North Reading, MA Columbia has taken major new steps in its work to reduce the use of environmentally damaging fossil fuels. At its recent annual meeting, the company, which already uses electric vehicles for company business and has installed EV charging stations in parking areas at its corporate headquarters and in the field, announced that all employees will receive $2,500 when purchasing an electric vehicle. 

In tandem with existing federal and state incentives, it’s hoped that this investment will bring EV prices in line with standard auto purchase costs and in turn, reduce emissions from transportation, which has overtaken the generation of electric power as the largest contributor to greenhouse gases in our atmosphere. 

This new initiative is just one part of Columbia’s overall goal to reduce–and ultimately, eliminate –the use of damaging fossil fuels. The company already works with clients across multiple sectors to introduce fossil fuel-reducing energy measures during new construction and renovation projects, and Columbia’s director of sustainability, Conor McGuire, was one of the developers of a set of energy initiatives for the construction sector, called The Contractors Commitment. 

“The carbon produced when fossil fuels are used to produce energy is changing the global climate at a dangerous pace. Here at Columbia, we have been working to reduce our reliance on energy derived from fossil fuels, and to help our clients do the same for many years now,” said McGuire. “This new commitment to reduce our use of fossil fuels by 50% by 2030 and to eliminate them entirely by 2050 is important, and we hope it will inspire similar actions from our colleagues, our clients, and our fellow citizens.”