From Guest-Blogger Lynne: How to Position Your Company as a Green Leader

Although green initiatives began back in the 1970s, few companies and individuals were motivated to take serious action to protect the environment and focus on sustainability. In recent years, however, the target of living green has taken hold, dominating the activities of industry and individuals alike.

Living green has become such a force that progressive companies use their sustainability actions as components in their branding efforts. Further, many talented employees now state they prefer to work for green employers. Savvy recruiters and hiring managers are using this attitude to find the best candidates for important personnel needs.

Senior management officials in many companies, however, still remain unsure how to position their organizations to establish their brand as a green leader in their industry. Sustainability and GlobeScan have completed some surveys in recent years to determine what attributes leading green businesses share. Their results offer suggestions on how companies should position themselves to gain green leader status.

Get LEED certified

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is a vital component of green leaders. Building owners and operators have a framework for implementing green building design, including construction, maintenance and operations initiatives. LEED certification derives from independent, third-party verification that buildings were designed and constructed to achieve high-level human and environmental health. Key components typically include sustainability, environmentally friendly site development, water- and energy-saving technologies, safe and natural materials and high indoor environmental quality.

Lean manufacturing

Manufacturers adopt production practices that minimize use of any resources that do not create value for their end customers. With a goal of preserving value with less work and expenditure of resources, lean manufacturing may have been created by the Toyota Production System. Even companies that do not manufacture goods can benefit from purchasing from suppliers who use lean manufacturing processes. Their green initiatives can become your company’s green advances.

Green fleet management

Whether your company is in the trucking transportation industry, uses trucks to receive and deliver product or has a fleet of corporate vehicles, minimizing greenhouse gas emissions and conserving fuel establish your organization as a green leader. Environmentally friendly fleet management and eoc-friendly vehicles are strong components in green action plans. Greenhouse gasses contribute to global warming, which has become an issue of grave importance for the world’s citizens.

Using and/or generating renewable energy

Renewable energy can take various forms. Common renewable energy types include wind, solar, biomass, biogas and geothermal energy. Using one or more of these non-fossil fuel energy options establishes green leader status. Wind power, which is becoming ever more popular for company use, is affordable, efficient and technically inexhaustible. Producing pollution-free energy, wind power also is typically cost-efficient. Wind turbines produce enough electricity to light and heat millions of homes and provide power to companies specializing in manufacturing, operations and maintenance.

These are but a few components of positioning your company as a green leader in its industry and community. LEED certification, green management and renewable energy are just some of the ideas you can use to make your company more environmentally friendly. Use all that make sense to your operations and be sure to inform your industry and customers that you do. Soon you will be known as a green leader.