The Green Office Certification program helps campus offices of any size to become more sustainable workplaces through a guided certification process.
The program is designed to give UW–Madison employees the information and tools they need to learn about sustainability, better understand the impacts of their practices, and create healthy and sustainable work environments.
Join the Green Office program to become part of a campus community where sustainability is meaningful and widespread!
Overview
What does a green office look like? Some ideas may spring to mind quickly: turning off lights, recycling, and using less paper—and these are a good start! But sustainability encompasses much more, from purchasing choices to employee health and wellness.
The Green Office Certification consists of two levels. For each level of certification, participating offices receive an educational presentation from the Green Office team, a checklist of action items to complete, and a two-week check-in to discuss their progress and move forward.
Offices can take a step above and beyond to achieve Platinum level certification. The Office of Sustainability is available as a resource throughout these steps.
These certification steps won’t take up much of your office’s time but can have meaningful and lasting impacts on our campus and community. The average certification process requires one 1-hour meeting and a checklist to complete over 3 months but can be adapted to your office’s needs. Begin your journey through certification now!
How to get started
Contact us
Contact our Green Office Team to schedule an initial overview presentation. The OS interns will visit your office to give a short presentation (around 15 minutes) about the Green Office Program, how it might work for your staff, and why it is important for our campus community. We’ll then invite you to designate a Green Officer to lead your office through the certification process.
Get Educated
The Green Office team will present to your entire office about sustainable practices and what sustainability looks like on our campus, focusing on a range of sustainability issues. The team will provide you with beginner knowledge and tips on how to improve on these issues within your office.
Take Action
For each level, complete the action items on your checklist to make your office a more sustainable workplace. If you’re hoping to achieve Platinum certification, you can complete three extra activities.
Move Forward
The Green Office team will check in after two weeks to go over your progress and answer any questions you may have. There is no deadline to finish the checklist, as the team wants the process to be convenient for you and your office!
To learn more or join the program, read on or contact our staff at greenoffice@g-groups.wisc.edu.
Certified Offices
Department of Physical Therapy – October 2025
Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards – August 2025
English as Second Language Program – June 2025
Goodnight Hall – May 2025
SoHE Department of Design Studies – May 2025
Morgridge Center for Public Service – May 2025
Office of Sustainability – May 2025
Department of Biochemistry Office – November 2024
International Student Services – August 2024
Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies – July 2024
Grainger Hall – Facilities – April 2024
SoHE Advising & Career Center – January 2024
Design Innovation Lab – December 2023
CALS Academic Affairs Office – August 2023*
UW-Madison Arboretum – April 2023*
*Recertification in progress
Associated Students of Madison – November 2025
Office of Strategic Consulting – November 2025
Department of Philosophy – October 2025
Center for Research on Complex Thinking – September 2025
Global Health Institute – September 2025
Community Service Programs – September 2025
Center for Culture, History, and Environment (CHE) – June 2025
Division of Continuing Studies– May 2025
Central Classroom Support (Space Management) – January 2025
Campus Visitor Relations – September 2024
Vice Chancellor for Finance & Administration – July 2024
Cross College Advising Service – April 2024
Soundscape and Audiology Research Lab – April 2024
South Madison Partnership – March 2024
Office of Student Financial Aid – March 2024
Chazen Museum of Arts – February 2024
Data, Academic Planning and Institutional Research – February 2024
Department of Sociology – February 2024
Department of Horticulture – July 2023
International Studies Major – February 2023*
*Recertification in Progress
Resources
How to Shop Sustainably at UW–Madison
- Reduce: Only purchase products that are needed.
- Reuse: Purchase items from Surplus With A Purpose (SWAP).
- Review: If items are needed, explore what gets full credit for sustainability purchases in the AASHE STARS 3.0 program.
- Cleaning Products
- Electronics
- Furniture
- Office Paper
Green Office Resources
Green Office FAQs
Below, we’ve compiled a list of frequently asked questions about our Green Office program and certification. If you have further questions, please reach out to greenoffice@g-groups.wisc.edu.
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Green Office Program Questions
What are the benefits to certification?
- When your office gets certified, you will join a growing campus community of sustainability-minded offices that use the program to think critically about their work environments and take small but meaningful actions to help UW–Madison meet our sustainability goals.
How long does it take to complete the program?
- Our program is set up to meet your schedule. We typically recommend offices complete the certification within a year, but you are welcome to take as much or as little time as you need.
What if our office is mostly or all part-time staff?
- Many of our Green Offices involve one or more part-time or student staff members. Generally, we find this does not prevent teams from finding enough time and interest to participate in the program. If it becomes an issue for your office, please make us aware and we will work with you to figure out how your participation can continue.
If you have further questions, please reach out to greenoffice@g-groups.wisc.edu.
General Sustainability Questions
How do I recycle in Madison, WI?
- In Madison, our recycling is sent to Pellitteri Waste Systems, a Madison-based recycling business. Typically, Pellitteri accepts glass, clean paper, metals, and plastic resin numbers 1, 2, and 5. To learn more about Madison recycling and helpful recycling tips, visit Pellitteri Waste Systems.
- Check out our new Zero Waste Compass developed by our Zero Waste team! The Zero Waste Compass helps UW-Madison students, staff, and faculty navigate disposal, recycling, and reuse actions for items found on campus.
Does washing dishes by hand or in the dishwasher require less water?
- A fully loaded dishwasher is more water-efficient than hand washing. (Source: NPR)