Storytelling in Sustainability: Megan Freeman’s Career Journey at Cox

Back in sixth grade, Megan Freeman was sure she’d major in English one day. But somewhere between high school and college, a new passion started to take root — one focused on helping address climate change and protect the planet.  

That shift led Megan to double major in English and environmental science and pursue career opportunities that would allow her to blend her two interests. Luckily, she found the perfect fit at Cox. 

“Cox came along with this seemingly made-for-me position that I was so excited to apply for,” said Megan, who is a recycling and waste diversion analyst at Cox Enterprises. Her work revolves around Cox Conserves, the company’s national sustainability program that’s driving progress in energy conservation, water conservation, waste diversion and recycling and community engagement.  

“It’s compelling to see those two fields collide in my job every single day,” Megan said. “I don't know if I could really get that anywhere else with this level of commitment to doing the right thing.” 

Here, Megan shares insights into her role and highlights how Cox distinguishes itself as a company that’s driving real, positive change in the world.

A data steward for sustainability  

As an analyst, Megan’s the “data steward for waste and recycling metrics,” tracking the positive outcomes of Cox Conserves projects — from company-wide initiatives to individual volunteer efforts. She also partners with the corporate social responsibility team to quantify the social impact of Cox Conserves recycling investments.

“I get to see all the changes add up,” she said. “It’s very impactful to see the everyday choices our people make and how they create a lasting contribution to our waste diversion.” 

For example, in 2024, Cox became the first US-based, enterprise-wide service company recognized by Zero Waste USA as a zero-waste business, achieving a 92% diversion rate that was verified by GreenCircle Certified.

“When we hit the goal in 2024, we had diverted 700 million pounds [of waste to landfill] since 2013, which equaled the weight of the Empire State Building,” Megan said. “We are now at 840 million tons [of waste] diverted since 2013, which is equal to the weight of the Golden Gate Bridge. I don't know what our next national landmark will be, but I am scouring the Internet for the next heaviest thing that I can find.”

In her role, Megan is also the main communications contact for her subject-matter area: she collaborates closely with communications and public affairs to launch campaigns around sustainability achievements, like celebrating reaching zero-waste status in 2024. 

“This accomplishment wouldn’t have been possible without each Cox employee making sustainable decisions every day,” she said. “And we got to go out into the field and highlight the stories of some of those decisions and behavior changes as well as innovative solutions that drove progress to our 2024 goal.”

“Doing the right thing” — and teaching others in the process 

Like many of us, Megan has experienced the feeling of being daunted by environmental challenges. 

But at least within Cox, employees can see the impact of their individual choices, she said. 

“The zoomed-out perspective my role gives me confirms what I have always hoped to be true: individual actions do matter,” Megan said. “If a growing fraction of that population is adopting a sustainable mindset, even making just one different choice a day, I do believe it adds up.”

Cox invests in educating people — both within the company and out in the community — how to make more sustainable choices in their everyday lives. 

“We’re doing our part to get the message out to our employees and our community,” Megan said. 

For example, Cox Conserves employees recently went to North Springs High School in Atlanta, GA, to teach students about recycling and composting through an interactive showcase.  

“We had the students toss bean bags into whichever bin they thought was the proper recycling bin for the item printed on the bean bag, like plastic cutlery, an aluminum can, a half-eaten apple,” she said. “It was a fantastic opportunity because a lot of students hadn’t yet learned that you could recycle materials like paper and aluminum. My coworkers and I hope we sparked the recycling conversation for these kids, and that they’ll think twice before they toss something going forward.” 

Cox’s commitment to sustainability is rooted in the company’s spirit of using our influence to build a better future for the next generation. 

“I think it really goes back to a saying Cox stands by, which is ‘do the right thing, always,’” Megan said. “Cox is a very forward-looking company, and in their desire to take care of their employees, Cox also genuinely wants to build a world in which we not only survive but truly thrive. A foundational part of that is protecting nature and being responsible stewards of the resources that we have.”