The Office of Sustainability has recently awarded the Information Systems Team a bronze Sustainable Office Program certification! This is the tenth office to be certified in the program since the program was launched in spring of 2015. At the moment, there are several other offices in the certification process. The Information Systems Team has helped Lehigh get one step closer to becoming a more sustainable campus, is your office interested in making a difference?
The Sustainable Office Program is a voluntary, self-guided program designed for staff to take the lead on promoting environmental practices in the workplace. By taking action in a variety of topic areas, offices like the Information Systems Team can reduce their environmental footprint, be responsible representatives of university’s resources, and contribute to Lehigh’s sustainability goals and commitments.
A bronze certification indicates that the office has completed over 30 of the sustainable office actions. These actions are categorized by ‘Participation & Engagement,’ ‘Climate & Energy,’ ‘Food & Dining,’ ‘Purchasing,’ ‘Community Building & Social Equity,’ ‘Transportation,’ ‘Waste,’ ‘Water,’ and ‘Events & Meetings.’ In order for a department or office to be certified, they must complete actions in each of these categories.
Each certified office appoints a Sustainable Office Representative. Erica Douglas, the representative for the Information Systems Team, enthusiastically registered her office for the program. When asked why her office decided to join the program Erica said, “Participating in the program was a no-brainer for us. When our director mentioned the Sustainable Office Program in one of our team meetings, it was unanimous that we as a team would participate. A lot of us already recycled, but the Sustainability Program provided us with a chance to learn more about our current practices and what we could improve upon. It also introduced new opportunities/initiatives we weren’t aware of before. We are excited to have reached the Bronze level and looking forward to achieving Silver status."
There is visible environmental consciousness on the Lehigh campus, as exhibited here by the success of this program. We encourage the Information Systems Team to celebrate the good news by sharing their accomplishments online and with coworkers! We look forward to seeing more offices and departments join the program.
Let us know your office is interested in the program by filling out the registration form. A Sustainable Office team member will further discuss the program with your office before beginning.