Is your organisation taking steps to make sure it is environmentally friendly? What about making sure that all stakeholders are considered and cared for? Of course, not forgetting the long term: does your organisation plan ahead and think responsibly? Wouldn’t it be good if there was a way of letting others know that you care for your staff, the environment and are building a long term sustainable organisation? Even better, wouldn’t it be great if you could share with others a better way of working and living? Well if your organisation has woken up to world life balance and is trying to achieve sustainable growth while looking after your employees and stakeholders then you need to look at the National Green Standard accreditation.

National Green Standard is the only accreditation available that supports the triple bottom line approach to measuring success. The Standard encourages organisations to self-regulate their legal and statutory obligations while taking a step further to experience external scrutiny when the time is right for them. National Green Standard is designed to help organisations to look at whether they are socially responsible, economically viable and environmentally sound in the way they operate in the short, medium and long term by providing a mechanism to capture your good practices, get rewarded for your efforts and share your approaches with like-minded organisations who care about how we live, work and look after the planet. Our unique scoring system will help us determine if you have reached Bronze, Green or Gold Standard!

Gaining recognition couldn’t be simpler you can call to arrange a visit or take the no obligation on line questionnaire to get started on your National Green Standard journey.

We can be contacted on mary@nationalgreenstandard.co.uk

You have put in place your environmental policy and recycling across the organisation is going well, it is monitored and staff have bought into the procedures. This first step in greening your workplace has been met with enthusiasm and the policy in now refreshed to increase the scope so that low energy light bulbs are becoming commonplace as replacements are needed. Old equipment and office furniture no longer finds it ways to a skip and then landfill; it is passed on to others to reuse or to remake into something funky and new.

Now staff are getting creative about greening the workplace and thinking of the office as not just somewhere to spend a large chunk of their time but a place that can be put to good use beyond the function it was designed for. In the kitchen food waste is recycled, herbs are grown in pots and plants have appeared in various locations throughout the building. A small group of staff have organised to litter pick the area around the building and car parks and a local reuse centre has provided picnic benches that are proving very popular. So popular that the office opposite has ordered some too and has planted up a few small areas with wild flowers to soften the hard lines of the building’s entrance.

Next the factory on the corner has installed a sedum roof and a bee keeper has been invited to keep a hive so that honey can be collected. A small group has been set up to look at ways to improve the whole space and work with the local community to improve the area. Tree planting, vegetable plots, picnic areas and walking trails start to appear. In time the whole area is transformed and looks and feels friendlier and safer, there is a renewed energy and community spirit – going to work is not the drag it used to be.

All sound like a pipe dream or an idealised view of reality? Well it may be a story but as with the best stories there is always a fundamental truth behind it. More and more people and organisations are realising that the workplace has a huge impact on the environment and that making small changes can, over time have a positive and cumulative impact. If each organisation made a few simple changes we would all benefit and of course we would be helping to achieve global goals for a better world.

The National Green Standard is designed to recognise the efforts that organisations are making in achieving positive impacts of the environment, society and long term sustainability. If you have started that journey and want to gain the prestigious recognition for your efforts then take the online free survey or drop us an email and we will arrange for a visit. mary@nationalgreenstandard.co.uk

With so much focus and attention on climate emergency, global political uncertainty and the ambiguity surrounding Brexit, it can be a challenge to remember that many organisations are working hard to make small changes that collectively have a positive economic, social and environmental impact. As a result, many organisations are looking to the National Green Standard to demonstrate their credentials and let other know about the good things they are doing.

The introduction of the National Green Standard in 2016 signalled a new dawn in the battle to work, live and play in a mindful way. Organisations can enhance their business and management strategies by adopting the three Principles and accompanying criteria that comprise the National Green Standard. With a benchmarking score each organisation can easily see what areas to improve and share their best practices with others, should they choose to do so.

Available at three levels: Bronze, Green and Gold the National Green Standard is gaining traction among organisational committed to taking steps to tackle the climate emergency.  Independent assessment makes the process of gaining and maintaining the National Green Standard a robust way to demonstrate your commitment to a socially responsible, economically viable and environmentally sound business practices.

Complete the on-line questionnaire that will start your journey towards recognition against the National Green Standard and see how your organisations can benefit from working with us. There is no obligation and you will get feedback on how you score against the National Green Standard criteria.

Visit www.nationalgreenstandard.co.uk/steps-to-accreditation/

You’ll learn:
– What the National Green Standard looks for in organisations
– Pointers for what you might want to improve
– An initial score out of 1000 to understand how close to achieving Bronze, Green or Gold level accreditation your organisation is.

Join us on the adventure!

Applied Driving Techniques (ADT), the award-winning provider of fleet compliance and driver risk management, is the proud recipient of  National Green Standard Accreditation which reflects their commitment towards being socially aware, economically viable and achieving their goals through environmentally sustainable practices.

“This award is further good news for ADT as in 2016 we were also delighted to win both a 2016 ‘Commercial Fleet Award’ and a 2016 ‘Brake Award’ for our partnership with Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE)” said Dr Jim Golby, Director at ADT.  “So, this is our third award within the last four months and very much rewards our efforts of being socially responsible, economically viable and delivering environmentally sound business practices. Driving on company business is the most dangerous “at work” activity undertaken by employees and ensuring that a fully legally compliant approach to safety and well being is in place is a business critical legal requirement which employers must fulfil”.

National Green Standard Accreditation has been developed with a focus on processes, people, and the planet.  The award has a bias towards the Triple Bottom Line Principle which seeks to balance financial growth with corporate responsibility, short-term gains with long-term profitability, and shareholder return with other stakeholder interest.

Commenting on their achievement of the Standard, Steve Homer, Head of Business Development at National Green Stndard said: “As a market leader ADT continues to lead its sector by being the first to receive the National Green Standard Award.  They have actively worked towards the award for several months and have taken advantage of all the support available. This achievement reflects their efforts in continuing to deliver excellence in all aspects of their business whilst being socially responsible, economically viable and environmentally friendly.”

ADT’s expertise lies in helping businesses understand the specific risks facing employees who drive on company business and in the delivery of fully managed services that ensure employers are fully compliant with proactive targeted solutions in place to help reduce accidents, protect staff and save money.

A driver specific Duty of Care Risk Assessment Process forms a key element of ADT’s award winning process and the careful analysis of the results from individual drivers facilitates the targeting of any risk mitigation intervention and training for “higher risk” employees.  The organisation will also ensure employees are legally entitled to drive, using safe vehicles that have a valid MOT, and which are fully taxed and insured for business use.

For ADT, the benefits of achieving the NSGA extend beyond saving money and improving efficiency to helping to protect vehicles from excessive wear and tear which can lead to increased costs and exposure to risk. Their journey towards achieving the National Green Standard Accreditation is an excellent example of how one business can help others to achieve business benefits whilst caring for the environment. Their commitment to improving compliance and employee safety is not their only driving influence.

ADT support organisations to lower their overheads and implement robust risk checks that inevitably ensure they survive longer in a competitive market place. A company with a reduced turnover of vehicles, fewer accidents, and safer drivers at the wheel will naturally be more sustainable. A natural bi-product of an organisation’s commitment to improving the behaviour and safety of its employees driving capabilities is less stress, and wear and tear on company vehicles, lowering replacement rates that naturally contribute to a lower carbon footprint. Successful companies are the ones who recognise areas where they are weakest and are prepared to bring in experts to improve knowledge gaps to build robust processes. ADT’s commitment to improving compliance naturally compliments the National Green Standard focus on making companies sustainable, looking after their people and caring for the environment.

“A key aim of ADT is to help companies avoid unknowingly ‘turning a blind eye’ to their legal obligations relating to their employees driving on company business, irrespective of whether these business journeys are undertaken in a company vehicle or the often over looked group of employees who use their own vehicle – the so called ‘grey fleet’ users” added Dr Golby.  “Many employers still remain unaware that they have exactly the same duty of care and health and safety obligations to their ‘grey fleet’ drivers in terms of reducing risk at work, ensuring their validity to be driving, having business use insurance in place, and the safety of their vehicle.

ADT help their clients develop sustainable best practice policies and green initiatives to address these issues and to ensure that the client is working sustainably so that the contribution to the bottom-line is a positive one.

“The issue of sustainability and putting forward green initiatives is not going away. Every day more people become better informed on how to minimise their impact on the environment. ADT has the unique opportunity of linking customer ethical concerns with businesses economic concerns that will continue to promote it as a market leader.”

Steve Homer, said: “By demonstrating to both peers and potential clients that ADT itself behaves ethically and sustainably they are leading the way within a circular economy and a Natonal Green Standard is supporting their journey.  This award will enable ADT to build further on their success, internally through the feedback received and externally as a marketing tool to help win and sustain business.

“Whether a small, medium or large organisation, the circular economy does affects a business and they can all benefit from it.  Everything has a value and by working smarter and more sustainably, a business can benefit from being socially responsible, economically viable and delivering environmentally sound business practices. We’re here to help on this journey.”