Questions and answers about Green Steps

Green Steps is an environmental management system aimed at making the operation of the City, from the smallest units to the largest, more sustainable and improving the working environment to be healthier and more positive for employees. There are four Green Steps, and within each step, there are 30-40 actions that the workplace gradually adopts within one year, though it may be completed in a shorter time. After completing the first step, the workplace receives recognition and then begins to implement the second step and so forth. The actions in the first step are simple and easy to implement. In fact, many workplaces may already tick off more than half of the actions in the first step because their environmental efforts are well advanced.

The workplace registers for the project by sending an email to graenskref@reykjavik.is. Instructions will then be sent back outlining the best way to proceed with the implementation. A team of 2 to 5 members is formed to review the checklist and begin examining the situation at their workplace. It's not necessary to follow the checklist in the order that items are listed; it's wiser to start with the tasks that are easiest to carry out given the circumstances.

We aim for work on Green Steps to be a collaborative project at the workplace. All employees should participate or be aware of what is planned. However, forming a team of 2-5 people based on workplace size to lead the implementation of Green Steps in consultation with managers and all staff is best. One person should be chosen as the team's contact person to Green Steps, who would receive notifications and newsletters from Green Steps. But it is not expected that all the work fall on the shoulders of one person. This is team work for which no extra payment is made.

Significant and quality environmental work is already underway at City workplaces, with many workplaces well on their way to fulfilling all the conditions of step 1. This makes the rest easier. But it's not just about ticking boxes and considering the task done. Society as a whole is now aiming to reduce its carbon footprint, and the City is aiming for carbon neutrality by 2040. We need to enhance our environmental awareness and make the changes needed in our operating environment and work to steer us in this direction. Green Steps are our tools to aid in this process. Work on Green Steps needs to become part of our workplace culture and daily life at work. It is an ongoing project, not a temporary campaign.

The actions within each step are divided into seven environmental aspects, such as Electricity and Heating, Waste Sorting and Reduction, Transportation, Events and Meetings, Purchasing and Cafeterias, with usually 3-5 actions in each category related to these aspects. Then there is the Dissemination and Management category, with actions such as holding a staff meeting, inviting staff to submit improvement suggestions, sending reminders to employees, and encouraging them to keep up with news about Green Steps, and so on. This way, everyone should know what's being worked on, and it's good to let visitors follow along as well, possibly with signs or posters. For example, stickers can be put up with the caption 'We are working on Green Steps here'.

Once at least 90% of actions in a step are checked off, the filled out working document is submitted to the Green Steps project manager and a request for an assessment is made. Members of the Green Steps working group visit the workplace to review and evaluate the work before setting a date for the certificate of recognition delivery. It is most enjoyable to present the recognition during a staff meeting or a coffee gathering where more employees are present.

The benefits of participating in Green Steps are multifaceted and include:

• New knowledge/improved awareness of environmental issues.
• Greater savings/better resource management/more targeted procurement.
• Improved reputation/happier staff/greater cohesion
• Social responsibility/more environmentally friendly operations