GREEN BUSINESS LEAGUE
Understanding GBL Certification & Maintenance Standards
GBL Green Business Certification is always "Earned, and not Bought," and we trust that your business realizes the importance of taking the long view to Greening the company. The first level of certification is Silver at 100 points, and you will reach Gold at 200 points. You will work your way up the ladder to Emerald at 900 points. Emerald is the Green stone, so it is the top of the certification process. A Certified Green Consultant or a Certified Sustainable Officer can assist your company in installing "Green Practices" that have targeted point values. But, it is also important to realize that this is not a one-time, or even one year task Going Green is progressive, and it is also easy to see good programs recede once they have been installed. That is why we audit every business every year to affirm the Green business certification.
Thank You
Roger D Simpson, Certified Green Consultant™ KISS Janitorial
KP Enivironmental Services Int
13498 Pond Springs Road
Building A
Austin Texas 78729
and the
Green Business League, Inc.
P.O. Box 434
Plainfield, IL 60455
(815) 609-4546
www.greenbusinessleague.com
THE SUSTAINABILITY REPORT
To make sense of the environmental issue for your business, we need a baseline and a plan going forward. There are complex programs like ISO and CSR, but the starting point is the creation of the baseline of present compliances, and to lay out a tailored plan for your company to actually participate in the environmental program. The Certified Green Consultant starts with an assessment, and calculates the point value of the business as it is today. The basic sustainability plan then projects the next logical steps for the company's progress and eventual certification. It is very important that all GBL member companies complete the cycle of the Greening process. It took years to get to where we are today, and it will take years to get to where we need to go. Every company should look at the Greening process as a multi-year program. This allows expenses to be spread over time, and for new ideas to become standard practice. Savings are realized and more improvements are made. Each month, the Certified Green Consultant is encouraged to communicate with each member business as a kind of "Green Coach." Once the project has been initiated, the low-hanging fruit will be the first changes made. Without monthly encouragement, we find that every program loses impetus and does not progress, as it should. Progress is vital to any environmental company because there are more changes than most imagine. For example, upgrades, equipment purchases, or remodeling efforts need to include environmental planning. Employees come and go, and Green planning is easily neglected by new people in charge. Contracts that come up during the year should include some Green vendors to live up to EPA expectations.
Your Certified Green Consultant is a company asset that we suggest you regularly include in decision plans, board meetings, and the further Greening of the company. If your company came in at the silver level, the Green consultant is charged with the task of moving each company up the ladder of environmental compliance. To make the most of your Green consultant, please be make sure that this person has access to company decision-makers and key department heads. Each consultant works hard to make your company better and more profitable. .
GREEN PRACTICES
Most people know about the LEED program, but how many businesses own a building and can invest the money to get the LEED certification? Yet, it is certain that every business needs to Go Green or face some difficult compliance issues in the future. The Green Business League measure progress in the operation of a company. These are what are referred to as "Green Practices." There isn't any company that can't improve its operation whether it is in the indoor air quality, paperless systems, energy or water conservation, Green IT, or even in waste management. In some cases, a Green practice can be as simple as turning off lights or recycling trash. Other times, it means changing out the cleaning products or replacing the type of light presently in place. There are literally hundreds of these Green practices, but it does take an organized plan, called a Sustainability Plan to provide an organized path to certification. The good news is that a well-planned Green program will actually decrease operational costs, which will increase profits. In many cases, we look for a 12-24 month payback on your Green investment.
THE LITIGATORS ARE COMING!
There is another powerful movement that has just appeared on the horizon. Lawsuits are already in the courts for Building Related Illness (BRI). This differs from Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) because just one person can be the source of a costly lawsuit, or an OSHA claim. We now know that improper building design and maintenance is making people sick with acute and chronic illnesses that not only affect job performance, but also can be the fertile soil of a tort claim against the company. Tort law, in case you’re not familiar with this term, relates to any lawsuit where someone has been injured or has suffered a loss of something of value. Suddenly, Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) is a measurement that takes on new value. The air in a building is filled with all kinds of ingredients in the air. You’ll find mold, mildew, Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) from cleaning agents, lead, asbestos, fumes, radon, dander, and a litany of other harmful elements that will be measured and proof of a company’s liability in any litigation. These things are measurable and submissible to the court as conclusive proof of the tort claim. Floor treatment is another example of major litigation concerns. Slips, trips, and falls on the floors of public buildings cause $60 billion in legal cost including settlements, legal fees, medical expenses, and workman’s comp claims. Guess who pays for this? The companies (including the janitorial service) are culpable for these claims. If there is a liability policy in place, the insurance company will participate in the lawsuit as well. Regardless, it consumes time, money, and energy from any company. A judgment can destroy a company because the there are no small judgments. If there is an insurance policy, the company will pay for these claims in higher premiums. Make no mistake about the pressure not only to Go Green, but also comes from the regulators and litigators that make this problem a life and death issue for corporations across America. If you have never had to retain a law firm to defend against a lawsuit, you are in for a rude surprise. A $10,000 retainer is frankly an appetizer for the kind of fees that will be incurred. The question is, can a firm endure a $50,000 to $100,000 bill even if they win the lawsuit?
There is a way to reduce and eliminate a lawsuit before it has a chance to run up the bill. First of all, remove the problems through professional guidance in risk management. Secondly, build a record of Due Diligence when it comes down to a paper trail of good records. This is the role of a Certified Green Consultant who is trained to measure, advise, and certify that a building is a healthy workplace. Risk management is now part of the Green program as well. Your employees are one of your biggest investments. Healthy buildings have more productive employees, fewer medical claims and sick days, and may be part of a proactive effort to prevent health-related lawsuits. OSHA says businesses lose $60 billion per year because of low productivity due to poor indoor air quality.THE ECO-CONSUMER
They're out there, and they are willing to travel an extra mile and pay an extra dollar to find a business or product that is eco-friendly. Of course, they do not like to be mislead by Green-washed advertisements. They care about their kids, and what the world will be like for them. They are concerned about what chemicals will do to them, as they get older. They vote at the ballot box and with their dollars.
A GBL Green business certification is something to be very proud to offer. Your company has use of the GBL logo as long as it is active in the program, so put it proudly on your website or use it in your advertising. This logo does not convey product certification. Also, put out the word in your industry magazines and newsletters. You should not miss the chance to promote this validation of your company's Green efforts. GREENBUSINESSLEAGUE.COM
The Green Business League stands as a non-biased, third party certification organization active throughout the United States, Canada, and a dozen other countries. We are quickly becoming the industry standard for Green business everywhere. We stand against website-bought certifications as shams. We feel that even local programs lack the substance for a serious business certification. We ask that you expect the same integrity of your suppliers that you now offer to your customers. It is called the Green Supply Chain, and it means that we should buy locally, reduce packaging, and participate in the larger environmental program. Your vendors and suppliers need to be Green certified as well as a matter of basic ethics. Consider that your company has gone Green and asks your customers to participate in a Green project by supporting Green businesses. On the flip side, your company ignores the same advice and buys companies in complete ignorance of their environmental commitment. Even the EPA promotes "Environmentally Preferred Purchasing" as a standard for all businesses. We suggest that you ask your Certified Green Consultant to work with your team to "Green Up" your supply chain. Remember, the GBL motto is, "Be Green, Buy Green, and Hire Green.".
THE PROBLEM WITH TRASH
Somewhere in the back of your mind, you must wonder, “Where does all the trash go?” Well, it goes into landfills unless it is recycled. It just piles up and piles up until one day we face yet another unexpected crisis. Well, maybe we can find a third world to take our trash, but that is not the answer. Three words provide a serious answer: Recycle, Biodegradable, and Composting. These will have a big impact on the problem. One great solution is to consider some of the many paperless strategies offered by the Certified Green Consultant. We are not concerned about brands or products, just Green solutions. The environmental impact of making paper is outrageous, and did you know that 36% of municipal solid waste is paper products? Paperless systems will lower office costs, speed up office routine, and reduce labor cost. Reducing paper is a serious part of the Greening of any business.
THE GREEN PLAN
As we begin the effort to make your company Green and sustainable, it might help to understand that we have a game plan. The Green Business League has already thought all of this through, and provides a logical path to a Green operation and Green certification. The Green Plan is called the Sustainability Plan, and this is what is prepared for each and every business member of the Green Business League. A Green compliance baseline is created during the assessment process. We know what progress has been made, and we also know what challenges lie before us. The Sustainability Plan is how we will work together to achieve certification and a Greener business. It is also flexible enough to adjust for new concerns and new opportunities Once we start your certification program, my job is to be a kind of Green Coach that communicates with you monthly about what still needs to be done. I will communicate with you by newsletter, phone, and visits to your facility to offer advice. As a Green Coach, I need access to you and the key people in your business. As an outsourced consultant, I always need the support of the company leadership to do my work well and help your business become Greener, more successful, and more profitable.
YOUR CERTIFIED GREEN CONSULTANT
Let me finish this newsletter with more about my role in helping our community and your business prosper. First of all, I am an educator and an advocate for Green Practices at every level of life. My job is to help businesses change their operation and image while keeping an eye on your profits as well. We believe that your efforts should realize a 12-24 month Return on Investment, and that is really good news for the businesses that I serve. We call it the Triple Bottom Line, which means: planet, people, and profits. The more we work together, the better your company will be. Our founder says that a Certified Green Consultant is the "Efficiency experts of twenty years ago." Efficiency experts were hired to cut out waste and increase profits, and that is what I plan to do for you. Rather than doing everything at one time and incurring huge expenses, our Sustainability Plan provides a way to phase in environmental ideas in a month-by-month fashion. This also allows you to see the benefits as we go, and by year's end, your company should realize good savings and realize more profits. Of course, I am only as effective as you allow me to be. My skills are best used by authorizing me to work with key people who control an aspect of your company. So, you might want me to meet your janitorial staff, the person who plans your office improvements, and your office manager. With your advice and permission, I will offer guidance to make gradual improvements to the business allowing everything to proceed as normal, but continuing to incorporate some more Green Practices. Here's the bottom line on my value to you. I want to prove that your company can get back 100%, 200%, and 300% on any investment you make in the Green program of your business. Your annual membership is an open door to make your business "Lean and Green." I want you to see me as a team player for your company's success.
Using the Sustainability Plan, I will be working hard to make sure that your investment is not forgotten in the rush of other things that must be done. I hope that you will remember to include me when ...
1.You purchase equipment.
You purchase equipment.2.You remodel, repaint, re-carpet
You remodel, repaint, re-carpet3.You bring on new employees,
You bring on new employees,4.You put out RFPs or Contracts,
You put out RFPs or Contracts,5.Plan your next year's program
Plan your next year's programRoger D Simpson, Certified Green Consultant™
PS As your Certified Green Consultant I will work with you to plan an Open House event that will show your community leadership. Do not miss a chance to promote the Green value of your company. There are people and firms out there that would like to do business with a company that is committed to a Greener world.
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KISS Janitorial 13498 Pond Springs Rd, Building A Austin, Texas 78729
512-258-7003
