 Plenty of associations are concerned about greenwashing. But with PR spin and lack of transparency, it can be difficult to know what’s greenwashed and what’s just plain green. So if you want to fight it, take a cue from the playbook of an association built on an anti-greenwashing mission. Since its inception in 2005, the Green Burial Council (GBC) has fought to bring greenwashing to light in the funeral industry. The association provides third-party oversight to ensure that natural burial options marketed as “green” are indeed environmentally friendly. “When [founder] Joe Sehee became interested in this movement, he realized there weren’t really any standards or ways to know what truly was green,” said John Niedfeldt-Thomas, leader of GBC International’s (the 501(c)(3) arm of the organization) education and outreach efforts. GBC went on to form its own standards. Its force has been felt in several ways, with successes such as legislation permitting eco-safe disposal methods and a rise in education about the impact of traditional burial and cremation. Consider these insights from Niedfeldt-Thomas on what associations can do to fight greenwashing—and how they can avoid doing it themselves. set the standardGBC has created a set of criteria as to what’s truly green in its industry and certifies organizations that meet those criteria. The organization arrived at these standards by consulting with experts on natural burials, looking at which methods, products, and materials lead to pollution and other land and water issues. GBC also took cues from trusted sources, such as green guides from the Federal Trade Commission. If there are no environment-related certifications in your industry, you can start forming criteria by doing the same: consulting with experts in your field. You can also approach regulators directly and push for environmental standards to be implemented, as GBC did with the FTC. When creating criteria, try to be as holistic as possible. “In the case of green burial, the full picture of environmentally sound practices is what counts,” GBC states in its handbook. “For instance, a casket made of organic materials may be green, but transporting it over 3,000 miles to its destination using fossil fuels and child labor to construct it is not considered green.” spread the wordAnother way to push green initiatives over greenwashing is to educate the public and other organizations about these standards and environmentally friendly practices. That way, an informed public can more easily spot flimsy assertions from organizations claiming that they’re green. Plus, it can help well-intentioned organizations avoid greenwashing by showing them how far they need to go to truly be environmentally friendly. Niedfeldt-Thomas said that GBC works to educate funeral directors and cemetery operators about what constitutes a green burial and the eco-conscious options available to them. BE TRANSPARENTWhen determining which organizations and products are actually green, prioritize transparency. What claims are they making? Where’s the evidence that they’ve followed through? Are they certified? If so, using what standards? It might be a red flag if an organization provides no proof that it’s keeping its promises. “Where greenwashing is most often manifested is vague words that are used by companies to talk about their processes or products,” Niedfeldt-Thomas said. This goes for your organization as well: In your environmental efforts, avoid greenwashing by telling the public what you’re doing, your standards, and how you’re holding yourself accountable. Be as specific as possible. This article originally appeared on AssociationsNow.com. Reprinted with permission. Copyright ASAE: The Center for Association Leadership (June 2022), Washington, DC. Two Board Members of the Green Burial Council take the stage this September during the Green Funeral Conference 2022. Rachel Essig is the Executive Director of River View Cemetery in Portland, Oregon which has been offering natural burial and funerals since 2009 and is a certified hybrid cemetery by the Green Burial Council. She’s joined by Jodie Buller, Cemetery Director of White Eagle, to talk about the spectrum of green funeral and burial service options, as well as some considerations for developing financially sustainable "green" business models. Darren Crouch is president and co-founder of environmentally responsible funeral product company Passages International, Inc., which is co-hosting the Green Funeral Conference 2022. Darren will take the stage to discuss sustainable products and fair trade as part of the Emerging Trends Panel with Lindsey Ballard of Ballard-Sunder Funeral Home on alkaline hydrolysis and Brie Smith of Return Home on Natural Organic Reduction. Don’t miss your chance to join these experts and learn more about how you can introduce green practices to your business. Learn more and register for the Green Funeral Conference 2022 in Albuquerque, New Mexico on September 13-15, 2022: goCANA.org/GFC2022.  Michael Hickey is a contributor to Associations Now.
Published by ASAE: The Center for Association Leadership, Associations Now is the premier media brand covering all aspects of association leadership and operations, from governance and membership to event strategy and workplace management. Associations Now is delivered in multiple award-winning channels and provides real-world stories, innovative thinking, and practical, how-to content to help you turn ideas into action. ASAE and the ASAE Research Foundation work together to bring the most comprehensive collection of resources, events, and services to association professionals. ASAE members lead and manage trade associations, individual membership societies, and voluntary organizations across the United States and around the world. The ASAE Research Foundation’s portfolio balances future-focused programs with research studies designed to help professionals improve their work and their organizations today.  Disasters happen, often without warning, and businesses must be prepared to deal with them. A natural or manmade catastrophe could threaten your employees or customers and shut down or interrupt your operations for an indeterminate period of time. While no one wants to think about a catastrophic event impacting their workplace, planning for various disasters is the best way to be prepared to respond if they do happen. EMERGENCY ACTION PLAN REQUIREMENTSThe Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) mandates that virtually all employers have an emergency action plan, which details the actions that employers and employees will take during a variety of emergency situations. Employers with multiple sites must have a dedicated plan for each location. For companies with more than 10 employees, the plan must be in writing and, at a minimum, it must include several elements, including a means for reporting fires and other emergencies, evacuation procedures and emergency escape route assignments, a system to account for all employees after an evacuation, and a plan for securing rescue and medical assistance. DEVELOPING A PLANInvolve managers and staff members in developing a plan, which should begin with brainstorming what disasters could potentially impact your workplace. What if a fire tears through your offices, or an active shooter is threatening your employees? Besides fire and violence, potential disasters include hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, earthquakes, toxic gas releases, chemical spills, explosions, and civil disturbances. Once you have identified potential emergencies, consider how they would affect your workers and your workplace and how you would respond. ALERTING EMPLOYEES AND OTHERS OF AN EMERGENCYA fire is the most common type of emergency for which employers must prepare. The emergency action plan must detail how employees will be alerted to a fire or other emergency so that they can evacuate or take other actions. In addition to alarms, which should have both a sound and visual element, companies could use an emergency communications system such as a public address system or portable radio unit to provide additional information. Employees must also be trained in how to report emergencies, both to other employees and to fire, medical, and rescue services. EVACUATING OR TAKING OTHER ACTIONDetail the conditions under which evacuating, sheltering in place, or another action would be necessary. Include in the plan a clear chain of command listing who is authorized to order the action and who is responsible for leading and coordinating the process. Evacuation procedures include routes and exits, and they should be posted where they are easily accessible to all employees. The plan should detail which employees, if any, will remain in the building to shut down critical operations, and when they should abandon the operation and evacuate themselves. Designate a meeting spot or other systems in place to account for everyone after the evacuation. Back-up copies of essential company documents, such as accounting and legal documents, as well as employees’ emergency contact lists, should be stored in a secure location. WHAT TYPE OF TRAINING DO EMPLOYEES NEED?Employees should be educated about the threats and hazards that could occur in your workplace, and they need to be trained in their individual roles and responsibilities in an emergency. Training should be repeated at least annually, and new employees should be brought up to speed in the procedures soon after hire. If there are changes to the workplace that impact your plan – for instance, a redesign of the layout or the introduction of new hazardous materials – the plan should be altered, and employees retrained accordingly. Most people find it difficult to think clearly and logically in a crisis. A well-considered plan to guide their actions can go a long way in keeping them safe. Sometimes it feels like we can’t go a day without hearing about a wildfire, flood, or shooting. The tumult of the last few years has reinforced the need to prepare for the unexpected. CANA Members can rely on the expertise found in their member benefits to ensure they’re up-to-date with OSHA requirements, have standardized procedures in the business, and are covered when something happens. Then, if tragedy strikes, you have a plan in place to respond. Not a member yet? Consider joining for just $495 so your business has access to these valuable resources and everything CANA has to offer. CANA Members also receive 30-minute complimentary consultation each month with CANA Legal Counsel Lara Price. Want to learn more? Lara will be on site of CANA's 104th Cremation Innovation Convention in Atlanta next week. Register to join us: goCANA.org/CANA22.
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