Timeline
Participation Windows
The Green Office Challenge is organized around two implementation windows; the first going from January to June, and the second going from July to November. These two windows act as bookmarks in which participating offices work through a series of benchmarks.
At the beginning of each window, participating offices will assess their Green Office Challenge score, set goals, work towards those goals, and then report their new scores at the end of the window. With each participation window, offices will implement new sustainability initiatives and earn increasing ‘green’ scores.
As offices work through the implementation windows these milestones will act as guideposts along the way:
Milestones
Lay the foundation
Green Office Challenge program staff meet with the participating office’s director and/or the person who will be implementing the Challenge (usually an EcoRep) to review the Green Office Challenge Implementation Guide, answer any questions, and sign the Green Office Challenge Participation Pledge. The Checklist is completed during this meeting to establish the office’s baseline score. Participating offices should also begin getting the word out to office members about their participation in the Challenge, and encourage colleagues to sign the Participation Pledge.
Build staff support and participation
The office’s baseline score is presented to the rest of the office members and further discusses its participation in the Challenge, ensuring that everyone is aware of the office’s participation in the Challenge and ready to move forward. At this time, colleagues who have not yet signed the Participation Pledge should do so. Office members should take some time to think about the checklist items that they would like to implement during this participation window.
Set Goals
After a few weeks, offices will have had time to think about the checklist that they would like to see implemented. Office members should now decide together which checklist items they would like to pursue during this participation window, and develop a plan to achieve those goals. Choosing 2 to 4 new initiatives per window is suggested.
Work towards achieving goals
During this time participating offices are working to implement the sustainability initiatives that they have selected. The Office of Sustainability is always available to provide assistance and guidance whenever needed.
Report your achievements
By the end of this window offices will report their most recent scores to the Office of Sustainability. Based on a completed Green Office Challenge Checklist, a new score will be established. The Office of Sustainability will announce the office's achievements on its website and in other publications.
As an office participates for more and more windows, it will be able to spend less time focusing on building a foundation, and raising awareness of the Challenge, and even more time focusing on setting and achieving their Challenge goals!
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