100% of your power supply is from on-site renewable energy solutions

Become a completely remote company, requiring no office space or regular transportation to/from work

25-50% of your power supply is from on-site renewable energy solutions (solar, wind, geothermal, etc.)

Use high-efficiency plumbing fixtures, like high efficiency toilets (HETs) and urinals (HEUs)

Upgrade from older fluorescent T12, T8 and T5 lamps to LED alternatives

Use a tankless or otherwise highly efficient hot water heater

Purchase 25-49% of products and services from sustainability-certified or Green Business Benchmark vendors

Rent or purchase a building that is close to public transportation stops and bike paths

Replace water-intensive grass with regionally native, climate resilient ground coverings

Implement a comprehensive recycling program including education, proper sinage, and monitoring

Provide 10 weeks paid family leave policy accessible to all employees

Implement a sustainability process and standard for all meetings, conferences, and events

Create an executive leadership team with women, minorities, and people from underrepresented communities in top leadership roles

Plant native, regionally-friendly plants to minimize water use and impact on local habitat

After completing the energy audit/assessment, develop a comprehensive energy use and conservation plan

Meet if not exceed Federal and State regulations for your industry

Eliminate all single-use paper, styrofoam or plastic cups, plates, and utensils in the kitchen area. Use reusable mugs, dishes, and silverware instead

Schedule regular maintenance on company vehicles to ensure each vehicle is operating as efficiently as possible to reduce emissions

Perform a yearly assessment of all suppliers/vendors’ environmental and social practices in comparison to your company’s commitments

Install light switch occupancy sensors in proper locations to automatically turn off lighting when no one is present

Hire an Energy Services Company (ESCO) to optimize energy usage

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.

Provide a benefits package that meets the needs of employees, and is well-defined, accessible and transparent to all workers

Provide a living wage for all employees, at all levels of the organization including both full time and part time workers

Choose a pest control service that minimizes the use of toxic pesticides

Install a programmable thermostat to automate your HVAC or A/C system

Purchase and serve 75-100% local, organic, and fair trade food and drink

Define, institute, and clearly communicate a policy to prioritize employee diversity, equity, and inclusion

Purchase all office paper products made from 50-100% recycled materials

Arrange the workspace to take advantage of areas with natural sunlight

Ensure all windows are double pane, low-E, and energy efficient

Purchase or lease used or recycled office equipment and furniture

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)

Optimize the color of your outside walls and the roof for your climate

Construct a vegetable garden on roof, facility grounds, or a communtiy garden in close proximity to the office

Purchase ENERGY STAR qualified or similarly highly efficient appliances

Use highly efficient filters for HVAC

Provide equitable opportunities to ensure women have equal access to employment, leadership roles, and pay

Provide fair and appropriate breaks for workers based on hours worked and enforce a strict policy that they must take them

Institute a policy for providing training, certification, and professional development opportunities to employees

Grow an at-home or community food garden

Purchase produce in-season from local farmer’s markets or co-ops

Create and implement a human health and safety policy

Adhere to labor, child labor, forced labor, and reasonable working hour laws and practices

Keep corporate accounting accurate and up-to-date, enabling operation decisions to be made about investing, hiring, and project management

Properly dispose of all hazardous waste materials including batteries, paint and chemicals, lightbulbs, aerosol cans, and electronics

Purchase Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) to off-set any emissions related to energy consumption

Repair wood pallets, rather than disposing of them

Conduct a comprehensive water usage assessment/audit to pinpoint specific areas of water usage and waste

Install water flow rate controls (aerators) on faucets

Install a filtered water tap or water bottle refill station that provide high-quality drinking water

Conduct an energy assessment/audit to pinpoint specific areas of energy use and waste

Ensure all windows and doors are properly installed, functioning, maintained, and weather-stripped, etc.

Encourage employee carpools

Significantly limit the amount of physical marketing materials you produce

Use environmentally-friendly, non-toxic, bio-based cleaning products

Replace regular light bulbs with LED bulbs

Ensure there are no harmful VOCs or chemical fumes in building furnishings, coverings, and walls including paint, curtains/blinds, carpet, flooring, and furniture

Undergo regular and complete check-ups and maintenance of your HVAC or A/C system

Establish a paperless billing program for your customers

Have accessible green space somewhere onsite or in close proximity to grounds

Regularly evaluate employee satisfaction through interviews, surveys, or calculation of employee net promoter score

Conduct multiple quality checks on your products and/or services before distributing to consumers to ensure highest possible quality

Choose paperless billing with vendors, business partners, and suppliers when possible

Eliminate unnecessary paper usage as much as possible including forms, contracts, meeting agendas and materials, proofs, and drafts

Administer company-wide employee training on sustainability efforts both at work and at home

Conduct exit interviews to gain insights on company culture and operations and make improvements based on feedback

Give opportunity for all employees to provide feedback of any kind and feel secure and empowered to do so

Use reusable bags instead of plastic bags when shopping

Locate home office in room with ample windows to take advantage of daylighting

Place a company employee on the organizing committee for a sustainability event

Become an active member, either by serving on the board, donating or volunteering time for an organization that continually works to improve the environment

Recycle or sell your used toner cartridges

Purchase recycled or remanufactured toner cartridges

Develop a paper reduction policy that clearly defines when and how items should be printed

Change your HVAC or A/C filters every six months or more frequently as is recommended by filter type

Regularly test your irrigation system to ensure proper configuration, optimized watering schedule, and eliminate overwatering and waste

Reduce junk mail by removing your organization’s name from national direct marketing databases

Eliminate the use of disposable batteries and switch entirely to rechargeable

Use reusable cleaning products such as towels and sponges, eliminating paper towels

Use air-filtering plants throughout the office

Print and copy double-sided only

Make your business’ sustainability efforts a central part of your message by filling out and linking to your GBB Public Profile and publishing your sustainability commitment on your website

Choose bio-based, reused, recycled, recyclable, or FSC certified boxes and bags for shipping

Reuse, sell, or donate used or unneeded furniture, equipment, and office supplies

Use virtual meeting platforms to replace travel when possible

Communicate your social responsibility initiatives with customers and other stakeholders in a way that clearly defines your company values, policies, objectives and actual performance

Add shades/window covering to reduce heat gain

Provide regular formal review, linked to a comprehensive development plan, with clear and constructive feedback to all employees

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

Provide a trusted, impartial and empowered 3rd party for the remediation of significant conflicts arising between employees and the business/business leaders

Plant native, region-friendly plants in your home garden

Use a shared or centralized printer

Uphold your company’s responsibility to shareholders through shareholder meetings

Create and implement a policy for protecting sensitive information

Conduct regular cyber/data security checks

Create and implement an employee code of conduct

Create and enforce a policy for preventing and addressing discrimination and harassment

Regularly disclose business practices, operations, and financial statements to shareholders and stakeholders

Properly train employees on proper equipment use & safety

Ensure you have a record of all Safety Data Sheets (SDS) for all upstream suppliers

Minimize air conditioning usage through natural ventilation by opening windows

Train employees on your cyber/data security policies and what to do in case of a potential breach

Purchase trash liners made from 50-100% recycled materials

Designate your office as a smoke-free working environment with outside smoking areas 25 feet away from building entry areas and common walkways

Use ceiling fans in place of air conditioning when possible

Reduce “vampire loads” by unplugging appliances when not in use

Donate used clothing and furniture

Document board meetings with minutes and final write-up/reports and distributed to all essential members

Implement a conflict of interest policy for your board of directors and senior management

Organize a sustainability committee to lead your organization’s sustainability program

Complete the GBB getting started steps

Develop a sustainability mission statement for your business and define your company’s core commitments

Populate your company’s sustainability accomplishments in your profile

Announce your commitment to GBB to all employees

Use natural odor elimination

Relax the office dress code to allow for attire that doesn’t require dry cleaning