News / Business
The Green Business Assessment and Audit
The Sure Fire Cure for Greenwashing
There are several ways to Go Green as a business. The first is by self promotion. This is a widespread practice that can be called "Token Green" (meaning doing the minimum possible to call yourself Green). So, this business installs a few CFL bulbs, changes the cleaning supplies to Green versions, and puts in a few recycling bins. Nice try, but that's still greenwashing.
Others are lured into the "Easy Green" fantasy that they can actually purchase a Green business certification (with fancy logo included) for a fee of $400 to $900. All that is required is that they complete an online assessment form, which can be easily misrepresented. Who cares? The business now gets a Green logo to blatantly deceive the clients who think that buying from a Green vendor is helping better the world. Easy Green is obvious greenwashing and deceptive to the public.
Some larger companies appoint a Green officers but fail to provide any real budget or authority to make significant changes. This is "Delegated Green." Other companies make contribution to Green charities without making real changes internally. This is how a company becomes "Charitably Green." Some fortunate companies recently realized that their product or service had a Green quality which they now promote as Green. This is "Discovery Green." Of course, we have even seen companies lie about their Green virtues. All these options are various ways to "Game the System" and should be decried as greenwashing.
What is sadly missing is an "Authentically Green" program that will stand up to scrutiny because the credential represents an honest effort the make the changes that every Green business needs to make. So, here's the answer and sure cure for greenwashing sins. No Green business certification can be respected that isn't the result of an audit or verification process!
It has been said that if it can be measured, it can't be proven. All the green washing tactics above would be immediately exposed if an audit were required, which leads the observer to ask whether most businesses aren't actually in favor of greenwashing tactics as a blatant marketing ploy. What child would study for a test when the grade doesn't count that the student would prepare for if the test determined whether the child passed to the next grade?
Only the Green Business League offers a Green business certification that uses a point system for all Green practices in place and requires an audit by a Certified Green Consultant to achieve an authentically Green certification. Eventually, an investigative reporter will bring a camera crew to bust these Green sham certifications. At that time, businesses will run out in the middle of the night to scrape off these greenwashed logos. The smart decision is to Go Green using a verified Green business certification like the one offered by the Green Business League.
