platinum
830
GBB points earned
Completed Initiatives
Initiative Description
Points
To reduce scope 3 emissions, become a completely remote company, requiring no office space or regular transportation to/from work
75
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
Purchase 25-49% of products and services from green-certified or Green Business Bureau vendors
36
Have a composting program for your business/home food waste
30
Implement a comprehensive recycling program including education, proper sinage, and monitoring
27
Provide 10 weeks paid family leave policy accessible to all employees
27
Implement a sustainability process and standard for all meetings, conferences, and events
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
After concluding your water usage assessment, develop a comprehensive water use and conservation plan with measurable goals to optimize water usage
20
Eliminate all single-use paper, styrofoam or plastic cups, plates, and utensils in the kitchen area. Use reusable mugs, dishes, and silverware instead
18
Schedule regular maintenance on company vehicles to ensure each vehicle is operating as efficiently as possible to reduce emissions
18
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
Eliminate all physical marketing materials, rely only on digital methods
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
Carve out a “no meetings” day during the work week
18
Have a four-day work week
18
Prioritize working with business partners, service providers, etc. that are women-led, minority-owned and local small businesses
16
Purchase all office paper products made from 50-100% recycled materials
12
Arrange the workspace to take advantage of areas with natural sunlight; design future spaces with natural lighting opportunities in mind
12
Purchase offsets for the travel emissions and in-person work days that can’t be reduced
12
Philanthropically donate a percentage of your revenue or profits and/or company time to an environmental cause
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 appliances to reduce business scope 2 emissions
12
Provide an annual public report or update on your company’s environmental and social responsibility efforts, initiatives, and improvements
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
Properly dispose of all hazardous waste materials including batteries, paint and chemicals, lightbulbs, aerosol cans, and electronics
9
Purchase Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) to off-set any scope 2 emissions related to your business’ energy consumption
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
Complete a consumption and waste audit to help identify and quantify the items your business acquires, uses, and discards
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
Install timers on non-essential electrical appliances and reduce “vampire loads” by unplugging them when not in use to reduce business scope 2 emissions
8
Establish a paperless billing program for your customers and encourage use by creating incentives
8
Buy electronics that are energy efficient, EPEAT, ROHS, etc.
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
Use the carbon calculator tool included in GBB membership to measure your current carbon footprint. Reassess quarterly as you meet energy use goals
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
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
Eliminate the use of disposable batteries and switch entirely to rechargeable
4
Use reusable cleaning products such as towels and sponges, eliminating paper towels
4
Use air-filtering plants throughout the office to improve indoor air quality and employee wellbeing
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
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
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
Minimize air conditioning usage through natural ventilation by opening windows
3
Use ceiling fans in place of air conditioning when possible
2
Assist at least one other business in learning about sustainability, social responsibility, and green business efforts and encourage them to join the GBB
2
Commit to inviting, receiving and acting upon customer and community feedback in a welcoming and constructive way at all times.
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
Relax the office dress code to allow for attire that doesn’t require dry cleaning
1