The Sustainable Office Certification (SOC) Program seeks to increase the sustainability of the day-to-day operations of campus offices through education, encouragement, and reflection. The SOC Program offers offices metrics to evaluate and advance sustainable office behaviors. Each certified office will be ranked on a scale from bronze to Wildcat based on their finalized scorecard. The entire certification process should take an estimated four hours over four to five weeks to complete.

An employee is considered anyone who works at least 50% of their time in the office, including contracted, part-time, STEPS, or regular employees. An office is considered a group of at least five employees who share space and resources. Applications for the SOC Program open twice per year (Fall and Spring) to any on-campus office interested in participating in the program. Fill out our INTEREST FORM to be notified when applications are open.

Step 1

Select a point person for your office to coordinate program participation through. This will be your office’s Sustainability Ambassador.

Step 2 (~1 hour)

Contact recycle@uky.edu for an introductory meeting where we will answer any initial questions, explain the scorecard, and review the current practices in your office. A baseline score for your office will be determined, but this will not be the score used for certification.

Step 3 (~3 hours)

After the introductory meeting, your office will have until the final submission date to discuss the program with your office and make any changes you would like to improve your office’s score. Once the scorecard is resubmitted, this will be the final score used to rank and certify your office.

Step 4

Attend the end-of-cohort networking luncheon to be recognized for your office's efforts.

Step 5

Attend the Sustainability Showcase to collect your office’s certificate.

Step 6

Recertify within two years. Certification is valid for up to two years, but offices may also recertify sooner.

• Join a cross-campus network of peers working together to be agents of change.
• Play a key role in implementing university-wide sustainability goals and programs.
• Add to your knowledge of sustainability concepts.
• Gain university-wide recognition for your sustainability efforts.

Zero-Waste

Example Criteria: The office has a container to recycle batteries.

Energy

Example Criteria: All office employees refrain from use of personal refrigerators.

Purchasing

Example Criteria: The office purchases post-consumer waste (PCW) paper.

Travel & Transportation

Example Criteria: Employees use sustainable transportation (walking, biking, bus) when traveling between meetings throughout campus rather than taking a personal or departmental vehicle.

Water

Example Criteria: All employees know how to report a drip or leak.

Green Events

Example Criteria: There is a vegan option available at all hosted events where food is provided.

Program Participation

Example Criteria: The office has planned an event centered around (or simply including) sustainability in the past 2 years.

Innovation

Let us know what other sustainability-related initiatives your office participates in.

Wildcat Paw: 80-100% of available points

• Waste, Recycling, and Trucking
• UK Dining
• Urban Forest Initiative

Gold Paw: 65-79%  of available points

• Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment Center for Student Success Advising
• College of Design Administration
• Design Student Success Advising Office
• Office of Student Financial Aid and Scholarships

Silver Paw: 50-64% of available points

• Utilities and Energy Management & Facilities Engineering and Asset Management
• The Graduate School
• Education Abroad and Exchanges
• Biology Department Main Office
• Gatton Economics Department
• School of Human and Environmental Science & Family and Consumer Sciences Extension

Bronze Paw: 10-49%  of available points

• Public Relations and Marketing

Program Interest Form

Resource and Signage Packet

Contact recycle@uky.edu for any assistance or questions about the Sustainable Office Certification Program.