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Going Green: Implementing Sustainable Strategies in Libraries Around the World

Buildings, management, programmes and services.

• Edited by: Petra Hauke , Madeleine Charney and Harri Sahavirta
• X / Twitter

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• Language: English
• Publisher: De Gruyter Saur
• Copyright year: 2018
• Audience: Libraries, Environmentalists, Information Professionals
• Front matter: 10
• Main content: 234
• Illustrations: 1
• Coloured Illustrations: 60
• Keywords: Bibliotheksbau ; Nachhaltigkeit
• Published: October 8, 2018
• ISBN: 9783110608878
• ISBN: 9783110605846

Green libraries: sustainable library buildings

A guide to resources and trends in sustainable library building design.

Centre for Sustainable Energy CSE seeks sustainable energy solutions that meet real needs for both environmentally sound and affordable energy services, by working with individuals and organisations from public, private and voluntary sectors.

GreenBiz Resource centre for environmentally responsible building development. A US site, with a lot of useful information for anyone interested in environmentally friendly building design.

Green Libraries The website is designed to serve as a resource for information focused on the emerging trend of green and sustainable libraries. The heart of this site is the Green Libraries Directory which contains a growing list of green libraries located mostly in North America.

Sustainable Libraries The blog of Rebekkah Smith Aldrich, and a useful source of news and links on sustainable library buildings.

Articles and reports

Sustainable buildings, equipment, and management: a checklist This 'green library' checklist of planning, construction, and library operations from IFLA is designed to help ensure that all aspects of sustainability have been considered.

This old library: strategies for reducing energy consumption Useful short illustrated article from American Libraries on reducing energy consumption in historic buildings.

Books and journals

Biomimicry in architecture Michael Pawlyn. RIBA, 2011. Aimed at architects, urban designers and product designers, the book looks to the natural world to seek clues to how we can achieve radical increases in resource efficiency and is packed with inspiring case studies predicting future trends.

Eco-library design Springer, 2013. This publication explores in detail the evolution of the eco-library, focusing on how design teams cope with diminishing resources in diverse geographic and climatic conditions.

Going green: Implementing sustainable strategies in libraries around the world This IFLA publication examines aspects of reducing the ecological footprint in libraries' workaday operations as well as the social role and responsibility of libraries as leaders in environmental sustainability. The theoretical background and practical applications of contributions made by worldwide libraries to the United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are discussed. De Gruyter, 2018.

Green Building Ezene An online e-magazine focused on eco buildings (subscription).

The green library Published by De Gruyter Saur, 2013. Contributions and case studies from Germany and other European countries, as well as from Asia, Australia and the US, demonstrate different aspects of reducing the ecological footprint in libraries.

Greening libraries A collection of articles and papers to help professionals understand a wide range of green and sustainable practices within libraries. (June 2012)

How green is my library? Published in the US by ABC-CLIO, this is a short introductory guide following the steps from wanting to be green to how to be green.

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The Sustainable Library: A retrospective case study of a public library sharing initiative

• Department of Design, Media and Educational Science
• University of Copenhagen

Research output : Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review

Documents & Links

• 10.1177/09610006231190131
• Open Access Version Accepted manuscript, 423 KB

T1 - The Sustainable Library

T2 - A retrospective case study of a public library sharing initiative

AU - Mathiasson, Mia Høj

AU - Jochumsen, Henrik

PY - 2023/8/25

Y1 - 2023/8/25

N2 - Sharing initiatives, things collections or libraries of things have become developing features in public libraries within recent years. This article reports on a retrospective case study of The Sustainable Library, a now-concluded Danish sharing initiative from 2016 to 2022. As an early example of a public library sharing initiative, The Sustainable Library is a unique case. Moreover, its explicit focus on sustainability and sharing economy makes it an early example of sustainable librarianship. The study offers empirical insights into the life cycle of the sharing initiative and its different phases. Examining the case from its organizational context, the study asks how and why the sharing initiative was developed, what were its preconditions and drivers, and which barriers were experienced along the way. Finally, the study makes room for hindsight reflections on the role and responsibility of public libraries and sharing initiatives in the sustainability agenda.

AB - Sharing initiatives, things collections or libraries of things have become developing features in public libraries within recent years. This article reports on a retrospective case study of The Sustainable Library, a now-concluded Danish sharing initiative from 2016 to 2022. As an early example of a public library sharing initiative, The Sustainable Library is a unique case. Moreover, its explicit focus on sustainability and sharing economy makes it an early example of sustainable librarianship. The study offers empirical insights into the life cycle of the sharing initiative and its different phases. Examining the case from its organizational context, the study asks how and why the sharing initiative was developed, what were its preconditions and drivers, and which barriers were experienced along the way. Finally, the study makes room for hindsight reflections on the role and responsibility of public libraries and sharing initiatives in the sustainability agenda.

U2 - 10.1177/09610006231190131

DO - 10.1177/09610006231190131

M3 - Journal article

SN - 1741-6477

JO - Journal of Librarianship and Information Science

JF - Journal of Librarianship and Information Science

How Public Libraries Build Sustainable Communities in the 21st Century: Volume 53

Table of contents, introduction, section one: theoretical foundations and research, introduction to section one: sustainable communities and the role of the public library, “the library serves as an amplifier and connector in the community it serves” 1 : building bridges to legal assistance.

OCLC Research conducted a global survey focusing on libraries’ strategic goals that incorporate five of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) where libraries could have the greatest impact. More than 1,700 library staff completed the survey and identified how they were integrating these five SDGs [Quality Education (SDG 4), Decent Work and Economic Growth (SDG 8), Reduced Inequality (SDG 10), Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions (SDG 16), and Working in Partnership to Achieve the Goals (SDG 17)] in their strategic framework and the activities that staff undertook as part of their overall mission.

Results from the survey combined with other projects provide examples of how the SDGs inform library strategic planning and how the library staff’s activities impact sustainable development in their communities. Quality education (SDG 4) was the top goal that respondents believe libraries can impact through community training and classes. Public libraries also often are the main source of credible information and facts in a community.

This commitment to quality education and credible information is demonstrated in the role libraries play in helping community members to access legal information. This chapter describes several different partnerships where libraries are important connectors to legal information which often can be life changing to the community, such as providing information on how to expunge a criminal record to obtain employment.

Sustaining Ourselves, Sustaining Relationships, Sustaining Communities

This chapter presents a preliminary model that frames public library workers as the foundations of how public libraries help build and support sustainable communities in the twenty-first century, particularly in the United States, specifically in rural America. For public libraries to continue to be key partners in sustaining their communities, and in supporting the United Nations’ (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), it is essential that public library work be valued, visible, and sustained over time. The UN defines sustainability as “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” Four studies of public library work during the COVID-19 pandemic found that public library workers are facing challenges in both meeting their own needs and meeting the needs of their communities. That finding led to a consideration of what is needed to place public library work at the center of sustainable thinking. Sustaining library workers will strengthen the library as a community hub, and help those workers in turn sustain community relationships necessary for the work of the library. These, in turn, will contribute to more sustainable communities.

Collective Praxis: Leveraging Local and Heritage-Based Values for Public Librarian Professional Development

In Hawaiʻi, two public library systems exist – a traditional municipal branch system and a Native Hawaiian rural community-based library network. The Hawaii State Public Library System (HSPLS) is the traditional municipal library system that services the state’s diverse communities with 51 branch locations, plus its federal repository, the Hawaii State Library for the Blind and Print Disabled. The HSPLS primarily serves the local urban communities of Hawaiʻi, diverse in its citizenry. The Native Hawaiian Library, a unit of ALU LIKE, Inc. (a Hawaiian non-profit social services organization), boasts multiple locations across six inhabited Hawaiian Islands, primarily serving rural Hawaiian communities. The HSPLS focuses on traditional public library services offered by MLS-degreed librarians. In contrast, the Native Hawaiian Library (ALU LIKE) focuses on culturally oriented literacy services offered by Hawaiian cultural practitioners. As the state’s only library and information sciences (LISs) educational venue, the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa’s LIS program (UHM LIS) is a nexus point between these two library systems where LIS students learn the value of community-based library services while gaining the traditional technical skills of librarianship concerning Hawaiʻi as a place of learning and praxis.

This book chapter focuses on outcomes from the IMLS-funded research project called “Hui ʻEkolu,” which means “three groups” in the Hawaiian language. From 2018 to 2021, the HSPLS, the Native Hawaiian Library (ALU LIKE), and the UHM LIS Program gathered as “Hui ʻEkolu” to create a community of praxis to share and exchange knowledge to learn from one another to improve professional practice and heighten cultural competency within a Hawaiian context. Native Hawaiian values were leveraged as a nexus point for the three groups to connect and build relationships for sustainable mentorship and culturally competent connections as a model for librarian professional development. The result is a model for collective praxis that leverages local and endemic cultural values for sustainable collaborative professional development for public librarianship.

Community Engagement Through Public Library Social Inclusion: The View and Practice of Librarians in Gunungkidul County, Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Gunungkidul Public Library in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, provides not only reading materials, but also a place to develop the community to produce various products to sell. The librarians in Gunungkidul have been holding various training sessions for the community – from how to make food and beverages to online marketing and preserving and reviving tradition and culture in their community. The librarians train the community to practice making various local products in the library and then the community and the librarians make and sell the products in the library and other places, including online markets. The products they make vary from cassava crackers to herbal medicine and from batik clothes to t-shirts. They also revived traditional choirs that had never been conducted for years. The librarians sometimes also invite experts or any skillful persons to train the community. Within the last two years, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the training programs were moved to some rural libraries. The librarians hold the training in rural libraries instead of the county library in order to avoid the crowd during the pandemic. Luckily the moving from the county public library to rural libraries has made more people engage in the library activities. The communities are enthusiastic to take part as they do not need to go too far away from their homes and they feel excited to learn and practice making products in the library as they can have more income.

Applying ESG to Modern Librarianship: Lessons from the Business World

Responding to growing market demands for corporate social responsibility, the Asset Management Working Group of the United Nations Environment Programme’s Finance Initiative created a legal framework in 2005 to integrate Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) issues in institutional investment. It challenged the business world to think beyond fiduciary responsibility, toward measurement of both tangible and intangible assets. As an institutional force committed to the triple bottom line (environmentally sound, socially equitable, and economically feasible), modern libraries serve by reaching outward, and can lead by looking inward. ESG practices enable libraries to clearly identify criteria, set goals, and measure and report progress for external and internal operations, and help garner support and sustain and fund broader programs and initiatives. Applying ESG thinking to library policies, strategic plans, and operational culture will create a sustainable efficiency for these goals, provide evidence-based support for all stakeholders, and generate effective intrapreneurship while fostering community partnerships. This chapter describes our tailored, real-time approach to this work at New Canaan Library. It is a road we are building one brick at a time, and there is value in paving it organically – drawing on and meeting the aptitudes and needs of employees and our community where we are – while also employing best practices borrowed from successful models.

Section Two: Libraries Advocating for Social Justice

Introduction to section two: sustainable communities and the role of the public library, anti-racism in practice: the development of a black community public library in canada.

Neutrality and diversity are the bedrock of public libraries. Yet, public libraries are also steeped in white privilege and many have yet to examine the effects of anti-Black racism. Amidst an ever-growing crisis of inequity, this chapter explores the development of the Black Community Public Library and its roots in Black-centered and community-based perspectives. It provides important insights into how public libraries can transgress the centrality of whiteness in traditional public libraries through community-led and community-based partnerships within collaborative anti-racism and justice frameworks. Opening in January 2022, the Black Community Public Library is the first of its kind to conceptualize and highlight the need for Black-centered services and collections in Canadian public libraries. Located in the Where We Are Now Black Community Centre, the library is the result of a year-long partnership between the Black Community Centre, local higher education institutions, and the municipal library system. It holds an initial circulating collection of 600 titles representing a variety of equity-seeking perspectives. Detailing the development and launch of the Black Community Public Library, this case study demonstrates how to re-envision library spaces with and for communities that have been historically under-represented and provides invaluable insight into how the public library sector can support and engage with Black communities through meaningful partnership and collaboration. Furthermore, it will substantially contribute to the growing body of collaborative knowledge on advancing anti-racism in LIS.

Public Library Pride: A Journey of Small Steps Toward Inclusivity

LGBTQIA+ community members have a history of viewing public libraries as safe spaces. Having this resource is especially important as public policy has shifted away from supporting the LGBTQIA+ community. In this chapter, hear how public libraries have responded to this need. Learn about innovative programming and responsive policies which serve the needs of a wide swath of the LGBTQIA+ community. Discover how libraries can be even more impactful in the lives of the LGBTQIA+ community through a refinement of services, policies, procedures, and collective action.

Explore how library pride recognition is meaningful to the LGBTQIA+ community but needs expansion throughout the year and a more intersectional and inclusive approach. Learn the steps libraries have taken to support youth members of the LBTQIA+ community, from programming to innovative use of technology during pandemic isolation. Discover the importance of using and normalizing pronouns. Hear how my experiences as a public library worker, leader, and member of the LGBTQIA+ community impacted the work done in my libraries. Discover how public libraries can become more inclusive for LGBTQIA+ employees.

Re-think how public libraries can create welcoming spaces and environments for the LGBTQIA+ community. Discover how communities have embraced LGBTQIA+ programming and innovative certification programs to create spaces for and relationships with the LGBTQIA+ community. Consider how LGBTQIA+ equity work fits into the 17 Goals of the United Nations to create a better world for everyone. Discover areas for impact and future growth as public libraries work toward creating meaningful relationships with the LGBTQIA+ community.

A Call to Action: Libraries Leaning in for Unhoused LGBTGEQ+ Youth

Libraries must acknowledge their role as gatekeepers for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, gender expansive queer and questioning (LGBTGEQ+) young people on their journey to home. By exploring the intersections of community, identity, accessible information, equitable practices, and leadership commitment, this chapter calls on the profession to lean in and no longer look away (K. Strowder, personal communication, 2022).

Let's Learn Together Outside: Families Playing, Building Relationships, and Connecting with Their Community in Nature

Libraries provide ideal learning spaces within communities. By partnering with them, families are able to access equitable programming that promotes Family Engagement with the library and beyond. The program – Let’s Learn Together Outside (LLTO) – was implemented by libraries to provide support to low-income caregivers and their preschool-age (3–5 years) children during vocabulary- and conversation-building activities created to promote outdoor learning and increase participants’ sense of wonder, imagination, and creativity during play. This free programming scaffolded caregivers’ understanding of early literacy and oral language skills while they learned alongside their children about exploring nature. The three stand-alone, interactive sessions utilized a consistent structure and were implemented at eight libraries, located in Kentucky, Ohio, and Michigan. With thorough, practical training experiences and professionally designed materials, staff were able to connect with families in ways that sustained learning outside the library walls.

Sustainability, Outdoor Life, and Libraries

In 2015, the UN adopted 17 goals for the Agenda for Sustainable Development. The library’s work is visible in all the primary goals, particularly with respect to public access to information, technology, and lifelong learning. Libraries are at the intersection between culture, education and lifelong learning, public health, and social work.

The Norwegian Parliament adopted the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) as a foundation for regional and municipal planning. SDGs are also incorporated in the Strategy for Libraries (2020–2023). In connection with the Strategy, the National Library of Norway (NB) allocating funding for projects aimed at the development of public libraries and special libraries.

The authorities want people to enjoy and participate in outdoor life and trials. This improves health and quality of life, and it is a central part of the Norwegian cultural heritage.

In the last years, it has become popular to bring the library to people enjoying the outdoors. People can encounter both books and literary activities when out in nature or at a cabin far from the public library. Through the project and development funds and the celebration of National Book Year 2019, and measures related to the Strategy, the NB has supported projects for open-air libraries. This makes public libraries more visible and available to people and will reach new user groups and promote a sustainable society. Several of the SDGs are utilized through the development and use of new methods for creating open-air libraries.

14 projects are presented to show the importance of bringing the library to people enjoying the outdoors.

Older Adults, Public Libraries, and Sustainable Development Goals

By 2030, one in six people in the world will be aged 60 years or over. As the average age of population increases, governments are increasingly called upon to implement policies to address the needs and interests of older people, including those related to housing, employment, health care, social protection, and other forms of intergenerational solidarity. Public libraries, as trusted community hubs, have the opportunity to serve as an environment for reflection and dialogue on age and aging. In this chapter, the authors reflect on the broader contexts and social trends that are shaping older adults’ engagement with public libraries and identify those older adults-focused public library practices that align with specific UN Sustainable Development Goals: Goal 3: Good Health and Well-Being, Goal 4: Quality Education, Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth, Goal 10: Reduce Inequalities, and Goal 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions. While public libraries are already meeting many facets of UN Sustainable Development Goals, to ensure that libraries can responsively meet older adults’ changing needs and expectations, the authors conclude with suggestions to enhance public libraries’ cross-sector coordination for maximum reach and impact on older patrons’ everyday lives.

Section Three: Libraries Mobilizing Climate Change

Introduction to section three: sustainable communities and the role of the public library, inspiring climate action: a collaborative effort and a perfect partnership.

In the context of the risks inherent in global warming, public libraries can partner with each other, community-based environmental groups and/or other institutions to enhance community resilience and sustainability. This chapter presents a case study of an ongoing experiment to address this opportunityand challenge. In April 2021, six Western MA libraries formed a collaborative in conjunction with a local citizens’ group, Voices for Climate [V4C], to expand public education opportunities relating to understanding, mitigating, and adapting to climate change. In its initial year, this effort yielded 13 separate programs serving more than 110 patrons, all within the 7 days of Climate Preparedness Week, a state-wide program held annually. Subsequently, this Pioneer Valley Library Collaborative [PVLC] has grown to 10 library partners and continues its close alliance with V4C. In describing the programs offered in the first year, the challenges met, limitations encountered, and lessons learned, the chapter provides one model for how libraries can jointly choose to become hubs of climate conversation and education as a means to promote their communities’ quality of life, sustainability, and resilience.

How Repair Events in Libraries Can Create Socially and Ecologically Compassionate Culture and Resilient Communities

This chapter examines how libraries can help create socially and ecologically compassionate culture by hosting repair events. The introduction provides a general overview of repair events, as well as how they fit into the mission of public libraries and support sustainability goals. This chapter explores the impacts of repair events through the lens of the five conditions of collective success, doughnut economics, the right-to-repair movement, education, cultural practices, accessibility, and social infrastructure. The second part of the chapter provides a case study of Wellfleet Public Library on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, a library that has successfully implemented repair events. The final section offers an overview and step-by-step guide of how libraries can implement repair programs.

A Small Library Making Big Changes: A Case Study of the Baramsup Library

How rural libraries influence their communities’ development is shown in a number of studies, and many of those rural libraries have focused on their roles in increasing the accessibility of technology for their local community. However, few focused on how rural libraries are immersed in their surrounding natural environment to empower the community members’ learning about and with nature. Also, there have been rare examples of rural libraries that support not only their local community but also another country’s sustainable development. The Baramsup Picturebook Library, located in a rural area in South Korea, is an exemplary case because it has provided a large range of programming and services for diverse groups of people (i.e., from children to older adults) from diverse levels of communities – from the local communities around the library to the global communities of a developing country, Laos. Through qualitative content analysis of an interview with the library’s director as well as their official blog and articles and reports from magazines, this chapter presents a case study of this library. The library’s services and programs are demonstrated under three themes: (1) rural, local communities: cultivating the book culture ; (2) local and regional communities: empowering children’s ecological sensitivity ; (3) with global communities: building school libraries for children in Laos. This case study of the Baramsup Picturebook Library provides conceptual and practical insights into how rural and small libraries initiate changes in people and communities, thereby impacting sustainable social changes in larger communities.

Section Four: Libraries Promoting Economic Development

Introduction to section four: sustainable communities and the role of the public library, public libraries as key knowledge infrastructure needed to empower communities, promote economic development, and foster social justice.

Public libraries are incubators for collective action in the knowledge economy. As three case studies from the United States and Singapore demonstrate, public libraries can serve as influential champions that garner financial resources, communicate an urgent need for change, and respond to the unmet information and economic needs of marginalized individuals and communities. In the Raise Up Radio (RUR) case, public librarians engaged schools, museums, youth, and families in rural communities to develop and deliver STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) content over local radio stations. In collaboration with organizational partners, RUR librarians created a model for library-community-radio projects for the rural United States. In the What Health Looks Like (WHLL) case, public librarians engaged senior citizens in discussions of health and the creation of health comics. In partnership with an interdisciplinary health research team, WHLL librarians developed a pilot for library-community-public health projects aimed at information dissemination and health narrative generation. In the Singapore shopping mall libraries case, the National Library Board (NLB) created public libraries in commercial spaces serving working families, senior citizens, and the Chinese community. The NLB developed an exportable model for locating information centers in convenient, popular, and useful business spaces. These case studies demonstrate how libraries are nodes in the knowledge economy, providing vital services such as preservation of cultural heritage, technology education, community outreach, information access, and services to working families, small- and medium-size businesses, and other patrons. In the years to come, public libraries will be called upon to respond to shifting social norms, inequitable opportunities, emergencies and disasters, and information asymmetries. As the cases of RUR, WHLL , and the shopping mall libraries show, public librarians have the vision and capacities to serve as influential champions for collective action to solve complex problems and foster sustainable development and equitable participation in the knowledge economy.

Libraries as Public Health Partners in the Opioid Crisis

Public libraries are respected local institutions that connect community members to credible information and services, and support lifelong learning. The nature of these libraries means that they are open to all, including individuals who may be experiencing a physical or mental health crisis. A critical way that libraries in the United States are now supporting their communities is by leveraging their assets and their mission to respond to the opioid crisis. These responses have ranged from providing access to information and resources on addiction, prevention, treatment, and recovery support, to training staff and the public to use the drug naloxone to help reverse overdoses. Public libraries have found allies in this work in community organizations including nonprofits and public health departments, and are often working together with these partners toward common goals to bring about collective impact.

Through their programming efforts in response to the opioid crisis, public libraries are also demonstrating the ability to support the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) identified by the United Nations (UN) as a call to action for the global community. These goals include ensuring healthy lives, equitable education and lifelong learning, and decent work and economic growth. Public libraries are actively supporting people in their efforts to improve their lives and the lives of those around them. It is important and valuable work, and truly necessary for a functioning society.

Partnering for Social Infrastructure: Investigating the Co-Location of a Public Library in an Affordable Housing Building

In 2021, a public library in Ontario, Canada established a branch in an affordable housing building. Using interviews with library and support workers who work in the building ( n = 8) and an analysis of media that describes the partnership ( n = 16), this chapter explores how their partnership may create social infrastructure for tenants. Social scientists have positioned strengthening social infrastructure, a community’s network of systems and spaces that facilitate social relationships, as an antidote to many of society’s most pressing social issues, such as social inequity. An understanding of this partnership, its purpose, and how it intends to serve neighborhood members provides insight into how public libraries and non-profit and community organizations together provide social infrastructure for those living in affordable housing. Strengthening a community’s social infrastructure may be a vital step toward building socially sustainable communities in the twenty-first century.

Section Five: Libraries Nurturing Positive Peace

Introduction to section five: sustainable communities and the role of the public library, libraries are sustainability leaders.

The library profession must embrace the idea that every job is a climate job, and confront the realities of the wider world through a lens of climate justice, as they prioritize relevant and responsive services and programs. The broad issue of sustainability has permeated the core of library services and is transforming the foundation upon which public libraries build their ideals.

By viewing every job as a climate job, libraries and library workers are true sustainability leaders. The triple bottom line (TBL) framework leads libraries into the realm of sustainable thinking, allowing what once felt overwhelming and unattainable to turn into something powerful and dynamic because of collective impact and the recognition that: local matters, working together matters, focusing on diversity matters, and helping all voices be heard matters. Libraries matter because we continue to work together toward meaningful change.

This chapter explores a unique library certification program centered on sustainability and the TBL framework that allows library workers from public, academic, and school libraries to shine a lens on climate justice and climate action work, through offering innovative programs, collections, and services that also use the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a guide toward making every job a climate job.

Reflecting on Public Library–Social Work Collaboration: Current Approaches and Future Possibilities

This reflective chapter examines recent trends in social work–public library partnerships. The chapter begins by framing interprofessional collaboration between social work and public libraries as a vehicle for the collective impact that can create lasting and sustainable change in communities. Next in the chapter is an overview of the current state of public libraries’ capacity to support individuals in crisis through community partnerships. Next is a description on how interprofessional collaboration can support public libraries in general and the importance of collaboration with social work more specifically. A presentation of the existing models of public library–social work partnerships and their impact on the role of public libraries in their communities follows, with a discussion of the services provided by public libraries, and how partnerships might change the nature of social work practice. Finally, the chapter concludes with a discussion of the barriers and challenges to these partnerships with an eye toward the future of such partnerships and developing their capacity to enhance the health and wellbeing of their patrons, and the safety and resilience of their cities and communities.

The Intersection of US Public Libraries and Public Health

While public libraries are well-established as a place to borrow books and use reference materials, they are less recognized for the services and programs they offer to their local communities. These programs and services often directly or indirectly impact the health of patrons and the larger community.

While some public libraries offer programs that address patron health in collaboration with other health professionals, such as those at local universities, public health departments, and other health-related organizations, these collaborations are often informal, offered for an indefinite period of time, and rely on finite funding. While public health professionals and organizations are often overlooked in public library collaborations, they are a natural fit for collaboration.

As public libraries serve the needs of vital and often vulnerable members of our communities, it is important to build sustainable community partnerships when offering programs and services that impact patron health. This will not only identify organizations committed to improving the health of these populations and those that provide reliable resources; it will also streamline information and provide consistent information to identify safe and reliable resources on social media, the internet, and in the community.

This chapter serves as a reflective narrative which explores how public libraries and community organizations can collaborate, identifies anticipated challenges, and describes considerations and strategies for addressing these challenges. The ultimate goal is to identify how libraries can expand the depth and breadth of both library services and public health organizations to sustainably improve the health of the local community.

Public Libraries' Contribution to Sustainable Dementia-Friendly Communities

Persons living with dementia (PLWD) constitute a global epidemic of more than 50 million people around the world, and tens of millions more serve as their caregivers. Public libraries must learn to assist, support, and sustain those with dementia in their communities. The good news is that some of the most powerful non-pharmacological interventions for PLWD – healthy lifestyle choices, lifelong learning for mental stimulation, and the stimulation and support of social networks – all are embedded in public libraries’ core mission. Thus, library services for the underserved population of PLWD and their caregivers can make a huge collective impact toward sustainable communities, social justice, and strong institutions.

Libraries can provide this help through dementia-friendly customer service and through programming that both supports individuals and develops and strengthens social relationships. Libraries can further promote good health and well-being, both through information resources and with targeted older adult programming. We can simultaneously contribute to social justice, mitigating the stigma and the deleterious effects of dementia which can be worse within minority communities. The positive impact of library dementia services can even be magnified through collective impact when different institutions within a community work together toward dementia-friendly standards.

This reflective chapter details the operation of library services for PLWD and their caregivers, providing concrete examples of dementia-friendly customer service, collection development, information and reference services, and a wide variety of older adult programming. Together, these library dementia services can create a powerful and positive impact through lifelong learning, mental stimulation, and social connections.

With Literacy and Justice for All: Library Programs for Refugees and Newcomers

According to the UN High Commission on Refugees, over 82 million people are currently displaced globally and of those nearly 25 million are refugees. Every community in the United States – urban, suburban, and rural – is shaped by newcomers seeking safety, opportunity, and self-improvement. Libraries are often the place that feels most welcoming to refugees and newcomers, making them well positioned to offer relevant and impactful programs and services to these communities. Using the International Federation of Library Associations’ (IFLA) conceptual rubric of sanctuary, storehouse, gateway, and bridge, my research explores a variety of programs and services deployed by libraries to address the needs of refugee and newcomer populations. Based on fieldwork in the United States, the Netherlands, and Germany, this chapter describes how libraries impact refugees and newcomers in decisive and meaningful ways. From informal gatherings to national government collaborations of digital content, libraries provide an array of compassionate, effective, scalable interventions for newcomers. Such interventions also positively impact the non-displaced communities in which they operate, fostering deeper connections between newcomers and their communities. Library services to refugees and newcomers provide a broad collective impact in the global crisis of displacement and belonging.

• Kaurri C. Williams-Cockfield
• Bharat Mehra

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Green Libraries: Sustainable Libraries

• General Sustainability
• Sustainable Libraries
• Green Cleaning
• Water Efficiency
• Greenwashing
• Product Guides/Certification
• Electronics Use and Disposal
• Paper Use and Recycling
• Collection Development
• Programming
• Art and Craft Projects
• Book Lists & Curriculum Resources

Introduction

In recent years, librarians have become more interested in making their buildings more environmentally friendly. But buildings are only the tip of the iceberg. Libraries are trusted information sources for their communities. This puts them in an excellent position to become community leaders and models of environmental responsibility.

This section of the Green Libraries LibGuide focuses on sustainability resources specifically designed for libraries. The page is divided into the following sections:

General library sustainability

Measuring sustainability in libraries, state of illinois sustainability planning documents, library case studies, sustainability calculators.

• ALA Sustainability Round Table
• ALA Sustainability Roundtable resources
• Albertyn, K., & Zinn, S. (2022). Green public libraries: library users’ perspectives. Innovation (10258892), 2022(64), 3–29.
• American Library Association Sustainability and Libraries LibGuide
• Antonelli, Monika. 2008. "The Green Library Movement: An Overview and Beyond." Electronic Green Journal 1(27): Article 1.
• Archives supporting environmental sustainability
• Barnes, Laura L. (2008). "Libraries Can Go Green." ILA Reporter 26(5), 47.
• Barnes, Laura L. (2012). "Green Buildings as Sustainability Education Tools." Library Hi Tech 30(3), 397-407.
• Barnes, Laura L. (2019). "A Brief Guide to Sustainability Planning for Libraries." Illinois Library Association Connector, Nov. 19, 2019.
• Barnes, Laura L. (2019). "Libraries as Community Sustainability Leaders." Illinois Library Association Connector, Dec. 2, 2019.
• Barnes, Laura L. (2019). " Pollution Prevention Week, Libraries, and Sustainability." Illinois Library Association Connector, Sept 16, 2019.
• Casey, A. M., Cawthorne, J. E., DeLong, K., Herold, I. M., & Lim, A. (2014). "The Triple Bottom Line: Portable Applications and Best Practices for Sustainability in Academic Libraries." in Focus on Educating for Sustainability: Toolkit for Academic Librar
• Chowdhury, G. "Sustainability of digital libraries: a conceptual model and a research framework." International Journal on Digital Libraries 14, 181–195 (2014).
• Connaway, L. S., Doyle, B., Cyr, C., Gallagher, P., & Cantrell, J. (2023). “Libraries model sustainability: The results of an OCLC survey on library contributions to the Sustainable Development Goals." IFLA Journal, 49(2), 269-285.
• eClimateNotebook
• Faulkner, J., Lu, L., & Chen, J. (2021). Archivists’ golden egg: environmental sustainability practices of archives. Electronic Library, 39(2), 258–280.
• Going Green @your library
• Greening ILL Practices: Data’s, Do’s and Don’t’s
• Green Up Your Library: Ideas for Creating a More Environmentally Friendly Library
• Hardesty, L. (2011). The Environmental Sustainability of Academic Libraries. Library Issues, 32(1), 1–4.
• Jankowska, Maria Anna; Marcum, James W. (2010). "Sustainability Challenge for Academic Libraries: Planning for the Future." College & Research Libraries,71(2), 160-170.
• Keller, A. (2023). Sustainability 3.0 in Libraries: A Challenge for Management. Publications, 11(1), 6.
• Khalid, Ayesha; Malik, Ghulam Farid; Mahmood, Khalid (2021). "Sustainable development challenges in libraries: A systematic literature review (2000–2020)." The Journal of Academic Librarianship 47(3), 102347
• Libraries as a Community Resource for Environmental Information: An Environmental Law Institute Report on a September 18-20, 2000 Online Dialogue
• Mathiasson, M.H. and Jochumsen, H. (2022), "Libraries, sustainability and sustainable development: a review of the research literature", Journal of Documentation, 78(6), 1278-1304.
• Meyer, Jennifer. 2008. "Global Warming's Library Challenge," Library Journal, 133,(18): 26-9. Discusses the impact of climate change on the environment, how it affects libraries, and what librarians can do about it. Includes an extensive resource list and bibliography.
• Oregon Library Association Quarterly, Winter 2007 issue
• Partners for the Future: Public Libraries and Local Governments Creating Sustainable Communities
• Rachman, Yeni Budi and Ratnasari, Wiwit. "Academic Libraries’ Sustainable Preservation and Conservation Practices." Preservation, Digital Technology & Culture 51(3), 121-129.
• Ren, X. (2022). Librarians’ Attitudes Toward Providing Environmental Education Services in Georgia.Georgia Library Quarterly, 59(2).
• Resources for Sustainable California Libraries Projects
• Robinson, G. (2021). Come hell or high water: climate action by archives, records and cultural heritage professionals in the United Kingdom. Records Management Journal, 31(3), 314–340.
• Supporting sustainability: what can librarians do?
• Sustainability 101
• Sustainability Librarians (LinkedIn Group)
• Sustainable Libraries Initiative
• Sustainable Preservation Practices
• Tribelhorn, Sarah K. (2023). "Preliminary Investigation of Sustainability Awareness and Activities among Academic Libraries in the United States." The Journal of Academic Librarianship 49(3), 102661.
• Urbanska, Wanda. 2009. “A Greener Library, A Greener You.” American Libraries 40,(4): 52-5. Gives a good overview of things that libraries are doing to go green, from green building to eco-activism.
• Zastrow, Jan. (2022). "The Environmental Impact of Digital Preservation—Can Digital Ever Go Green?" Computers in Libraries, 42(10), 14–17.
• Aytac, Selenay (2019) Library Environment Sustainability Progress Index (LESPI): Benchmarking Libraries’ Progress Towards Sustainable Development. Paper presented at: IFLA WLIC 2019 - Athens, Greece - Libraries: dialogue for change in Session 156 - Enviro
• Foggett-Parker, Michelle (2023. “Getting Warmer: A Refined Taxonomy For Assessing Public Libraries’ Response to the Climate Crisis ”. Partnership: The Canadian Journal of Library and Information Practice and Research, 18(1), 1-9.
• Harger, Elaine. 2008. "Global Warming and Us: Assessing Our Environmental and Professional Responsibility." American Libraries 39,(4): 35. An essay contemplating the author's individual carbon footprint, along with some suggestions for things librarians can do to encourage their patrons to consider their individual impacts.
• Ismail,Farrah Zuhaira et al (2022). "Formulating an Assessment Tool for the Implementation of Green Initiatives in Library." IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science 1067, 012021
• Karioja, Elina (2013) How to evaluate libraries’ sustainability? An approach to an evaluation model and indicators. Paper presented at: IFLA WLIC 2013 - Singapore - Future Libraries: Infinite Possibilities in Session 115B - Environmental Sustainability an
• Missingham, Roxanne (2021). "A New Lens for Evaluation – Assessing Academic Libraries Using the UN Sustainable Development Goals." Journal of Library Administration 61(3), 386-401.
• Ochôa, Paula and Leonor Gaspar Pinto, "Sustainability Metrics in Library and Information Services: A Quality Management Framework." Proceedings of the IATUL Conferences. Paper 5.
• Silk, Kimberly. (2022). "Top Tools to Measure Your Library’s Sustainability Impact." Computers in Libraries, December 2022.

These documents are a great place to start when developing sustainability plans, especially for government agencies and organizations. Note that not every category will apply to your organization.

• Sustainabillty Planning Guide for Illinois State Agencies
• Sustainability Planning Template for Illinois State Agencies
• LeBer, Jeanne Marie; Gregory, Joan M. (2004). "Becoming green and sustainable: a Spencer S. Eccles Health Sciences Library case study." Journal of the Medical Library Association 92(2), 266-268.
• Green Libraries Tackling Environmental Challenges: University College Cork
• Green Partnerships Produce Green Rewards
• Hillsborough County (FL) Public Library Cooperative Sustainability Initiatives
• Let "Green" Creep: Ten Steps to Sustainable Library Operations
• Library sustainability webpages
• Santa Monica Library Collection Development Policy
• Sustainable California Libraries
• Wilmette Public Library green initiatives

Use calculators to help you determine your library's environmental impact and translate those results into more meaningful numbers for your patrons.

• Calculate your PCs Energy Use
• A Comparison of Carbon Calculators more... less... Full citation for the article: Padgett, J.P.; Steinemann, A.C.; Clarke, J.H. Vandenbergh, M.P. (2008) "A Comparison of Carbon Calculators." Environmental Impact Assessment Review 28, 106-115. There is a charge for individuals to access the full text of the article without a subscription.
• Cool Climate Network
• GHG Inventory Guidance for Low Emitters
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Becoming green and sustainable: a Spencer S. Eccles Health Sciences Library case study

Jeanne marie le ber.

1 Spencer S. Eccles Health Sciences Library University of Utah 10 N 1900 E Salt Lake City, Utah 84112–5890

Joan M. Gregory

Introduction.

Noted anthropologist Margaret Mead stated: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world” [ 1 ]. Replace “citizens” with “librarians” and replace “change the world” with “influence environmental issues,” and Margaret Mead's wisdom can be reworded to serve as an impetus for changing the way libraries affect the environment. Librarians can seize the opportunity to become role models and influence our institutions to start or maintain the greening process.

Simply stated, “greening” is having more care for the environment. Greening is a process, as well as a state of mind, and it calls for taking action. Greening involves a spirit of reciprocity. We take care of the environment that takes care of us, cultivating a relationship with the natural world that sustains us.

Sustainability means meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Practicing sustainability means using materials in continuous cycles, using renewable resources, and having less impact on the planet. Sustainable practices translate to caring for the environment.

Among the many greening issues for libraries include disposal of the following:

• packaging (cardboard, polystyrene plastic, plastic) from serials, books, software, computers, etc.;
• unneeded gifts;
• weeded materials;
• office paper waste generated from printing and copying;

Table 1 Junk mail

• outdated computers;
• computer disks, CDs, and audiovisuals; and

Table 2 Recycling statistics: by recycling one ton of paper you save

Additional greening issues relate to the following:

• utilities—water, electricity, gas, heating, and cooling—and
• building and grounds.

The Spencer S. Eccles Health Sciences Library, a medium-sized academic library located at the University of Utah, is engaged in the greening crusade and is working to encourage sustainable practices on campus. This effort requires rethinking everything we do in light of sustainability principles and the six-Rs of recycling: rethink, reduce, reuse, recycle, repurchase/recover, and rejoice ( Table 3 ).

Table 3 The Six Rs

In the beginning, recycling efforts at the Eccles Library were minimal and championed by individuals. Aluminum cans were collected and the traditional “live” Christmas tree was replaced with poinsettias, but that was the extent of it. The library threw away tons of unneeded materials (gifts and weeded materials), paper, cardboard, plastic, and polystyrene plastic. The same was true at other campus libraries and throughout the University of Utah. Recycling was not mandated at the University of Utah. No voluntary campuswide recycling efforts existed other than the University Surplus and Salvage program, where departments could send unneeded furniture, computers, equipment, and so on, for redistribution within and outside the university.

At a certain point in the mid-1990s, the University of Utah contracted with BFI, a local waste management company, to recycle newspaper, white computer paper, and aluminum cans. Unfortunately, many of the other kinds of materials in the library's waste stream were not included, and recycling remained optional.

In 1999, the J. Willard Marriott Library, the main University of Utah library, formed a Green Team and invited the health sciences and law libraries to participate. The Green Team provided an opportunity to discuss how the libraries could become more environmentally sensitive in their practices. Initial discussions identified gifts and weeding as the major recycling concern. The Green Team invited University Custodial Services and BFI to discuss this issue. During the meeting, BFI indicated that taking these materials was not economically feasible for them. However, we were not deterred.

During an Earth Day event, a local nonprofit recycling group put us in touch with the South Valley Training Company (SVTC) as a potential recycling partner. (SVTC is a sheltered workshop program that teaches work skills to and provides jobs for mentally and physically challenged adults.) The three campus libraries negotiated a contract with SVTC to pick up bound and unbound journals, catalogs, telephone books, junk mail, and cardboard, once every three weeks for a fee of $80. Now, the libraries were able to accept gifts with the understanding that if they were not incorporated into our collection, they would at least be recycled.

About the same time, library staff became aware of a Northwest Earth Institute (NWEI) discussion course on voluntary simplicity [ 2 ]. The course became the catalyst for taking further action. Every two weeks during lunch, we discussed how to lessen our impact on the environment at home and work. A second discussion course on choices for sustainable living followed and strengthened our organizational commitment to greening. As a component of each of the sessions, we spent ten minutes discussing library issues. Initially, we addressed the plastic packaging associated with new journal issues. A container for recycling plastic was placed near the journal check-in station. As journal mail was opened the plastic could be tossed into the recycling bin. Staff members voluntarily take the plastic home to recycle in the city's curbside recycling program. It was a small step with wider impacts. With consciousness raised, staff and students began more concerted recycling efforts at work and home. This small success gave us the confidence to explore other changes like providing a recycling bin for tin, plastic, polystyrene plastic, and aluminum containers in the staff lounge. We even put our coffee grounds and food scraps in containers stored in the freezer. Staff members take this waste home for composting.

Further actions taken as a result of our greening discussions were

• setting up a recycling area for polystyrene plastic packaging,
• providing a container for collecting used batteries for proper toxic waste disposal,
• collecting and sending used CDs to a CD recycler,
• turning off computer monitors and office lights when not in use to save energy,
• encouraging staff to provide their own plates and utensils at library staff gatherings (staff picnic, holiday party, etc.),
• purchasing copy paper made from recycled paper,
• switching to recycled paper for printing library public relations materials,
• promoting campuswide and departmental recycling efforts,
• encouraging others to host the NWEI discussion courses, and
• spreading the word: through Earth Day activities, annual reports, poster sessions, and meeting presentations.

This bulleted list makes our greening efforts look easy, but a number of barriers were encountered along the way. For example, SVTC was a small company and eventually found it unprofitable to keep up with the volume of materials generated by the three campus libraries. In fact, they said they could only continue if they increased their fee by a factor of three. The libraries could not afford this cost, but our conscience would not allow us to ignore the long-term impact of filling up our landfills with paper waste. We discontinued the contract with SVTC. Everything could have collapsed at this point, but again we persisted. Discussions with friends and colleagues presented an alternative. We initiated discussion with Weyerhaeuser and negotiated an agreement that ended up costing us less than what we originally paid SVTC.

Additional barriers were related to money, time, space, and aesthetics. Cooperation with the other campus libraries addressed some of these barriers. The individual libraries alone could not have sustained the cost of this program. Neither the law nor health sciences library has enough storage space to hold large amounts of materials for recycling pickup. But the main campus library does and works with us to manage the overflow and to keep all areas looking presentable. Indeed the volume of the three libraries together (over 48 tons in the past 1½ years) made it worthwhile for Weyerhaeuser to consider a contract. A minimal commitment of staff time is required with recycling embedded into our daily routine. Weeding and gift-recycling responsibilities have been incorporated into a student assistant's job description. A member of the health sciences library staff serves as the primary contact with Weyerhaeuser, coordinating the program. The main campus library pays the bill, invoices the other libraries, and provides storage space and transportation for overflow.

While recycling remains optional at the University of Utah, the libraries are creating change. As our case study illustrates, becoming a green library takes commitment from individuals as well as the larger organization. It is an evolutionary process, starting small and building step-by-step. From cans in lockers, to recycling bins, to cooperative recycling efforts among three libraries on campus, to encouraging similar steps in other campus departments, Eccles Library has begun its greening journey. Time, money, space, and support challenges have been faced and met with innovative and collaborative solutions. With support from staff and library colleagues, we have made a significant impact on reducing waste, recycling discarded materials, lessening our impact on the environment, and celebrating our successful efforts to make a difference.

• Institute for Intercultural Studies. . The Margaret Mead Centennial 2001: frequently asked questions . [Web document]. New York, NY: The Institute, 2001. [rev. 19 Nov 2001; cited 4 Apr 2003]. < http://www.mead2001.org/faq_page.html#quote >. [ Google Scholar ]
• Northwest Earth Institute. Discussion courses . [Web document]. Portland, OR: The Institute, 2001. [cited 4 Apr 2003]. < http://www.nwei.org/pages/discussion.html >. [ Google Scholar ]

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Welcome to World Green Building Council’s Case Study Library. Here you can find examples of the world’s most cutting edge sustainable buildings. Each case study demonstrates outstanding performance of an operational building that complies with at least one of WorldGBC’s three strategic impact areas: Climate Action ; Health , Equity & Resilience ; and Resources & Circularity .

Explore the map below to find examples from across the globe!

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Kaiser Permanente Santa Rosa Medical Office Building

Urbanización el paraíso, 1 new street square, 117 easy street, 18 king wah road, 218 electric road, 435 indioway, 62 kimpton rd, 84 harrington street, 945 front street, dpr construction office, a zero-water discharge community  , adam joseph lewis center for environmental studies, oberlin college, affordable housing project , alpine branch library, arch | nexus sac headquarters, arlington business park, arthaland century pacific tower, ash+ash rainwater capture & reuse, ballard emerald star zero energy home, bcci construction company, bcci south bay, bea 347. oficinas bioconstrucción, bergen inclusion centre, birch house, bishop o’dowd high school environmental science center, booth transport logistics and distribution hub, bürogebäude herdweg 19, burwood brickworks shopping centre, camisas polo salvador, casa laguna, center for intelligent buildings tm, centre block, chai wan campus for the technological and higher education institute of hong kong (thei), city hall freiburg, construction industry council – zero carbon park, cooperative housing , craven gap residence, creating adequate, sustainable, and affordable housing through pension fund capital , cwra cape town, design engineers, disaster resilience retrofits , discovery elementary school, double cove residential development, east liberty presbyterian church, echohaven house, edificio lucia, el camino apartments , elobau logistics centre, energy+home1.0, enhancing lives of refugees , entegrity headquarters, entrepatios las carolinas, filiale kirchheimbolanden, five elements harvest house, floth 69 robertson street, fortitude valley, gibbons street , globicon terminals, green idea house, habitat lab, hadera alfa kindergartens, highland dr, hks chicago living lab, honda smart home us, ideas “z squared” office, indigo hammond + playle architects net pos energy office, integral group, toronto, integral office, oakland, interface global headquarters, irota ecolodge, j.p. morgan chase headquarters (under construction), kāinga ora – homes and communities, king county parks north utility maintenance facility, king street, knauf insulation experience center, lakeline learning center, langes haus, lincoln net positive farmhouse, lombardo welcome center – millersville university, madrona passive house, minneapolis net zero victorian, mohawk college the joyce centre for partnership & innovation, morningside crossing, mvule gardens , nasa sustainability base, ncr corporate headquarters, spring at 8th, nex shopping mall, ohm sweet ohm, packard foundation headquarters, panda passage, petinelli curitiba, phare building, noor solar complex, pitzer college robert redford conservancy, plantronics european office, pyörre house, quay quarter tower, rayside labossière architectes, renovating 32 terraced houses, enhancing satisfaction and comfort , residência loft, rocky road straw bale | community rebuilds, saint-gobain and certainteed north american headquarters, salyani housing project, sede rac engenharia, sfo – 1057 – airfield operations facility (aof), social housing , taft faculty house, te mirumiru early childhood education centre, kawakawa, te papa peninsula, the cork haus, the palestinian museum, the recycled houses, the rmi innovation center, toronto dominion centre, ernst and yonge tower, tour elithis danube, tour elithis dijon, trasciende la parroquia, univercity childcare center, university of california, berkeley haas school of business, ward village, wilde lake middle school, wo lee fabrication & distribution center, wsp brisbane fitout, xiao jing wan university, yitpi yartapuultiku.

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Creating a Corporate Social Responsibility Program with Real Impact

• Emilio Marti,
• David Risi,
• Eva Schlindwein,
• Andromachi Athanasopoulou

Lessons from multinational companies that adapted their CSR practices based on local feedback and knowledge.

Exploring the critical role of experimentation in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), research on four multinational companies reveals a stark difference in CSR effectiveness. Successful companies integrate an experimental approach, constantly adapting their CSR practices based on local feedback and knowledge. This strategy fosters genuine community engagement and responsive initiatives, as seen in a mining company’s impactful HIV/AIDS program. Conversely, companies that rely on standardized, inflexible CSR methods often fail to achieve their goals, demonstrated by a failed partnership due to local corruption in another mining company. The study recommends encouraging broad employee participation in CSR and fostering a culture that values CSR’s long-term business benefits. It also suggests that sustainable investors and ESG rating agencies should focus on assessing companies’ experimental approaches to CSR, going beyond current practices to examine the involvement of diverse employees in both developing and adapting CSR initiatives. Overall, embracing a dynamic, data-driven approach to CSR is essential for meaningful social and environmental impact.

By now, almost all large companies are engaged in corporate social responsibility (CSR): they have CSR policies, employ CSR staff, engage in activities that aim to have a positive impact on the environment and society, and write CSR reports. However, the evolution of CSR has brought forth new challenges. A stark contrast to two decades ago, when the primary concern was the sheer neglect of CSR, the current issue lies in the ineffective execution of these practices. Why do some companies implement CSR in ways that create a positive impact on the environment and society, while others fail to do so? Our research reveals that experimentation is critical for impactful CSR, which has implications for both companies that implement CSR and companies that externally monitor these CSR activities, such as sustainable investors and ESG rating agencies.

• EM Emilio Marti is an associate professor at the Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University. His research focuses on corporate sustainability with a specific focus on sustainable investing.
• DR David Risi is a professor at the Bern University of Applied Sciences and a habilitated lecturer at the University of St. Gallen. His research focuses on how companies organize CSR and sustainability.
• ES Eva Schlindwein is a professor at the Bern University of Applied Sciences and a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Oxford. Her research focuses on how organizations navigate tensions between business and society.
• AA Andromachi Athanasopoulou is an associate professor at Queen Mary University of London and an associate fellow at the University of Oxford. Her research focuses on how individuals manage their leadership careers and make ethically charged decisions.

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Sustainable, inclusive housing growth: A case study on Columbus, Ohio

Over the past two decades, the Columbus region has enjoyed outsize population and economic growth compared with leading peer cities and the US average. 1 In this article, “Columbus” refers to the Columbus metropolitan statistical area unless otherwise specified. See “Ohio Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs),” Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, Office of Workforce Development, accessed June 22, 2023. Yet growth has come at a cost—specifically by outpacing the region’s supply of available housing. Home and rental prices have soared as stock has been depleted, making homeownership—and sometimes even having a roof over one’s head—increasingly out of reach for many people, particularly those from historically marginalized communities.

About the authors

This article is a collaborative effort by Brandon Carrus , Seth Myers , Brian Parro, Duwain Pinder , and Ben Safran, representing views from McKinsey’s Social Sector Practice.

In just this past decade, the increase in housing prices and rents has dramatically outpaced household income. Additionally, the region’s population of people experiencing homelessness (PEH) has grown faster than those of its US peers in recent years. The region’s challenges have a disproportionate impact on historically marginalized populations (such as Black and Hispanic residents), who have a dramatically lower likelihood of being a homeowner and a much higher likelihood of experiencing homelessness. Amid ongoing rapid growth, the need for affordable housing and support services for PEH will only continue to increase unless significant action is taken. 2 HUD defines affordable housing as “housing on which the occupant is paying no more than 30 percent of gross income for housing costs, including utilities.” See “Glossary of terms to affordable housing,” HUD, accessed June 22, 2023.

Columbus is a microcosm of the United States’ housing insecurity plight. While many major cities are receiving national press coverage for this issue, housing insecurity is a humanitarian challenge facing communities of all sizes across the country. The National Association for Home Builders estimates that about 70 percent of US households cannot afford a new home at the national median price. 3 NAHBNow , “Nearly 7 out of 10 households can’t afford a new median-priced home,” blog entry by National Association of Home Builders, February 15, 2022. In 2022, US home vacancy rates were at their lowest levels since 1987, 4 “Home vacancy rate for the United States,” US Census Bureau, retrieved from Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED) June 22, 2023. and the country is estimated to have a shortage of 6.5 million housing units. 5 Anna Bahney, “The US housing market is short 6.5 million homes,” CNN, March 8, 2023. Renters are also facing increased pressure nationally: 23 percent spend at least half of their income on housing costs, 6 Katherine Schaeffer, “Key facts about housing affordability in the U.S.,” Pew Research Center, March 23, 2022. rendering them “severely rent burdened” as defined by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). 7 “Rental burdens: Rethinking affordability measures,” PD&R Edge, accessed June 22, 2023.

As in many regions in the United States, the primary contributors to the housing shortage in Columbus are embedded within deeply vexing economic and social issues, including stagnating incomes, racial gaps in homeownership, and access to financing and services.

As Columbus charts a growth strategy for the decades ahead, addressing housing and homelessness will be an essential component in realizing the goal of prosperity for all. Today, Columbus is projected to have a shortage of as much as 110,000 housing units by 2032. 8 Vogt Strategic Insights, “Analysis of housing need for the Columbus region,” Building Industry Association of Central Ohio, August 30, 2022. Without an increase in the supply of housing, Columbus may struggle to continue on a growth trajectory. Specifically, we have identified four priority interventions designed to work in concert to increase housing stock, keep rents affordable, and help more people, including historically marginalized populations, access the housing market:

• Tap into existing housing capacity potential. Public–private collaboration on policies can identify land available for housing either as underused property or as part of broader rezoning efforts to increase the supply of homes, which is a requirement for sustained economic growth.
• Reduce the cost of new construction. Promising cost-reduction opportunities include simplifying the permit process and engaging builders with expertise in cost-effective construction methods.
• Support homebuyers and renters. Local government and policy makers can expand resources and consider policies that support public- and private-sector initiatives to improve homeownership rates, assist with rental affordability, and reduce the risk of homelessness.
• Prioritize tackling homelessness. Alleviating homelessness requires increasing awareness of currently available resources for PEH and expanding relief funds to assist residents with affordable housing, healthcare support, training for employment, and other resources critical to reducing homelessness.

Many local leaders are well aware of the challenges that can result from booming growth. The policy-neutral research presented in this article is intended to complement the work already under way by leaders in the city of Columbus and surrounding areas to inform decision making about the housing shortage, affordable housing, and homelessness. 9 For example, see Bonnie Meibers, “Columbus details plan to build, preserve and invest in inclusive affordable housing,” Columbus Business First , June 27, 2022; Bonnie Meibers, “Columbus City Council announces 12-part plan to combat affordable housing shortage,” Columbus Business First , March 16, 2023; Bonnie Meibers, “The Punch List: Columbus lays out new solutions to housing crisis,” Columbus Business First , October 24, 2022; Mark Ferenchik, “Worthington considering asking for $1.1M affordable housing bond issue on November ballot,” Columbus Dispatch , January 16, 2023. In the process, we believe the Columbus region’s approach to housing could both build on and inform the economic development strategies of other regions across the country—with successes offering a potential blueprint for progress.

The fastest-growing region in the Midwest

From 2000 to 2021, the Columbus Region’s population increased by a third, adding more than 500,000 people and becoming the fastest-growing metropolitan statistical area (MSA) in the Midwest. 10 “Resident population in Columbus, OH (MSA) [COLPOP],” US Census Bureau, retrieved from FRED April 7, 2023. Includes MSAs with populations greater than one million. Midwest defined as Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. See “Resident population in Columbus,” retrieved April 7, 2023; Factbook 2020 , City of Columbus, accessed June 22, 2023. In September 2022, Columbus was named the fifth-hottest housing market in the United States, driven by the speed of home sales and demand. 11 “CAGDP1 County and MSA gross domestic product (GDP) summary,” US Bureau of Economic Analysis, accessed May 12, 2023; “Table 1.1.6. Real Gross Domestic Product, Chained Dollars,” US Bureau of Economic Analysis, accessed May 12, 2023.

This growth was precipitated by, and continues to benefit from, the region’s mounting economic strength: from 2008 through 2021, Columbus outpaced national GDP growth by almost ten percentage points. 12 “Total gross domestic product for Columbus, OH (MSA) [NGMP18140],” US Bureau of Economic Analysis, retrieved from FRED June 23, 2023; “Gross domestic product [GDP],” US Bureau of Economic Analysis, retrieved from FRED June 23, 2023. Growth has also been bolstered by more-recent major commercial investments from a range of industries, including semiconductors, financial services, and biopharmaceuticals. 13 “Intel breaks ground in Ohio,” JobsOhio, accessed June 22, 2023; “Project announcements,” One Columbus, accessed June 22, 2023; “Western Alliance Bank expands into the Columbus Region, creating 150 new jobs at new technology hub,” One Columbus, January 9, 2023; “Discover plans to open a customer care center in Whitehall to bring high-quality jobs and enhance equity in the Columbus Region,” One Columbus, November 18, 2022.

Growing pains: Coping with rapid growth

The population influx has measurably strained Columbus’s residential real estate and rental markets, particularly for people of color. Increasing housing supply is a critical enabler for the region’s continued growth trajectory.

Increasing housing supply is a critical enabler for the region’s continued growth trajectory.

Rapidly rising home prices. Although the region remains relatively affordable compared with leading peers, home prices have skyrocketed in relation to incomes. Data from Zillow reveal that roughly a decade ago, the growth of median household incomes in Columbus and the value of the city’s “lower tier” housing stock began to diverge (Exhibit 1). In the ten years since then, lower-tier housing prices within the city’s boundaries increased at 1.9 times the growth of median household income—an unsustainable divergence. 14 Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI) All Homes - Bottom Tier Time Series, accessed April 19, 2023. A cavalry in the form of new-housing construction may be slow to arrive: from 2004 to 2022, annual construction of new single-family homes in Columbus fell by 34 percent, and it has yet to return to pre-2004 levels. 15 “B19013 Median household income in the past 12 months,” ACS 5-Year Estimates 2016–21, American Community Survey, US Census Bureau. In fact, for every 100 net new jobs in the region, only 65 new housing permits were issued. 16 Analysis of housing need for the Columbus region , Vogt Strategic Insights, August 30, 2022.

Rent increases outpacing wage increases. Renters in Columbus have also seen a price surge.

Rent prices in Columbus increased by about 35 percent between December 2016 and December 2021, exceeding median household income growth in that period by 11 percentage points (Exhibit 2). As a result, by 2021, approximately 40 percent of renters in Columbus were spending more than 30 percent of their income on rent, meeting HUD’s definition of “rent burdened.” 17 “Gross rent as a percentage of household income,” 2021: ACS 5-Year Estimates, American Community Survey, US Census Bureau. And renters account for a significant percentage of residents: as of 2021, nearly 40 percent of total households in the metro area were rentals, which is comparable to other fast-growing US regions such as Austin (around 41 percent) and Miami (about 40 percent) but much higher than similar sized regions such as Pittsburgh (around 29 percent) and Indianapolis (about 32 percent). 18 “B25008 Total population in occupied housing units by tenure,” 2021: ACS 1-Year Estimates, American Community Survey, US Census Bureau.

More people experiencing homelessness.

Columbus outpaced its US peers in the growth of its PEH population from 2008 through 2022 (Exhibit 3), and early reports indicate homelessness was up 22 percent in January 2023 compared with January 2022. 19 “Columbus region leaders introduce new action on homelessness: Funding for programs and services introduced as data shows increase in homeless count,” Community Shelter Board, June 6, 2023. McKinsey research on homelessness in the Bay Area indicates that homelessness is a result of a range of disparate triggers, including economic issues (such as job loss, raised rent, or foreclosure), health factors (such as substance abuse or mental illness), and social factors (for example, incarceration or domestic violence). 20 For more, see “ The ongoing crisis of homelessness in the Bay Area: What’s working, what’s not ,” McKinsey, March 23, 2023. A brief but significant drop in the number of PEH in Columbus in 2021 is likely attributable to additional support during the pandemic (for example, eviction moratoriums and stimulus payments). Still, as of 2022, Columbus had the fastest-growing PEH population among its peers.

Columbus outpaced its US peers in the growth of its PEH population from 2008 through 2022, and early reports indicate homelessness was up 22 percent in January 2023 compared with January 2022.

Disproportionate effect on historically marginalized communities. The racial disparities that plague many leading US regions are also starkly apparent in Columbus. Some historically marginalized groups are less likely to be homeowners: one-third of the region’s Black households own their homes, compared with more than two-thirds of White households (Exhibit 4). Black household incomes in the region are also about 42 percent lower than those of White households. 21 “S1903 Median income in the past 12 months (in 2021 inflation-adjusted dollars),” 2021: ACS 1-Year Estimates, American Community Survey, US Census Bureau.

In addition, Black residents account for 16 percent of Columbus’s general population but 60 percent of the homeless population. 22 “DP05 ACS demographic and housing estimates,” 2021: ACS 5-Year Estimates Data Profiles, American Community Survey, US Census Bureau; “PIT and HIC data since 2007,” HUD Exchange, February 2023. And even when people in these communities have housing, Black households are almost five times more likely to be overcrowded (more than one occupant per room) than White households. 23 “B25014B Occupants per room (Black or African American alone householder),” 2021: ACS 5-Year Estimates, American Community Survey, US Census Bureau; “B25014A Occupants per room (White alone householder),” 2021: ACS 5-Year Estimates, American Community Survey, US Census Bureau. These disparate experiences in different communities are reflected in other metrics of financial and housing stability, including income and the ability to pass on generational wealth. 24 “B19013B Median household income in the past 12 months (in 2021 inflation-adjusted dollars) (Black or African American alone householder),” 2021: ACS 5-Year Estimates, American Community Survey, US Census Bureau; “B19013A Median household income in the past 12 months (in 2021 inflation-adjusted dollars) (White alone householder),” 2021: ACS 5-Year Estimates, American Community Survey, US Census Bureau; Jung Hyun Choi, Laurie Goodman, and Jun Zhu, Intergenerational homeownership: The impact of parental homeownership and wealth on young adults’ tenure choices , Urban Institute, October 2018.

These disproportionate effects have wide-ranging impact, including on overall economic growth. PolicyLink and the USC Equity Research Institute estimate that the racial gap in Columbus is costing the region’s economy $10 billion annually. 25 Erica Thompson and Mark Williams, “Racial inequities costs Columbus economy $10 billion a year, report finds,” Columbus Dispatch , updated May 12, 2022.

Four interventions to address Columbus’s housing challenges

Housing is a critical enabler for economic growth—and Columbus’s housing challenges are no secret. Local leaders, organizations, and partnerships have long worked to improve housing security directly. Advocates and organizations have all published research on housing and homelessness, including the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission, the Coalition on Housing and Homelessness in Ohio, the Affordable Housing Trust for Columbus & Franklin County, the Center for Social Innovation, and the Community Shelter Board of Columbus. 26 Healthy Beginnings at Home: Final report , CelebrateOne and the Health Policy Institute of Ohio, June 2021; Regional Housing Strategy final report: Central Ohio , Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission, September 2020; Annual report 2021: Preserving, creating & facilitating , Affordable Housing Trust for Columbus and Franklin County, 2021; Columbus, Ohio: Initial findings from quantitative and qualitative research , Supporting Partnerships for Anti-Racist Communities (SPARC), Center for Social Innovation, May 2018. Yet the latest estimates show that the region could need as many as 110,000 housing units beyond the current run rate by 2032 to cover expected job growth. This would require more than doubling the construction rate, from around 8,300 units per year to as many as 19,300 per year. 27 Analysis of housing need for the Columbus region , Vogt Strategic Insights, August 30, 2022.

After reviewing the available research, examining the actions taken by other local governments, and drawing on our experience in the real estate and public sectors, we have identified four key interventions that can augment existing efforts to address Columbus’s housing challenge: tap into existing housing capacity potential, reduce the cost of new construction, support homebuyers and renters, and prioritize tackling homelessness.

Tap into existing housing capacity potential

Zoning regulates how land is used, where residential or commercial buildings may be constructed, and the density of new developments, making it a key lever in changing a city’s residential landscape. The city of Columbus spans 220 square miles of central Ohio, and it has 50 more square miles of single-family zoning than multifamily zoning. 28 Nicholas Julian, “Zoning in Columbus: Single-family vs. multifamily,” Ohio Housing Finance Agency, April 2, 2019; “QuickFacts: Columbus city, Ohio,” US Census Bureau, accessed June 22, 2023. Increasing density and creating housing “hot spots” are both potential options for Columbus to address current housing supply challenges.

Increased housing density. Zoning has a direct impact on housing density. In Washington, DC, for example, areas zoned for detached single-family units typically consist of up to 1,200 units per square mile, 29 Yesim Sayin, “Single-family zoning and neighborhood characteristics in the District of Columbia,” D.C. Policy Center, July 17, 2019. compared with up to 40,000 units per square mile in large multifamily buildings. But zoning in most US cities largely restricts higher-density homes. Three-quarters of the land in US cities is barred from development for anything other than detached single-family homes—and where multifamily buildings are allowed, height and lot size requirements hurt the economic calculus for development. 30 Jenny Schuetz, “To improve housing affordability, we need better alignment of zoning, taxes, and subsidies,” Brookings Institution, January 7, 2020. Specific zoning adjustments could contribute directly to closing the housing gap, not just in the city limits but also in the surrounding suburbs. For example, a recent analysis by the Columbus Dispatch found that zoning contributed to the lack of affordable housing options in Upper Arlington, New Albany, and suburbs in Delaware County. 31 Jim Weiker, “Columbus suburbs offer few affordable housing options,” Columbus Dispatch , May 4, 2023. High-density zoning can be a meaningful part of a community’s housing ecosystem to enable future growth.

‘Housing hot spots’ created by reusing and rezoning underused property. To help alleviate the shortage of homes in the near term, municipalities can also identify potentially high-impact housing areas by reviewing the zoning of properties that meet criteria for vacant or underutilized land, homes with room for more units, and more. This approach has been used elsewhere to great effect. An analysis of three counties in California found room for more than five million new units, 32 Jonathan Woetzel, Jan Mischke, Shannon Peloquin, and Daniel Weisfield, “ Closing California’s housing gap ,” McKinsey Global Institute, October 24, 2016. and separate efforts are under way in New York City and Los Angeles to rezone underused commercial zones for residential or mixed use—making more space available for housing construction without needing to expand a city’s footprint. 33 “Mayor Adams unveils recommendations to convert underused offices into homes,” City of New York, January 9, 2023; “Adequate sites for housing,” 2021–2029 Housing Element , Los Angeles City Planning, November 2021.

Reduce the cost of new construction

A priority for the Columbus region will be reducing the cost of new construction to accelerate the pace of development. Programs that accelerate construction, reduce permit fees, or otherwise defray development costs are common levers to help reduce the cost of affordable housing. Several approaches can be prioritized to address the challenges facing Columbus and other US regions.

Innovative, cost-saving construction techniques and builders. As in many areas of the United States, inflation drove up the cost of building materials, labor, and financing in Columbus by as much as 18 percent between 2021 and 2022. 34 “How much does it cost to build a house in Columbus?,” Home Builder Digest , accessed June 23, 2023. Innovative, low-cost approaches such as modular and prefabricated construction can help; in our experience, when applied at large scale, these techniques can reduce the cost of construction materials by up to 20 percent and decrease build time by 20 to 50 percent without sacrificing build quality. 35 Modular construction: From projects to products , McKinsey, June 18, 2019. This is especially true with projects featuring repeatable elements, such as schools and affordable housing.

Columbus, specifically, can establish itself as a center of excellence for modular and prefabricated construction by leveraging the region’s transportation network (such as railroads and highways) to efficiently transport modular units into the region. The region can further attract builders that use these construction techniques by offering tax incentives, investing in land and modular units at scale, reskilling the labor force, and streamlining the approval process to help drive affordable housing growth. These and other approaches could improve the economics for these kinds of construction projects almost immediately once implemented. For example, Portland, Oregon, made changes to its design review process to allow mixed-use and multifamily projects to go directly to the permit process, saving developers time and money by decreasing their financing costs. Local governments in the Columbus region can further improve the economics of housing development by producing and holding off-the-shelf design schematics that can easily be used by prospective housing-unit developers.

Reduced development costs. Identifying parcels of public land for housing development could defray the overall cost of new projects in addition to rezoning efforts. Some cities, including Copenhagen, London, New York City, and Stockholm, have established professional management of their publicly owned land, allowing them to identify suitable city-owned sites for affordable developments. 36 “ Affordable housing in Los Angeles: Delivering more—and doing it faster ”, McKinsey Global Institute, November 21, 2019.

Accelerating the construction permit process could help reduce lengthy permit timelines that both create delays and increase developers’ costs. Under Columbus’s permit approval system, new-construction permits can take six to nine months. In fast-growing metro areas elsewhere in the United States, permits can take as little as a few weeks—a disparity that the City of Columbus is reviewing as part of its longer-term affordable-housing initiatives. 37 Allen Henry, “Columbus to overhaul zoning code for first time in 70 years,” NBC4 WCMH-TV, October 20, 2021. The Affordable Housing Trust in Columbus has launched the Emerging Developers Accelerator Program to provide education and funding for minority developers. 38 Jim Weiker, “New program seeks to build ranks of minority and female developers,” Columbus Dispatch , updated May 18, 2022. Yet the holding costs due to the lengthy time horizon between initial plans and selling the first house keep many potential developers out of the business.

Reduced development finance costs and fees. Financing costs and government taxes tend to be a heavy burden on housing developers. Legal agreements and public financing tools, such as joint powers authorities (JPAs) and tax increment financing (TIF) programs, provide incentives for public and private partners to collaborate in the development of affordable housing. In instances where traditional incentives and subsidies are unable to produce the desired outcomes, JPAs enable the city, partnered with a developer, to issue bonds and use its property tax exemption to purchase a property or finance the creation of a new development process. As part of the acquisition process, the JPA agrees to restrict the rent of a set number of units in line with affordable-housing standards. This approach is unlike traditional affordable-housing projects in that long-term ownership rests with the city, with an option to purchase the property back from the JPA after a set period.

JPAs are eligible for significant tax exemptions on their properties, with the added benefit that these savings are passed on to renters. Bond financing can also be tax-exempt given that governmental bodies have the authority to issue tax-exempt bonds for facilities that provide a public benefit. 39 “Portantino bill creating regional affordable housing trust passes assembly local government committee,” Senator Anthony J. Portantino, California State Senate, June 9, 2022; Brennon Dixson et al., The ABCs of JPAs , SPUR and the Terner Center for Housing Innovation, June 2022. In California, the Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Regional Housing Trust is leveraging these benefits to address barriers to building nearly 3,000 affordable-housing units in the region. 40 “Newsom signs Portantino bill creating Pasadena-Glendale-Burbank affordable housing trust,” Pasadena Star-News , August 24, 2022. The JPA will be allowed to request and receive private and state funding allocations, as well as authorize and issue bonds, to help finance affordable-housing projects.

As another option, TIF districts enable cities to freeze property tax revenue at current levels and use incremental tax revenue generated from a development to reimburse the developer’s costs over time. In 2018, for example, the City of Chicago approved TIF measures for The 78, a $7 billion mixed-use project to transform a former railroad property into 13 million square feet of residential, commercial, and institutional construction with a 20 percent commitment for affordable-housing units. According to plans, this TIF district will reimburse around $551 million in future increments for the construction of new infrastructure related to this project, including a new subway station, street improvements and extensions, and riverfront renovations. 41 “The 78,” Department of Planning and Development, City of Chicago, accessed June 23, 2023.

Support homebuyers and renters

In conjunction with initiatives that improve the supply of affordable housing, Columbus can explore approaches that improve an individual’s ability to pay for housing. The region can take these approaches in tandem to reduce the risk that demand will outpace supply and drive up prices on housing, making it even more unaffordable.

Homebuyer assistance from the public sector. Increasing investment in housing programs could help broaden the range of homes applicants can consider purchasing. For example, the City of Columbus’s Housing Division currently offers homebuyer assistance under its American Dream Downpayment Initiative (ADDI), which provides eligible first-time homebuyers with a loan of up to 6 percent of the purchase price (or up to $7,500) to put toward their down payment. 42 “American Dream Downpayment Initiative (ADDI) Program,” City of Columbus, accessed June 23, 2023. This loan is forgiven after five years if the resident meets certain requirements, including maintaining residency and not selling the property.

In Cleveland, Cuyahoga County’s Down Payment Assistance Program covers up to 10 percent of a home’s purchase price (or up to $16,600). 43 “Cuyahoga County Down Payment Assistance Program,” CHN Housing Capital, accessed June 23, 2023. This higher amount is especially significant given that the median sale price for a home in Columbus was $250,000 in December 2022, compared with $175,000 in Cuyahoga County and $115,000 in Cleveland itself. 44 “Columbus housing market,” Redfin, accessed June 23, 2023. The down payment program available in Cleveland provides greater assistance in real dollars in an area where those dollars can go further than in Columbus. Beyond affordable housing, assistance in the form of microloans and flexible funding programs have been shown to enable this transition. 45 Interval House, “How flexible funding can create stability and prevent homelessness,” Long Beach Community Foundation, accessed June 23, 2023.

Increasing the amount of assistance available could help broaden the options available to prospective homebuyers who could benefit from programs such as these, especially for historically marginalized communities that tend to have much lower rates of homeownership.

Rental assistance from the public sector. Some 54,000 households in the Columbus region are spending more than half their monthly incomes on rent, making rental assistance a cornerstone of the effort to improve housing affordability in the region. 46 Homeport website, US Department of Homeland Security and the United States Coast Guard, accessed June 23, 2023. Today, the State of Ohio and Franklin County have a number of rental assistance programs, including specific funds to help families, seniors, and veterans. 47 “Rent assistance providers,” Rentful, accessed June 23, 2023. Alternative programs, including flexible funding that allows for short-term, flexible financial assistance, could help stabilize individuals’ housing needs. 48 “How flexible funding can create stability,” accessed June 23, 2023.

Additionally, HUD subsidizes rent for low-income families. 49 A family’s income may not exceed 50 percent of the median income for the county or metropolitan area in which the family chooses to live, and 75 percent of vouchers must be provided to applicants whose income does not exceed 30 percent of the area median income. For more, see “Housing choice vouchers fact sheet,” HUD, accessed June 23, 2023. For fiscal year 2023, Columbus is allocated to receive approximately $12.7 million dollars in HUD funding for housing programs—approximately 16 percent more than Austin and 35 percent more than Denver 50 “Community Development Block Grant Program,” HUD, updated December 22, 2022; “HOME Investment Partnerships Program,” HUD, updated December 22, 2022; “Community planning and development formula program allocations for FY 2023,” HUD, updated May 3, 2023. —but the need for housing support exceeds the availability of funding. Columbus and Franklin County have also received more than $120 million combined due to the reallocation of unused federal COVID-19 relief funds to fight evictions, a majority of which is expected to go toward rent and utility assistance for low-income residents. 51 Bill Bush, “Columbus, Franklin County get over $120 million windfall in federal rental assistance,” Columbus Dispatch , May 8, 2023.

In addition, the Columbus City Council has made it illegal to deny a lease based on the source of a potential tenant’s rental payment—an effort to prevent landlords from denying leases to tenants using Section 8 subsidies. 52 Yilun Cheng, “Some landlords reject Section 8 renters despite Columbus law against discrimination,” Columbus Dispatch , February 8, 2022. The Columbus Metropolitan Housing Department has even offered cash incentives to landlords, and nonprofits have offered home upgrades in attempts to persuade more landlords to accept vouchers. 53 Jamilah Muhammad, “Central Ohio mother struggles to find homes accepting HUD vouchers,” Spectrum News 1, December 1, 2021. However, while these vouchers can effectively keep people housed, wait times to obtain them can be as long as 12 months. And about 30 percent of vouchers have expired over the past three years because participants could not find landlords in time. 54 “Some landlords reject Section 8 renters,” February 8, 2022. Streamlining the process from application to placement in subsidized housing could increase the impact of housing choice vouchers.

Potential interventions from the private sector

The private sector can take an active role in ensuring housing stability for both their employees and the communities where they operate by investing in and implementing sustainable-housing initiatives.

Three actions offer the potential for significant impact:

• Offer housing assistance to employees. To build effective assistance plans, businesses can assess the specific needs of their employees and design targeted assistance, including employee housing, emergency housing assistance, down-payment assistance, and mortgage rate subsidies. Sugar Bowl Resort in California offers an array of affordable employee housing options near the resort. 1 “Employee housing,” Sugar Bowl Resort, accessed June 23, 2023. In Ohio, MetroHealth launched an employer-assisted housing program (EAHP), providing eligible employees $20,000 toward the purchase of a home near the hospital’s campus. 2 “MetroHealth System employees to receive up to $20,000 to buy a home near West 25th Street main campus,” MetroHealth System, June 24, 2019. Similarly, Habitat for Humanity in Dallas, Texas, started an EAHP with up to $13,000 in a forgivable loan for down payment assistance. 3 Lin Grensing-Pophal, “Employers begin offering home-buying support benefits,” SHRM, November 8, 2022.
• Invest in increasing the supply of affordable housing. Businesses can invest in building new affordable-housing units in their communities. UnitedHealthcare has invested nearly $800 million to create approximately 19,000 housing units across the United States. 4 “Building health equity with $100 million in housing,” United HealthCare Services, July 6, 2022. In Columbus, Nationwide Children’s Hospital invests in the Healthy Neighborhoods Healthy Families initiative, which aims to increase access to and supply of affordable housing. And as businesses navigate a new hybrid phase of work and reassess their footprint needs, affordable housing is a powerful way to invest in and repurpose excess space. In Columbus, the owners of Continental Centre and PNC Tower have started converting office space to residential, creating hundreds of new rental units. 5 Dean Narciso, “Nationwide Children’s Hospital builds homes in South Linden with $4.2 million fund,” Columbus Dispatch , June 24, 2021.
• Focus on affordable housing in site selection. Businesses can select sites for new locations based on availability of affordable housing, as well as give preference in requests for proposal (RFPs) to commercial real estate owners who invest in expanding affordable housing. 6 Bonnie Meibers, “Chase Tower in downtown Columbus could be converted from office to residential,” Columbus Business First , updated May 23, 2023.

Housing assistance from the private sector. Private-sector employers in Columbus and across the United States play a crucial role in helping employees maintain stable housing by providing appropriate compensation. However, simply paying employees a living wage may not be enough to ensure stable housing in the face of unexpected expenses or other financial difficulties. A recent Harvard Business Review article suggests that any investment in housing assistance can both attract new workers (a growing challenge for companies across the United States, with ten million unfilled jobs 55 “Total unfilled job vacancies for the United States,” Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, retrieved from FRED July 7, 2023. ) and increase the productivity of existing workers (for example, by creating a shorter commute or reducing stresses related to housing affordability). 56 Edward L. Glaeser and Atta Tarki, “What employers can do to address high housing costs,” Harvard Business Review , March 14, 2023. Other housing-security interventions—such as housing search and placement services, access to shower facilities, or even temporary hotel rooms—can support employees more quickly than local social services and also reduce employee turnover. Some corporate programs can provide immediate relief to recipients, while others can provide long-term benefits to at-risk individuals over the course of several years (see sidebar, “Potential interventions from the private sector”).

Any investment in housing assistance can both attract new workers and increase the productivity of existing workers.

Employers also can collaborate to provide a broader set of resources to employees. In Cleveland, for example, the Greater Living Circle offers financial assistance for home purchase, rent, and renovation projects for employees of nonprofit institutions in the Greater University Circle area, including in low-income neighborhoods. Such collaboration is also the goal of the Columbus Regional Housing Coalition, a task force focused on convening leaders across the region to address the region’s housing and homelessness challenges.

Prioritize tackling homelessness

Homelessness across the region served by the Columbus and Franklin County, Ohio Continuum of Care has increased by 33 percent in the past decade 57 The Columbus and Franklin County, Ohio Continuum of Care is the organization that oversees programs funded by HUD in the region. ; in January 2023, more than 2,300 people in the region were experiencing homelessness. 58 “Columbus region leaders introduce new action on homelessness,” June 6, 2023.

Improving awareness of available resources and expanding access to essential resources—such as healthcare, transitional housing, and training programs—can help alleviate challenges for PEH and reduce the homelessness rate across the region.

Improve awareness of existing resources. A recurring problem in approaches to homelessness is a lack of public awareness of resources available to PEH. This is especially a concern among people who have recently lost their source of housing, including young people (aged 18–24). Partnering with other organizations to increase awareness of and augment available resources can equip individuals with the means to self-resolve or seek help earlier. Even initiatives that partner with existing organizations can provide immediate relief. For example, in December 2022, the City of Columbus partnered with Columbus Coalition for the Homeless to launch an interactive map showing the locations of warming centers and homeless shelters to help individuals find places to keep warm in the winter months.

Expand essential resources to alleviate homelessness. Expanding access to essential resources will be necessary to combat the increase in homelessness. Health resources make it much more likely that PEH will remain housed after securing a more permanent living situation. For PEH who have health issues such as substance abuse or severe mental health disorders, long-term health-focused housing should be considered. Efforts that expand housing with easily available healthcare resources could provide both immediate and gradually increasing support in reducing chronic homelessness. These resources can be combined with existing techniques for ensuring PEH have the resources they need to secure permanent housing. Other innovative solutions such as alternatives to traditional security deposits and credit scores can support PEH who may not have enough savings for a security deposit or the credit history to be approved for a loan.

One emerging strategy is providing training to PEH by placing them in some form of transitional housing and helping them find employment so that they can remain housed. Portland, Oregon, and other cities have also amended zoning to allow for more homeless shelters and more flexible group living, while increasing access to resources PEH may need. 59 “Warming stations,” City of Columbus, accessed June 23, 2023; Lindsey Mills, “Columbus leaders, community partners launch interactive map for warming centers, homeless shelters,” WBNS-TV, December 19, 2022. In Columbus, the Community Shelter Board (CSB) serves thousands of people through programs to prevent and respond to homelessness, including partnering with landlords to create additional housing capacity for PEH and with the Homelessness Prevention Network to coordinate social services in the community for PEH. 60 “Major updates to the City’s housing-related zoning rules coming August 1,” City of Portland, Oregon, July 16, 2021.

As Columbus’s population continues to grow, stressors that come from growth need to be understood and mitigated head-on through innovative approaches. Through a focus on housing development, the region’s public, private, and civic leaders are seeking to improve housing security while supporting economic development. By setting clear goals to increase the overall housing supply, reduce the cost of new construction, provide support to improve housing affordability, and assist those who are currently experiencing homelessness, 61 Community Shelter Board website, accessed June 23, 2023. Columbus could make significant strides toward sustainable and inclusive growth, set an example for other regions, and ensure that all who wish to reside here can find a place of their own to call home.

Brandon Carrus is a senior partner in, and managing partner of, McKinsey’s Ohio office, where Seth Myers is a partner and Brian Parro is an associate partner; Duwain Pinder is a partner in the Ohio office and is a leader of the McKinsey Institute for Black Economic Mobility; Ben Safran is a partner in the Washington, DC, office.

The authors wish to thank Kyoka Allen, Charlie Baca, Laura Hempton, and Sarthak Soni for their contributions to this article.

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