The National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy (NRTEE) is committed to operating in an environmentally responsible way by reducing its carbon footprint and greening its operations. To demonstrate this commitment, we have adopted our first ever Environmental Code of Practice and have formalized a comprehensive set of policies and practices to guide our greening activities. A new tagline, Think Green; Act Green, created and selected by our employees, captures the spirit of our initiative.

The NRTEE Act states that “the purpose of the NRTEE is to play the role of catalyst in identifying, explaining and promoting … principles and practices of sustainable development.”  Our greening initiative is a further expression of this role and is consistent with the intent of the Act. 

A key element of our initiative is how we track and evaluate our carbon footprint. We have instituted a process to conduct an annual inventory of the GHG emissions from our operations.  We then calculate our carbon footprint according to recognized standards and methods, and make it public. We have already taken steps to reduce these emissions, particularly from our business travel. 

We have demonstrated how employees and management – our team – worked together successfully to create and implement our greening initiative, and how even small agencies can make a difference. 

Steps to a Greener NRTEE

Led by the President and CEO, and initiated with the full buy-in of senior management, we instituted a seven step process to green the NRTEE.

Step 1. Established a Green Team

A Secretariat-wide Green Steering Committee (GSC) was established to take the initiative from a good idea into a practical, ongoing, integral part of the NRTEE’s operations.  The GSC consists of representatives from all units within the Secretariat, including management.

Step 2. Took Stock In-House

The NRTEE engaged a specialized environmental firm to do a full inventory of the NRTEE’s 2008 carbon footprint with the goal of setting a benchmark for its carbon emissions.  In parallel, GSC members did an assessment of each area of the NRTEE’s core areas of operation (Administration, Communications, Procurement, Policy, and Finance) to determine what green practices were already in place.

Step 3. Looked Around

The GSC agreed that it would be important for the NRTEE’s greening activities to be as consistent as possible with current or planned government-wide practices.  To this end, the committee aligned the NRTEE’s areas of operation with relevant government-wide categories, namely procurement, energy use (in office space and for business travel), waste management, and employee awareness and engagement.  The GSC also did a scan of greening initiatives in other organizations to learn from best practices.

Step 4. Implemented Greener Practices

The GSC conducted a comparison of the NRTEE’s practices with those recommended by the federal government for various operational areas, as well as best practices in place elsewhere. The committee recommended actionable practical alternative approaches for NRTEE operational activities, and implemented these, with management approval.  Where feasible, the GSC also identified meaningful metrics against which to track progress.

Step 5. Engaged Employees

NRTEE management recognized the critical role of employees in this initiative and supported the GSC’s plans to engage them from the outset.  The GSC conducted a short, on-line anonymous employee survey to identify those areas that the staff perceived to be most important to its greening efforts, as well as their suggestions for reducing the NRTEE’s footprint. The results of the survey were shared with all staff.  The GSC also deployed an employee contest to come up with the official slogan for the initiative.

Step 6. Created a Guiding Framework: Principles into Policies into Practice (P3)

The GSC reviewed the survey findings, and noted suggestions, gaps and opportunities for improvement.  These were integrated into two core documents which drive the NRTEE’s greening initiatives: 1) a Code of Practice that lays out basic principles to be followed; and 2) an action-orientated document in which the Code’s basic principles are translated into policies and practice.

Step 7. Communicated Regularly

Management buy-in, facilitated by regular staff updates, proved to be a critical element in ensuring progress and buy-in.  Regular updates were also provided to all concerned via email and during all-staff meetings.  Once all the elements were in place, the initiative was officially launched at an all-staff event hosted by the GSC.

Challenges Going Forward and Next Steps »»