Union reps could green UK business

Over half of the UK's carbon emissions are work-related. We need designated 'green reps' to help us cut down

Jean Lambert
guardian.co.uk, Monday December 8 2008 22.30 GMT
The EU climate package, which is currently under negotiation in the European parliament, stresses that employers have a vital role to play in tackling climate change. Over half of our climate emissions in the UK are work-related, yet most businesses have been slow to initiate and implement carbon reduction measures.
One way to increase momentum would be through recognising and developing the role of trade union green representatives. In the same way that health and safety reps address issues regarding workers' wellbeing, so green reps could resolve problems related to the environmental performance of their workplace.
The TUC's Green Workplaces project, which began in 2006, supported trade union initiatives to "green" six workplaces: the steelmakers Corus, Friends Provident, DEFRA, Scottish Power, the British Museum and the TUC. Joint union-management energy and environment committees were set up at all six, through which a range of energy saving and staff engagement initiatives are being implemented.
At the British Museum, the committee has shaped a sustainability policy, improved recycling, assessed ways of making jobs and travel to work more environmentally sustainable, looked at the heating and cooling system of the building and won commitments to making a new wing of the building carbon neutral. It also managed to reduce the museum's electricity bill by 7% in a single year, equating to an annual saving of around £44,000.
The TUC is now aiding more of their members to become effective green reps through the provision of training materials, as well as lobbying the government for an amendment to the employment bill to legally recognise such a role.
So far, the government has been opposed to the idea, but there are clear benefits from engaging with unions to meet new environmental standards. Given their established negotiating role within organisations, union members are ideally placed to promote, implement and help develop best environmental workplace practice.
The government has pledged to reduce its carbon emissions by 80% by 2050. While they plan to do this in large part through off-setting emissions, substantial reductions will be necessary across all sectors. Given that so many individuals working inside industries are willing to aid such a shift it would be foolish not to enable them to deliver.
As well as changing practices in the workplace, dedicated green reps raise environmental awareness with employees, helping to change individual behaviour and spread the green message outside the workplace. This is something to consider with regard to the efficacy of national awareness campaigns.
At the Green party conference this autumn, the highest priority motion, calling for legally recognised green reps in the UK, passed without opposition. In the European parliament, I and my fellow Green MEP, Caroline Lucas, recently put forward a written declaration, co-signed by members of the Socialist and Alliance of Liberals and Democrats groups, calling on the commission and member states to also give legal rights to green reps. The idea is proving popular among most political groups and I encourage my other European colleagues to get behind this initiative.
The more immediate EU targets for 20-30% reductions in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 will require collective action and engagement with workers' unions. As well as helping industry meet current and future environmental targets, green reps would also help ensure any changes are undertaken in a just manner, with the participation and support of employees.
By delivering significant environmental improvements through peer-to-peer and employer-workforce engagement, green reps could help the UK and EU shift to a low carbon economy. However, they will only achieve their potential if they are afforded the rights to allow time for relevant training, the undertaking of workplace environmental audits and systems implementation. The government and the European commission have the opportunity to secure these rights and I urge them take this important step.