1. Starting your Office Green Teams: A Brief Guide for Office Managers 1
Starting your Office Green Teams: A Brief Guide for Office Managers 1. What is Environmental Sustainability (ES)? 2. How does a ES program help our office? 3. ES as a new responsibility for managers 4. Green Teams: using My Green Doctor 5. Goal: Green Doctor Office recognition for all offices by 10 months
June, 2015

2. An environmentally sustainable organization is one that:
“meets the needs of the present without compromising
the ability of future generations to meet their own
needs.”
World Commission on Environment & Development, 1987

3. Benefits of Having a Sustainability Program
creating a healthier work environment
healthier patients & community
sharing ideas that we can use in our own homes
building a culture of saving resources
improving office processes
employee participation & team building
supporting the values of employees who want to “make a
difference”
lowering business operating costs
brand enhancement

4. Environmental Sustainability is a “Core Value” of our company
June, 2015

5. Manager Responsibility for Environmental Sustainability
a new responsibility for office & department managers
a gradual process over the next few months
My Green Doctor and our office will provide support & guidance
we will make it easy, and enjoyable
we believe the outcomes will be interesting, rewarding,
& satisfying for managers & their staff members

6. Components of our Sustainability Program
Adopting Environmental Sustainability as a “Core Value”
Large companies create an Environmental Sustainability Council (ESC):
meets monthly
coordinates the sustainability program
reports quarterly to our Board of Directors
rewards performance
A Green Team for each office or department: Clinic offices,
outpatient facilities, administrative departments:
organized by the office or department manager
voluntary participation
develops Team leaders
uses the free online My Green Doctor program
office managers report to the ESC

7. Sustainability Program Timetable
Month 1: Environmental Sustainability Council meets
Month 2-3: First Green Team meetings
Month 10:
Green Teams active in 100% of offices & departments
5% energy savings compared with 2015
100% of offices qualify for the My Green Doctor
Green Doctor Office Recognition certificate
After Month 10: Continue to meet monthly

8. Responsibilities of the Office Manager
Register at My Green Doctor:
use MGD as a guiding resource for the office
Create an office Green Team comprised of office volunteers
Ensure that the Green Team generally meets monthly, generally over lunch, to formulate and manage the Team’s Environmental Sustainability Plan.
Serve as the Green Team Leader or develop Team leaders
Report quarterly to the Environmental Sustainability Committee
Qualify Green Doctor Office recognition from MGD

9. Activities of the Green Team
  Green Teams will meet monthly at a time approved by the Manager
Responsible for the office’s environmental practices
Choose Action Steps, which become the office’s Environmental Sustainability Plan
You can choose Steps from My Green Doctor or invent your own
Assign a Team member to be Champion for each Action Step
Choose Education Steps in My Green Doctor to communicate with the office staff & with your patients
Record meeting minutes using the Green Team Notes form

10. Green Team Meetings Led by the Green Team Leader
One member records Minutes using the Green Team Notes form
Review, correct & approve the Minutes of the prior meeting
Old Business: Review the status of each Action Step & Education Step already adopted by the Team
New Business: Discuss and adopt new Steps
Choose 1-2 Action & Education Steps at each meeting in the your 1st year
Find a Champion for each Step
Select a date for the next meeting

11. Green Doctor Office Recognition
Earn a certificate from My Green Doctor
Recognizes your ongoing commitment to a healthier office & community
Requires completion of five Green Team meetings, five Action Steps, and five Education Steps
Green Team meeting Minutes can be ed to My Green Doctor, together with a list of the Steps your Team has completed
Your certificate is valid for 3 years

12. Success Story: Escambia County Department of Health (Florida, USA)
Green Teams in 5 offices since 2008
saved energy every month
5.2% energy electricity saving per year
125,000 kilowatt hours electricity per year
equivalent of 4,349 gallons gasoline not burned
Bottom Line: cleaner air and $14,000 saved annually

13. Starting your Office Green Teams: Summary
Environmental sustainability is a core value that can lower our operating costs & make for a healthier community
Managers are now responsible for starting office Green Teams, using the guidance of the My Green Doctor service
Develop Green Team leaders from your staff
Goal is for all offices & departments to achieve Green Doctor Office recognition by 10 months

14. “Thank you for helping us create a healthier office and community!”