July 14, 2008—A United Kingdom union of electronics, IT and electrical engineering workers wants executive pay tied to environmental performance and access for its representatives to corporate environmental information, such as carbon footprint data.
Unite the Union released a report, How Green Is My Workplace?, with a list of recommendations aimed at improving workplace environmental performance, including statutory rights to environmental data. The report argues that union representatives are ideally positioned to raise awareness of environmental issues to drive greener working environments. It gives examples of corporate partnerships that have worked to promote eco-stewardship, such as Unite members helping to establish green teams at Fujitsu and Cummins.
The survey that forms the basis of the report found that 87 percent of respondents believe unions should have a hand in creating and implementing initiatives that reduce workplace environmental impacts. Eighty-three percent of respondents felt that energy and resources were wasted in their workplace.
The report also recommends that companies that choose to move operations offshore should still report the environmental impact of the relocation, as well as give employees environmental education and the option of working from home.
For more information, see the Unite the Union Web site.
