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platinum
1,324
GBB points earned
Completed Initiatives
Initiative Description
Points
Implement and share the results of your energy use and conservation plan quarterly, both within your organization and publicly
90
Install or lease from a building with a heat recovery system that converts waste heat to energy
60
Upgrade from older fluorescent T12, T8 and T5 lamps to LED alternatives
36
Use a tankless or otherwise highly efficient hot water heater
36
Rent or purchase a building that is close to public transportation stops and bike paths
36
Have a composting program for your business food waste
30
Implement a comprehensive recycling program including education, proper sinage, and monitoring
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 fund/scholarship for local youth to pursue higher education
24
Create a pathway program for local youths to intern and eventually become employed at your company
24
Plant native, regionally-friendly plants to minimize water use and impact on local habitat
20
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
Install or choose a building with electric charging stations on site
20
Meet if not exceed Federal and State regulations for your industry
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
Perform a yearly assessment of all suppliers/vendors’ environmental and social practices in comparison to your company’s commitments
18
Install light switch occupancy sensors in proper locations to automatically turn off lighting when no one is present
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
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
Create a detailed risk management plan for projects and programs
18
Choose a pest control service that minimizes the use of toxic pesticides and the negative health effects on building occupants and the environment
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
Arrange the workspace to take advantage of areas with natural sunlight; design future spaces with natural lighting opportunities in mind
12
Ensure all windows are double pane, low-E, and energy efficient
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
Optimize the color of your outside walls and the roof for your climate
12
Construct a vegetable garden on roof, facility grounds, or a communtiy garden in close proximity to the office
12
Purchase ENERGY STAR qualified or similarly highly efficient 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
Use a carbon calculator tool to measure your current carbon footprint. Reassess quarterly as you meet energy use goals
12
Use highly efficient filters for HVAC
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
Establish a process for the board to oversee and assess the company’s performance in ESG issues
12
Pay top executives no more than the minimum compensation necessary to ensure productive and effective performance
12
Determine executive bonuses based company success in areas such as diversity, goal-meeting, stakeholder engagement, ESG goals, and long-term sustainability
12
Create and implement a human health and safety policy
12
Adhere to labor, child labor, forced labor, and reasonable working hour laws and practices
12
Disclose any risks to the environment or the public created by your company’s products or operations timely and publicly
12
Keep corporate accounting accurate and up-to-date, enabling operation decisions to be made about investing, hiring, and project management
12
Set all computers and equipment on energy saving mode
10
Properly dispose of all hazardous waste materials including batteries, paint and chemicals, lightbulbs, aerosol cans, and electronics
9
Work with a food recovery service to donate surplus meals, stock and other edible food items to reduce waste.
9
Install water flow rate controls (aerators) on faucets to reduce water waste
8
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
Conduct an energy assessment/audit to pinpoint specific areas of energy use and waste
8
Ensure all windows and doors are properly installed, functioning, maintained, and weather-stripped, etc.
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
Ensure there are no harmful VOCs or chemical fumes in building furnishings, coverings, and walls including paint, curtains/blinds, carpet, flooring, and furniture
8
Undergo regular and complete check-ups and maintenance of your HVAC or A/C system
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
Purchase carbon offsets to become net zero for all scope 3 emissions
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
Conduct multiple quality checks on your products and/or services before distributing to consumers to ensure highest possible quality
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
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
Fairly compensate board members or their time and effort based on yearly total hours of meetings and expectations for engagement
6
Apply window film to reduce excess solar heat in the building
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
Change your HVAC or A/C filters every six months or more frequently as is recommended by filter type
4
Regularly test your irrigation system to ensure proper configuration, optimized watering schedule, and eliminate overwatering and waste
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
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
Appoint a majority of board members that are independent from the company
4
Uphold your company’s responsibility to shareholders through shareholder meetings
4
Establish a clear governance and decision-making structure, including the composition of the board of directors, board committees, executives, and shareholders
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
Accept and evaluate employee’s feedback about violations of your corporate ethics and conduct policy
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
Regularly disclose business practices, operations, and financial statements to shareholders and stakeholders
4
Train employees on your cyber/data security policies and what to do in case of a potential breach
3
Designate your office as a smoke-free working environment with outside smoking areas 25 feet away from building entry areas and common walkways
2
Document board meetings with minutes and final write-up/reports and distributed to all essential members
2
Implement a conflict of interest policy for your board of directors and senior management
2
Write and implement a policy for removing board members who are not fulfilling their duties
2
Communicate pricing and services transparently, authentically, and consistently to all customers
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