By Benjamin Rand
"Going Green" continues to be a hot topic for local companies. For some, the challenge is whether to go green. These companies should weigh the financial benefit and the marketing implications of going green along with their social responsibility. For companies that have decided to go green, the challenge is how. Going green can encompass everything from your energy consumption and waste generation to your plumbing fixtures and vendor locations. There is no single standard, no agreed-upon definition, no litmus test for what makes a company green. Instead, companies are faced with a bewildering array of programs, accreditations, certifications and organizations at the local, state, national and even global level that all represent some facet of going green. Don't let the alphabet soup deter you. Here are a few programs, certifications and organizations worth knowing if you are a WNY company that wants to go green.
EPA Climate Leaders
www.epa.gov/stateply/index.html
The EPA created this program in 2002 as a partnership with industry to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This "carbon footprinting" has the advantage of being clear and focused, but ignores important areas such as solid & hazardous waste reduction, recycling, etc. Companies can become partners by completing a corporate-wide baseline inventory of GHG emissions, setting long-term (5 or 10 year) reduction goals and annually reporting their progress to EPA. Once a company has joined the Climate Leaders Program they are free to publicize their membership and use the program mark on their marketing materials. The EPA lists 284 Climate Leader Partner companies, 127 of which have already publicly announced their GHG reduction goals. To date, 21 have achieved that goal. There is no fee or membership cost to join the Climate Leaders program.
The Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP)
www.cdproject.net
The CDP is a global climate change database and reporting organization. Over 40 major multinational organizations including Walmart, Johnson & Johnson, IBM, Sony, P&G and PepsiCo use the CDP to collect, calculate and report on the carbon footprint of their supply chains (Scope 3) at a cost of up to $60,000/year to the OEM. If you are a vendor who receives a questionnaire or a Walmart supplier voluntarily reporting, there is no charge.
LEED Certification
www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CategoryID=19
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design was developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) starting in 1994 as a "green building rating system" to make buildings more environmentally friendly and efficient. LEED certification is building-specific, not business-specific, and can be applied to new construction or to existing buildings using a complex rating system. Points are awarded toward four levels of certification:
- Certified – 40-49 points
- Silver – 50-59 points
- Gold – 60-79 points
- Platinum – 80 points and above
You will need to submit an application documenting your compliance with the requirements of the rating system. But be prepared, registration and certification fees will range from $500 to $22,500 in 2010 based on, among other things, the size of your building.
USGBN
www.ceinfo.org/ugbn
The Upstate Green Business Network with branches in Buffalo and Rochester serves as a forum for members to share information, best practices and questions on environmental issues. USGBN sponsors workshops, conferences and field trips to educate its 140+ members on how to make environmental improvements in their businesses and institutions. A recent guest was Walmart's Director of Supplier Sustainability who described Walmart's new Supplier Sustainability Assessment. Annual memberships range from $50 (10 employees or less) to $300 (200+ employees).
