The Question of Certifications April 22, WhatTheyThink broadcast a webinar sponsored by Océ North America titled "Certifications as Part of a Sustainability Business Strategy" where a panel discussed various types of certifications pertinent to the graphic arts industry and to businesses in general. You can download a PDF of the slides and an MP3 audio file here>> An audience member asked, "I understand your focus on printing companies for this session, but what certification programs exist for other types of businesses?" Late last week, Megan Prusynski, a regular contributor to Ecopreneurist, offered these:
  • Green Seal is an independent non-profit offering certification for green businesses according to scientifically tested standards that they have created for different industries. Currently their standards are limited to several product categories, but more are in development.
  • Co-op America is a non-profit membership organization that offers a Green Business Seal of Approval for green businesses and a green business directory for consumers. They certify businesses from any industry that complete a screening process to determine their commitment to social and environmental responsibility.
  • Bay Area Green Business Program is a partnership of local government agencies and utilities that recognize green businesses in San Francisco and nine surrounding counties. They consult with a wide variety of businesses to help them go green by following environmental regulations, meeting organization’s standards, and committing to conservation and green business practices.
  • MBDC Cradle to Cradle Certification certifies products on varying levels of sustainability and environmentally intelligent “cradle to cradle” design. Certification is limited to products based on the tenets outlined in the book Cradle to Cradle. See the WhatTheyThink Going Green Reading List for more information about the book.
  • National Environmental Performance Track is a member program offered by the US EPA. It is a private-public partnership recognizing facilities with environmental management systems and continuous improvement in sustainability. It is geared mainly towards the manufacturing industry.
  • Green Business Alliance helps businesses integrate environmental stewardship into their everyday business practices. Businesses recognized in their program “greenify” their operations according to a list of guidelines. A portion of their profits from this program are donated to green causes.
Read her entire article here>> I have to say a special comment about Megan's choice of graphic - it's terrific! That's why you see it at the top of this piece.