The Southern Ohio Chamber Alliance (SOCA) values sustainability and has committed to support their employees in transitioning to green energy. In partnership with Ohio-based sustainability company, Viridi, SOCA’s workers will now receive Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) as part of their employee benefit package.

While RECs aren’t commonly talked about, they are a powerful sustainability tool, enabling a market-driven approach to increasing renewable energy investment and combating climate change. A REC represents the energy produced by a specific renewable resource. When 1,000 kWh of power is generated by a renewable resource, such as wind, solar, or hydro, 1 REC is created, and that REC represents and tracks the renewable energy once it enters the electricity grid. The average U.S. household uses a little under 1,000 kWh of electricity per month. Therefore, by purchasing 1 REC per month for their employees, SOCA is effectively “greening up” some, if not all, of their employees’ home energy use. At the same time, they are supporting renewable energy generation and fueling investment in the green energy sector.

SOCA believes that their new employee benefit will help them maintain a happier, more empowered workforce, promote health and wellness, and benefit the environment.

“We know our employees’ physical and mental health can be impacted by climate change and we want them to know we are doing everything in our power to make a difference. By providing green energy as an employee benefit, we provide our staff with an excellent starting point to begin living sustainably.”, says Matt Appenzeller, President & CEO of SOCA.

For information on SOCA’s sustainability vision, visit www.joinsoca.com