This video does a good job of giving a few of the many component examples of ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance).

If you are confused by the phrases ‘Net Zero’ and ‘Carbon Neutral’, this is an excellent article.

For a company –

Net Zero incorporates all emissions involved with the process of the business, including things outside of your direct control, like suppliers.  It incorporates:

• Scope 1 – Direct carbon emissions from company-owned and controlled resources
• Scope 2 – Indirect carbon emissions from a company’s utility-provided purchased energy
• Scope 3 – Indirect carbon emissions (not in #1 or #2) that are part of the value chain, including waste, travel, commuting, purchased goods/services (both production of product-related and non-production-related), transportation/distribution (from both suppliers and customers), fuel/energy (not in #1 or #2), capital goods (equipment, building), investments, franchises, leased assets, used/sold products, end of life treatment.

Carbon Neutral has fewer barriers and occurs when a company is making, or creating, no net release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, especially as a result of carbon offsetting.  In effect, a company can become carbon-neutral by defining its carbon footprint and purchasing carbon offsets.

We like to view carbon neutrality like training wheels on a bicycle – Your parents gave you a bicycle for your birthday and you want to ride it, but you need those training wheels.  It initially feels great.  But, pretty soon, you want to be able to ride that bike without those training wheels.  We view carbon offsets as the training wheels – they get you to where you want to be instantly, but they are not what you want to use forever.  You don’t want the expense, nor do you want to continually ‘buy’ your carbon neutrality.

We believe you should use the following process for you company:

• Become certified sustainable via a program that meets the criteria discussed in this PPP.  If you pick the right one, it will also serve as a foundation for the rest of the work discussed below;
• Quantify your carbon footprint via a professional who is certified (as an Auditor or Lead Auditor) in both sustainability and greenhouse gas emissions. This person should not only quantify your carbon footprint and help you purchase legitimate, globally-recognized and respected, carbon offsets; but also help you adjust your sustainability program’s project plan to, over time, become less dependent on those offsets, ultimately not needing them at all;
• Start your ESG program, using your sustainability program as foundation (it is the E and, if you picked the right program, will also help you with the S and the G);
• Build your ESG program slowly, not expanding faster than you can manage;
• Quantify your entire Net Zero score via a professional who is certified (as an Auditor or Lead Auditor) in both sustainability and greenhouse gas emissions. Again, you want your sustainability program to do most of the work for you and if you selected the right one at the beginning, it will;
• Start your Net Zero pursuit, using your sustainability program as foundation.

Many organizations look at sustainability, carbon neutrality, ESG and Net Zero as independent things and attack them as one-offs.  However, if you start with a globally-accepted sustainability program that can serve as the foundation for the others, you can grow at a pace that is comfortable for your organization and the entire process is less expensive, less time consuming and far easier.

This article in MassBio News asks the question “How does your company define sustainability?”

At Edenark Group, we have always felt the answer to this question is key as to whether an organization decides to become environmentally sustainable….and if that organization remains sustainable year after year.

This is why we start our website presentation with the same question – “How Would You Define Corporate Environmental Sustainability?” and we give our answer –

“Maximize performance and return without compromising the environment or future generations; via continual improvement of awareness, health, operation and efficiency of the organization and promotion of sustainability certification and performance achievements and successes to all internal and external stakeholders.”

Our clients realize our mission is to help them maximize performance and return….and to help them continually improve.  We use sustainability as a tool to accomplish that.

In our service model, sustainability is not in conflict with performance and return, it is a driver of performance and return.

Per this article, later this month, on the 22^nd of March, 2023, the European Commission will publish a proposal for a new directive on Green Claims made by products/services.

We all know consumers want companies to be sustainable.

We all know data shows sustainable companies perform dramatically better than their non-sustainable peers.

This puts tremendous pressure on non-sustainable companies to Greenwash (exaggerate their sustainability claims).

Per a 2020 study by the Commission, 53% of the sustainability claims they investigated were too vague, misleading or simply unfounded.  Further, 40% did not have adequate evidence.

Besides the Commission, there are many groups and individuals devoted to finding and exposing organizations that Greenwash.

For those of you who know your company is Greenwashing, time is not on your side.

Watch this webinar and give us a call.  We can help.

WWNN Radio’s Newsworthy Stories segment host Jacqueline Jimenez interviews David Goodman of Edenark Group and discusses the benefit of becoming environmentally certified sustainable.

We all know when there is change there is also the chance for opportunity. 

We also know, you need to be ready for when your chance for opportunity comes.

There is a growing interest from consumers to ‘buy local’.  This benefits SMEs (small to mid-sized enterprises).  But, to win those consumers, this article tells us, consumers are demanding you prove you are a Good Corporate Citizen by being a sustainable company.

• Consumers and investors are becoming better able to investigate and uncover Greenwashing (ie, saying you are sustainable when you are not);
• 9 out of 10 consumers say it is important for your company to be environmentally sustainable;
• 64% of them say your company’s performance on environmental and social issues is a factor in their purchase decisions;
• 25% of them have already switched brands due to their sustainability beliefs.

Think about that last point – 25% of consumers have already switched brands due to their sustainability beliefs.  Was your company ready for when those consumers were making their decisions and did you win that business? 

Those were the Innovators / Early Adaptors.  The next 25% – 35% is the Early Majority.  That’s happening right now.  Are you taking or giving market share as they switch?  If you are the giving type, think of the cost of trying to win that business back.

What about when the Late Majority’s 20% takes the plunge?  Will you be ready for them?

Or will you wait for when the Laggards finally come around?

If you want to use this change as a chance, watch this webinar and contact us.

We are honored that Marisa Kirio, a UCLA Extension student, interviewed David Goodman, CEO of Edenark Group, on a number of sustainability topics, for classroom review and study by sustainability students at UCLA.

Interview

Edenark Group offers the world’s premier environmental sustainability certification program for SMEs (small to mid-sized organizations).

SellSMART Not Hard, d/b/a OMNIVERSE CITY™ (https://theomniverse.city/ ), a New York-based, Metaverse As A Service company, has decided to pursue the Edenark Group ISO 14001 environmental sustainability certification program.

The Edenark Group ISO 14001 is the world’s premier environmental sustainability certification program and allows SMEs (small to mid-sized enterprises) the ability to attain the world’s most popular environmental certification standard via a program designed and priced specifically for them. Edenark Group also helps clients pursue carbon neutrality and ESG compliance, using the Edenark Group ISO 14001 as a foundation for long-term compliance.

The program, which allows companies to progressively improve at a pace that works for their needs, helps the organization define how it interacts internally, externally, and with the environment.  It incorporates energy/waste/water, employee health and performance enhancement, community involvement, procurement and suppliers, compliance and regulations, emergency/security, and stakeholder engagement.  Benefits include creating a culture of continual improvement, stakeholder engagement, lower costs, higher revenues and profits, improved employee performance, and…… doing the right thing for the environment.

Charlene Nichols, Founder & CEO of SellSMART Not Hard d/b/a OMNIVERSE CITY™ states “As a mother of 3, I am committed to providing a future that is sustainable so future generations can thrive. There are so many opportunities to approach events, business development and retail opportunities in a more mindful, efficient and innovative way.  The Edenark Group ISO 14001 Sustainability Certification will both help to hold us more accountable and to help us lead other companies who aspire to take the same steps.”

“When an organization pursues, and attains, the Edenark Group ISO 14001 sustainability certification, they are not just doing it to see their costs go down and revenues and profits go up. They are setting a higher bar for their organization and sending a signal to all those around them,” says David Goodman, CEO of Edenark Group. “They are agreeing to adhere to the world’s gold standard for sustainability certification; are choosing to be a leader and part of the solution, not the problem; and are joining an elite fraternity of over 300,000 organizations, in over 150 countries, that have committed to continually improve in every way.”

SellSMART Not Hard d/b/a OMNIVERSE CITY™ (https://theomniverse.city/  ) can be reached at info@theomniverse.city

Edenark Group (https://edenark.com ) can be reached at +1 561.512.2257

release

According to a study by MIT / Sloan / Boston Consulting Group, discussed here, the #1 thing your business needs is a way to achieve competitive differentiation.

That’s where we come in, as consumers (B2C) and corporate clients (B2B) are willing to move their business to certified sustainable companies.  

This webinar / PPP gives more detail.