GREEN BUSINESS VIEWS

Posts Tagged ‘3BL’

We have all heard the 3BL motto by now.  As businesses become more attune to the environmental cause, the concept of planet, people, and profits is a good way of stating the case for an environmentally-friendly business.   It must be said, however, that Green has not always been the friend to business, and that there has been a segment of the environmental movement that were anti-business, anti-profit, and anti-everything.   Corporations were vilified as the polluters of the world, and large companies were viewed as killing the planet.  This was hard to take even if there was a measure of truth behind it.

Companies have begun to take their rightful place as community leaders in the Green and sustainable areas, which is a step in the right direction.  Nearly everyone has participated in the environmental problem.  This present dilemma is the result of everyone, but just a few offending companies.  We all need a kind of reality check that allows each person, each family, and every corporation to buy into the cure.  The environmental issues is a universal problems that requires universal participation.

This present the first reason to become a certified Green business.  It is your duty to be a part of the cure.   Business should lead, not follow, in this endeavor.  If the flow of public opinion was bad before, the best advice is to turn it around, and make it a rebranded asset.  Businesses do not want to kill the world or people, just in case anyone was wondering.  Public perception and a growing clientele is crucial to any business except bank robbers.  We all have to take the blame for our part in the problems of the past.  It is now time to step out and share in the challenge of the hour.

Going Green is also a great marketing opportunity.  Any improvement in your product or service is ample reason to retool your advertising and let the world know of your progress.  Going Green should not be a mere token efforts that are commonly known as Greenwashing and Green hype.  The effort should be wholehearted and proactive.  The fact is that this is an issue that is not going to go away.  Even without global warming, the population issues is immense, and we now know that our resources are limited.  Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is the new word for businesses of all types.

The third positive motivation for Going Green is financial.  Profits are not a bad word, and if anyone doubts this, try giving up your paycheck for a month.  The new discovery for Green businesses is the efficiency and savings that now come with Going Green.  A LEED Green building often projects a 10, 15, or 20 return on investment.  The Green Business League projects a 1 to 2 year return on investment because the costs to Green up the business practices are not as heavy as a building or remodeling project.  Therefore, profits are predictably increased by installing a Green and sustainable program.

A hidden cost is one that no business wants to discover.  Environmental lawsuits have increased by 300% in the last several years, and this is due in part to the discoveries that the very air inside the building can aggravate health conditions and promote chronic health issues.  All it takes is an enterprising attorney with a recently medical finding that links substances in your building to health concerns.   This is a subject that no business should ignore.  If Going Green reduces potential lawsuits from sick employees, it becomes an instantaneous good idea.

It should also be apparent that regulation is not too far down the road.  Environmental compliance is better accomplished in stages than in a hurried rush to meet mandates.  In one example, Florida hotels were not given any state business unless they went Green.  Some hotels were already for the mandate, but others had to initiate a mad dash to comply.  The cost was immense, but the loss of state business was even more costly.  Taking a leadership role has value in any community.  The fact that we all know that this issue is going to be a standard part of doing business allows the astute business person to make the most of the task at hand.

Employee satisfaction and productivity is yet another boost to company profits.  Employees perceive that the company cares about them when they see a seriously Green effort.  Employee loyalty and appreciation is an asset to any company.  OSHA and EPA has cited that as much as $40 billion are lost in employee productive due to poor indoor air quality.  Even the casinos in Las Vegas pump in fresh oxygen to make people feel better and stay up longer.  The inclusion of something as simple as live plants instead of plastic or fabric plants will remove VOCs from the air and increase oxygen content.

The down side of all these ideas is the difficulty to implement these ideas even though there is a willingness to do so.  That is why companies train an in-house Certified Sustainability Officer or bring in a Certified Green Consultant.  The Green Business League is the leader in Green business certification with more than 300 Certified Green Consultants in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and various other countries.   The Green Business League offers a national standard for Green certification, serves as an independent review source, and requires a live audit of all certifications to prevent greenwashing.  The Green Business League warns businesses to avoid the “Easy Green” websites offering Green logos for sale.  This is a deception of the public that will backfire as the public becomes aware of such deceptive practices.