Going Green earns Green Premiums
During the time known as the Orange Era, citric cleaning products were brought to the market boasting of environmental safety, but left a stubborn mindset that these cleaning products were expensive and not as good as conventional products. The good news is that we are now in the Green Era, and the newer products are only 2% to 4% more expensive than commonly-used products. We are slowly discovering that the new generation of Green Products are as good or better than the products now in use by cleaning services.
It is a slow process, but companies are starting to realize that there are other financial considerations to “Going Green.” These benefits are referred to as Green Premiums referring to other factors that offer more than a clean building. While we can still enjoy a clean building, the Green Premium refers to the health impact and costs that also hit the company’s expense list.
Traditional cleaning methods have obvious health concerns because the chemicals being used by most cleaning services are dangerous. Constant exposure to these chemicals (like second-hand smoke) can not only hurt your employees but impact the bottom line of you company. By removing unhealthy practices, the company will certainly discover that the financial benefits are very rewarding.
Absenteeism is always a cost factor because the employees make business (and revenue) happen for the company. Health costs may be a concern for the insurance company, but those costs are returned to the company’s bottom line through increased premiums. Part of the cost for health is paid in out-of-pocket expenses, but health costs are a big expense item to any business. It makes sense that a healthier workforce will lead to better health insurance rates.
While thinking about Green Premiums, consider the value of a more alert and productive workforce. We have all found ourselves in a situation where something triggers a headache, depressed feeling, or aggravation of a condition. It make by a powerful smell, second-hand smoke, or diesel exhaust. Your office can be filled with small detractors from worker productivity.
On the marco scale of things, the well-being of a company’s workers ripples out into the world. The cost of caring for sick, debilitated workers is a societal issue. The trash and waste discharges of a company leaves the facility that has been cleaned to be handled by the sanitary services outside our facility. This affects our taxes and our health issues elsewhere.
The 2 to 4% costs of taking a company to a Green status seems easily covered by the health costs, insurance premium, and tax savings that will be realized. The Green Premium is the items that go beyond a clean floor and sanitary bathroom, and has more profound reasons to validate the process.
Last 5 posts by Michael Richmond
- Certification for Green Buildings - May 11th, 2008
- How to have a Green Building - April 27th, 2008
- Green Janitorial Pretenders - April 24th, 2008
- Green Lawsuits are Here - March 4th, 2008
- New Respect For Janitorial Workers - February 24th, 2008
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