Concorde, Inc.

How green is our business? Below is a list of Green Business Program checklist actions we've taken to reduce our impact on the environment.

Energy » General

Q: Conduct an informal internal energy audit of your facilities (assess and implement simple measures to reduce energy consumption).

Energy » Lighting

Q: Disconnect unused ballasts in de-lamped fixtures and replace burned out lamps to avoid ballast damage.
Q: Install bypass/delay timers for off-hour lighting.
Q: Install occupancy sensors on lights in places of variable occupancy, such as restrooms, private offices, storage, etc.
Q: Keep lighting fixtures, diffusers and lamps clean so that they are lighting as effectively as possible (dirt can reduce lighting efficiency by up to 50%).
Q: Maintain (and adhere to) a written policy to turn off office lights when leaving for more than 15 minutes and post reminders.
Q: Replace incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescents or LED lights. Use halogen lamps only for low wattage task and spot lighting.
Q: Replace standard fluorescent lights with low- or no-mercury fluorescent lights that are higher efficiency.

Energy » Office Equipment

Q: Establish purchasing policy to only purchase Energy Star or energy efficient equipment and appliances.
Q: Set all office equipment to go to standby mode when not in use (e.g. energy saver buttons on copiers). Turn off equipment when not in use for long periods of time (end of workday).
Q: Set refrigerator temperature between 38

Energy » HVAC

Q: Maintain (and adhere to) a written policy that ensures blinds and curtains are closed during peak summer period (white reflects) to reduce A/C load.

Leadership and Education

Q: Designate a green office advocate or working committee.
Q: Actively encourage employees to adopt sustainable practices outside of work, and provide resources for doing so (such as discounted compact fluorescent (CF) light bulbs).
Q: Assess and track your firm's/facility's (ies') Philadelphia region estimated baseline carbon footprint. (Use of the calculator provided by Pennsylvania Environmental Council is strongly encouraged; however, a member may assess its carbon footprint using the protocols identified below (see NOTE).)
Q: Develop and implement a written plan to reduce carbon footprint.
Q: Establish and promote individual green pledge for employees.
Q: Post and maintain your current carbon footprint (summary data) on your external website.
Q: Post and maintain your current Greater Philadelphia Green Business Commitment Self-Certification Report (this checklist) on your external website.
Q: Prepare an external annual report on progress to be distributed publicly.
Q: Prepare an internal annual report of progress and distribute to employees/shareholders.
Q: Promote sustainability initiative and forthcoming changes, strategies, and objectives within company on a regular basis to raise consciousness and add transparency of the initiative.

Operations & Procurement » General Practices

Q: Ask vendors to take back packaging and used or damaged products for reuse and recycling.
Q: Choose vendors who can articulate sustainable practices.
Q: Choose vendors who take back products after their shelf life is over (e.g. fluorescent light bulbs).
Q: In order to improve indoor air quality, ban smoking from interior spaces and designate exterior smoking areas at least 25 feet from building entries, outdoor air intakes and operable windows, with cigarette butt disposal units.
Q: Maintain (and adhere to) a sustainable purchasing policy (Energy Star equipment and appliances; recycled content, biodegradable paper products; energy-efficient, lowmercury lamps; plastic products; food products; building/renovation materials). Consider and favor products that are recycleable at the end of their useful life.
Q: Purchase items with the least packaging and work with vendors to minimize product packaging. Minimize packaging in your own products and services.
Q: Serve locally-grown and/or organic food at workplace events when possible.
Q: Specify deliveries in reusable or returnable containers.
Q: Use local businesses for products and services whenever possible.
Q: Use unbleached and/or chlorine-free paper products (copy paper, promotional paper, paper towels, coffee filters, etc.).
Q: When possible, arrange to order goods from vendors who make deliveries of multiple items in a single delivery.

Operations & Procurement » Office

Q: For shipping items, use shredded paper or corn starch pellets for packaging needs instead of purchasing styrofoam pellets, bubble wrap or other packaging materials; also, reuse, in your own packaging, packaging materials received.
Q: Institute a written policy regarding the leasing of office equipment where appropriate. Businesses that lease out equipment tend to use more durable items, salvage reusable parts, and refurbish, recycle, or donate used equipment that can no longer be leased.
Q: Print materials with soy or other low-VOC inks.
Q: Purchase boxes and bags for retail use or shipping made from recycled paper or plastic (or reuse old boxes and bags).
Q: Purchase copy, computer or fax paper, letterhead, envelopes and business cards with at least 35% post consumer recycled ontent.
Q: When purchasing new printers, buy ones with duplex capability.
Q: Where possible, use non-toxic waterbased markers rather than toxic permanent ink markers/pens.

Operations & Procurement » Facilities / Janitorial

Q: Implement a "just in time" purchasing policy (inventory reduction purchasing) and a "first-in/first-out" chemical usage policy (using older chemicals first) to use old material first.
Q: Replace aerosols with non-aerosol alternatives (such as pump sprays for fresheners and cleaners).
Q: Use green cleaning techniques and products, including low-toxic, biodegradable cleaners, and properly dispose of expired materials.
Q: When replacing furniture, phase in low-VOC furniture.

Transportation » Commuter

Q: Encourage commuter alternatives by informing employees, customers and others who visit your office about various transportation options (post bicycle route maps, transit schedules, commuter ride sign-ups, etc. in a visible area for employees).
Q: Have a bike kit for employees who may have bicycle emergencies or problems.
Q: Sign up for commuter benefits such as TransitChek for employees.

Transportation » Business Travel

Q: Have written policy to use public transit or car share if possible when traveling from office in metro area.
Q: Use teleconferencing to cut down on amount of business travel.

Waste Reduction & Recycling » Policies

Q: Donate or exchange unwanted but usable items (furniture, supplies, electronics, scrap materials, computer disks, etc.) to schools, churches, hospitals, libraries, nonprofit organizations, museums, teacher resource organizations, etc.; or enroll in a waste exchange program.
Q: Make it easy for employees to recycle by placing clearly marked collection bins in convenient locations. Post signs and/or train employees regarding recycling policies and procedures in the office.

Waste Reduction & Recycling » Paper

Q: Encourage employees to read, highlight and comment on documents on the computer screen whenever possible.
Q: If your facility still has an old printer without duplex capability, use only for single page documents and ensure multi-page documents are printed on duplex printer.
Q: Institute a policy that switches to electronic forms, eliminate excess forms and make paper forms more efficient.
Q: Institute written policy encouraging the use of the size reduction feature in photocopying (e.g. print two pages of book on one page).
Q: Keep a stack of previously used paper near printers. Use it for drafts, scratch paper or internal memos or designate a draft tray on printers with multiple trays.
Q: Maintain (and adhere to) a written policy of "green printing practices, including duplex printing, draft printing, and utilization of scrap paper.
Q: Minimize misprints by posting a diagram showing how to load special paper, such as letterhead.
Q: Purge your own mailing lists to eliminate duplication.
Q: Recycle (after full use/reuse) all paper products that your recycling vendor will accept.
Q: Recycle toner cartridges, cell phones and dry cell batteries.
Q: Recycle tyvek envelopes.
Q: Return labels from duplicate mailings and subscriptions requesting all but one be removed.
Q: Write "refused" on unwanted first class mail and return to sender.
Q: Write to or call senders requesting removal from mailing list to reduce junk mail.

Waste Reduction & Recycling » Food & Beverage

Q: In the lunch/break room, eliminate disposables (plastic utensils, coffee stirrers, paper towels) by using permanent ware (mugs, dishes, utensils, towels/rags, coffee filters, etc.)
Q: Recycle food and beverage containers (all glass, #1 & #2 plastic and aluminum containers).
Q: Supply water through a fountain, cooler or tap; eliminate bottled water.
Q: Use refillable containers of sugar, salt & pepper, half & half, etc. to avoid individual condiment packets.

Water Management » Interior

Q: Post signs in restrooms and kitchen areas encouraging water conservation.
Q: Regularly check for and repair all leaks in your facility (toilet leaks can be detected in tank toilets with leak detecting tablets. Train your staff to monitor and respond immediately to leaking equipment.