Green UNISON

The climate emergency is happening now. And it’s directly impacting UNISON members, their workplaces and the crucial services they provide.

The UK Committee on Climate Change has said the next decade is critical in preventing climate breakdown.

As a union, we have a vital role to play in campaigning for greener politics, working with employers to make workplaces more sustainable.

By harnessing the collective power of our membership, we’ll ensure a safe, healthy and thriving future for generations to come.

The Year of Green Activity is about building momentum – creating spaces where you can connect, share ideas, and push for greener, fairer workplaces and communities. But it starts with you.

Together, we can make sure that climate action is not only urgent, but fair – and that UNISON members are leading the way.

2026 UNISON Year of Green Activity

Calendar of Events now published

There are plans to highlight different UNISON areas or topics each month throughout the year with webinars to attend, articles to read, political engagement opportunities and even a mini Film Festival!

Take a look by clicking the link below and start thinking about the bits you might want to link into. We will also be encouraging members to take their own small or large actions to mark the year and will be publishing more info nearer the time to give some ideas.

Year of Green Activity Calendar of events  

Regions will also be coming up with their plans for marking the year and we hope your branches are also having conversations about what you might want to do locally to highlight that UNISON is engaged on climate change.

Bargaining on Green Issues in the Workplace Toolkit

Our Bargaining on Green Issues in the Workplace guide provides details on how UNISON activists can get involved at every level to ensure employers:

• deliver the necessary workplace and service delivery changes to meet their climate commitments
• protect jobs and services
• engage with staff and UNISON on all green issues from the start

You can use this guide to equip you to get fully involved in influencing your employer’s climate change policies from beginning to end, or it can help you identify stand-alone actions that you can consider which are easy first steps to supporting your work in this area.

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Our members work in a wide range of jobs that have direct environmental roles. These include parks, energy and water companies, environment agencies, transport, waste recycling and planning.

They are committed to clean and safe communities with a good quality of life that does not compromise the future to come.

Our union works with other unions from around the world to campaign for public investment to tackle climate change.

What you can do

We are currently working to re-establish the UNISON Green Reps Network, with new training opportunities and new resources. There will be opportunities for members to get involved at their workplace and campaign at a local, regional and national level.

Sign up to hear more about UNISON’s Green Network – available only to UNISON members

Green UNISON News

• COP30: fighting for a seat at the table
• Why the climate crisis is a core trade union issue – and what we can do about it
• Keeping Net Zero at the heart if UNISONs agenda
• Protecting the environment can’t be done on the cheap – UNISON National
• UNISON joins forces with Friends of the Earth on due diligence law
• Support home care workers with greener and cheaper transport, says UNISON
• UNISON joins campaign to move away from fossil fuels

Other resources

• Adverse weather policy – commitments on standards
• Negotiating green travel plans
• Template Branch Climate Change Motion
• Branch Environmental Officer and Green Rep role – A basic guide
• AI and the Environment Briefing
• UNISON Eco Ableism Briefing
• “No jobs on a dead planet”: How we combat climate change together