The sure cure for Green washing is very evident. We have all heard the phrase that "You cannot prove what has not been measured." The proof of the first down in football is when they "bring out the chain" to measure whether the team has advanced the ball the required ten yards. How often have we seen a player jump up declaring a first down, but find out when the referees (auditors) measure the distance that the team has come up short?
Speeders know the speed limit on the highway, and yet they feel obliged to travel at speeds that they deem are still safe since they are "traveling at the same speed as traffic." Then the officer (auditor) measures the speed on a radar gun and writes a ticket.
College students do not grade their own tests, toll booths do not trust that travelers will pay the proper amount, and golfers are not trusted to keep their own scores. Why? Because it is just simply too easy to give yourself the benefit of the doubt, a free pass, and credit for good intentions as good enough.
Verification by a third-party audit is the only way to provide a certification that can be respected. The willingness to short-circuit the system and proclaim that voluntary compliance or a self-assessment is as good as a true audit is a convenient lie. This lie is not only self-serving, but a willingness to deceive the public for monetary gain. If this were not so, these voluntary, self-assessments would not need the incentive of a certification and logo to show off to the buying public.
There is always an easy way and a proper way to do any good thing. Many watched one of several marathon races where runners finished a grueling effort to win their rewards fairly. Then there were reports of some people who took short-cuts, got rides on bicycles, and simply entered in the last mile. Baseball player have used steroids to secretly cheat the system. As these cheaters ran through the line, the cheers they first experienced turned to jeers and angry resentment when the truth came out. These people were cheaters who believed that the shortest route served their selfish interest. Obviously, the public did not agree; and the backlash was worse than the brief adulation enjoyed at the beginning.
By R. Michael Richmond
R. Michael Richmond, is the Director of Development for the Green Business League (http://www.greenbusinessleague.com/) and an avid proponent of Green and sustainable business programs.The Green Business League offers a national certification for Green business that has been broadly received as a leading standard for environmental compliance.
