Start planning for UNISON Green Week – and beyond

Image: Marcus Rose

UNISON is urging its members, particularly its environmental activists, to start planning for the union’s Green Week, which takes place on 19-26 September.

The week offers a focused opportunity for members and branches to raise awareness of green issues in their workplaces, to plan activities that encourage and enable members to get more active, and to celebrate all the things they are already doing in support of the green agenda – not just in work, but anywhere.

But this year the week has even greater significance, as it paves the way for the 2026 UNISON Year of Green Activity. The year will offer members a springboard to engage even more on climate change, while the union will support its branches to bargain and negotiate proactively on green workplace issues.

When launching the year, general secretary Christina McAnea said: “Tackling climate change can’t wait until a more convenient time – there’s too much at stake for our members, their jobs, their families and the communities we all live in – we have to act now.

“We should all be proud that UNISON has been the leading union on climate change since it was founded… Our Green UNISON campaign is the only campaign that was designed to be continuous and, since September 2020, the annual Green UNISON week of activity has brought more attention and focus to how the union can make a difference in public service workplaces and the wider world.

“But now we want to give an extra push to raise awareness of our work in this area, to support and encourage engagement at any and every level of activity and to recognise that everything we do makes a difference. In 2026 Green UNISON is going big.”

And Green Week is a perfect place to start. UNISON policy officer Michelle Singleton said today: “Green Week offers a perfect opportunity to spread the word about 2026, to have those important conversations, and to seed ideas for what our members and branches might do next year. There really is no time like the present.”

Look out for a climate change member survey

If they haven’t already, Ms Singleton is urging members to start planning their local activities for September.

They should also look out for a climate change member survey. At the start of Green Week, or just before, UNISON will launch the all-member survey, designed to find out more about members’ views on climate change – particularly as it affects their work, families and communities.

Start planning how you’ll mark Green UNISON week

Find out about Green UNISON and sign up for the campaign newsletter

Order Green UNISON sustainable promotional items

Find our more about the Year of Green Activity

Year of Green Activity calendar