ENGAGE! is an innovative program which magnifies Sustainable Surplus Exchange’s engagement with local businesses, their employees, and the community in environmental sustainability. ENGAGE! fosters corporate social responsibility through the donation of surplus items to be repurposed to underserved schools and charitable organizations and cash-strapped start-ups, which supports thousands of students, teachers, nonprofit constituents, and entrepreneurs.

Sustainable Surplus Exchange enlists the participation of employees to collect reusable and recyclable business items to be repurposed back into their community. The program builds employees’ awareness of sustainable practices as they learn potential new uses of surplus items instead of tossing usable items into the trash. This induces a ripple effect where employees take home the lessons learned and apply them to their individual lives. By fostering this involvement, everyone embraces the positive effects they have on their community and environment.

ENGAGE! is designed to create an equitable, economic, and ecological solution to support a sustainable community. ENGAGE! connects communities in need with the corporate donors who can support them with valuable, out-of-use assets. Sustainable Surplus Exchange has engaged 225 local companies, donating $2.2 million of surplus such as office supplies, furniture, computers, and laboratory equipment. Over 400 organizations have benefitted from these repurposed assets. This money saved on assets could potentially be redirected to their program budgets, directly benefiting their companies. In addition, when people are encouraged to utilize preowned or used items, it reduces their dependence on buying new items while conserving all the natural resources needed to create and transport them.

As a result, Sustainable Surplus Exchange has diverted more than 425,000 pounds of solid waste from landfills, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 90 metric tons. That is the equivalent to keeping 89 cars off the road. A sustainable approach to industry surplus creates an all-around win for businesses, the community, and the environment.

As ENGAGE! grows each year, the program will have a domino effect on environmental stewardship. ENGAGE! demonstrates how engaging local businesses through the donation of time, talent, and treasure benefits everyone, especially our environment.

Sustainable Surplus Exchange has signed collaborative agreements with the US Business Council for Sustainable Development, CONNECT, the Small Business Association, and Palomar College for its GEAR UP program to support and ENGAGE! our community for a sustainable environment in San Diego.