There are three Investors in the Environment (iiE) accreditation levels that your organisation can work towards. This means that there is a suitable level for every company wishing to go green – from taking the first steps towards environmental improvement through to becoming a truly sustainable business.

The step-by-step approach within each accreditation level allows your organisation to set achievable targets and establish a pathway of continual improvement. Our role is to provide help and support for you to work through the criteria.

Once organisations have met these criteria and provided an Environmental Management System (EMS) pack with relevant evidence, it is audited to show credibility, and then businesses are awarded their accreditation.

Green champion appointed

Environment Policy in place

Measure your usage

Set targets

Create Action Plans

Have a recycling system

Create a travel plan

Create a carbon footprint

Communicate and engage

Here is the full criteria that our businesses go through to demonstrate their environmental credentials and performance:

	Bronze	Silver	Green
Step 1 - Environmental policy Senior management commitment Commitment to reducing environmental impact Legal compliance Identify staff champion responsible for implementing the policy	Environmental policy in place. Environmental champion appointed	Environmental policy in place. Environmental champion appointed	Environmental policy in place. Environmental champion appointed
Step 2 - Measure resource use Resource use must be recorded and monitored on a regular basis	Monitor gas, electric and water use. Monitor use of 1 other resource Readings taken at least quarterly*	Monitor gas, electric and water use Monitor use of 2 other resources Readings taken at least quarterly*	Monitor gas, electric and water use Monitor use of 3 other resources Actual meter readings taken at least monthly*
Step 3 - Set targets SMART targets to achieve reduction in environmental impact and increase efficiency	Targets for reduced impact identified.	Targets for reduced impact identified and progress towards targets can be demonstrated.	Targets for reduced impact identified and annual 2+% reduction in resource use for gas, electricity and water has been achieved from baseline figures.**
Step 4 - Action Plan Assign completion dates and staff responsible Document actions taken and results Essential actions	Action plan in place Recycling system in place.	Action plan in place Adopt a travel plan Undertake 2 additional essential actions	Action plan in place Calculate carbon footprint and set targets to reduce Undertake 3 additional essential actions
Step 5 – Monitor and report progress Review progress towards targets Present progress to senior management and staff	Present progress annually	Present progress annually	Present progress biannually
Step 6 - Accreditation	Online self-audit, 5% spot checks	Online self-audit, 5% spot checks	Onsite audit

	Green
Step 1 - Environmental policy Senior management commitment Commitment to reducing environmental impact Legal compliance Identify staff champion responsible for implementing the policy	Environmental policy in place. Environmental champion appointed
Step 2 - Measure resource use Resource use must be recorded and monitored on a regular basis	Monitor gas, electric and water use Monitor use of 3 other resources Actual meter readings taken at least monthly*
Step 3 - Set targets SMART targets to achieve reduction in environmental impact and increase efficiency	Targets for reduced impact identified and annual 2+% reduction in resource use for gas, electricity and water has been achieved from baseline figures.**
Step 4 - Action Plan Assign completion dates and staff responsible Document actions taken and results Essential actions	Action plan in place Calculate carbon footprint and set targets to reduce Undertake 3 additional essential actions
Step 5 – Monitor and report progress Review progress towards targets Present progress to senior management and staff.	Present progress biannually
Step 6 - Accreditation	Onsite audit

	Silver
Step 1 - Environmental policy Senior management commitment Commitment to reducing environmental impact Legal compliance Identify staff champion responsible for implementing the policy	Environmental policy in place. Environmental champion appointed
Step 2 - Measure resource use Resource use must be recorded and monitored on a regular basis	Monitor gas, electric and water use Monitor use of 2 other resources Readings taken at least quarterly*
Step 3 - Set targets SMART targets to achieve reduction in environmental impact and increase efficiency	Targets for reduced impact identified and progress towards targets can be demonstrated.
Step 4 - Action Plan Assign completion dates and staff responsible Document actions taken and results Essential actions	Action plan in place Adopt a travel plan Undertake 2 additional essential actions
Step 5 – Monitor and report progress Review progress towards targets Present progress to senior management and staff.	Present progress annually
Step 6 - Accreditation	Online self-audit, 5% spot checks

	Bronze
Step 1 - Environmental policy Senior management commitment Commitment to reducing environmental impact Legal compliance Identify staff champion responsible for implementing the policy	Environmental policy in place. Environmental champion appointed
Step 2 - Measure resource use Resource use must be recorded and monitored on a regular basis	Monitor gas, electric and water use. Monitor use of 1 other resource Readings taken at least quarterly*
Step 3 - Set targets SMART targets to achieve reduction in environmental impact and increase efficiency	Targets for reduced impact identified.
Step 4 - Action Plan Assign completion dates and staff responsible Document actions taken and results Essential actions	Action plan in place Recycling system in place.
Step 5 – Monitor and report progress Review progress towards targets Present progress to senior management and staff.	Present progress annually
Step 6 - Accreditation	Online self-audit, 5% spot checks

Essential actions	Criteria
Use recycled or FSC certified paper	Evidence of certification on paper and/or bills
Environmentally friendly cleaning products	Evidence of environmental cleaning products
Source Fair Trade and/or organic products	Evidence of Fair Trade / organic products
Volunteering days for staff environmental projects	Policy/procedure document
Adapting to climate change policy in place	Policy document
CSR policy in place	Policy document
Participate in the Zero Waste Week	Evidence of participation - photos, e-mails, waste minimisation data, etc
Sustainable purchasing policy	Policy document

If you are undertaking an initiative we haven’t listed please contact us, subject to approval we will be happy to add it to the list.

*Where actual meter readings cannot be taken a case by case solution will be found.

**Baseline resource use figures can be from the 12 months prior to joining the scheme so long as adequate records are available. Businesses that can demonstrate they have done everything possible to generate savings will not have to meet 2% annual reduction targets.

How does it work?