Be the change you want to see in the world.
You know every decision you make as a business has a financial impact. But, that decision also has an environmental and social impact. Research has shown that businesses that look at all three areas of impact, their triple bottom line, out-perform their competition. That’s because they are reducing their operating costs, they have stronger employee attraction and retention, and they have a stronger brand recognition and loyalty by their customers.
green|spaces developed the green|light Green Business Certification Program for the Chattanooga region to help businesses take that next simple, practical, and affordable step toward becoming a better business and making a better world.
Step 1: Become a green|spaces member
All green|spaces members now have full access to the green|light program.
Step 2: Earn Badges
Every time you complete the requirements for a topic, you’ll earn a badge. So for energy, you’ll need to create a baseline to see how much energy your business uses and whether that’s above or below normal. Then you’ll take a few simple steps toward reducing your energy use. When you’re done, you’ll send us a photo or a document and you’ll earn your energy badge on your business profile. You can earn badges for Environmental Literacy, Wellness, Energy, Water, Purchasing, Green Cleaning, Landscaping, Waste Reduction, and Transportation.
Step 3: Get your green|light certification
When you collect all 9 badges you can apply for your full green|light Certification. We’ll do a green ribbon cutting to celebrate your achievement. You’ll get a window cling for your front door and a logo for your website. We’ll promote you as the green business you’ve become! There will be a nominal fee based on the size of your business simply to cover to cost of the review.
GREEN|LIGHT IS An independently verified corporate SUSTAINABILITY CERTIFICATION FOR BUSINESSES in the chattanooga region.
Green|Light helps businesses with Employee Attraction, Stronger Public Image, Cost savings, and Environmental stewardship.
EMPLOYEE ATTRACTION:
Millennials now make up one third of the American workforce, the largest generation at work. 88% of millennials look for employers with social responsibility values that reflect their own. —Fortune Magazine
STRONGER PUBLIC IMAGE:
By ignoring sustainability, companies are missing an opportunity to broaden their scope of influence and may be damaging their brand equity.
COST SAVINGS:
Doing well by society often dovetails with a company’s own profit interests—especially in the current business climate, where social responsibility is rewarded by customers and investors alike.