platinum
1,049
GBB points earned
Completed Initiatives
Initiative Description
Points
Ensure all suppliers/vendors adhere to your company’s environmental commitments and standards and do not engage in any practices that are environmentally or socially harmful
75
To reduce scope 3 emissions, 75-99% of your workdays are either remote or employees use public transportation, walking, or biking to get to work
55
Own/lease a business space that has a green building certification such as LEED, BREEAM, Green Globes, WELL, Energy Star, Green Star, or another standard in your area.
40
Upgrade from older fluorescent T12, T8 and T5 lamps to LED alternatives
36
Rent or purchase a building that is close to public transportation stops and bike paths
36
Compost your home food waste
36
To reduce scope 3 emissions, 50-74% of your workdays are either remote or employees use public transportation, walking, or biking to get to work 50-74% of workdays
30
Provide 10 weeks paid family leave policy accessible to all employees
27
Install a biodigester to decompose your household’s waste and turn it into usable fuel or compost
27
Install faucets with controls that turn off automatically (motion sensors)
25
Optimize your on-premise servers and business systems by ensuring the hardware is up-to-date and energy efficient
24
Create a pathway program for local youths to intern and eventually become employed at your company
24
Provide transit passes or funds to employees as part of the benefits package to encourage public transportation usage
24
Create an executive leadership team with women, minorities, and people from underrepresented communities in top leadership roles
24
Meet if not exceed Federal and State regulations for your industry
20
Provide a product or service, as part of your company’s core strategy, that delivers a social or environmental benefit and/or focuses on an underserved part of the community.
18
Provide a benefits package that meets the needs of employees, and is well-defined, accessible and transparent to all workers
18
Provide a living wage for all employees, at all levels of the organization including both full time and part time workers.
18
Properly recycle all household waste according to your local regulations
18
Define, institute, and clearly communicate a policy to prioritize employee diversity, equity, and inclusion.
16
Install an ENERGY STAR programmable thermostat to automate your home HVAC or A/C system
16
Switch to low-pressure and highly efficient showerheads and faucets
15
Arrange the workspace to take advantage of areas with natural sunlight; design future spaces with natural lighting opportunities in mind
12
Purchase or lease used or recycled office equipment and furniture
12
Reserve at least one day a year when your company volunteers for local environmental or community projects (e.g., Habitat for Humanity, Earth Day, Save a Tree)
12
Purchase ENERGY STAR qualified or similarly highly efficient appliances to reduce business scope 2 emissions
12
Develop an office thermostat policy that maintains internal air temperature within the recommended temperature range, and eliminates A/C and heating usage when the building is not occupied
12
Provide equitable opportunities to ensure women have equal access to employment, leadership roles, and pay.
12
Provide fair and appropriate breaks for workers based on hours worked and enforce a strict policy that they must take them
12
Institute a policy for providing training, certification, and professional development opportunities to employees
12
All windows in your home are double pane, low-E, and energy efficient
12
Grow an at-home or community food garden
12
Adhere to labor, child labor, forced labor, and reasonable working hour laws and practices
12
Install water catchment systems to collect rainwater for use in home garden irrigation
10
Properly dispose of all hazardous waste materials including batteries, paint and chemicals, lightbulbs, aerosol cans, and electronics
9
Install a filtered water tap or water bottle refill station that provide high-quality drinking water and encourage employees to use them in place of bottled water
8
Purchase trash bins and liners made from 100% bio-based or 50-100% recycled materials
8
Become an annual sponsor, making a substantial contribution to a meaningful event promoting sustainability in your area
8
Significantly limit the amount of physical marketing materials you produce and limit amount of paper used (envelopes from marketing materials – use fold and mail when possible)
8
Use environmentally-friendly, non-toxic, bio-based cleaning products
8
Replace regular light bulbs with LED bulbs that last longer and save energy
8
Establish a paperless billing program for your customers and encourage use by creating incentives
8
Have accessible green space somewhere onsite or in close proximity to grounds including a garden, walking trail, or courtyard
8
Regularly evaluate employee satisfaction through interviews, surveys, or calculation of employee net promoter score
8
Weatherize your home by ensuring all windows and doors in your home are properly installed, functioning, maintained, weather-stripped, etc.
8
Use a drip irrigation system for watering your home landscaping
8
Purchase home trash bin liners made from 100% bio-based or 50-100% recycled materials
8
Conduct investigations of ethical violations, and when substantiated hand out fair and reasonable consequences
8
Choose paperless billing with vendors, business partners, and suppliers when possible
6
Eliminate unnecessary paper usage as much as possible including forms, contracts, meeting agendas and materials, proofs, and drafts
6
Conduct exit interviews to gain insights on company culture and operations and make improvements based on feedback
6
Give opportunity for all employees to provide feedback of any kind and feel secure and empowered to do so
6
Use eco-friendly, bio-based, non-toxic home cleaning products
6
Use reusable cleaning products such as sponges or towels instead of paper towels throughout your home
6
Use reusable bags instead of plastic bags when shopping
6
Use natural light throughout 75% of the day instead of overhead lights
5
Locate home office in room with ample windows to take advantage of daylighting
5
Place a company employee on the organizing committee for the same or another event to achieve maximum involvement and exposure
4
Become an active member, either by serving on the board, donating or volunteering time for an organization that continually works to improve the environment nationally or in your area
4
Recycle or sell your used toner cartridges
4
Purchase recycled or remanufactured toner cartridges
4
Develop a paper reduction policy that clearly defines when and how items should be printed to significantly reduce paper usage and consumption
4
Print and copy double-sided when possible, to significantly reduce paper use and waste
4
Make your business’ sustainability efforts a central part of your message by filling out and linking to your GBB Member Profile and publishing your sustainability commitment on your website
4
Choose bio-based, reused, recycled, recyclable, or FSC certified boxes and bags for business shipping needs
4
Reuse, sell, or donate used or unneeded furniture, equipment, and office supplies
4
Use virtual meeting platforms to replace travel when possible
4
Communicate your social responsibility initiatives with customers and other stakeholders in a way that clearly defines your company values, policies, objectives and actual performance
4
Add shades/window covering to reduce heat gain
4
Provide regular formal review, linked to a comprehensive development plan, with clear and constructive feedback to all employees using a well-defined, fair, and consistent process.
4
Require all business leaders to be trained in, maintain current knowledge of, and commit to complying with the company’s environmental, social and employee wellbeing policies and practices
4
Add shades/window covering throughout your home to reduce heat gain
4
Change your home HVAC or A/C filters every 90 days-6 months maximum as is recommended by your filter thickness and type
4
Plant native, region-friendly plants in your home garden to minimize the impact on the local habitat and limit the amount of irrigation water needed
4
Use a shared or centralized printer
4
Create a board that is diverse and inclusive, made up of members with differences in thought, perspective, cultural and geographical background, age, ethnicity, race, gender, knowledge & skills–representative of the community and stakeholders
4
Uphold your company’s responsibility to shareholders through shareholder meetings
4
Create and implement a policy for protecting sensitive information
4
Conduct regular cyber/data security checks
4
Include a specific commitment to a positive social and environmental impact in your corporate mission statement
4
Create and implement an employee code of conduct
4
Create and enforce a whistleblowing policy
4
Create and enforce a policy for preventing and addressing discrimination and harassment
4
Train employees on your cyber/data security policies and what to do in case of a potential breach
3
Use ceiling fans and windows in place of air conditioning
2
Donate used clothing and furniture
2
Implement a conflict of interest policy for your board of directors and senior management
2
Organize sustainability committee or green team to serve as your company’s leading advocates for greening efforts
1
Complete GBB’s Getting Started steps, including filling out your company’s Member Profile and the GBB Assessment
1
Develop a sustainability mission statement for your business and define your company’s core commitments
1
Populate your company’s green accomplishments in your EcoProfile
1
Announce your GBB Membership to all employees. Share the company green mission and commitment to become greener.
1
Use natural odor elimination
1
Relax the office dress code to allow for attire that doesn’t require dry cleaning
1