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date: 1 June 2007

embargo: 00.01hrs 4 June 2007

UK employers failing on green issues, says TUC

Fewer than half of employers have an environmental policy, according to respondents to a web survey released today (Monday) - the day that the TUC hosts a conference looking at what the Climate Change Bill means for UK workplaces.

The survey conducted on the TUC's world of work website www.worksmart.org.uk asked respondents how good they were at being green at work and how much their employer encouraged them to be environmentally responsible.

Only just under half (44.8%) say they work for an employer with an environmental policy, with employers in the South West the best as the only region with employers scoring over 50% (50.5%). London employers were rated the least likely to have a green policy (42.3%).

TUC Deputy General Secretary Frances O'Grady said: 'This TUC research highlights the importance of changing employer attitudes and taking 'greening' the workplace seriously. Small steps, like recycling paper or turning off lights, can make an enormous difference when taken by everyone.

'It also underlines the need for trade union green reps in the workplace. Where these union reps exist already, they are achieving energy savings and huge cost benefits for their employers. Unions and employers need to do much more to help UK businesses start to clean up their act and begin to make a real difference.'

Staff responding to the web survey report that the environmental action they are most likely to take is switching off computers and machinery before they go home (72 per cent). They are worst at always printing double-sided to save paper (23.6%).

Staff give their bosses their best marks for encouraging paper recycling, with three-quarters (72.6%) saying their employers do enough to encourage them to recycle. But bosses score low marks for encouraging the reuse or recycling of cups. Just one in three employers (34.3%) do enough to encourage this, according to their staff.

On three issues in the survey staff said they did not meet the standards expected of them by their employer. On recycling paper, turning off lights and printing double-sided staff gave their bosses higher marks than their own behaviour. But staff rated themselves better than their bosses on turning off PCs and equipment at night and reusing/recycling drinks cups.

'On Target?' will be opened by Environment Secretary David Miliband MP and speakers include TUC Deputy General Secretary Frances O'Grady and Chief Executive of the Environment Agency, Barbara Young. Morning workshops will discuss the Climate Change Bill, a green economy, greening the workplace and sustainable transport. Broadcaster Sheen McDonald chairs a Climate Change Question Time panel in the afternoon with Friends of the Earth Director Tony Juniper and other leading commentators.

NOTES TO EDITORS:

- The survey was conducted on the TUC's world of work website www.worksmart.org.uk during May 2007 and there were 1441 respondents.

- 'On Target?' will be held at Congress House, Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3LS, from 9.30am-3.30pm on Monday 4 June.

- All TUC press releases can be found at www.tuc.org.uk

- Register for the TUC's press extranet : a service exclusive to journalists wanting to access pre-embargo releases and reports from the TUC. Visit www.tuc.org.uk/pressextranet

Contacts:

Media enquiries: Elly Brenchley T: 020 7467 1337; M: 07900 910624;
E: ebrenchley@tuc.org.uk

Liz Chinchen T: 020 7467 1248; M: 07778 158175; E: media@tuc.org.uk

Press release (700 words) issued 4 Jun 2007