Western's Sustainability Engagement Institute re-launches the Sustainable Office Certification program

Are you looking for a way to easily engage with sustainability in your everyday actions on campus? Western's Sustainability Engagement Institute is relaunching the Sustainable Office Certification!

The Sustainable Office Certification (SOC) is a comprehensive certification process open to all offices, departments, organizations, and colleges on Western’s campus. It is a way for these entities to directly contribute to the sustainability goals outlined in Western’s Strategic and Sustainability Action Plans. It provides an avenue to take action to strengthen Western’s role as a leader in sustainability in the Pacific Northwest region.

This program was started in 2017 but was put on hiatus during the COVID-19 pandemic. It has been updated and renewed for an exciting relaunch beginning this quarter. The certification process includes a checklist scoresheet for offices to complete with the guidance of the SOC program manager in the Sustainability Engagement Institute. As offices go through the checklist, they will accumulate points determined by the efforts they make towards sustainability practices while at work. At the end of the certification process, these points will be tallied, and the office will receive a Bronze, Silver, Gold, or Platinum rating. The certification will be renewed every two years, providing offices the opportunity to increase their score and deepen their understanding of how to live and work sustainably.

We have found that it is best for office managers to be the liaison for their office when completing the scoresheet. It is a great way to check in with yourself and your coworkers to see how you can best contribute to creating a healthy planet for everyone. You can have a big impact just by slightly changing the way you complete the tasks you perform every day such as printing documents or choosing new office supplies.

More information about the Sustainable Office Certification can be found on the Sustainability Engagement Institute’s website: https://sustain.wwu.edu/sustainable-office-certification-soc#SOC. Please contact Linda Sterling at sustain@wwu.edu with any questions, or to set up a meeting to learn more.