Cross Country Healthcare, Inc. is committed to guarantee a clean, safe and healthy workplace for its employees and to preserve the environment of the communities it serves by monitoring and mitigating any undesired effect of its business activities. We firmly believe a safe and sustainable environment is vital for the enjoyment of all human rights and endorse the right to clean water as a fundamental entitlement.

Environmental Strategy

Cross Country Healthcare, Inc.’s environmental strategy consists of the:

• Development and expansion of an environmental policy that reflects the organization’s commitment.
• Observance of legal requirements and adoption of best environmental practices.
• Identification of salient risks that the business activities and partnerships pose to the environment.
• Scrutiny and disclosure of use of water and energy (renewable/non-renewable sources) and generation of waste and carbon emissions.
• Engagement of strategic stakeholders and suppliers to continuously improve the efficiency and sustainability of business activities.
• Assembly of an Environmental Committee tasked with fostering a culture of environmental responsibility among employees, vendors, contractors, suppliers and customers.
• Launch of environmental objectives, targets and programs.
• Review of the established environmental program and assessment of its progress and need for adjustments.

Environmental Program

Our environmental program aims to:

• Build sustainability into our operations.
• Minimize generation of waste materials and recycle when feasible.
• Use water and energy responsibly and reduce energy use to mitigate carbon emissions.
• Ensure consultation and engagement with our suppliers, vendors and partners.
• Instill an culture of environmental respect across our organization, raising awareness of opportunities to reduce environmental impacts within and beyond the workplace.
• Mitigate natural disaster impacts related to climate change.

Disclosure & Transparency

We are steadfast in the communication and disclosure of our environmental impact and engagement efforts. We firmly believe that ongoing measurement, assessment and transparency will lead to mitigation of our environmental impact. Our annual Corporate Social Responsibility Report, in alignment with the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), discloses energy consumption and energy intensity, water withdrawal by source, indirect energy emissions, waste type and disposal method and compliance with environmental laws and regulations.

The core of Cross Country Healthcare’s business is total talent management including strategic workforce solutions, contingent staffing, permanent placement and consultative services for healthcare clients. Our organization does not conduct any form of raw material extraction, processing or manufacture of materials or products, and it does not utilize hazardous materials or generate hazardous waste. Nonetheless, we acknowledge that certain areas of our business activities have an impact on the environment and identify the following salient risks:

• Energy and water use. Energy and water are required to support the facilities and office equipment utilized by Cross Country Healthcare, Inc. headquarters and remote workforce.
• Waste output. Waste output is mainly derived from the use of energy, water, office supplies and electronics.
• Emissions resulting from travel and commute. Cross Country Healthcare, Inc. employees travel to worksites all around the United States and corporate employees commute to headquarters, when not working remotely.

Responsible Energy & Water Use
Energy savings have driven the modernization of Cross Country Healthcare’s headquarters: fluorescent lights were replaced by lower consumption LED lights, sensors were installed to ensure lights turn off when not in use and solar window shades were mounted at headquarters to reduce air conditioning energy use. We are currently working to affix water efficient technologies such as low flow plumbing fixtures and faucet sensors.

Building Sustainability: Our Waste Map & Recycling Efforts
We are invested in building sustainability into our operations and recognize mapping our waste is the cornerstone of any waste reduction endeavor.

Paper Use & Paper Waste

• Cross Country Healthcare, Inc. encourages the reduction of paper use by eliminating unnecessary printing, promoting low-ink two-sided printing, and suggesting the use of misprints as notepaper where appropriate. We have reduced paper purchase by 84% over the past 2 years.
• Cross Country Healthcare, Inc. sponsors paper shredding by conveniently located shredding stations across headquarters. We have shredded and recycled an estimate of 25.414 short (US) ton(s) or 50,827.996 pounds between January and December 2020.
• Cross Country Healthcare, Inc. incentivizes the use of electronic platforms for the distribution and execution of documentation.
• Cross Country Healthcare, Inc. pledges to instill behavioral changes within its workforce by nurturing awareness on waste output.
• Centralized waste and recycling stations prompt employees to be mindful of the amount of waste they generate and the significance of recycling.
• Additional benefits of such undertakings are making the recycling process more efficient as recyclable trash is identified more easily and the reduction of plastic use resulting from the elimination of bins and bin liners.

E-waste
Cross Country Healthcare, Inc. is cognizant of the ruinous effect of e-waste through soil, air and water contamination due to e-waste toxins and their undue disposal.

• By engaging a certified recycling e-waste vendor, Cross Country Healthcare, Inc. disposes and recycles an estimated ~2000 pounds in 2020 of its e-waste.

Partnering With Our Recycling Vendors
Cross Country Healthcare, Inc. engages in routine discussions with its recycling partners to explore new avenues to increase the amount of recycled waste. In recent furniture recycling and disposal projects, we have opted for vendors that share our environmental concerns and values.

Disclosure & Transparency
We are steadfast in the communication and disclosure of our environmental impact and engagement efforts. We firmly believe that ongoing measurement, assessment and transparency will lead to mitigation of our environmental impact. Our annual Corporate Social Responsibility Report, in alignment with the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), discloses energy consumption and energy intensity, water withdrawal by source, indirect energy emissions, waste type and disposal method and compliance with environmental laws and regulations.

We aim to integrate environmental considerations into our business processes and encourage our vendors, suppliers and partners to act accordingly. We recognize the importance of empowering employees to be agents of change in the workplace and in their communities. We endeavor to prompt dialogue with local, state and national organizations dedicated to protecting the environment and align our efforts with them.