A Guide for Business Leaders

As “Green” businesses grow and green-washing creates confusion for mainstream public, the need for organizations that evaluate and certify green businesses is growing. Problem is, how do you,the business leader choose which certifier to recommend to your organization’s board? This blog should help you start the process of evaluating certification organizations.  It will give you questions to ask and items to consider.

Many business leaders find the certification processes lacking in clarity and limiting in scope. The organizations that provide the certification may not have a lot of practical experience related to your work.  After all, green businesses are a relatively new phenomenon. All certifying bodies learn as they go and as new information is available, same as any other company or process.  However, some certifications have more to learn than others when their criteria are built solely on ideology and not practice.  They may not be ready for you. Some certification strata exclude “valid” organizations in benchmarking. There is a tremendous effort going on now by SFI to be accepted by LEED, for example. And there is the ever present “shiny big box companies” that canblind certifiers to the needs and importance of small businesses. Large companies have larger marketing departments, get more free press, have more economic strength and offer larger contracts to certifiers. Of course consumers who wish to maintain the power of their purchase can ultimately choose to develop their own criteria to evaluate the merit of a green business.  Ultimately, the very consumers that you are trying to attract, may not know about the certification you are evaluating, or even care.

The first item to consider is whether the certification is a good fit for your company and your goals. You may want to gain more credibility or recognition for the uniqueness of your company’s product or service.  Others may want to differentiate themselves from competitors, or improve performance.   When contemplating the reasons for green certification, it is important to decide which of the three green piers (environmental, social or economic) a particular certification will evaluate your company on. Some cover more than one as noted below. Conversely, it is just as important that you evaluate how the certifications enhance and support these areas for you.  In other words, what are the benefits to your company when you receive the certification?  As a business leader, you want it all, but not all certifications offer that.  Some are more transparent than others and some work harder than others to maximize your benefits.
Independent – many see this as a critical point for green certifications or otherwise. Any certification body must be totally independent from influence by any other organization. The certification organization must be able to impartially and without influence, examine and award certification to only those individuals that meet the requirements.

A second item to evaluate is how the certification can improve your operations. The only certainty is that you will be updating your company manuals.  If your company already performs well, it’s entirely possible that you will not have to change how you do things in practice.  If you’re not certain of your performance, then the certification process can help you improve that area, and thereby improve your company, creating a win-win situation. Some certifiers are more holistic in their ideology, such as Cradle to Cradle. They evaluate issues such as water consumption, energy usage and recycling that occurs during product manufacturing. When trying to improve operations, you may decide to go outside of specialized green certifiers to more mainstream programs such as OSHA to assist with core issues such as health and safety in your workplace.  There is nothing like going through a third party auditing process to get an objective perspective on how you may need to improve, and what you are already great at.

Every business is concerned with the bottom line.  Issues such as cost of certification and marketing value will weigh in on your decision making process.  There will be surprises along the way, so prepare.  Some certifications have multiple levels and each level can mandate additional third party certifications, adding time and expense. If a certifier states they will “help you celebrate your successes” ask for a specific plan and examples of what they have done in the past.  Pay close attention to certification organization’s websites. Is the list of certified companies easy to find or are they hidden behind multiple links? Certifiers such as B Corp promote certified businesses B to B, in the media and at open forums such as trade shows 4. Remember that your community and internal staff are potential marketing agents for you.  Going through a certification process provides opportunities to educate both on what’s important about what you’re doing.  Ask them to share your story.  Of course, celebrate your own successes with an event or reception, do a press release and go to trade shows.  Update marketing literature to showcase your distinguished designations.  Have a press kit ready so when local or national media want to feature you in a story, you’ll be ready. Financial benefits from certifications can also be direct.  Buyers, professional more than non-professional are requiring chain of custody that validates product sourcing thereby opening markets and increasing sales for companies that hold these certifications. Your bottom line can be improved by the marketing strength of the certifying organization, your marketing plans and direct sales opportunities.  Consider all these as possibilities.

The structure of the certifying organization may be the last thing on your list, but it could be the most important of all the criteria you consider.  That’s because they are not all created equal. One scenario is that the certification is not transparent and has legal tactics such as tight fisted non-disclosure agreements.  These can prohibit you from discussing any disagreements in open forum and limit your ability to contest their decisions. Don’t assume that because a certification represents itself as holistic and forthright, that it is.  Read the fine print. The following excerpt is adapted from an article written by Richard Rudd for the National Board of Certified Pastoral Counselors. The information that is applicable for that specialty field is applicable here as well.

Independent – many see this as a critical point for green certifications or otherwise. Any certification body must be totally independent from influence by any other organization. The certification organization must be able to impartially and without influence, examine and award certification to only those individuals that meet the requirements.

Standards for certification or re-certification are determined without requiring the approval of any other organization. Ideally, the governing body and/or certification body will include individuals from the discipline being certified and the composition of the body should address the needs of the users. This will ensure self-determination by those receiving and using the certification, but for broader certifications is not always possible.

Credible – It should be fairly easy for you to research the credibility of the certification organization. Always remember that you are tying your professional, and sometimes personal, credibility to this organization. For individual certifications, evaluate the educational, experiential and testing requirements of the organization.

Information about the certification program should be easily accessible by the public. This should include a description of the organization; its purpose, goals, objectives and responsibilities. The eligibility requirements, a summary of skill and knowledge areas, and information regarding certification activities should also be available. The organization should have clear policies and procedures for its members and the public.

• Code of Ethics or Code of Conduct

• Grievance procedures

• Consumer compliant procedure

Research any organizations that the certification body belongs to. The organization is tying its reputation to these organizations in a similar fashion that you are tying your reputation to it.

Non-profit – Public- this is not a necessity, but it will give you an idea, beyond the stated goals, about the purpose for the certification organization. This also will ensure oversight regarding the business practices of the organization, and will provide you with an additional, formal grievance process. Privately owned companies could be more cloak and dagger than publicly held organizations.

Checking references is a standard practice in any business and should not be overlooked here.  Although there are many oversight programs that set quality standards for certification programs, there are currently none that are doing this for the green building industry. The US Green Building Council states that their members determine the direction of their certification programs. Examples of such oversight programs can be found in the healthcare system which has been long established and highly regulated. So, as a member of a young profession, the green business movement leaders may have to rely on old fashioned research.  Call the businesses listed on the certifying organization’s website and ask them about the benefits of certification.

Making an investment in green certifications is an important consideration.  In the words of our pastoral writer, Richard Rudd “Make sure that the certification organization, with which you choose to align your professional reputation, can accept this responsibility.”

About the Author

Chris McCurry is a founder and current owner of Highland Craftsmen Inc.  This business has received a number of green certifications, including Cradle to Cradle Gold Certification. HC was founded in 1990 when green was still a color. Since that time, their mission has been to decrease the impact of construction and harmonize with nature.  Chris’s experience began as a “wholistic nurse” where she received educational preparation in systems theory.  Product designer, corporate strategist, social entrepreneur and cultural advocate, she is also the coauthor of Bark House Style, Sustainable Designs from Nature.

Lloyd Alter out of Toronto posts an article in the Design and Architecture section of Treehugger.com titled “Bark Shingles: If it Works For Trees, Why Not Houses.”

Alter writes:
“Humans only invented vinyl siding a few decades ago, but tree bark has been protecting trees for quite a while longer. Bark shingles were often used on Craftsman style houses in the early 1900s, but they were made from chestnut, which was almost wiped out in a blight. A century later, they still look good. Chris and Marty McCurry started looking at bark shingles in the early nineties and reinvented them, reintroducing them as a product in 1996.”

Click here to read the full TreeHugger post

February 1 to 5 has been declared Clean Energy Week .

“The Primary Objective of Clean Energy Week is to engage Congress and the Administration to take action on climate solutions, renewable energy, and energy efficiency, which remain top priorities for the American people and are essential components of job creation and economic growth.”

Highland Craftsmen Inc is excited to add solar energy to our material processing.  We have historically purchased renewable energy credits to offset the small amount of grid energy we use in manufacturing.  By spring, the electricity we once used for our kilns will now be supplied from photovoltaic panels.  We are so excited.  The solar panels are also a pre-requisite for our Cradle to Cradle Certification.

Our project was awarded Federal Recovery Act funds that are being handed down through The North Carolina Energy Office, in partnership with the N.C. Main Street Center.  There will be a second round of funding for Main Street designated towns and businesses.  The businesses best positioned for the awards already have written plans, energy assessments and serious numbers in place that substantiate the grant.  HC would like to be grid free in 5 years.

When disaster strikes, people in western North Carolina extend a helping hand.  It’s a part of the local culture.  M-Prints, a Watauga county business, has created t-shirts to benefit the American Red Cross Haitian Disaster Relief Fund.  Businesses across the high country are responding by selling them at their perspective locations.  The idea is that by increasing the availability of the shirts at different types of businesses, the public will have a greater response. “Many Hands Make the Load Lighter” is the theme of the t-shirt.  To make this opportunity accessible to businesses and individuals wanting to contribute, Highland Craftsmen Inc is transporting the t-shirts to businesses in Avery and Mitchell Counties that have daily foot traffic.  Currently two businesses, Mountain Lumber Company in Foscoe and DTs Blue Ridge Java in Spruce Pine are selling the shirts in their areas.  Companies such as these are staples in their communities.  As such, they were eager to help.

Shirts are $10 each with $7.50 of each sale going directly to Red Cross. For a list of places to purchase t-shirts and get full details, click on this link. If your business is interested, you can contact M-Prints or Chris McCurry at HC for details.

Chris McCurry speaking on Sustainable Procurement at High Country Alternative Agriculture Conference at Mayland Community College on February 2, 2010.  This event is coordinated through the NC Cooperative Extension.  For more information, see this brochure.

This discussion will include information on sustainable poplar bark shingle procurement and all natural posts.

Gov. Bev Perdue today announced that more than $330,000 in federal Recovery Act funds have been awarded to eight North Carolina “Main Street” communities to help with energy efficiency and renewable energy initiatives.  The grants are the first distribution of money from the North Carolina Energy Program for the state’s Main Street initiative.

“North Carolina continues to use recovery funds for job creation and energy efficiency,” said Gov. Perdue.  “These grants will provide service jobs for local businesses and help local communities save money on utility bills.”

Federal Recovery Act funds handed down through The North Carolina Energy Office, in partnership with the N.C. Main Street Center making a difference in long-term sustainable changes for energy efficiency.

Specific to Spruce Pin, NC and Highland Craftsmen: $66,938 for the installation of a solar photovoltaic system to be located on the roof of a vacant service station in downtown Spruce Pine.  The solar system will produce a 12.3 percent energy cost reduction in the first year of operation for Craftsmen Inc./The Calafate Group.  The energy generated from the solar system will be used to partially offset the costs associated with operating drying kilns which are used in the manufacturing process to dry, sterilize, and convert large sections of tree bark into the company’s “Bark House” brand exterior shingles.  Funding will also assist in energy efficiency upgrades of three kilns. In total, the project represents a 52.3 percent reduction in energy use by the manufacturer.

Click here to See the Full Press Release from The NC Office of Economic Recovery

Alex Wilson of BuildGreen.com had this to say about HC’s Bark House Poplar Siding:

“MBDC had a booth focused on its Cradle to Cradle product certification, where it displayed Bark House, a residential siding made by Highland Craftsmen from the bark of the tulip tree (Leriodendron tulipifera), which is sometimes—incorrectly—referred to as a poplar. The bark, a byproduct, is peeled from recently felled trees, cut to size, flattened, fully kiln-dried, and heat-sterilized. The bark itself provides its own “backing” and weatherproof layer. And it looks really cool—rather like, well, bark. The cost is fairly reasonable, too: about $6–$9 per square foot ($70–$100/m2) for the material or $12–$14 per square foot ($130–$150/m2) installed. BuildingGreen reviewed Bark House for our GreenSpec directory, but I had never really grasped one of the real beauties of this product: when you want to replace it, you just pull it off and throw it into the woods to decompose. The product has become one of the few building products to earn a Cradle to Cradle Gold rating from MBDC.”

Click here to read his full review.

Read about author/writer Nan Chase’s choice to build with Highland Craftsmen’s Poplar Bark Shingles: ” My own interest in building a bark house came while I was helping to write a book on the subject (“Bark House Style: Sustainable Designs From Nature,” with Chris McCurry).”  read the full article at csmonitor.com

Press Release – For Immediate Release
Highland Craftsmen Inc.’s sustainable products training receives Green Business Fund Award.

Spruce Pine, NC, November 24th, 2009 – Governor Bev Perdue issued an official press release last week at the Energy Policy Council meeting announcing the 2009 Round 2 Green Business Fund Awardees that included Highland Craftsmen Inc. This is part of an initiative to strengthen state energy policy leadership and grow the Governor’s JobsNOW Green Economy Plan.

Highland Craftsmen Inc. is honored to be a recipient of the Green Innovation Award. This acknowledgement is related to a successful job training seminar the company sponsored on sustainable forestry and bark harvesting. Participants stated that the seminar was both timely and needed in this area of the Southern Appalachians. The goal of the seminar was to link small landowners directly to sustainable forestry management organizations and proliferate sustainable forestry management. “By localizing the supply chain with certified local products, we are increasing the market share for local individuals, creating new jobs in high unemployment areas, and retaining the flow of capital within local economies,” explains company owner and organizer, Chris McCurry.

The seminar involved representatives coming from diverse arenas including NC State University, Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI), PEFC, Game and Wildlife and Pro-logger. There was local representation from Appalachian Hardwood Manufacturers, Columbia Forest Products and The Southern Forests Network. “Dave Woodmanse from American Tree Farm was indispensible in helping to set up the daylong workshop,” McCurry noted.

Highland Craftsmen Inc will now be able to edit and duplicate the material presented at the seminar and distribute it to those who wish to learn from the presentation, but could not attend. One aspect of selling forestry products to Highland Craftsmen Inc is that vendors must have education in sustainable forestry practices. The company is “chain of custody” certified with FSC, SFI and PEFC as part of their commitment to managing forest land responsibly.

Governor Perdue states that “Strong leadership and smart investments are essential to laying a foundation for North Carolina to create green jobs, support green innovation and promote a sustainable future for our state’s economy and environment…Turning green into gold is a central part of my JobsNOW initiative and of my vision to grow North Carolina’s long-term economy.”

Highland Craftsmen Inc is the Original Polar Bark Shingle manufacturer, which has created a new industry in the Appalachian region to help grow the “green collar jobs” that Governor Perdue references. The company’s mission from inception in 1990 has been to produce a product line that is harmonious with nature (green) and minimizes the impact of construction. HC is proud to call North Carolina home and is involved and invested in the community through volunteering, serving on boards and town revitalization projects. The company’s Bark House brand exterior shingle siding is Cradle to Cradle CertifiedCM at the Gold Level. To learn more about Highland Craftsmen Inc and Bark House brand products, visit the website at www.BarkHouse.com.

Contact: Chris McCurry
Tel: 828-765-9010
Email: chris@barkhouse.com

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RALEIGH, NC – Eighteen North Carolina companies will receive federal stimulus grants to spur development in green technology, Gov. Bev Perdue said Wednesday.  Each company plans to develop and market green and alternative energy technologies. According to the Office of the Governor the grants will create more than 200 jobs.

Read More at TechJournal