Upgrade from older fluorescent T12, T8 and T5 lamps to LED alternatives
Replace water-intensive grass with regionally native, climate resilient ground coverings
Create an executive leadership team with women, minorities, and people from underrepresented communities in top leadership roles
Use washable electrostatic furnace and air conditioning filters
Plant native, regionally-friendly plants to minimize water use and impact on local habitat
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
Provide a living wage for all employees, at all levels of the organization including both full time and part time workers
Define, institute, and clearly communicate a policy to prioritize employee diversity, equity, and inclusion
Implement a supplier code of conduct policy
Arrange the workspace to take advantage of areas with natural sunlight
Ensure all windows are double pane, low-E, and energy efficient
Construct a vegetable garden on roof, facility grounds, or a communtiy garden in close proximity to the office
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
Institute a policy for providing training, certification, and professional development opportunities to employees
Create and implement a human health and safety policy
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
Map the product supply chain of at least 80% of your spend
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.
Complete a consumption and waste audit to help identify and quantify the items your business acquires, uses, and discards
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
Establish a paperless billing program for your customers
Have accessible green space somewhere onsite or in close proximity to grounds
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
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
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
Use virtual meeting platforms to replace travel when possible
Evaluate customer and community satisfaction with your company through calculating your net promoter score (NPS)
Eliminate all physical marketing materials, rely only on digital methods
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
Use a shared or centralized printer
Create and implement a policy for protecting sensitive information
Create and implement an employee code of conduct
Establish and implement a shareholder rights policy
Regularly disclose business practices, operations, and financial statements to shareholders and stakeholders
Minimize air conditioning usage through natural ventilation by opening windows
Assess your current vendors’ procurement practices
Reduce “vampire loads” by unplugging appliances when not in use
Communicate pricing and services transparently, authentically, and consistently to all customers
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