Understandng the Issues

and Busness Case for the

Transformaton of your Offce
Pubshed by
The Green Offce Gude proudy supported by


Ths gude s produced by the
Auckland Environmental Business Network Inc.
PO Box 147 263
Ponsonby
Auckand
New Zeaand
09 817 2622
1A Scotand Street
Freemans Bay
Auckand
New Zeaand
www.aebn.p.net
Ths gude s aso avaabe on-ne at www.greenoffce.org.nz, aong wth a
drectory of suppers of eco-products and servces.
The AEBNs team, Rache Brown, Carone Peacock produced the nformaton
contaned n the gude wth edtng support from:
Andrew Reeve - Sncar Knght Merz
Lsa Martn - URS
Wendy Lev - Mertec
Smon Stockdae - Sustanabty 21
The AEBN wshes to thank the foowng sponsorng organsatons for ther
support n producng ths gude:
Auckand Cty Counc
Auckand Regona Counc
BRANZ
EECA
Fu| Xerox
Interface Agences
Mnstry for the Envronment
We aso wsh to thank the great number of organsatons and ndvduas, too
numerous to menton, for ther contrbuton to the gude.
Important Note:
Whe the AEBN has made reasonabe endeavours to ensure the accuracy of
the nformaton n the Green Offce Gude, t cannot be hed responsbe for
any errors and omssons and under no crcumstances sha be hed abe for
any n|ury, damage, costs or fnanca oss resutng from the use of ths
nformaton.
Verson 1.01- 21 May 2002
Auckand Envronmenta Busness Network 2002
Contents
GETTING STARTED.....................................................................................................1
UNDERSTANDING THE ISSUES.................................................................................2
Why is Sustainability so Important.....................................................!
"lobal Warmin#........................................................ ..........................$
%&one 'ayer (epletion........................................... .............................$
(e)orestation................................................... ..................................$
Increasin# *ressure )rom Ethical Consumers........................................$
*opulation "rowth + ,esource 'imits..................................................-
.hreats to New /ealand0s 1ni2ueness.......................................... ........-
Land Use.............................................................................................. ...........................4
Bodversty......................................................................................... ............................4
Ar Pouton................................................................................................. ....................4
Greenhouse Gas Emssons............................................................... ..............................5
Water Pouton........................................................................................... .....................5
Sod Waste................................................................................................................... ...5
Hazardous Waste........................................................................................................ .....5
Energy Use..................................................................................................... .................6
THE BUSINESS CASE.................................................................................................7
Addin# to the Bottom3line throu#h ,esource E))iciency.........................4
Bein# a ,esponsible Employer and 5ember o) the Community .............4
,aisin# Competitiveness .hrou#h Innovation.......................................6
"ainin# 5arket Share........................................................................ ..6
7elpin# to (evelop *ositive Solutions..................................................6
Envronmenta Management Systems....................................................... ......................8
Non-accredted Systems ........................................................................................... ......8
Envronmenta Labes...................................................................................... ................9
NZ Sustanabty Reated Organsatons................................................................... .......9
Stayin# Ahead %8 'e#islation + Addin# 9alue to National + 'ocal *olicy
.......................................................................................... ..............:;
Legsaton Protectng the Envronment and Heath and Safety of Peope......................10
Heath & Safety Legsaton.................................................................. .........................10
Hazardous Substances Legsaton.................................................. ..............................10
Envronmenta Legsaton ..................................................................... .......................10
GET MANAGEMENT SUPPORT...............................................................................12
GET STAFF SUPPORT..............................................................................................14
CONDUCT AN ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW.............................................................15
Auckand Envronmenta Busness Network 2002 Page
DEVELOP A POLICY FRAMEWORK........................................................................16
Where to Start................................................................. .................:<
DEVELOP AND LAUNCH THE PLAN.......................................................................18
REVIEW PROGRESS.................................................................................................1
ANALYSE AND REPORT FINDINGS.........................................................................2!
GREEN OFFICE SCORECARD.................................................................................21
E=ample Sustainability *olicy............................................................!-
E=ample Supplier >uestionnaire........................................................!?
Supper Pocy ............................................................................................... ...............25
Sourcng Materas or Products................................................................. .....................25
About the Product........................................................................................................ ..25
Producton Process.............................................................................. ..........................25
E=ample "reen %))ice *lan................................................................ .!4
E=ample "reen %))ice Survey................................................... ..........!6
Auckand Envronmenta Busness Network 2002 Page
"ettin# Started
A step-by-step approach s the easest way to progress any green offce
programme. You can start by ganng an understandng of the ssues and
deveopng 'the busness case' for greenng your offce. Wth ths nformaton n
mnd we recommend you foow a systematc approach, usng these steps:
1. Get Management Support
2. Get Staff Support
3. Conduct an Envronmenta Revew
4. Deveop a Pocy Framework
5. Deveop and Launch the Pan
6. Revew Progress
7. Anayse and Report Fndngs
The fna step s to assess your offce usng the green offce scorecard.
If you have aready taken some of these steps, then check out the Green Offce
Gude for tps, exampes and contacts.
Auckand Envronmenta Busness Network 2002 Page 1
1nderstandin# the Issues
Why is Sustainability so Important
As New Zeaanders we prde ourseves on our natura envronment and our
underyng beef n equaty and farness. For most of us our country provdes a
good standard of vng, potenta prosperty and a sense of dentty. Our key
ndustres, e.g. agrcuture, fsheres, forestry and toursm, rey on our natura
envronment to meet the word market demands for heathy, sustanaby derved
products and servces.
On a goba eve we extract resources, manufacture products and dever
servces n a way that s threatenng our unque envronment and our persona
heath. Responsbe busnesses have taken on these chaenges and have
dscovered "the busness case" for respondng postvey to these ssues.
The key chaenges facng us ncude:
GETTING STARTED
UNDERSTANDING THE ISSUES
Why is Sustainability so Important
"lobal Warmin#
%&one 'ayer (epletion
(e)orestation
Increasin# *ressure )rom Ethical Consumers
*opulation "rowth + ,esource 'imits
.hreats to New /ealand0s 1ni2ueness
THE BUSINESS CASE
Addin# to the Bottom3line throu#h ,esource E))iciency
Bein# a ,esponsible Employer and 5ember o) the Community
,aisin# Competitiveness .hrou#h Innovation
"ainin# 5arket Share
7elpin# to (evelop *ositive Solutions
Stayin# Ahead %8 'e#islation + Addin# 9alue to National + 'ocal *olicy
GET MANAGEMENT SUPPORT
GET STAFF SUPPORT
CONDUCT AN ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
Auckand Envronmenta Busness Network 2002 Page 2
DEVELOP A POLICY FRAMEWORK
Where to Start
DEVELOP AND LAUNCH THE PLAN
REVIEW PROGRESS
ANALYSE AND REPORT FINDINGS
GREEN OFFICE SCORECARD
E=ample Sustainability *olicy
E=ample Supplier >uestionnaire
E=ample "reen %))ice *lan
E=ample "reen %))ice Survey
Vst the Mnstry for the Envronment ste at www.mfe.govt.nz for more
nformaton on the state of New Zeaands envronment.
"lobal Warmin#
The mpact of burnng foss fues (e.g. coa, o, petro, gas), ntensve agrcutura
practces, desgnng products and servces poory, creatng waste or usng energy
neffcenty s nfuencng our goba cmate. The fner ponts are st beng
debated, however t s cear that our actons are aterng the word cmate.
Governments around the word are now ookng at how to remedy ths and to
commt to reductons of greenhouse gases (e.g. CO2 and commtments to energy
effcency and renewabe energes). Even so, t s expected to take around 50
years for the ozone ayer to recover to ts natura state before CFCs were used.
%&one 'ayer (epletion
The use of CFCs n frdges, coong systems, aerosos, etc has damaged the
ozone ayer, a protectve thn screen of ozone gas about 25 kometres above the
earth. Ths has meant more of the suns harmfu utra voet rays are causng
ncreased cancers, cataracts and restrctng pant growth. Governments around
the gobe have banned, to varyng degrees, the use of CFCs and other ozone
depetng chemcas.
(e)orestation
The purchase of wood, or wood products, derved from unmanaged tropca forest
(e.g. kwa, mahogany or teak) and temperate forests n countres such as
Canada, Russa and Poand, s hepng destroy the words forests. Forests are
essenta for a heathy panet n reguatng the cmate, preventng so eroson,
foodng and mantanng bodversty.
Increasin# *ressure )rom Ethical Consumers
A growng number of corporates (e.g. Mob, Gap, Nke.) have, and are
experencng pressure from consumer actvst groups demandng better
Auckand Envronmenta Busness Network 2002 Page 3
envronmenta and soca performance. Increasngy these ssues are becomng
manstream and the pubc are askng questons about the overa soca, ethca
and envronmenta performance of the products and servces they purchase. Ths
s promptng change amongst the more enghtened busnesses that see
opportuntes n ntegratng soca and envronmenta concerns throughout ther
busness operatons.
Each year we create more wastes, poute our ar, streams and beaches and use
more non-renewabe resources. The cost assocated wth treatng wastes or
pouton s growng and we are threatenng our heath and that of our economy.
As consumers we have a huge nfuence over our envronment through our roe
as purchasers.
*opulation "rowth + ,esource 'imits
Every year resources are used neffcenty creatng vast quanttes of waste and
wastng precous resources. At the same tme amost 90 mon peope are beng
added to the panet every year to compete for these resources. Two thrds of
these peope w be vng n ctes creatng more demand on urban servces.
Addtonay the panets capacty to absorb waste or poutants and to provde
some crtca resources (e.g. food, fue, water etc) s mted.
.hreats to New /ealand0s 1ni2ueness
In 1997 the Mnstry for the Envronment reeased a State of the Envronment
Report. For many ths was a shockng report, whch ceary spread mud on our
cean green mage.
'and 1se
Neary two thrds of New Zeaands and s used for farmng and forestry or for our
towns, ctes and roads. Poor and use, so eroson, unwanted pants and anmas
are negatvey mpactng on the heath of our and.
There s a growng awareness n New Zeaand of the probems that can occur
when and s contamnated wth hazardous substances from the manufacture,
use, or storage of chemcas, ndustra resdues or waste products. Ths poses an
mmedate and, or ong-term rsk to human heath and the envronment.
Biodiversity
Once New Zeaand was covered many n forest. Approxmatey 73% of New
Zeaands natve and cover has been competey changed. Natve forest and
wetands gave way to pasture for farmng and forestry. Dams, drans and
rrgaton systems have atered akes, and urban areas contnue to expand.
Mantanng bodversty s crtca for our survva as we as the survva of
anmas and pants.
Air *ollution
Generay New Zeaands ar s safe and cean, but n ma|or ctes, ke Auckand,
ar pouton breaches Word Heath Organsaton gudenes. Motor vehces are
the argest snge source of ar pouton n the Auckand regon especay oder or
poory mantaned cars n areas wth heavy congeston.
The transport system has a sgnfcant mpact upon the envronment. . In addton
to vehce emssons, road-reated deposts are washed nto streams and
Auckand Envronmenta Busness Network 2002 Page 4
harbours, whch causes water quaty degradaton. In some areas, the transport
network s assocated wth severe nose pouton and communty dsocaton.
The ar quaty n some nner-cty Auckand streets reguary exceeds Word Heath
Organsaton standards. Wth ntrogen doxde (NO2) pouton eves n Auckand
comparabe wth London, and carbon monoxde (CO) eves hgher than n
London. Addtonay the amount of fne partcuate pouton above Auckand
amounts to the equvaent of 500 bags of cement beng shaken out n the ar
every day
"reenhouse "as Emissions
Our ncreasng use of coa, o and natura gas from heatng, energy and
transportaton has caused a arge ncrease n greenhouse gas emssons. These
greenhouse gases are resutng n a goba warmng.
Water *ollution
Poutants such as rubbsh, heavy metas, pestcdes and fertsers are carred off
roads and other hard surfaces nto streams and harbours. These poutants are
affectng fsh, shefsh, pants and human heath.
Solid Waste
New Zeaanders are producng more sod waste than ever. In the Auckand
Regon the amount of sod waste has amost doubed n the ast 15 years. In the
2000/2001 year 969,000 tonnes were dsposed of at andfs n the regon.
Approxmatey 3.2 mon tonnes of waste s dsposed of n NZs andfs annuay,
whch means we are runnng out of andfs and the assocated costs dsposa are
ncreasng.
C"#$"%&'&"( ") N*+ ,*-.-(/0%
.-(/)&.. +-%'*
organic matter
paper
construction & demolition
potentially hazardous
plastic
metal
glass
other
7a&ardous Waste
The scae of hazardous waste generaton n New Zeaand s ony now begnnng
to be understood. The past dsposa and careess handng of hazardous waste
has eft a resdua probem of potentay contamnated stes n many parts of the
country. The stes are now beng nvestgated and, where necessary. The
Resource Management Act 1991 and the Hazardous Substances and New
Auckand Envronmenta Busness Network 2002 Page 5
Organsms Act 1996 were deveoped to hep prevent future probems of ths
nature.
Ener#y 1se
A recent study found that New Zeaand s the seventh worst of 23 Internatona
Energy Agency countres (mosty OECD countres) for energy use per doar of
GDP (IEA Energy Economst Lee Schpper, |une 2000).
Two thrds of New Zeaands energy comes from foss fues, the remanng one
thrd comes from hydropower and geotherma power, wth a tte from wnd.
Cean, safe water s vta for human survva yet each day we are poutng our
waters through poor farmng and agrcutura practces, the ntroducton of
waterborne dseases, and from road runoff.
Auckand Envronmenta Busness Network 2002 Page 6
.he Business Case
By adoptng a Green Offce programme and by provdng envronmentay or
socay responsbe products or servces busnesses can beneft n the foowng
ways:
Addng to the bottom-ne through resource effcency
Beng a responsbe empoyer and member of the communty
Rasng compettveness through nnovaton
Ganng market share
Hepng to deveop postve soutons
Stayng ahead of egsaton and addng vaue to natona and oca pocy
Reducng rsks of compance wth envronmenta and Heath &Safety egsaton,
and protecton of brand (from bad pubcty)
Addin# to the Bottom3line throu#h ,esource E))iciency
By conservng resources n the foowng ways you reduce costs.
Reducng energy use - mprovements n energy and manufacturng effcency
go straght to the bottom-ne because there are no drect cost factors
Reducng emssons, dscharges and wastes - many manufacturng companes
beneft through return on assets, saes and equty through reducng
emssons.
Recycng or reusng waste - cosng the oop n terms of resource use (e.g.
transformng waste nto raw materas) saves waste bs as we as the
purchase of new raw materas.
Bein# a ,esponsible Employer and 5ember o) the Community
By adoptng socay responsbe practces busness s abe to provde a much
more postve roe n socety by:
Offerng products or servces wth ntegrty,
Avodng waste and pouton,
Supportng oca busnesses that are dong the rght thng (e.g. operatng
ther own envronmenta or soca programmes)
Offerng your staff a better work envronment
Deveopng respectfu and supportve reatonshps wth suppers
Avod supportng socay unacceptabe actvtes (e.g. chd abour,
expotaton of resources and cutures, cruety to anmas, promoton of
acoho, gambng, pornography or cgarettes etc)
Auckand Envronmenta Busness Network 2002 Page 7
,aisin# Competitiveness .hrou#h Innovation
Wth gobasaton NZ busness s havng to compete wth ow cost nputs made
from many parts of the word. Innovatve desgn and technoogy are crtca to
avod the competton wth ow abour costs or mass producton around the word.
NZ companes need to nnovate rapdy and reguary. The terms used here are:
Eco Effcency
Eco Desgn
Desgn for Envronment or Sustanabty
"ainin# 5arket Share
By maxmsng the envronmenta attrbutes of products (e.g. energy effcent,
fue effcent, organcay produced etc) companes can beneft from ncreased
saes n a market that s ookng for addtona benefts from ther purchases.
7elpin# to (evelop *ositive Solutions
There are a number of organsatons and programmes runnng n New Zeaand to
address the ssues assocated wth the desgn, manufacture and dsposa of
products. These can be usefu when mpementng your green offce programme.
There are many dfferent sustanabty programmes and certfcaton/abeng
systems. Some of the key ones are descrbed beow.
Environmental 5ana#ement Systems
EMSs are a set of procedures mpemented by busnesses or agences to reduce
envronmenta rsk. In Apr 2001 there were 65 NZ companes ISO 14000
accredted. A number of Envronmenta Management Systems have been
deveoped by agences around the word. These ncude:
ISO Envronmenta Management seres
Goba Reportng Intatve - (GRI) was estabshed n ate 1997 wth the
msson of deveopng gobay appcabe gudenes for reportng on the
economc, envronmenta, and soca performance, ntay for corporatons
and eventuay for any busness, governmenta, or non-governmenta
organsaton (NGO).
EMAS (Envronmenta Management & Audtng System)
Green Gobe 21 - a standard for sustanabe trave and toursm operatons,
endorsed and managed n New Zeaand by the Toursm Industry Assocaton of
NZ.
Envromark
Forest Stewardshp Counc (FSC) - The Forest Stewardshp Counc s
ntroducng an nternatona abeng scheme for forest products, whch
provdes a credbe guarantee that the product comes from a we-managed
forest.
Non3accredited Systems
Intatves, programmes or systems that are sef-assessed and may be
mpemented wth support from government staff or traned consutants.
Auckand Envronmenta Busness Network 2002 Page 8
GreenFeet - s a smpe, sustanabe 3-step programme run by the AEBN to
hep
busnesses and ndvduas to reduce vehce pouton.
Ceaner Producton - Busness Cares, am s to work wth, support, assst and
encourage oca busnesses around New Zeaand to use more sustanabe
practces and mnmse ther waste.
The Natura Step - TNS offers a pannng framework that s grounded n
rgorous scentfc prncpes and serves as a compass for busnesses,
communtes, government organsatons and ndvduas undertakng the path
of sustanabe deveopment.
Environmental 'abels
Envronmenta product abeng scheme provde busnesses wth standards to
acheve n order to provde consumers wth cear gudance about the
envronmenta effects of products they purchase
Envronmenta Choce product abe s a NZ eco-abeng standard endorsed
by the Mnster for the Envronment.
The NZ Energy Ratng Labe for appances has recenty been mpemented
and s managed by EECA
BIO-GRO , Demeter, AgrOuaty and Ifoam are organc product abeng
accredtaton agences.
Energy Star ratng s an energy effcency programme for offce equpment
deveoped by the US Envronmenta Protecton Agency and promoted n NZ by
EECA.
The AAA Ratng Scheme dentfes the water effcency of appances, and s
managed by the Water Servces Assocaton of Austraa.
N/ Sustainability ,elated %r#anisations
There are a growng number of organsatons n New Zeaand whose roe s to
support and encourage busnesses to adopt better envronmenta or soca
practces. The foowng s a short and by no mean compete st of these
Auckand Envronmenta Busness Network
Busnesses for Soca Responsbty
Busness for Better Bays
Wakato Envronmenta Busness Network
Busness Counc for Sustanabe Deveopment
Zero Waste NZ Trust
Target Zero
The Natura Step Foundaton
BusnessCare
Auckand Envronmenta Busness Network 2002 Page 9
Stayin# Ahead %8 'e#islation + Addin# 9alue to National + 'ocal
*olicy
Wth government commttng to Sustanabe Deveopment more egsaton s
around the corner. The atest pocy deveopments n ths area ncude:
Natona Sustanabe Deveopment Strategy
Waste Mnmsaton Strategy
Natona Energy Effcency and Conservaton Strategy
Loca Government Amendment Act no. 4 .
'e#islation *rotectin# the Environment and 7ealth and Sa)ety o) *eople
There are a number of Acts n pace n New Zeaand, whch am to protect the
heath & safety of peope as we as that of the envronment. The good news s
that most of the egsaton s nter-reated.
The man peces of egsaton to be aware of are:
7ealth + Sa)ety 'e#islation
Heath & Safety n Empoyment (HSE) Act s admnstered by the Department of
Labour (see www.osh.govt.nz for more nformaton on the HSE Act)
The Heath & Safety n Empoyment Act paces a genera responsbty on
empoyers to provde a safe workng envronment for empoyees (and other
peope n the work envronment such as vstors and contractors) ncudng the
deveopment of procedures for deang wth emergences.
7a&ardous Substances 'e#islation
T1* D-(2*3"4% G""/% 5 T"6&7 S48%'-(7*% A7'
The Dangerous Goods Act cassfes substances accordng to ther physca
propertes, such as ther fash pont (fammabty) and vapour pressure
(voatty).
The Toxc Substances egsaton cassfes substances accordng to ther toxc
propertes that s, generay accordng to ther effects on human heath.
Vst www.hsno.govt.nz for more nformaton.
T1* H-9-3/"4% S48%'-(7*% -(/ N*+ O32-(&%#% :HSNO; A7'
HSNO s the ma|or egsaton controng the mport, manufacture, use, handng
and storage of hazardous substances n New Zeaand. Ths Act effectvey
repaces the Dangerous Good and Toxc Substances Reguatons reman n force.
Vst www.ermanz.govt.nz for more nformaton.
Environmental 'e#islation
T1* R*%"437* M-(-2*#*(' A7' :RMA;
The RMA s the man pece of egsaton addressng the envronment n New
Zeaand. The key purpose of the Act s to promote sustanabe management of
natura and physca resources, and t does so by controng the effects of
actvtes rather than the actvtes themseves. (see www.mfe.govt.nz for more
nformaton)
Auckand Envronmenta Busness Network 2002 Page 10
The RMA s mpemented by Regona and Dstrct Pans. These contan oca
poces and rues that affect your busness.
Trade waste may be covered by a separate by-aw; contact your oca Counc or
dranage authorty to fnd out about requrements for dschargng to the sewer.
Auckand Envronmenta Busness Network 2002 Page 11
"et 5ana#ement Support
Management support w make an enormous dfference to successfuy
ntroducng a green offce programme to any organsaton. So as a frst step, you
w need to gan the support of top management or company owners. Every
organsaton s a bt dfferent so you w need to modfy these deas to make
them work for you.
(etermine which (ecision3makers need to support your pro#ram
Who has the abty to make decsons about operatons, purchasng, products,
packagng, and servces? Usuay t's the Chef Executve Offcer, Managng
Drector, owner or other senor managers.
Collect in)ormation and ideas to present to mana#ement to demonstrate
the issues.
1. Gather together NZ reevant nformaton, there s penty of support matera to
vadate your am to reduce waste and pouton, to conserve resources and to
mprove your soca responsveness. Pont out that f these ssues arent
addressed vountary today, they may have to be reguated for n the future.
|See the Busness Case |.
2. Show how your organsaton s contrbutng to these probems. For exampe,
gather the facts on how much waste you generate and what t costs to
dspose of t, fnd out how much paper you use each year or note down what
equpment s eft on overnght unnecessary. Make a short vdeo or take
photographs, e.g. waste generated, ghts eft on, drty stormwater drans,
smoky vehces etc from around your premses. Show the vdeo or pctures to
management and empoyees. |Seect mages that represent probems, but do
not come across too negatvey toward any ndvdua or department|
7i#hli#ht potential savin#s )rom #reen o))ice initiative.
In amost every fed some organsatons or busnesses have actve green offce
ntatves aready underway. The most common benefts cted from operatona
mprovements s savngs n purchasng and. You may aso beneft from:
Reduced operatona costs (e.g. energy bs or n reduced waste dsposa
costs).
Reduced purchasng costs (e.g. statonary costs prntng costs, postage etc.)
Improved staff morae & pubc mage.
Better reatonshps wth suppers and the oca communty.
Emphasse the economc benefts, morae mprovements, marketng advantages
or pubc profe gans that your compettors may be reazng through ther
efforts. Don't et your company be a aggard!
Indicate likely reactions by Customers@ Board o) (irectors@ and
Stakeholders.
Determne how key groups w respond to changes n your products, packagng,
and mproved nterna operatons. Todays pubc s concerned about
envronmenta as we as human rghts ssues. Your efforts to green your offce
may transate nto postve pubc reatons and better saes. You certany cant
afford to rsk the bad press assocated wth not addressng these ssues.
Auckand Envronmenta Busness Network 2002 Page 12
7ave *ersistence and *atience
Remember everyone who starts up a successfu programme has to face
obstaces. Sometmes an dea s presented at a tme when t must compete wth
more urgent matters. Look for ntatves that w offer the bggest beneft for the
smaest effort. And there w aways be a few peope who w ob|ect to any
change, but dont et them deter you. Be patent and keep tryng. I) in doubt
su##est a pilot pro#ramme )or startersA
Auckand Envronmenta Busness Network 2002 Page 13
"et Sta)) Support
Once you have management approva youre next msson s to get staff buy-n.
Staff w be asked to change the way they currenty work, so ther support s
vta.
Generatng support shoudnt be too dffcut f you:
1. Dstrbute nformaton to potentay nterested or nfuenta staff about the
state of the envronment and the genera mpacts ther work practces are
havng on the envronment;
2. Organse a fun and nformatve presentaton to your staff (there are penty of
usefu resources ncudng vdeos |Prepare for Tomorrow/ GreenFeet|,
bookets, posters etc) that can be used to educate and motvate others.
3. Introduce staff to some good starter green offce optons and set up a
suggestons scheme to aow staff to put deas forward.
4. Ceary communcate what you want them to do and why.
Look around for envronmenta or sustanabty modes (e.g. The Natura Step,
Ceaner producton, ISO 14000 etc) that mght be of nterest to you and your
organsaton.
|on your oca busness network to fnd out what others are dong n ths area.
Once you have your supporters you shoud formase a Green Offce Team (GO
Team) to further partcpaton and acton wthn your organsaton.
Auckand Envronmenta Busness Network 2002 Page 14
Conduct an Environmental ,eview
An envronmenta revew or audt s a good startng pont for the Go team. The
process nvoves examnng your current stuaton and assessng what you want
to mprove and how you mght go about dong t. Ths provdes a basene aganst
whch any mprovement can be measured. Some organsatons choose to empoy
a contractor or consutant to hep wth ths (for a st of consutants who can hep,
vst the Green Pages secton of the Green Offce web-ste)
The foowng stages are recommended:
1. Set ob|ectves
2. Gather nformaton (use the frst secton of the Exampe Survey to measure
staff behavour)
3. Focus on prorty areas (e.g. sgnfcance, rsk or cost)
4. Seect a team to work on the prorty areas
5. Deveop a pan and work to t
6. Conduct a revew to see how we you have done. (Ste nspectons, reduced
waste, reduced costs, appeaed to staff etc)
7. Anayse and report your fndngs to staff and management.
Auckand Envronmenta Busness Network 2002 Page 15
(evelop a *olicy 8ramework
Every day more organsatons are adoptng poces to show ther concern for our
natura resources, human rghts, the envronment, staff, oca communtes and
for future generatons.
Poces set out gudng prncpes for the entre organsaton and gude a busness
and ts empoyees n ther day actvtes. They aso demonstrate to customers,
neghbours, and nvestors that your organsaton has taken a frst step toward
usng good envronmenta and soca practces. You may need a pocy framework
that covers both operatona management ssues as we as one for workng wth
suppers.
Envronmenta poces can be ncorporated nto heath and safety poces, as the
two ssues are nterreated, and form a sustanabty pocy. Many companes are
adoptng envronmenta poces and are strvng for sustanabe deveopment,
zero waste or for zero pouton because t s part of good busness.
Contact the Busnesses for Soca Responsbty for nformaton on socay
responsbty n busness, or for a copy of ther Trpe Bottom Lne Gudes.
If a systematc approach s good for your organsaton we suggest you nvestgate
the benefts of adoptng a forma sustanabty or envronmenta programme.
Where to Start
What s the envronmenta or soca poston of your organsaton at present? How
coud you respond to the chaenges of the future?
By choosng to operate n a more envronmentay and socay responsbe way
you can:
Offer products or servces wth ntegrty
Avod waste and pouton
Save money through effcences
Improve your organsatons mage
Support other busnesses that are dong the rght thng (e.g. operatng ther
own envronmenta or soca programmes)
Offer your staff a better work envronment
Deveop respectfu and supportve reatonshps wth suppers
Avod supportng socay unacceptabe organsatons (e.g. chd abour,
expotaton of resources and cutures, cruety to anmas, promoton of
acoho, gambng, pornography or cgarettes etc).
The best way for any organsaton to respond to these s through the formaton of
a seres of rues, vaues or poces. You can deveop any number of poces; n
ths case we recommend you consder deveopng an overarchng Sustanabty
Pocy wth a Purchasng Pocy, whch sts under ths.
Before you decde on your pocy framework make sure you understand
Auckand Envronmenta Busness Network 2002 Page 16
Why Green your Offce (e.g. What s at stake? What s egay requred?)
The Busness Case (e.g. What are the costs and benefts? What are others dong?
- What standards coud you acheve?)
Communcate the poces and pans nternay and make sure staff are aware of
the responsbtes they hod pror to nformng stakehoders, customers and the
communty.
Contnuousy montor and revew your poces, pans and performance n the ght
of the new nformaton on egsaton, advances n scence, market changes etc.
Auckand Envronmenta Busness Network 2002 Page 17
(evelop and 'aunch the *lan
.he *lan
Once you have a pocy n pace you must deveop a pan that nks to your pocy
ob|ectves. Your pan shoud cover the foowng:
Actvty (e.g. prntng, photocopyng etc)
Acton requred to mprove the actvty
Who s responsbe
The target
The date that the acton shoud be done by
The resources requred to compete the actvty
How success w be measured
It can take a few weeks, even months of pannng to get to the stage of aunchng
your programme, but good preparaton s vta. A successfu aunch s a great way
to nspre the rest of the organsaton, your suppers or stakehoders, wth your
enthusasm and commtment.
Hint: start with programmes to reduce waste or electricity use these are the
best bangs for your bucks
.he 'aunch
Ths s an excuse for a party! Make sure that t s nformatve as we as en|oyabe
1. Outne ob|ectves of the programme - why you are dong t and who s
responsbe
2. Cover fnanca aspects and the actons expected from others
3. Dspay exampes of ogos and equpment you w use
4. Introduce the workng group and staff nvoved
5. Fnay dont be afrad to ask for feedback!
Auckand Envronmenta Busness Network 2002 Page 18
,eview *ro#ress
Montorng s a vta part of an ongong revew. Try to track resource use (paper,
energy, water etc) n a consstent manner. Is t workng?
Ths queston s vta to sustanng your offce's waste reducton efforts. Use the
second staff survey to gauge your co-workers response to any changes.
As we as conductng ths survey, revst your bns and check out spendng, for
exampe, has your paper budget decreased.
Auckand Envronmenta Busness Network 2002 Page 19
Analyse and ,eport 8indin#s
The process of anaysng and reportng resuts of any programme tends to be
done on a reguar, monthy, sx-monthy or yeary bass (dependng on what you
are measurng). Refer to the pan you deveoped n your eary stage and assess
how often reportng shoud be done based on the target date set.
Ths s the tme when you mght fnd areas that need mprovng. If thngs aren't
gong so we, fnd out what the probems are and fx them!
Do staff reay know what to do or do they need remndng?
Is the system too compex?
Do peope want more feedback about how ther efforts are makng a
dfference?
Can you use your savngs to reward staff n some way?
Do peope fee ke they are workng n soaton?
If thngs are gong superby, how can you mprove?
Network wth other peope who are makng headway wth envronmenta
practces n ther busness. |on your oca busness network and share deas,
stumbng bocks wth others.
Report progress n the same manner that other pro|ects or ssues are reported n
your organsaton. Share resuts wth a staff through nformaton presented at
meetngs or pacng nformaton on webstes/ notce boards /newsetters etc.
Some busnesses are reportng annuay to soca, envronmenta and economc
crtera. Ths s termed wth Trpe Bottom Lne Reportng of Sustanabe
Deveopment Reportng.
Auckand Envronmenta Busness Network 2002 Page 20
"reen %))ice Scorecard
Go through each step and assess how we your organsaton has adopted a
Green Offce.
(Understandng Ratng: 1=Poor, 5 = Exceent)
7ow well do you understand the issues associated with
the need )or chan#e
Ratng 1-5
Popuaton Growth & Resource Lmts
Pouton
Goba Warmng
Ozone Layer depeton
Deforestaton
Increasng pressure from ethca consumers
Threats to New Zeaands unqueness
7ow well do you understand how businesses are
addressin# these issues
Ratng 1-5
Resource effcency (do you count energy as a resource?)
Responsbe empoyer and member of the communty
Innovaton
Ganng market share
Hepng to deveop postve soutons
Stayng ahead of egsaton & addng vaue to natona & oca
pocy
.otal
7ow much 5ana#ement Support do you have Answer 1-5
1. Management are not aware of the programme
2. Management have agreed to address t at a ater date
3. Management have agreed to some of the programme
4. Management are supportve of a tra pro|ect
5. Management are fuy supportve
Auckand Envronmenta Busness Network 2002 Page 21
7ow much Sta)) Support do you have Answer 1-5
1. Staff are not aware of the programme
2. Ony a sma number are aware and supportve
3. Staff have agreed to partcpate
4. Staff are supportve
5. Staff are actvey nvoved and drvng the programme
7ave you conducted Environmental review Answer 1-5
1. No one has conducted an envronmenta revew.
2. Yes, someone conducted a basc envronmenta revew, but
not many peope know the resuts.
3. Yes, a basc revew has been conducted and the resuts
communcated to some staff.
4. Yes, someone has conducted a thorough envronmenta
revew and the resuts have been reported to some staff.
5. Yes, someone has conducted a thorough envronmenta
revew and the resuts have been dspayed and reported to
a staff.
6.
(o you have a *olicy 8ramework in place Answer 1-5
1. No, we have no poces n pace
2. Yes, we have a basc draft pocy
3. Yes, we have a pocy coverng some sustanabty areas
4. Yes, we have a fu pocy, but ts not up to date
5. Yes, we have a fu range of envronmenta, sustanabty
and purchasng poces and ts reguary revewed and
updated
7ave you developed a plan and how well is it #oin# Answer 1-5
1. No we have no pan n pace
2. Yes, someone has deveoped a pan but very few peope
have seen t
3. Yes, we have a pubshed pan, but not much has been
acheved yet
4. Yes, someone has deveoped a pan and staff &
management support t, wth sgnfcant progress havng
been made.
5. Yes, we have a pan thats we pubcsed and support by
management and ts argey mpemented
Auckand Envronmenta Busness Network 2002 Page 22
7ow well are you assessin# and reviewin# pro#ress Answer 1-5
1. The programme hasnt started
2. The programme has started, but no assessment has been
made on progress.
3. The programme s beng assessed, but not formay reported
4. The programme has been assessed, but formay reported to
ony a few peope
5. The programme s beng formay assessed and reported and
reported to a stakehoders
7ow are you reportin# pro#ress internally and
e=ternally
Answer 1-5
1. There s no nterna or externa reportng done at ths stage
2. Staff are nformed of progress at an nforma sesson
3. Staff are formay updated on progress on a reguar bass
4. Staff, suppers and other stakehoders are updated on an ad
hoc bass
5. Staff and stakehoders are formay nformed through reguar
updates and an annua envronmenta or sustanabty
report
.otal Score: 7ow well you rate overall
How dd you rate?
20 - 40 Tme to get started!
41 - 60 Coud do better
61 - 80 Gong we
81 - 100 A Green Offce con!
Auckand Envronmenta Busness Network 2002 Page 23
E=ample Sustainability *olicy
Foowng are a st of prncpes that may hep to prepare a sustanabty pocy
for your busness or offce. Some are must haves; others are deas. Supportng
each of these statements s a pan of how and when t w be acheved.
We w:
1. Run our busness wth a ong-term vson so that t meets the needs of the
present, wthout compromsng the abtes of future generatons to meet ther
own needs
2. Adopt the hghest avaabe envronmenta & soca standards n a countres
of our operatons
3. Adopt a fe cyce assessment approach and take responsbty for our
products and servces from the "crade-to-grave"
4. Assess on a contnuous bass the envronmenta & soca mpact of a our
operatons and be effcent wth a materas, suppes and energy
5. Wherever possbe we w re-use or use renewabe or recycabe materas and
components.
6. Mnmse waste produced n a parts of the busness, and am for "zero waste"
processes.
7. Montor and manage our energy nputs and pro|ects n the same way as our
other materas.
8. Expect smar envronmenta standard to our own from a thrd partes
nvoved wth our busness - suppers, retaers or contractors.
9. Adopt a GreenFeet programme to reduce the mpact our vehces (staff trave
& dstrbuton) has on peopes heath and that of the panet.
10.Encourage empoyees to get nvoved n envronmenta and communty acton
11.Lase on a reguar bass wth the oca communty and encourage staff to
become actvey nvoved n communty programmes
12.Am to ncude envronmenta and soca consderatons n nvestment
decsons. To hep wth ths there are organsatons such as Ethca Investors
who provde advce on ethca nvestments and reated ssues.
13.Assst n deveopng soutons to envronmenta probems, and support the
deveopment of envronmentay and socay responsbe pubc pocy (e.g.
Sustanabe Deveopment Strategy, Waste Management or Energy Effcency
Strategy)
Auckand Envronmenta Busness Network 2002 Page 24
E=ample Supplier >uestionnaire
Foowng are a st of questons that may hep to prepare a purchasng pocy that
w support your sustanabty pocy. Invovng suppers s crtca.
Supplier *olicy
Do they have envronmenta and soca poces?
Do they operate envronmenta management systems?
Do they undertake envronmenta and soca reportng?
Sourcin# 5aterials or *roducts
Where are the man materas (state or country) sourced?
Are nternatona human rghts (e.g. no chd abour), and worker heath &
safety practces foowed?
Are vsts to manufacturng / processng / dstrbuton pants aowed?
Have you vsted your suppers to verfy ths nformaton?
Is any envronmenta management undertaken at source of materas? If so
gve detas.
How are materas transported to you?
Are packagng materas mnmsed, made of recyced materas, reusabe or
returnabe?
Are any ngredents or materas tested on anmas?
About the *roduct
Ask the supper to expan a envronmenta attrbutes of ther product? And
how they dffer from ther compettors.
Does the supper have any reuse or recovery programs? E.g. can the product
be taken back for recycng or remanufacturng? (If no recovery scheme exsts,
s nformaton provded for safe dsposa at end of usefu fe?)
What s the materas composton of the products?
How much s made from recyced materas?
How much are made from renewabe materas?
For pants (food/ fbre), s t certfed as organc?
For wood/ tmber, has ts source been certfed as from a sustanabe forest?
Does the product contan any chemcas cassfed as hazardous or toxc? Gve
detas.
Are Matera Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) avaabe and are they wngy
provded?
*roduction *rocess
Has the company been nvoved n any externa envronmenta mprovement
schemes ke the Loca government Ceaner Producton, The Natura Step or
Auckand Envronmenta Busness Network 2002 Page 25
other Green Busness program etc? (Pouton emsson contros, Energy
conservaton, Water conservaton.)
Does the product carry any ecoabeng: (.e. Envronmenta Choce, AAA
ratng, Energy Star, Rugmark, Bogro, Demeter, Green Home Scheme, Forest
Stewardshp Counc? Or any standards or safety tests .e. nsuaton R ratng,
fre ratng?)
Auckand Envronmenta Busness Network 2002 Page 26
E=ample "reen %))ice *lan
E6-#$.* G3**( O))&7* P.-( )"3< /-'*< =======
I'*# A7'&>&'? A7'&"( R*%$"(%&8.* T-32*' D-'*
R*%"437*%
3*@4&3*/
P.-((&(2 Environmental
Policy
Develop EP for
organisation
Communications
manager
Drafted & signed by
management
Apr 02
Staff support Publicise policy
and programme
Establish !"
#eam
Communications
manager
"perations
manager
Post on all notice
boards$ ne%sletter
All depts
represented on !"
#eam
&ay 02
P3"/47'
D*%&2(
'evie% product Conduct a (ife
Cycle Assessment
"perations
manager
#o list all impacts )un 02
'educe
pac*aging sent
out
'evie% pac*aging "perations
manager
'educe pac*aging
by 20+
Dec 02
,mplement
green printing
procedures
#al* to
communications
team
Communications
manager
-ave all materials
green printed
Dec 02 !reen
printers
O$*3-'&"(% Assess
purchasing
re.uirements
Change criteria for
printer etc
Purchasing
manager
-ave purchasing
policy in place
)un 02
#oner recycling Set up toner
recycling bins
"ffice manager All toner recycled )un 02 /ins for
collection
Purchase
recycled paper
Contact suppliers "ffice manager All paper has 00+
recycled content
)un 02
R*%"437*
E))&7&*(7?
'euse paper
%aste
&a*e reuse pads 'eceptionist All one sided paper
reused
)un 02 !lue
W-%'*
A%%*%%#*('
1aste audit Conduct %aste
audit
"ffice &anager Complete by Apr 02 Scales$
gloves
Set2up paper
collection &
reuse system
Provide paper
trays %ith labels &
train staff on paper
reuse
"ffice manager 'euse 20+ of copy
paper
)un 02 Paper tray
label$
des*side
and
copierside
poster3
C"('3-7'"3%
5 S4$$.&*3%
Survey
Suppliers
Develop
.uestionnaire
Purchasing
officer
00+ suppliers
respond to survey
Dec 02
Prepared by: ___________________ To review by date: _______
Auckand Envronmenta Busness Network 2002 Page 27
E=ample "reen %))ice Survey
Introduction (Please answer and give details where appropriate.)
1- How often have you undertaken the foowng actvtes recenty? Please tick or
highlight.
Alway
s
%)ten
Sometim
es
,arely
or
Never
Was it
easy to
do
Reusng paper for takng notes
Reusng snge sded paper n a
coper or prnter
Doube sded copyng and
prntng
Usng products or packagng
made from recyced materas
Buyng products or packagng
that are desgned to ast
Reparng or upgradng
equpment or refng products
Usng ema rather than
sendng prnted matera
Prevewng documents on the
computer before prntng
Desgnng documents to
reduce paper
Other (pease gve detas)
1a - Was t easy to do? Pease crce or hghght. Yes / No
1b - How coud thngs be mproved? ___________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
1c - Who shoud be responsbe for coordnatng ongong green offce efforts?
_____________________________________________________________________
Auckand Envronmenta Busness Network 2002 Page 28
2 - How mportant s each of the foowng to the success of our green offce
efforts?
I#$"3'-('
N"' >*3?
&#$"3'-('
N"' -' -..
&#$"3'-('
C-(A'
%-?
&ore commitment from management
Simplified systems that all staff can use
/etter labelling of recycling facilities
A policy and4or procedure to guide us
'e%ards for 5doing the right thing6 2 not 7ust 5feel
good6 feedbac*
"ne person to motivate and drive changes
/etter control and ordering of office supplies
8no%ing %hat the costs and savings are to the
business
3 - How strongy do you agree or dsagree wth each of the foowng statements?
A23**
N*&'1*3 -23**
("3 /&%-23**
D&%-23**
N"'
A$$.&7-8.*
!reen "ffice programme is %or*ing
Everyone in the office *no%s about it
Everyone in the office *no%s ho% to duple9
documents4reuse single sided paper in the copier
& printer4 edit onscreen
'ecycling is easier than reducing
&ost staff are a%are of and supportive of it
,6ve tried$ but it ta*es too much time
, %ould li*e to use more recycled products
, %ould li*e regular feedbac* on our efforts
Any suggestions , may ma*e %ill be valued by
others
,6m ready to do more:
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME
Auckand Envronmenta Busness Network 2002 Page 29