Environmental Responsibility

The GBC requires organisations to demonstrate they are committed to reducing their environmental impact and continually improving their environmental performance.

Why it matters

We cannot continue to use and abuse our world without regard to its sustainability.  There is an urgent need to take environmental responsibility very seriously within every type of business and sustain our environment for future generations.

Businesses need to recognise that they have a responsibility to the environment beyond legal and regulatory requirements. We want to recognise businesses that are committed to reducing their environmental impact and strive to continually improve their environmental performance as an integral part of their business strategy and operating methods, with regular review points and specific targets. We would expect them to also encourage customers, suppliers and other stakeholders to do the same.

Net zero

Net zero is a statutory target set by the Climate Change Act 2008 for at least a 100% reduction in UK greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 (compared to 1990 levels).  We expect any UK company or charity to reference their own organisation’s approach to meeting this target for their own carbon emissions within their environmental policy and objectives.

Smaller organisations

For companies with up to 50 employees we have developed a streamlined version of the accreditation in collaboration with Federation of Small Businesses.  Please find more information about this and the questions you will be asked here: https://www.goodbusinesscharter.com/streamlined-version-FSB/

Self-certification for organisations with over 50 employees

To draw out a company’s commitment to environmental responsibility we will ask the following questions:

Are you committed to identifying your company’s main direct and indirect environmental issues and minimising any potential negative impact by continually striving to improve environmental performance?

Do you comply with, and where possible exceed, all environmental legislation that relates to the company?

Do you set clear environmental objectives relevant to your organisation, including your organisation’s approach to meeting the target of achieving net zero by 2050, and identify performance targets, which you monitor and review?

Do you encourage the development of good environmental practice by your employees, suppliers and customers?

Where you are not currently doing these, you will need to commit to doing them going forwards to fulfil this component of the Good Business Charter.

Concerns

If you are concerned that you will not be able to answer these questions but believe that your organisational practices follow the spirit of this component, please consult with us so that we can make a judgement on whether we believe you meet the requirements of the component.  We are really keen to have organisations of all sizes and from all types of industries and sectors joining the Good Business Charter.  These are standard questions and for some organisations there may be questions that are just not relevant or too onerous.  We want to hear from you if you feel that is the case and we will take a sympathetic view.