MCM Architecture The London-based workplace design practice tries to consider the environment at every turn — from manufacture and implementing the design, to ongoing maintenance and running costs.

"Sustainability is more than ticking the right boxes. It must be central to the design process," says creative director Paul Scrivener. A top five green score of 94% shows the environment has a bearing on employees' jobs, and they are aware of the environmental implications of their work (87%).

A newly formed eight-strong environmental awareness taskforce is responsible for delivering the green objectives set out in the 2008-9 business plan. While the majority of the firm's energy is bought on a green tariff, one of its main objectives is to reduce energy consumption and to keep staff up to date with developments.

Last year, MCM had a green budget of £64,000. Dedicated pages on the intranet, e-mails and noticeboards make sure staff are kept informed. They can have their say by using the suggestion box, and the environment is often on the agenda at meetings.

Employees feel their bosses are open to ideas for environmental improvements (95%). The member of staff who has made the most outstanding contribution to the firm's green policies is presented with the "MCEmmy" award. With the aim of achieving ISO 14001 certification by 2010, a full environmental audit of MCM's offices has been completed to highlight areas for improvement. Water coolers are linked to the mains supply, so that bottled water is a thing of the past, and dishwashers have been updated with more efficient models.

The company is working on reducing the volume of its main waste products — paper, glass, cans and plastic bottles — by 10% this year. A member of staff is in charge of monitoring paper consumption, and the number of printers around the office has been halved to try to reduce wastage. Staff believe that the organisation's environmental commitments are serious (96%).

An impressive 98% score shows staff know where to put waste for recycling, and they say their boss leads by example on environmental issues (80%). A subsidised cycle-to-work scheme encourages staff to cut their emissions and stay active, with shower and changing facilities provided at work for those who come in under their own steam. People consider the environmental impact of their work-related travel (85%), and a car-sharing initiative helps drive MCM's carbon footprint down further. A top score of 98% shows staff take advantage of these schemes — most don't travel to work by private car.

Company Oyster cards encourage employees to catch the Tube rather than drive to meetings in London, and business travel has been cut further by the use of teleconferencing. The firm's preferred taxi company is carbon neutral.