Glenview, IL (PRWEB) May 5, 2009 -- Online payroll service SurePayroll is proving that it pays to help the environment. To recognize National Direct Deposit Month, the company announced today that it will partner with American Forests to plant a tree for every employee of every new business customer who enrolls in SurePayroll's complimentary direct deposit feature during the month of May.
As an online company that provides a paperless way to manage payroll, SurePayroll hopes to show how direct deposit creates a positive environmental impact. The company is amplifying its eco-friendly efforts by both eliminating paycheck paper waste and planting trees.
"It's easy for employees to do something simple that not only helps the environment but also improves security and saves time," says SurePayroll President Michael Alter. "Right now, around 75 percent of our customers use direct deposit, which equates to more than $3.75 billion in payments made via direct deposit annually. By planting a tree in honor of each new customer who uses direct deposit, we're essentially doubling up on our efforts to help the environment. Small business employees can save paper and also know they're contributing a tree that will benefit generations to come."
The USDA Forest Service has reported that in 50 years "one tree generates $30,000 in oxygen, recycles $35,000 of water and removes $60,000 worth of air pollution."
While millions of taxpayers file electronically each year, a significant portion of the U.S. workforce still chooses to receive paper checks, and another portion does not have employers who provide direct deposit.
A study by the 2009 PayItGreen Alliance, a nonprofit that represents 11,000 financial institutions, showed that if one U.S. employee paid twice a month used direct deposit, he would save one pound of paper per year, eliminate the release of four gallons of wastewater and one pound of greenhouse gases, and save the employer approximately $176.
How it breaks down:
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were more than 113 million full-time workers in March 2009. Approximately half of the workforce is employed by small businesses, an estimated 57 million individuals. The PayItGreen Alliance Green Calculator helps break down the savings, showing what would happen if all U.S. small business employees paid twice a month received direct deposit.
With direct deposit, the yearly savings would equal:
According to Alter, implementing company-wide direct deposit is often the first and easiest step to creating a significant positive impact for the environment.
"We know that most small business owners want to do right by the environment and are already doing whatever they can to conserve," says Alter. "We hope that passing on this extra green incentive will encourage businesses to switch over to direct deposit sooner rather than later."
As part of May's Direct Deposit promotion, SurePayroll will donate money to the tree-planting campaign conducted by American Forests, the nation's oldest nonprofit citizens' conservation organization. SurePayroll will make monetary donations in honor of every employee of every new business customer that enrolls in its online payroll service and takes advantage of its free direct deposit feature. The promotion is valid for companies that enroll with SurePayroll May 1, 2009 through June 1, 2009.
Business owners can receive a free price quote by visiting the SurePayroll Web site or by calling 877.954.7873.
About SurePayroll:
Voted Editor's Choice for best payroll service by PC Magazine, a Top 100 Product by Accounting Today and winner of the Stevie Award for eCommerce Customer Service Team of the Year, SurePayroll is America's largest full-service online payroll service and honoree of the of the Inc. 500 Fastest Growing Businesses award two years in a row.
SurePayroll is passionate about small businesses and their payroll. The company is dedicated to providing an extremely friendly and simple payroll experience -- at a price small business owners can afford.
In addition to its payroll and ClickFREETM tax file and pay service -- which allows a user to complete the entire payroll process in minutes -- SurePayroll offers a suite of online services designed specifically for small business, including HR and compliance resources, 401(k) retirement solutions, health insurance and workers' compensation products.
SurePayroll also offers a private-label and co-branded payroll service to accountants and banking partners to offer payroll processing to their small business clients.
About American Forests:
American Forests' mission is to grow a healthier world with trees by working with communities on local efforts that restore and maintain forest ecosystems. The work encompasses planting trees, calculating the value of urban forests, fostering environmental education, and improving public policy for trees at the national level. They have a goal of 100 million trees planted by 2020.