by jbs060609 f3 — June 10, 2009—Phoenix veteran in advertising and marketing and a Business Journal 40 Under 40 Alum Lisa Barnard of Brain Lab recently completed a green auditor course with Washington, D.C. firm Strategic Sustainability Consulting (SSC).
The backbone of the audit is a propriety carbon calculator developed by SSC in collaboration with D.C.-based think tank Redefining Progress and San Francisco-based The Green Office. In addition to a carbon footprint analysis, the comprehensive Green Audit includes the following: employee survey, office/building survey, facility walk-through and staff presentations on understanding sustainability, and a final report of findings and recommendations.
The Green Audit is most suited to small and medium-sized (under 1,000 employees) office-based businesses but can be modified depending on client needs. Aside from being a robust methodology for determining important metrics in the sustainable or “green” movement it has also reportedly become an indicator for areas of potential cost savings.
Barnard says, “Companies can do well by doing good, and a Green Audit ensures that relevant metrics are being factored into an overall “green” marketing strategy. The key to businesses adopting a sustainability program is understanding where the real cost-savings can be found.”
