Who are they?
Environmental Guardians form an essential part of the Scottish Government's corporate environmental management system. They are members of staff who volunteer to represent their work area in the drive towards environmental best practice.
Environmental Guardians provide a means of ensuring that all staff are informed about environmental initiatives and events. Their role is to support the Government's environmental policy by providing information and guidance and to encourage good environmental management. Guardians act as an interface between staff and management on matters relating to environmental management in the Government, and help with inspections of the workplace in ensuring that policies are being upheld.
Each building with Environmental Guardians also has an Environmental Co-ordinator. This role involves working with the environmental manangement team in setting building-specific actions supporting the Government's corporate objectives, and working with the Guardians at the local staff level.
How staff can help in the Environmental Guardian role:
- provide information and guidance to colleagues;
- encourage good environmental management practices;
- help optimise use of recycling facilities;
- monitor environmental performance; and
- provide feedback to the Environmental Co-ordinators.
Networking
It is the aim of the Government's EMS to have a number of Environmental Guardians in each of its 14 target buildings which have been identified for environmental reporting. Due to the constant turnover of staff we are always looking for new volunteers!