Get The Most
From Your Charter
Introducing Our Charter
This Charter Guide will help you get a better understanding of each of the Techies Go Green Charter commitments and provide suggested actions to successfully implement them.
Step by step, our charter will help our signatories implement a successful climate action strategy. The fourteen charter commitments are laid out as a roadmap, with four stages.
This charter roadmap infographic provides a quick overview of the climate action journey for our signatories. Click on each of the stages below to read more about the commitments and follow our suggested implementation actions.
-
Use Our Support Ecosystem To Help Implement The Charter
To help you on your sustainability journey, we have created an online support ecosystem to make it easier to understand and implement all of the charter commitments. In the explanatory section below, we have two sections that list useful Knowledge Exchange articles and candidate Partner Network members that can help you with that commitment.
Get Insights At Our Knowledge Exchange
Use our Knowledge Exchange to read contributions from industry experts and the Techies Go Green community. Our commitments guide below, features recommended articles.
Leverage Our Partner Network Directory
Search our Partner Network Directory to find candidate product and service suppliers to help implement your plans. Our commitments guide below, features partner network candidates.
Use Our Charter To Help With Your B Corp Accreditation
B Corporation, also known as B Corp, is a private certification of for-profit companies for their environmental and social performance. In partnership with ENSO we have provided information about the potential points that can be earned by implementing many of our charter commitments. This guidance on accreditation can be used by charter signatories to help with their application process to qualify for B Corporation certification.
Example of the B Corporation logo issued to successful applicants
-
The Techies Go Green Charter was created in partnership with ENSO
The Charter Commitments Explained
Stage One
Announce Goals And Advocate For Change
1. Vision Statement
We commit to publicly declare our intention to verifiably reduce our greenhouse gas emissions using science-based targets, and to communicate this goal through our corporate vision statement and/or by making a public declaration on our promotional media.
-
Your vision statement serves as a formal public declaration that establishes your organisation's irreversible commitment to set and achieve this goal. It is the public nature of this commitment that helps to focus the collective efforts of all your staff in achieving this goal.
-
Be sure to engage all of the relevant stakeholders while drafting this statement to ensure that it is ambitious but achievable.
Your Net zero goals should be backed by verifiable actions and science that proves that you can actually achieve the targets you are setting
Engage with experts and other organisations that have started their net zero journeys to get insight on best practices.
-
B-Corp Alignment: Governance - Mission Statement
Potential B Corp Points: 0.75
Here are suggested candidate Partner Network solutions providers from our directory, to help with the implementation of this commitment.
Here are some Knowledge Exchange articles that can offer useful information and guidance on this topic.
2. Advocacy
We commit to explore opportunities to collaborate with organisations in the public, private and academic sectors on climate action initiatives and to identify opportunities to raise public awareness and to support the actions they can take.
-
It’s important to keep in mind that when it comes to climate change we’re all in this together, working for a better future outcome. For this reason it is vital that companies participate in initiatives outside of their own business. This means joining forces with others in the public, private and academic sectors to create the critical mass needed for wide-scale change. Get involved by supporting research and community education programmes and by advocating for policies and regulatory frameworks that can bring about society wide systemic change.
-
Identify your climate advocacy project: Climate action is a broad challenge so, in order to have a meaningful effect, it is important to narrow the focus of your advocacy on a specific climate advocacy project.
Collaborate with like-minded people or organisations: Your advocacy can be more effective when done in co-operation with other like-minded businesses or with a specialist sustainability organisation. Either join an existing group or reach out and create your own coalition of businesses.
Define Your Audience: When building a communication strategy around your chosen project, start by identifying what audience you’re trying to reach and influence.
Here are suggested candidate Partner Network solutions providers from our directory, to help with the implementation of this commitment.
-
Here are some Knowledge Exchange articles that can offer useful information and guidance on this topic.
Stage Two
Foster Leadership And Build A Sustainability Culture
3. Climate Action Champion
We commit to appoint and support one or more climate action champions to lead our initiatives and to implement any organisational changes necessary to implement our climate action goals.
-
While companies make the commitment to achieve net zero, many have not taken the next steps to translate their net-zero strategies into operational practices and assigning responsibility for the execution of these strategies. To address this issue, companies need to nominate a suitable person or persons and give them the authority and the resources to lead the development and execution of your decarbonisation strategy. Your climate champion will also be the prime contact with Techies Go Green to take advantage of our regular information and support initiatives.
-
Create a climate action champion position with the necessary resources.
Form a green implementation team.
Start a conversation with stakeholders.
Host meetings.
Set up a management steering group.
Here are suggested candidate Partner Network solutions providers from our directory, to help with the implementation of this commitment.
Here are some Knowledge Exchange articles that can offer useful information and guidance on this topic.
4. Promote Understanding
We commit to clearly articulate our climate action goals to our staff and relevant stakeholders, promote a sense of ownership in their execution and encourage a proactive approach by individuals to achieve these goals.
-
To get the type of “buy-in” needed to properly execute your charter commitments, it is vital to involve all stakeholders from the start. All too often planning and accountability for setting and achieving emission reduction targets are centred at board or executive level instead of sharing responsibility more equally across your organisation. Inform all stakeholders at all levels about your organisations declared policy to cut carbon emissions and about the wide ranging operational and cultural changes that this will involve. At all times promote dialogue and listen to feedback.
-
To get the greatest participation in your climate action initiatives, it is important to get buy-in from all stakeholders. Communicate the scale and importance of the challenge.
Invite dialogue and promote innovation.
Here are suggested candidate Partner Network solutions providers from our directory, to help with the implementation of this commitment.
Here are some Knowledge Exchange articles that can offer useful information and guidance on this topic.
5. Education And Training
We commit to provide opportunities for our staff to receive education and training in best practices to support our climate action goals and to actively encourage and enable individuals to adopt these practices both at work and in their personal lives.
-
Introducing education and training courses is one of the most effective ways to quickly build a climate aware culture in your organisation and to equip all employees with the technical knowledge they need to successfully implement effective measures at company and role-specific levels. Courses can be organised either at in-house level or by using external training academies and accelerator programmes.
-
Increase awareness and participation in your sustainability strategy and related initiatives.
Organise team training & education initiatives to build up in-house expertise and a sustainability culture.
-
B-Corp Alignment: Workers - Career Development
Potential B Corp Points: 0.15 - 1.5
Here are suggested candidate Partner Network solutions providers from our directory, to help with the implementation of this commitment.
Here are some Knowledge Exchange articles that can offer useful information and guidance on this topic.
6. Innovation And Collaboration
We commit to foster a culture of innovation and collaboration by engaging with our staff and other stakeholders to seek their input on strategies and solutions.
-
Encouraging workplace innovation can help your company accelerate the implementation of your climate action goals by getting better staff engagement and taking advantage of their hands on knowledge of their own work environment and work practices. Additionally, pro-innovation workplaces are happier workplaces with higher levels of employee satisfaction and retention.
-
Support and fund research and development activities.
Research sustainable options and circularity within the business.
Strengthen your response to climate change by collaborating with your team members, outside experts, and your stakeholders.
Share what worked for your organisation with others and learn from their successes to help overcome your challenges.
Here are suggested candidate Partner Network solutions providers from our directory, to help with the implementation of this commitment.
Here are some Knowledge Exchange articles that can offer useful information and guidance on this topic.
7. Transparency And Disclosure
We commit to introduce a policy of transparency and disclosure with our stakeholders and promote open dialogue and regular reporting of our challenges, decisions, activities, targets and performance.
-
To maintain the confidence and support of stakeholders including investors, customers, employees, and regulators, it is important to regularly disclose the progress of your climate action plan implementation. As part of your transparency and disclosure policy you should provide information on the factors and metrics used to calculate your performance. As plans often need course corrections over their life, it is important to explain what needs to be changed or improved and how the success of these changes will be measured.
-
Use a clear and transparent methodology to identify the sources and accurately measure your organisation’s carbon footprint based on industry recognised metrics.
It is important to set science-based reduction targets to add further credibility in the process.
Regularly disclose progress and highlight any changes to your targets.
Within the company, build a culture of dialogue and openness among your staff by clearly communicating goals and, most importantly, getting regular feedback on any issues hindering progress.
Here are suggested candidate Partner Network solutions providers from our directory, to help with the implementation of this commitment.
-
Here are some Knowledge Exchange articles that can offer useful information and guidance on this topic.
Stage Three
Measure Carbon Footprint And Formulate An Action Plan
8. Carbon Footprint Audit
We commit to carry out an audit of our current greenhouse gas emissions to establish a baseline for our climate action plan and to establish a benchmark to determine the success of our initiatives.
-
Your carbon audit provides a systematic and scientific approach to accounting for and reporting on your business GHG emissions and is the first step to identifying appropriate carbon reduction measures. It is key metric to establish a base line for future planning and target setting. Additionally, for regulatory disclosure compliance, businesses will be required to report detailed information on their carbon footprint measurement. Although regulation currently applies to larger businesses, SMEs may soon follow. These audits can be conducted by internal or external auditors to suit the size and resources of your organisation.
-
Carry out a comprehensive operations wide audit of your organisation’s greenhouse gas emissions within clearly defined system boundaries.
Generate a detailed and actionable report based on the results.
Set out a schedule for regular follow up audits to monitor progress.
Any categories of Scope 3 emissions that are not measured should have valid justifications.
-
B Corp Alignment: Workers - Career Development
Potential B-Corp Points: 0.15 - 1.5
Here are suggested candidate Partner Network solutions providers from our directory, to help with the implementation of this commitment.
Here are some Knowledge Exchange articles that can offer useful information and guidance on this topic.
9. Climate Action Plan
We commit to develop a detailed plan to verifiably reduce our greenhouse gas emissions with science based targets based on our audit data findings.
-
A climate action plan is essential for success. The preceding audit process will have quantified the direct and indirect emissions for your business and provided a better understanding of its sources and challenges. You can then begin to develop a climate action plan which sets out in detail how your business intends to cut its greenhouse gas emissions. This plan will set science-based targets clear timelines along with metrics for assessing their success. Developing a comprehensive organisation wide climate action plan will require a well-resourced and co-ordinated team to bring to fruition. External consultants can supplement your in-house resources for this task.
-
Appoint a manager to oversee the formulation of an organisation wide plan to include inputs for all stakeholders.
Set out a clear roadmap for all areas of your operations and involve all stakeholders in the development of this plan.
Generate a comprehensive report on the sources of greenhouse gas emissions and their causes based on the carbon footprint audit data gathered.
Establish a baseline or fixed point of reference that can be used for comparison purposes. This can be based on your audit report results and that date. Success can be measured against these baseline numbers.
Tailor the methods and metrics for measuring progress to suit your organisation.
Engage with all in-house and external stakeholders to develop proactive carbon reduction initiatives.
Here are suggested candidate Partner Network solutions providers from our directory, to help with the implementation of this commitment.
Here are some Knowledge Exchange articles that can offer useful information and guidance on this topic.
10. Target Announcement
We commit to set and announce our emissions reduction target as set against the baseline year in our climate action plan and to set a date for achieving this goal. We commit to adding this to our corporate vision statement and/or make a public declaration on our promotional media.
-
Publicly announcing a credible, science-based emissions reduction target demonstrates your company’s commitment to climate action and builds credibility among your customers, suppliers and financiers. These newly defined targets can be used to update your corporate vision statement and promotional material. A public declaration will help focus minds to succeed in achieving this goal.
-
Set a realistic target: It is important to set a date and reduction target which is backed up with a carefully scheduled timetable of actions and milestones based on your audit and action plan criteria.
Be ambitious: While being realistic in your goals, it is easier to keep your stakeholders highly focussed by setting ambitious targets that require careful attention.
Here are suggested candidate Partner Network solutions providers from our directory, to help with the implementation of this commitment.
Here are some Knowledge Exchange articles that can offer useful information and guidance on this topic.
11. Adaptation Policies
We commit to formulate specific actions to reduce the risks associated with negative climate change impacts and to build greater resilience to these impacts within our organisation through effective implementation of climate adaptation strategies.
-
Global greenhouse gas emissions are still on the rise and will for some time. This means we are already locked into some level of climate change leading to environmental, economic and social disruption. For businesses this can lead to challenges such as interruptions to supply chains, changes in customer purchasing habits, weather related threats to power, communications, and buildings. For your business, adapting to climate change means taking action now to prepare for and adjust to these effects and predicting the impacts on your future operations. It can also lead to potential opportunities arising from building greater resilience.
-
Carry out a physical survey to assess the risk levels of flooding to your buildings and access roads based in a range extreme weather scenarios.
Ensure your business has a resilient data and online services backup and recovery plan with cloud and other off-site options?
Ensure your building has adequate cooling capacity based on various heatwave scenarios.
Have a work from home plan developed for all departments to minimise risk to employees during extreme weather events.
Consider whether you need to install or have access to a generator capable of running critical services.
Here are suggested candidate Partner Network solutions providers from our directory, to help with the implementation of this commitment.
-
Here are some Knowledge Exchange articles that can offer useful information and guidance on this topic.
Stage Four
Implement Plans And Monitor Progress
12. Implementation
We commit to implement all the measures as specified in our climate action plan to verifiably achieve our stated greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets.
-
Most companies are grappling with how to embed a viable transition strategy into their business models. Methodical and sustainable implementation of your climate action plan plays a critical role in ensuring good long-term stewardship of your organisation. Translating your climate action plan into operational practices and assigning responsibility for the execution of their strategies at all levels is key to its success. Good implementation also means supporting your staff to undertake changes in their lifestyles both at work and at home and encourage work-based employee-led groups to identify and implement ideas for improvement.
-
Lower digital emissions created through our digital assets and our online data generating activities.
Minimise the amount of waste produced by implementing repair, re-use, recycle, and compost policies.
Introduce energy efficiency measures by introducing conservation policies and upgrading our premises with better thermal insulation and installing more energy efficient equipment.
As part of your businesses Scope 2 emissions reduction plan, it is critical to remove most or all of your fossil fuel generated electricity.
Business Travel: Minimise business travel and commuting emissions by promoting the use of low emission options for all staff.
Commercial Transport: Lower the commercial transport emissions related to the delivery of your inputs and your finished products.
-
Commercial Transport
B Corp Alignment: Environment - Air and Climate
Potential B-Corp Points: 0.13 - 0.46
Circular Economy Policies
B Corp Alignment: Environment - Environmental Management
Potential B-Corp Points: 0.47 - 1.4
Scope 3 Emissions
B Corp Alignment: Environment - Air and Climate
Potential B-Corp Points: 0.33 - 0.67
Energy Efficiency
B Corp Alignment: Environment - Air and Climate
Potential B-Corp Points: 0.33 - 3
Business Travel & Commuting
B Corp Alignment: Environment - Air and Climate
Potential B-Corp Points: 0.17- 0.67
Waste Reduction
B Corp Alignment: Environment - Land & Life
Potential B-Corp Points: 1-2
Digital Emissions
B Corp Alignment: Environment - Air and Climate & Environmental Management
Potential B-Corp Points: 0.47 - 2.54
Here are suggested candidate Partner Network solutions providers from our directory, to help with the implementation of this commitment.
Here are some Knowledge Exchange articles that can offer useful information and guidance on this topic.
![Creating your Sustainability Strategy with Dr. Tara Shine [LIVE WEBINAR]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/602be08e610d6f1042ec9219/1683681739219-3219PRDCHAIM6WB37ZBB/TechiesGoGreen%2BBlog%2Bimage%2B%2865%29.jpg)
![Google, Emissions, and their Ecosystem of Sustainability Partners [LIVE WEBINAR]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/602be08e610d6f1042ec9219/1683682090367-QNX473Q5R6WS1MG1PMSZ/TechiesGoGreen%2BBlog%2Bimage%2B%2857%29.jpg)
![Be Prepared For What's Coming Next: EU & UK Sustainability Legislation and Its Impact [LIVE WEBINAR]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/602be08e610d6f1042ec9219/1683682484296-SRYLBG2R8TZCDVXQ72L6/TechiesGoGreen%2BBlog%2Bimage%2B%2851%29.jpg)
![How the IT industry can Shape a More Sustainable Future with Citrix & IGEL [LIVE WEBINAR]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/602be08e610d6f1042ec9219/1683682844378-IW7V6Z7YLD6S46V0WY33/TechiesGoGreen%2BBlog%2Bimage%2B%2846%29.jpg)
13. Monitoring And Reporting
We commit to monitor the implementation of our climate action plan and measure our achievements against science based criteria, to adjust our plans where necessary and to report on our progress on a regular basis.
-
Regular monitoring, evaluation and reporting is vital to understand and communicate the progress of your climate action plan and to facilitate greater transparency. This process should assess the effectiveness, efficiency and sustainability of the plan’s implementation and measure outcomes against science based criteria. It will also enable regular informed adjustments and improvements to the plan to achieve better outcomes. Tracking performance against your baseline and targets over a number of years will produce a wealth of data and facilitate better decision making over time.
-
Identify relevant qualitative and quantitative metrics that you can keep track of on a regular basis.
Report your progress on our sustainability goals regularly in as much detail as possible.
Deliver these reports to all relevant stakeholders and will be made publicly available.
Here are suggested candidate Partner Network solutions providers from our directory, to help with the implementation of this commitment.
Here are some Knowledge Exchange articles that can offer useful information and guidance on this topic.
14. Towards Net Zero
On achieving our stated emissions targets, we commit continue to verifiably cut our greenhouse gas emissions to reach net-zero and to set a deadline for achieving this goal.
-
To keep global warming to no more than 1.5°C, global greenhouse gas emissions need to be reduced by 45% by 2030 and reach net zero by 2050. There is a strong moral case for developed countries to set an earlier date than mid-century and businesses should be at the forefront of this endeavour. Additionally, achieving net zero status for your business can make your business more resilient while establishing a brand reputation as a climate action leader.
-
Measure the remaining emissions. The accepted standard is that Net zero means cutting your business greenhouse gas emissions by at least 90% of total emissions with the final 10% or less of residual emissions being verifiably removed from the atmosphere and stored.
Reaching Net-Zero requires careful measurement, planning and setting recognised science based targets.
As a rule, Scope 3 emissions accounts for the majority of your total greenhouse gas emissions. It is also the emissions category that can prove the most difficult to eliminate. Isolate and identify as many of the scope 3 emission sources as possible.
Carbon offsets can be a complex and hard to verify sector. Should you wish to purchase carbon credits or invest directly in forestry options, you should carefully vet the projects and be sure their claims are valid and long term.
Here are suggested candidate Partner Network solutions providers from our directory, to help with the implementation of this commitment.
Here are some Knowledge Exchange articles that can offer useful information and guidance on this topic.
How Can I Sign Up To The Charter?
As a Techies Go Green signatory member, you will receive an invitation to sign up to the Charter. As a member, simply complete the charter sign up form and you will receive a confirmation of your inclusion in our charter community and a copy of the charter for use on your premises and website along with the the Charter Signatory Seal brand pack to use on your website and other digital promotional material
Not A Member Yet? – Join Techies Go Green Today
If your business wishes to take meaningful action to cut its carbon footprint and become sustainable, join our community of businesses. Membership is FREE to join. Take advantage of the ongoing support initiatives for our members.