Every certification process is different depending on whether the focus is on a building, process, product, etc. It will also vary depending on the industry concern (hospitals & schools =health, manufacturing & offices =energy, waste). In general, a green business will need to address the following areas.
Organizational Commitment-Establish a team that is committed to organizational sustainability and sets the purpose, vision, mission, and values of the business. A complete understanding of the relationships with partners, stakeholders, customers, and business leaders is essential for proper organizational structure and support.
Regulatory Compliance-Strive to be in full compliance with all local, state and federal environmental regulations and requirements. The commitment to being green or sustainable is questionable unless built on a solid foundation of regulatory compliance.
Assessment of Environmental Impacts-Complete an environmental impacts assessment of your organization’s major environmental impacts including waste creation, water use, and energy consumption.
Sustainability Planning, Goal Setting, and Action-Develop a sustainability plan, incorporating the results of your impacts assessment and set goals for reducing impacts as well as a monitoring program to measure progress toward sustainability plan goals.
Demonstrated Environmental Impact Reductions-Summarize your organization’s key results reflecting how your organization’s Green Strategy, Environmental Compliance Initiatives, and Corporate Social Responsibility are being met. Make sustainability progress reports publicly available and show evidence of achieving or exceeding reduction targets.
Environmental Education and Training-provide an environmental sustainability awareness course to all employees and business leaders.