Ethical Business Practices | The Green Economy Post: Green Careers, Green Business, Sustainability

Green Business Certifications: What You Need to Know

By nschneider on November 14, 2010 5 Comments ABA-EPA Law Office Climate Challenge, B Lab, brand recognition opportunities, certification process, certification program, Connecticut Business & Industry 2010 Sustainability and Connecticut Business Survey, Eeko Courier, Energy Star, environmental philosophy, EPA Watersense, ethical business practices, green business certification, green initiatives, green marketplace, Green Profit Solutions, Green Seal, international standards, LOHAS consumers, long-term business stability, marketing collateral, performance indicators, Quantifiable standards, Relevancy of standards, set of standards, SmartWay, Standards development, sustainability claims, sustainable practices, third party verification, transparency

The single greatest barrier to successful business sustainability, according to the Connecticut Business & Industry 2010 Sustainability and Connecticut Business Survey, is lack of knowledge regarding sustainable practices. This barrier also applies to businesses that have begun green initiatives and are now seeking recognition and certification.

Don’t Cut CSR Spending: Reallocate to Build Your Brand

By Jennifer_Rice on October 27, 2009 2 Comments allocating resources, Best Buy’s, brand builders, brand promise, Brand/Customer quadrant, cause-marketing, CEO, Citizenship Report, Clorox GreenWorks, CMO, community, Community/Customer, consumer expectations, corporations, CRO, CSR initiatives, CSR investments, customers, design/value, Ecomagination, electronics recycling, employee volunteerism, employees, energy, environmental initiatives, ethical brand-building, ethical brands, ethical business practices, fair labor practices, Fair Trade, Fairmont Hotel, GE, Geek Squad Summer Academy, Green Cuisine, greenwash, innovation platforms, internal operations, IT, job creating ethical brand drivers, job creation, Kiva.org, lobbying powe5, local brand pillar corporate social, Marks & Spencer, opportunity audit, philanthropy efforts, recession, reputation-building, Seventh Generation, social needs, social-impact initiatives, strategic alignment, suppliers, supply chain, sustainability initiatives, tablestakes initiatives, Target, Timberland, triple-bottom line innovation, trust, value creation, waste, Water, white-space opportunities, Whole Foods

As consumer expectations rise and trust in corporations decline, the need for ethical business practices is greater than ever. Yet in a recession, companies seeking to cut costs will likely postpone important CSR initiatives or cut spending in favor of core business initiatives. But it doesn’t have to be either-or. Companies that consider social and environmental initiatives as potential innovation platforms and brand builders — not expenses — will come out ahead.