Going Green by the Numbers

Did you fall for one of those Green certification websites that offers a Green logo for a fee and an online assessment?  Most of those who paid the fee knew that this idea was short-circuiting the system.  These fee-collection websites are often referred to as “Easy Green” certifications.  If the truth were known, nearly none of the companies signing up for these sites really do what they claim, but they get the logo anyway.   It seems likely that some investigative reporter one day will look into these scams and the revelation will embarrass all those who jumped on the “Easy Green” programs.   So, don’t say that you haven’t been warned.

The bottom line is that Going Green requires change.  However, if no one validates the compliance of a Green business, it is very easy to “Game the System.”  If there is no verification or audit, the certification is essentially worthless.  By the way, self-audits are an obvious conflict of interests.  Customers who have been fooled by these shallow Green logos will eventually reject these empty claims and look for certifications that can be proved rather than bought.

Answering this challenge, the Green Business League has always required an audit of Green business certifications.  There are no exceptions because this is one Green business certification that cannot be faked.   To accomplish this task, the Green Business League has trained more than 250 Certified Green Consultants in the US and Canada.  This has created a literal army of Green professionals within reach of nearly any business.

To achieve a GBL Green business certification, an aspiring company must install a variety of Green practices in the business operation.  Every Green practices has an assigned set of Green Points, and when a business reaches 100 points or above, certification can be awarded based upon actual evidence of environmental progress.  True to form, the points are verified by a live audit provided by the local Certified Green Consultant.   A standing list of points have been assigned to a wide variety of products and services.  Many businesses already have a good start on the point system but have no way to get credit for the effort, until now.

Perhaps your city has a self-appointed group offering a Green business certification promoted by a few well-intended business-types.  While every effort is helpful, the importance of a broadly applied standard allows a national program to provide more than a token effort.

Businesses seeking a reputable Green business certification can request a free Green Assessment that credits existing Green practices and suggests the needed improvements to reach the 100 silver status.  But, be aware that Going Green is a progressive effort, not a static accomplishment.  While it only takes 100 points to earn the silver level for Green business certification, the highest level of Green achievement is the Four Emerald status of 1200.   Each level of achievement is certified by a live audit that assures faithful compliance.  This audit process is repeated annually to assure that Green business practices do not deteriorate once installed.

Established point values and live audits will put an end to greenwashing, Green hype, and even the “Easy Green” problems that plague the best intentions of environmentally-concerned businesses.   If the terms “Green” or “Sustainable” continue to be denigrated by the less-than-reputable businesses, the battle for a better world is lost before it has begun.  Is environmentalism is merely a marketing ploy that invites businesses to "Game the System" and fool their customers?  Then buying a Green logo on the Internet should go for 30 pieces of silver … if you understand the reference!   We are selling out the truth for a lie thinking only of the profit instead of the planet.

"Character is doing the right thing when nobody's looking. There are too many people who think that the only thing that's right is to get by, and the only thing that's wrong is to get caught."  J C Watts

Maybe the character qualities suggested by J.C. Watts would be smartly applied to our environmental attitudes because this isn’t easy, it isn’t always convenient, and it is always cheap.  It is just the right thing to do if we really care about people – now and in the future.   There is a marketing value for boasting to be a Green business, and there is an environmental value in being an authentically Green Certified Business.