Move your Business Beyond Compliance & discover New Markets

Many organisations spend a large amount of time and effort in establishing,developing and maintaining extremely close ties with their clients. With the advent of sustainability and the fact that its adoption is being accelerated, due to the likes of Wal-Mart and others investing in SA, organisations need to reassess their positions with their clients and customers.

Obviously it is vital to stay close to your market, but service and good relationship will give way to something bigger. Green Credentials. You see, it is really about re-inventing your position and moving into strategic supplier partnerships, as opposed to being just close. In this new age of Sustainability, the door will open more readily for your organisation with a redefined progressive approach. Align yourself with your clients systems, metrics, IT & Carbon monitoring solutions and understand their way of thinking.

Amalgamated Appliance Holdings CEO, Alan Coward, points out that “Walmart’s entry to the market — has shaken up SA’s supply chain” and has forced both suppliers& competitors alike to assess their offering & position in the marketplace, in order to remain competitive.

ACSA (Airports Company of South Africa) recently concluded an international deal with Brazil to manage their airport/s. Should ACSA have had demonstrable Green Credentials, their bid would have been far more easy to obtain. If the successes of other sustainable companies around the globe are anything to go by, ACSA’s proposed operating margin would have been protected or even improved by their ability to demonstrate their Green achievements.

Both South Africa and Brazil, rank extremely highly amongst countries posing as high risk of corruption. Any organisation demonstrating its commitment to the “Triple-Bottom-Line”and one that subscribes to ethical trading practices such as the likes of FairTrade, is really positioning themselves strategically, to become the obvious choice in tenders, even should their pricing not be in line.

So while you may still enjoy the unreliable position of “preferred Supplier”status with several or many of your clients, use your time wisely and rethink how to reposition yourself as the obvious choice for a strategic partnership, based on sustainability.

The future is Green!

Whether or not the SA economy is being driven into the Green Sector as a result of mainstream acceptance of the theory of man-made greenhouse gases causing environmental destruction, or finally by the understanding of the fact that there are too many of us consuming too many resources too fast, the reality is that the Green Economy is now in play!

If you are committed to personal growth in 2012, and believe that you can make a positive difference to society, business and to our most precious yet abused resource, EARTH, then you will need a selection of advance thinking, backed by tools and solutions to help you get there.

By simply understanding the balanced systems approach - knowing that  Earth, Climate and Mother Nature all work in an equilibrium, and that a small part can affect the whole, is an important starting point. No longer can we afford to live with the short term (ignorance) mentality of "I am okay, so everything is okay", instead we need to understand, accept and practice the 3BL approach (Triple Bottom Line) especially when it comes to people.

Better still, when you understand and apply William McDonough © 2002 approach of: "How do we love all the children, of all species, for all time" you will begin to see just how vital the systems approach is. This is not just about humans on the planet but instead about co-existence of all creatures on the planet. Many of the world's oceans are already over-exploited some more than 80%, so how will this affect the whole food chain? How will this effect industry, jobs, security and eventually us? We can no longer ignore these issues and for this reason more and more green ambassadors trained in green ideologies are needed as urgent catalysts of change.

In the Systems approach, the demise of one species will impact the existence of another.

Do you see yourself as wanting to help people and businesses who are struggling to find a sustainable balance, improved ethics, compassion, meaning or well-being in their lives? Do you want to make a good living and also do work that you are passionate about, and a career that makes a positive contribution to the world at large?

The world is changing at an alarming rate. In 2011 the world changed in so many ways from the floors of the stock exchanges, banking, economic, social, political and not to mention the technological changes. What opportunities and threats have these changes brought about? How do these translate into Green?

Many of us, organisations and institutions are stuck in the old ways of thinking & doing business and therefore by you training as a Certified Green Consultant / Coach / Mentor / Change Agent, you will become a vital conduit who can bring about real change, sustainable change, to any organisation.

So if you are seeking an extremely rewarding, yet challenging career in sustainability, you have passion for the environment and firmly believe that you are a good steward of the earth and aren't afraid to demonstrate it, then 2012 is the time to make the change.

Your next steps are: to get educated, get informed and get connected to a significant Green  Network who is passionate about Greening South Africa, who have the tools and systems to do so. For more info Please visit

http://www.go-green-consult.com/thegreenopportunity.htm and you can be soon on your way to making your dreams and passion a lucrative source of income, whilst saving the environment and more importantly, mankind.

We look forward to welcoming you on-board The Green Path Consultant Network!

So you're thinking about how to Go-Green this Christmas.

This is not your usual run-of-the-mill top 5 or top 10 tips to Go-Green, instead it is about making real and permanent changes that really do count.

This Christmas source organic, free range and where possible animal products from farmers who support CIWF (Compassion in World Farming). Consider supporting your local farmers so as to avoid unnecessary transport of goods from distant markets, which have incurred horrendous carbon emissions to get product to your local store.

We know that it is a massive task to feed the whole world, but at least, where possible, let's support farmers who rear their livestock on farms and not in factories.

Be sure to consider this when buying your milk, eggs, chicken, beef, pork or whatever protein it is you chose!

Here's a Kind Food Guide provided by the caring folks at CIWF - SA  http/www.animal-voice.org/images/stories/pdf/kind_food_guide.pdf

to help guide you to retailers who are making a difference in the way animals are reared for our consumption. With compassion! 

Should you need any more motivation to enjoying a "compassionate" Green Christmas this year, then take a quick moment and visit

http/www.ciwf.org.uk/your_food/default.aspx

Not gruesome. Simply thought provoking!

If the oldest amongst us are the wisest, then here are the wisest words you may ever hear….

“Our task must be to free ourselves... by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature and its beauty”.

(Albert Einstein)

Remember that the real price of the goods is not in the price you pay. It’s in the price you don’t pay!

Consider the LIFEcycle of the things you buy this Christmas, and chose your retailer carefully. There are retailers who really do care!

See Kind Food Guide above.

Paying a small premium to support a compassionate farmer, really is an effective way of Going-Green this Christmas.

On behalf of Go-Green Consulting, and The Green Path, we thank you for your interest in Going-Green this year and we look forward to making a difference in your life during 2012!

Have a wonderful, Green & Compassionate Christmas

&

a fantastic but safe New Year.

They say that Rome, wasn't built in a day and many would state that its because there wasn't a woman in charge or at the helm!

.... and for those of you males who are reading this shaking your head, here are a few Q&A's for you, which are certain to stop you head shaking and rather cause your jaw to drop:

Q/ What is a LOHAS

A/ LOHAS is an acronym for Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability. This a market segment focused on health and fitness, the environment, personal development, sustainable living, and social justice. Quite frankly, the market segment of the future, in many respects.

Q/ Which gender leads the LOHAS segment?

A/ You guessed it, Woman. Recent studies have shown that globally, woman make up more than 60% of the LOHAS segment, and their percentage is growing steadily.

Q/ Which gender accounts for the biggest segment in the US consumer market?

A/ Right again. Woman and they account for 85% of purchasing decision and in a recent survey of of the US, woman dominated the purchasing decisions by far:

* 91% of New Homes

* 66% PCs

* 92% Vacations

* 80% Healthcare

* 65% New Cars

* 89% Bank Accounts

* 93% Food

* 93 % OTC Pharmaceuticals

Q/ Which gender controls most of the wealth in the USA?

A/ So guys know the answer to this one because its common knowledge that the big shots of Microsoft, Berkshire Hathaway, Walmart, Google etc. are all males. Well here's the best kept secret, "Senior women age 50 and older control net worth of $19 trillion (in the US) and own more than three-fourths of the nation’s financial wealth". – MassMutual Financial Group–2007. Well you may say that this is SA not the USA....well watch this space!

Q/ So if 85% of the purchasing decisions are made by woman, how come only 3% of the advertising agencies' creative directors are woman?

A/ No logical explanation is to be found????

Q/ Who is making the green purchasing decisions?

A/ Just over 70% of the green consumers tend to be women.

So whats the deal guys? Is it an silent stigma that real men can't go-green? Or is it that real men simply don't have the Green X-Factor which women have?

It is becoming evident that women seem to have the right balance between vision & values coupled with the Green-X-Factor which I can only state as "Environmental empathy".

Well with that line of thinking, I hold out hope that the women of the world step up and apply the much awaited fix for the environmental decay the world is facing today.

So its all the Buzz! Everyone is doing it or wants to.

But rightly so many are dubious about going -green. The Green track record has not been without incident of unscrupulous operators.

Everyone is offering paid for solutions to go-green. At the Green Path, we don't believe in the fact that sustainability should be a "Pay-to-Play" approach. If it is for the good of the environment why not make it free.

Well this is exactly what "The GREEN PATH " is all about.

Now you don't have to part with your hard earned income to learn how to go-green. Simply sign-up to The Green Path on www.thegreenpath.co.za and learn step-by-step in a 100% free environment on how to green any establishment. It could be a school, a place of worship, B&B, a retail store, an office, a doctor rooms, government, council, city or whatever, the Green Path caters for you.

The Green Path even has a help guide for those who need it, so we can honestly say that it wont cost you a cent. Its absolutely risk free, There is only an upside.

Before you know it the months have raced by and suddenly half the year has passed by. How far have you progressed against those Green Goals or targets you set for your organisation at the outset of 2011?

For many the 1st half of 2011 has been a pretty testing time. Not surprising that Green Goals slip away as business as usual pressures take precedent.

Just answer your phone when a private number appears or walk into any shopping mall and you are confronted by hungry sales people. All doing their littlebit in their working environment to earn a living. Spending power remains sluggish as the cost of services continues to climb.

.....and what about your business? What costs are spiralling and eroding your hard earned income? Energy for one, with yet another 25% increase1st July 2011. It is also announced that these kind of increases will be the order of the day for another 2-3 years to come. So time to get leaner and more efficient.

So what can you do about it. Well,firstly understand what electricity tariff you are on, and is it the best tariff for your organisation? Where do the penalties of the tariff lurk? They are there, but do you know where? Understand the energy flowing through your organisation so you know when, why and how you use energy.

Treat Energy as an organisational currency or you will surely pay the price.......

Another solution is to enrol your organisation on the GREEN PATH, a free web-based software tool which takes you through a step-by-step framework on how to Green your organisation, and thereby reduce your expenses.

What other organisations protect as proprietary, we offer the public as part of our transparency.

Logon to the Green Path and experience the power of going-green with absolutely no cost.

Should you want one of our Certified Green Consultants to work with you on the Green Path, just let us know and we will set up a no obligation meeting with you and your organisations Green Team.

It could still be the best move your organisation has made this year!

The Green Business League now has fully trained Certified Green Consultants in the marketplace with dozens more soon to qualify. The online web based training system allows trainees to study at their own pace, whenever and wherever they desire.

Qualified Green Consultants are trained on assisting organisations of all types & sizes navigate the green divide. This green divide can be extremely daunting and often businesses suffer from inertia when faced with the abundance of solutions out there. Granted some work and some do not. Some are highly costly and others not. But most of all, our consultants are trained to guide organisations in the implementation of green practices which provide the most effective solutions.

All publicly listed companies are legally obligated to provide a sustainability report alongside or integrated into their financial report and this is certainly an area that our Green Consultants can provide expertise.

Isn't it time for a change by training as a Certified Green Consultant and start doing something really worthwhile ?

This could be your best strategic move yet.

So the New Year 2011 has finally arrived!

All those plans you have made during 2010 need to start kicking in now. But before you get started though, have a quick glance through your goals.

Do you have a Green Checklist for yourself and your organisation? If so, you are probably ahead of the rest, but what Green Practices have you targeted and more importantly how are you going to go about implementing it?

You see there are claims stating “Go Green in six easy steps” or go to the Library instead of purchasing books or eat less meat or switch lights off when not in use. Whilst these are all parts of going green, you cannot make any meaningful impact to the environment with these alone. You need a holistic practical approach based on green practices and ensuring that sustainability is effected across your entire value chain.

So How Do We Do It?

Well at the Green Path Inc. we know what Green is; we know where Green start; also what is involved in going green; and how to measure your level of Greenness.

You see with the Green Path Inc’s system we have really made this arduous task really down-to-earth and practical. No grandiose plans that never get off the ground, no false-starts and certainly no Green-Washing.

Simply put, we offer the real thing!

Contact us and we will gladly demonstrate to you just how our Certified Green Consultants™ at Green Path Inc. can really move your organisation forward on the Green Path, for a lot less than you thought possible. In fact we can do it far more affordably than you can. We understand that you have a business to run and Going Green is not your core focus, but it is ours!

What’s more, when you Go Green, you not only contribute to ensuring our existence on the planet, but you also save costs by utilising these scare and increasingly expensive resources in the most efficient way, without interruption to systems and lifestyles.

So whether its carbon accounting, energy efficiency, waste and energy audits or assistance in developing a workable sustainability plan for your organisation, we are ready to assist you!

Visit www.greencertified.co.za

or email us on

enquiry@greencertified.co.za

because Going Green in 2011 is simply

The Right Thing To Do!