platinum
912
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
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
Implement a green procurement policy
30
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
Create an executive leadership team with women, minorities, and people from underrepresented communities in top leadership roles
24
After completing the energy audit/assessment, develop a comprehensive energy use and conservation plan with measurable goals to optimize energy usage and reduce emissions
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
Perform a yearly assessment of all suppliers/vendors’ environmental and social practices in comparison to your company’s commitments
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
Carve out a “no meetings” day during the work week
18
Purchase and serve at least 75% local, organic, and fair trade food and drink
16
Prioritize working with business partners, service providers, etc. that are women-led, minority-owned and local small businesses
16
Define, institute, and clearly communicate a policy to prioritize employee diversity, equity, and inclusion.
16
Use chlorine-free and FSC-certified paper products
15
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 or lease used or recycled office equipment and furniture
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
Construct a vegetable garden on roof, facility grounds, or a communtiy garden in close proximity to the office
12
Have a clearly defined policy that specifies how you will screen partners and vendors to ensure that their business operations are socially responsible and eco-friendly
12
Provide an annual public report or update on your company’s environmental and social responsibility efforts, initiatives, and improvements
12
Evaluate your company’s social and community footprint including diversity of supply chain, demographic of suppliers, and physical and financial impact of operations on local community
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’s 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
Encourage employee carpools
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
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
Use concentrated cleaning products
8
Use recycled and environmentally preferred office supplies such as pens, notebooks, etc.
8
Buy electronics that are energy efficient, EPEAT, ROHS, etc.
8
Have accessible green space somewhere onsite or in close proximity to grounds including a garden, walking trail, or courtyard
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
Administer company-wide employee training on sustainability efforts both at work and at home
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
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
Reduce junk mail by removing your business’ name from national direct marketing databases
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
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
Provide a trusted, impartial and empowered 3rd party for the remediation of significant conflicts arising between employees and the business/business leaders
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
Use natural odor elimination
1
Relax the office dress code to allow for attire that doesn’t require dry cleaning
1