platinum
2,132
Points Earned
Completed Initiatives
Initiative Description
Points
100% of your power supply is from on-site renewable energy solutions
120
Your data center is powered by 100% renewable energy
100
Become a completely remote company, requiring no office space or regular transportation to/from work
75
75-100% of company vehicles are electric
75
Your data center is powered by 75% renewable energy
75
Install or lease from a building with a heat recovery system that converts waste heat to energy
60
To reduce emissions, 75-99% of your workdays are either remote or employees use public transportation, walking, or biking to get to work
55
Your data center is powered by 50% renewable energy
50
Your home is powered by on-site renewable energy
50
25-74% of company vehicles are electric
48
Offer employee incentive programs for the purchase of electric and hybrid vehicles
40
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
Source 100% of energy from a third-party renewable power provider
40
Use a tankless or otherwise highly efficient home hot water heater
40
Upgrade from older fluorescent T12, T8 and T5 lamps to LED alternatives
36
Purchase 25-49% of products and services from green-certified or Green Business Benchmark vendors
36
Rent or purchase a building that is close to public transportation stops and bike paths
36
Provide 20 weeks paid family leave policy accessible to all employees
36
Use an alternative/natural refrigerant (non-HFC) with a global warming potential less than or equal to 10 for your home refrigerators, freezers, and HVAC systems
35
Replace your home’s water-intensive grass with regionally native, climate resilient ground coverings
35
Have a composting program for your business food waste
30
Implement a green procurement policy
30
To reduce 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
Implement a comprehensive recycling program including education, proper sinage, and monitoring
27
Provide 10 weeks paid family leave policy accessible to all employees
27
Use disaggregated server architecture to replace only parts when needed
27
Install faucets with controls that turn off automatically (motion sensors)
25
Implement a sustainability process and standard for all meetings, conferences, and events
25
Opt-in to receiving 100% renewable energy from your power provider
25
Optimize your on-premise servers and business systems by ensuring the hardware is up-to-date and energy efficient
24
Create an executive leadership team with women, minorities, and people from underrepresented communities in top leadership roles
24
Use washable electrostatic furnace and air conditioning filters
20
After completing the energy audit/assessment, develop a comprehensive energy use and conservation plan
20
Install or choose a building with electric charging stations on site
20
Implement home performance and efficiency improvements based upon your home energy assessment
20
Buy home office electronics that are energy efficient, ENERGY STAR, EPEAT, ROHS, etc.
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
Create a detailed risk management plan for projects and programs
18
Purchase and serve 75-100% local, organic, and fair trade food and drink
16
Incorporate biophilic design by installing green walls in the office environment
16
Install a programmable thermostat to automate your home HVAC or A/C system
16
Switch to low-pressure and highly efficient showerheads and faucets
15
Purchase all office paper products made from 50-100% recycled materials
12
Arrange the workspace to take advantage of areas with natural sunlight
12
Purchase offsets for the travel emissions and in-person work days that can’t be reduced
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
Purchase ENERGY STAR qualified or similarly highly efficient appliances
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
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
Install bike racks outside of the office or choose a building with ample bike racks on-site to support the amount of employees
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
Ensure all windows in your home are double pane, low-E, and energy efficient
12
Purchase produce in-season from local farmer’s markets or co-ops
12
Adhere to labor, child labor, forced labor, and reasonable working hour laws and practices
12
Use sustainable cloud hosting and infrastructure providers
10
Install water catchment systems to collect rainwater for use in home garden irrigation
10
Lower the max temperature of your hot water heater from 140 to 120
10
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 emissions related to energy consumption
9
Work with a food recovery service to donate surplus meals, stock and other edible food items to reduce waste.
9
Properly dispose of all household 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
8
Encourage employee carpools
8
Significantly limit the amount of physical marketing materials you produce
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
8
Establish a paperless billing program for your customers
8
Use concentrated cleaning products
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
Use an eco-friendly home pest control service that minimizes the use of toxic pesticides
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
Replace all traditional bulbs with LED bulbs throughout your home work space
6
Use reusable bags instead of plastic bags when shopping
6
Purchase home paper towels and toilet paper made from 50-100% recycled materials
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 a sustainability event
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
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
4
Designate carpool, hybrid, and EV parking spaces that are in preferred areas of your parking lot (e.g. closer to the building entrance or covered)
4
Reduce junk mail by removing your organization’s 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
4
Print and copy double-sided only
4
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
4
Use a sustainable web hosting service
4
Choose bio-based, reused, recycled, recyclable, or FSC certified boxes and bags for shipping
4
Reuse, sell, or donate used or unneeded furniture, equipment, and office supplies
4
Use virtual meeting platforms to replace travel when possible
4
Eliminate all physical marketing materials, rely only on digital methods
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
4
Minimize air conditioning usage through natural ventilation by opening windows
3
Purchase trash liners made from 50-100% recycled materials
2
Use ceiling fans in place of air conditioning when possible
2
Reduce “vampire loads” by unplugging appliances when not in use
2
Assist at least one other business in learning about sustainability, social responsibility, and green business efforts and encourage them to join GBB
2
Use ceiling fans and windows in place of air conditioning
2
Organize a sustainability committee to lead your organization’s sustainability program
1
Complete the GBB getting started steps
1
Develop a sustainability mission statement for your business and define your company’s core commitments
1
Populate your company’s sustainability accomplishments in your profile
1
Announce your commitment to GBB to all employees
1
Use natural odor elimination
1
Relax the office dress code to allow for attire that doesn’t require dry cleaning
1
Eliminate the use of disposable batteries throughout your home and switch entirely to rechargeable
1