Headquartered in Bozeman, Mont., Zoot ' s founder and CEO, Chris Nelson, drives a company culture focused on corporate sustainability and environmentally conscious programs. " We pride ourselves on our environmental initiatives that serve to minimize energy consumption, which keeps our costs down, allowing us to pass these savings on to our customers, " Nelson said. " We have found a way to be both fiscally and environmentally efficient, proving that companies do not have to compromise profit for environmental responsibility. "

During 2007, Zoot participated in several events to benefit the environment. Consumer electronics contain high amounts of lead and other contaminants, which may be responsible for 40 percent of the lead found in landfills. To keep e-waste out of landfills and prevent further contamination, Zoot employees sponsored and volunteered at an event that ultimately collected more than 80 tons of unwanted equipment and computers, which were later taken to a recycling center.

Additionally, Zoot has a computer-refurbishing program for local schools, day care facilities and nonprofit organizations. Due to the sensitive data managed by Zoot, hard drives are destroyed when no longer being used for business purposes. Zoot purchases new hard drives for computer equipment that is being replaced and passes the refurbished equipment along to organizations in need.

Zoot ' s ongoing efforts to be more environmentally friendly are in line with a larger trend emerging within the financial services space. According to Financial Insights, one of the 2008 Top 10 Banking I.T. Initiatives will be the implementation of green initiatives as part of an overall competitive strategy. Also, TowerGroup recently released a report stating financial institutions are adopting several sustainability measures, including relying on more green suppliers.

" We ' ve seen the trend of U.S. financial institutions taking major strides to become stewards of the environment, and as this trend continues, companies that serve these institutions will also be called upon to reduce not only their customers ' carbon footprints, but their own as well, " said Nelson. " Zoot is committed to being a globally responsible partner for our clients, as well as an environmentally friendly member of our local community. "

Zoot ' s corporate campus resides on 35 acres and includes scenic nature walking trails. To minimize the negative impact of their operations on the environment, Zoot ' s " galactic headquarters " (approximately 150,000 square feet) was designed using state-of-the-art eco-friendly materials and functionality. Instead of air conditioning, the company uses geothermal cooling wells, a non-consumptive use of groundwater, for temperature control. Water is pumped from three groundwater wells, passed through a heat exchanger and circulated throughout the building. The water is then returned to the ground to a clear-water drain field with zero impact on the environment. The employee-parking garage features a heated concrete slab, which radiates heat recycled from the computer room. Additionally, Zoot ' s building is highly energy efficient, including:

• Full-time monitoring to ensure systems minimize energy usage;
• 277-volt lighting throughout the infrastructure;
• Energy-efficient windows and insulated walls; and
• A three-phased electrical system creating an efficient power delivery mechanism.

Zoot ' s corporate headquarters also have a five-tier power generation infrastructure in place, with the goal of being run completely by solar power or fuel cells. Zoot was among the first entities in the world to run on a pair of environmentally friendly and highly efficient fuel cells.

" Functional innovation is at the core of Zoot ' s mission, and no other issue today requires this more than the environment, " said Nelson. " At Zoot, we ' ve created a foundation for environmental responsibility and conservation that will continue to serve the company, our clients and the global community well into the future. "

For 2008, Zoot will remain a steward to the environment both globally and locally in Montana by spearheading local recycling events, as well as researching additional innovative solutions making it easy to be green.