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A charter is an important first step in greening an organization

The Green Charter: Your First Step in a Green Office Plan

November 18, 2009
What’s a Green Charter?  It’s also known as a mission, goals, and objectives statement, strategic plan, policy and procedures. I like “charter” because it stands out from the crowd of the usual and customary bureaucratic issuances and suggests this is going to be different. A charter is an important first step in greening an organization. A charter is “the what, the who, and the how” that establishes the foundation for the work ahead.
Think of the preamble of the charter as a policy statement that gives direction, significance, and support for the endeavor. It may reference the statutory basis, executive orders, ordinances, etc. as a framework for compliance and future action. In addition, the charter should be reflective of the values of the elected or appointed head of the organization. Also, it is a practical document that addresses roles and responsibilities, the relationship between the organization’s business functions and ad hoc committees of volunteers that may be authorized. Here is a link to a pdf of our charter in the California Department of Justice as an example.
The charter should also include the following:
  1. Assigned advisory or decision-making powers and the process process by which recommendations will be developed, considered, and acted upon.
  2. Funding issues, operating structure, time allowances for volunteers, and progress reporting.
  3. Do some research. One example that was developed with law firms in mind is the model policy of the Oregon Lawyers for a Sustainable Future— http://www.earthleaders.org/olsf/-office_practices. Typically the charter is issued to all employees, however Oregon Attorney General John Kroger took this a step further when he issued a press release this past October about the new sustainability measures he adopted for the Department of Justice. http://www.doj.state.or.us/releases/2009/-rel100809.shtml This is a great example of communicating to the public as well as your employees the values and goals the agency will pursue and is sure to add momentum to their internal endeavors.
Finally, talk to the executive(s) about these points so that the draft you propose fits the needs of your organization. It’s also an important check to ensure that the vision of the executive and the implementation are in synch.
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