The "First Mover" Advantage for Green Businesses

Catching a wave is better than paddling ashore.   In many ways, business is about opportunity as well as good planning.  So, the concept of being “First” shows leadership, business prowess, and a savvy understanding of the market.  Green business certification is the hot issue of the hour, and will only increase in value.  Isn’t it odd, that there is such universal heel-dragging on a subject that everyone knows is so vital to our daily lives?  Leadership for Green business is way behind the need for positive action.

The Green movement is still in its early cycle.  The vast majority of businesses now trying to capitalize on the subject are taking the wrong path of token or makeshift Green certifications that actually shows a lack of integrity that will be embarrassing later on.   This moment represents a time in which real leadership will stand up and do what is right.  It is called the “First Mover” advantage.  WalMart has already shown the way, but each industry has the opportunity to become the leader of their market segment as well.

This is certainly not done by adopting Greenwashing tactics by signing up with self-assessing website programs.  Buying a Green certification from greedy Internet opportunists is disingenuous and foolish.  The public is deceived when a certification logo brags of compliance, but no compliance is required by most Green certification offers.  This form of “Easy Green” is frankly a “Pay to Play” approach that collects a fee and requires no audit to be performed.

The Green Business League strongly objects to Greenwashing tactics, and never offers Green business certification in a blind self-assessment manner.  Every audit is don’t by a trained professional and uses a nationally-applied Green points system leading to Green certification.

Being the leader and first mover in your industry and community has a huge market value, but we should not forget that Going Green can be a big cost reduction benefit as well.  There should be no doubt as to what is coming to every business over the next few years.  There will be two kinds of businesses: “Those that have become Green, and those that wish they had Gone Green sooner.”  Avoiding a Green operation would be like running a business today with manual typewriters today.  Why hamper business by being out of step with the rest of the world?

The Green Business League has set a credible standard for all industry types.  Because GBL deals with Green Practices rather than the construction of Green buildings, any business can participate.   The question is whether your company will seize the opportunity to take the leadership before others figure it out.  This is the nature of leadership, and leadership says a lot about your company.  But, this opportunity will pass.

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