GBB Points
Accomplishments
Commitments
Total Points Earned
Initiative |
Category |
||
---|---|---|---|
25-50% of your power supply is from on-site renewable energy solutions (solar, wind, geothermal, etc.) |
Energy & Emissions |
||
Use high-efficiency plumbing fixtures, like high efficiency toilets (HETs) and urinals (HEUs) |
Water Use |
||
Upgrade from older fluorescent T12, T8 and T5 lamps to LED alternatives |
Energy & Emissions |
||
Use a tankless or otherwise highly efficient hot water heater |
Energy & Emissions |
||
Rent or purchase a building that is close to public transportation stops and bike paths |
Transportation |
||
Replace water-intensive grass with regionally native, climate resilient ground coverings |
Water Use |
||
Implement a comprehensive recycling program |
Consumption & Waste |
||
Implement a sustainability process and standard for all meetings, conferences, and events |
Consumption & Waste |
||
Optimize your on-premise servers and business systems by ensuring the hardware is up-to-date and energy efficient |
Energy & Emissions |
||
Plant native, regionally-friendly plants to minimize water use and impact on local habitat |
Water Use |
||
After completing the energy audit/assessment, develop a comprehensive energy use and conservation plan |
Energy & Emissions |
||
Eliminate all single-use paper, styrofoam or plastic cups, plates, and utensils in the kitchen area. Use reusable mugs, dishes, and silverware instead |
Consumption & Waste |
||
Schedule regular maintenance on company vehicles to ensure each vehicle is operating as efficiently as possible to reduce emissions |
Transportation |
||
Perform a yearly assessment of all suppliers/vendors’ environmental and social practices in comparison to your company’s commitments |
Governance |
||
Install light switch occupancy sensors in proper locations to automatically turn off lighting when no one is present |
Energy & Emissions |
||
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. |
Community & Society |
||
Install a programmable thermostat to automate your HVAC or A/C system |
Energy & Emissions |
||
Switch to low-pressure and highly efficient showerheads and faucets |
Work from Home |
||
Purchase all office paper products made from 50-100% recycled materials |
Consumption & Waste |
||
Arrange the workspace to take advantage of areas with natural sunlight |
Energy & Emissions |
||
Purchase ENERGY STAR qualified or similarly highly efficient appliances |
Energy & Emissions |
||
Provide equitable opportunities to ensure women have equal access to employment, leadership roles, and pay |
Workplace & Culture |
||
Provide fair and appropriate breaks for workers based on hours worked and enforce a strict policy that they must take them |
Workplace & Culture |
||
Institute a policy for providing training, certification, and professional development opportunities to employees |
Workplace & Culture |
||
Purchase produce in-season from local farmer’s markets or co-ops |
Work from Home |
||
Pay top executives no more than the minimum compensation necessary to ensure productive and effective performance |
Governance |
||
Create and implement a human health and safety policy |
Governance |
||
Keep corporate accounting accurate and up-to-date, enabling operation decisions to be made about investing, hiring, and project management |
Governance |
||
Properly dispose of all hazardous waste materials including batteries, paint and chemicals, lightbulbs, aerosol cans, and electronics |
Consumption & Waste |
||
Conduct a comprehensive water usage assessment/audit to pinpoint specific areas of water usage and waste |
Water Use |
||
Install water flow rate controls (aerators) on faucets |
Water Use |
||
Conduct an energy assessment/audit to pinpoint specific areas of energy use and waste |
Energy & Emissions |
||
Ensure all windows and doors are properly installed, functioning, maintained, and weather-stripped, etc. |
Energy & Emissions |
||
Significantly limit the amount of physical marketing materials you produce |
Consumption & Waste |
||
Complete a consumption and waste audit to help identify and quantify the items your business acquires, uses, and discards |
Consumption & Waste |
||
Use environmentally-friendly, non-toxic, bio-based cleaning products |
Consumption & Waste |
||
Replace regular light bulbs with LED bulbs |
Energy & Emissions |
||
Ensure there are no harmful VOCs or chemical fumes in building furnishings, coverings, and walls including paint, curtains/blinds, carpet, flooring, and furniture |
Workplace & Culture |
||
Undergo regular and complete check-ups and maintenance of your HVAC or A/C system |
Energy & Emissions |
||
Establish a paperless billing program for your customers |
Consumption & Waste |
||
Use concentrated home cleaning products |
Work from Home |
||
Conduct multiple quality checks on your products and/or services before distributing to consumers to ensure highest possible quality |
Governance |
||
Choose paperless billing with vendors, business partners, and suppliers when possible |
Consumption & Waste |
||
Use eco-friendly, bio-based, non-toxic home cleaning products |
Work from Home |
||
Stop using all single-use plastic kitchen utensils, plates, bowls, and cups |
Work from Home |
||
Use reusable bags instead of plastic bags when shopping |
Work from Home |
||
Become an active member, either by serving on the board, donating or volunteering time for an organization that continually works to improve the environment |
Community & Society |
||
Recycle or sell your used toner cartridges |
Consumption & Waste |
||
Develop a paper reduction policy that clearly defines when and how items should be printed |
Consumption & Waste |
||
Change your HVAC or A/C filters every six months or more frequently as is recommended by filter type |
Energy & Emissions |
||
Eliminate the use of disposable batteries and switch entirely to rechargeable |
Consumption & Waste |
||
Use reusable cleaning products such as towels and sponges, eliminating paper towels |
Consumption & Waste |
||
Use air-filtering plants throughout the office |
Workplace & Culture |
||
Use a sustainable web hosting service |
Energy & Emissions |
||
Choose bio-based, reused, recycled, recyclable, or FSC certified boxes and bags for shipping |
Consumption & Waste |
||
Use virtual meeting platforms to replace travel when possible |
Transportation |
||
Stop purchasing single-use plastic waterbottles. Install a water filter if necessary |
Work from Home |
||
Use a shared printer |
Consumption & Waste |
||
Create and implement a policy for protecting sensitive information |
Governance |
||
Conduct regular cyber/data security checks |
Governance |
||
Create and implement an employee code of conduct |
Governance |
||
Minimize air conditioning usage through natural ventilation by opening windows |
Energy & Emissions |
||
Train employees on your cyber/data security policies and what to do in case of a potential breach |
Governance |
||
Designate your office as a smoke-free working environment with outside smoking areas 25 feet away from building entry areas and common walkways |
Workplace & Culture |
||
Communicate pricing and services transparently, authentically, and consistently to all customers |
Governance |
||
Organize a sustainability committee to lead your organization’s sustainability program |
Prerequisites |
||
Complete the GBB getting started steps |
Prerequisites |
||
Develop a sustainability mission statement for your business and define your company’s core commitments |
Prerequisites |
||
Populate your company’s sustainability accomplishments in your profile |
Prerequisites |
||
Announce your commitment to GBB to all employees |
Prerequisites |
||
Use natural odor elimination |
Workplace & Culture |
||
Relax the office dress code to allow for attire that doesn’t require dry cleaning |
Workplace & Culture |