment.

What motivates your employees to meet your recycling/sustainability goals? Most employees come to OSU Materials Management with a strong commitment toward managing resources more sustainably. We are motivated by the broader goals of OSU towards achieving a sustainable future for its students, alumni and the people of Oregon.

If your business or organization was an animal, which one would it be and why? We would be a beaver, of course! Beavers are industrious, hard working, strategic and support the sustainability of their eco system.

How did you learn about AOR? OSU has had a membership before and we are very familiar with the organization.