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In the spring of 2006, a small group of environmentally concerned business people met to develop a set of national standards for which a business could achieve an accreditation as a "Green Business". There were no uniform standards to evaluate the environmental practices of a business. Nor was there an established accreditation process. That's what Institute for Green Business Certification, Inc. (IGBC) does!
By May of that year, we sought the counsel of an OSHA trained inspector, an EPA trained inspector, and a person who later became a LEED AP as we met and discussed what it might entail to be designated as a "Green Business". After months of discussion and extensive research, standards and criteria were developed and a checklist was created, later becoming the basis of the "IGBC Environmental Audit".
IGBC was formed to promote the following...
- Solid waste reduction, reuse and recycling
- Energy efficiency and reduced use of diminishing resources
- Water efficiency and reduced use
- Purchasing and packaging alternatives
- Reduction in "carbon footprint"
- Pollution prevention
- Reduced external air emissions and improved interior air quality
- Education of employees and customers about green business efforts
- Reduced operational costs
- Reduction in hazardous waste and proper handling
- Avoidance of additional user/mitigation/permits and fees
IGBC enables you to achieve "Green Business Certification" by working together, one business to another. From the beginning, we took our inspiration from the words in a 1961 speech by JFK, "...My fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country".
One of the first accrediting organizations of it's kind, IGBC certifies businesses on a nationwide scale. Recently we have established an office in southern California and will be opening similar branches in Philadelphia and Chicago with plans to replicate this model in Florida, Texas, Colorado, Washington and Maryland before the end of the year. We continue to search for qualified Environmental Analysts in those areas.
Step 1. The Environmental Analyst will telephone and introduce him/herself to the business owner, answering all questions of the potential client. With some basic information, the Analyst will quote a price for certification at that time.
Step 2. The Environmental Analyst will e-mail an agreement to the client along with other materials for client evaluation.
Step 3. When the client receives the agreement, the Analyst will phone the client to answer any questions concerning the agreement.
Step 4. After the client has signed the agreement and the refundable deposit is received at the corporate office, the Environmental Analyst will e-mail the Audit to the client for review. After reviewing the Audit, if the client does not want to proceed, the deposit will be refunded. That is IGBC guarantee.
Step 5. After the client has had a chance to adjust their environmental practices accordingly, the Environmental Analyst will call to review the Audit in detail with the client or their designated person. This step will likely take less than two hours and may be completed in several telephone calls if the client desires.
Step 6. The Environmental Analyst will schedule the on-site evaluation of the business and complete the visual verification of the telephone portion of the audit while making suggestions for improvements and additional cost saving opportunities for the client. The Analyst will complete the audit at that time.
Step 7. The Environmental Analyst will send a copy of the Audit to the IGBA corporate office for review by the certifying committee.
Step 8. Once the Audit is reviewed, and final payment received, certificates and marketing materials will be sent to the client via a combination of priority mail and e-mail. The IGBA corporate office is the only entity authorized to issue certificates.
Step 9. Press releases will be sent to all local media from the IGBC corporate office, if the client provides a list of local media. At this time we have found 7 out of 10 times the media will feature an article on the newly certified business.
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