Green Your Office

1. Set up a Green Team

Give people in your team responsibility for implementing environmental solutions.

• Read our Communicating with Your Staff Practical Guide
  

2. Develop an environmental policy

Your environmental policy sets out your green action plan and expectations of employees and contractors.

• Check out our Environmental Policy Guidelines
• Contact us for assistance
  

3. Choose a green work space

Choose facilities with good environmental credentials – try to find buildings that are powered by on-site renewable energy, or are signed up to a Green Energy Tariff. Ask to see their environmental policy, and if they don’t have one, ask why.

If you work from home, read our Working From Home Practical Guide

4. Measure the environmental impacts of your office

If you work from an office measure and monitor your impacts on our IG Tools and SMEasure – both are free carbon calculators that show your carbon footprint (IG Tools) and energy use over time (SMEasure). More in-depth analysis and tailored recommendations are available through our Industry Green certification programme too.

• Log into the IG Tools
• Learn more about SMEasure
• What is the Industry Green certification?
• Read our Green Your Building Practical Guide
• If you work from home, check out our Working From Home Practical Guide

5. Reduce your power demand

Minimize energy use by switching off lights and equipment when not in use.

• Read about other ways to save power in our Green Your Building Practical Guide

6. Understand your impacts

Get in-depth environmental analysis and tailored recommendations for how to green your office through the Industry Green certification programme.

• Learn more about Industry Green (IG)
• See who else has been IG certified

7. Cost your impacts

Know the environmental damage cost of your activities, and likewise calculate how much your environmental initiatives are saving.

• Read our Costing the Environment Factsheet
• Contact us for advice on calculating savings

8. Consume sustainable food and drink

Use filtered water in jugs or glass bottles, and buy locally sourced, organic and fairtrade food in recyclable packaging where possible.

9. Use sustainable, ethical products

Choose suppliers and business products that have strong social and environmental credentials.

• See our Sustainable Procurement Practical Guide for more information
• Search for sustainable suppliers on our Green Database

10. Travel Green

Try to travel by public transport where possible and offset any flights. Try to cut down on business travel through video conferencing where possible.

• Read more in our Offsets Factsheet