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

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

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

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

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

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

Properly recycle all household waste according to your local regulations

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

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

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

Arrange the workspace to take advantage of areas with natural sunlight

Provide an annual public report or update on your company’s environmental and social responsibility efforts, initiatives, and improvements

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

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

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

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

Work with a food recovery service to donate surplus meals, stock and other edible food items to reduce waste.

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

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

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

Significantly limit the amount of physical marketing materials you produce

Replace regular light bulbs with LED bulbs

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

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

Replace all traditional bulbs with LED bulbs throughout your home work space

Use eco-friendly, bio-based, non-toxic home cleaning products

Use reusable cleaning products such as sponges or towels instead of paper towels throughout your home

Stop using all single-use plastic kitchen utensils, plates, bowls, and cups

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

Recycle or sell your used toner cartridges

Purchase recycled or remanufactured toner cartridges

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

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

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

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

Use smart power strips throughout your house in areas of high plug loads

Stop purchasing single-use plastic waterbottles. Install a water filter if necessary

Use a shared or centralized printer

Create and implement a policy for protecting sensitive information

Conduct regular cyber/data security checks

Create and implement an employee code of conduct

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

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

Commit to inviting, receiving and acting upon customer and community feedback in a welcoming and constructive way at all times.

Donate used clothing and furniture

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

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