mothering Mother

has been certified by the Green America’s Green Business Network as an environmentally and socially responsible business. This business has reached the Bronze tier by adopting principles and practices that demonstrate a strong commitment to conserving the environment and supporting social justice.

The Green America’s Green Business Network is proud to recognize their contribution to creating and growing a green economy by supporting the needs of their customers, workers, the environment, and the community. We appreciate your continued support of mothering Mother and thank you for your commitment to sustainability.

Member Since: 11/04/2011

Seal Valid Until: 11/04/2012

mothering Mother has completed the following initiatives:

  • Building an Equitable, Supportive & Inclusive Workplace

  • Conduct regular safety inspections to ensure appropriate air ventilation, lighting, and safety for workers (including yourself).

  • Offer employees flexible schedules to promote work life balance. (If you are a sole proprietor, hit 'Complete'.)

  • Offer a buying club or discounts for employees. (If you are a sole proprietor, hit 'Complete'.)

  • Institute grievance procedures to provide staff members with a process for addressing concerns or disagreements related to the violation of company policies. (If you are a sole proprietor, hit 'Complete'.)

  • Engage office teams to lead specific issues or projects within the office (i.e. event planning, health and wellness, space allocation, etc.). (If you are a sole proprietor, hit 'Complete'.)

  • Make an explicit effort through your hiring process to attract a diverse pool of job applicants (i.e. religion, race, sexual and gender identity, etc.). (If you are a sole proprietor, hit 'Complete'.)

  • Educating Employees, Customers & Vendors

  • Assist at least one other business in learning about sustainability and encourage them to join Green America's Green Business Network.

  • Include a sub-page on your website for green advocacy, education, information and resources links.

  • Include a statement on your website describing your company's social standards, goals, and objectives.

  • Include a statement on your website describing your company's environmental standards, goals, and objectives.

  • Ensuring a Fair & Responsible Supply Chain

  • Establish in-country personnel and/or independent third-party dedicated to monitoring labor practices for key production facilities.

  • Actively support the cultural traditions of local communities in which your business operates along your supply chain (ex. offers regional and religious holidays off, and food that respects diets of workers).

  • Make unannounced, at least annual, visits to your key production facilities and conduct offsite interviews with workers.

  • Identify whether your supply chain is free of forced/trafficked/slave/child labor.

  • Minimizing Emissions & Exposure to Toxins

  • Use low VOC (volatile organic compounds) emitting paint on walls and ceilings in workspace.

  • Use environmentally friendly cleaning products for daily use in the workplace, such as a non-toxic multipurpose cleaner or glass cleaner.

  • Install a filtered water tap at your sink or a water cooler for drinking water, instead of purchasing bottled water. (If you work out of a home office, click 'Complete'.)

  • Use natural pest management practices or minimize the use of toxic pesticide chemicals in indoor spaces. (If you work out of a home office, click 'Complete'.)

  • Relax the office dress code to allow for attire that doesn't require drycleaning, and encourage employees to switch to non-toxic dry cleaners. (If you work out of a home office, click 'Complete'.)

  • Use natural odor elimination methods, i.e. ventilating with open windows, air filters, carbon odor eliminators.

  • Use air-filtering plants throughout the office to improve indoor air quality.

  • If power-washing or cleaning windows, driveways, or company vehicles onsite, use non-toxic cleaners to ensure only rain goes down storm drains.

  • Ensure your green cleaning company or housekeeping staff cleans your office using green cleaning practices.

  • Ensure that workers are not exposed to toxins in the production process for your products (e.g. from dyes, paints, cleaners, etc.).

  • Choose composite woods that are made with non-toxic adhesives or resins; avoid urea formaldehyde.

  • Use untreated wood or non-toxic wood treatments in your products; avoid pressure-treated wood.

  • Minimizing Transportation Impacts

  • Arrange for a single delivery, or try to group shipments of several items at once from your vendors.

  • Use telepresence or other long-distance communication to replace travel when possible.

  • Encourage creative scheduling and telecommuting possibilities for your employees. (If you are a sole proprietor, hit 'Complete'.)

  • Use ground shipping rather than air whenever possible.

  • Core Practices

  • Bronze: After completing the GreenGain assessment, analyze your current sustainability performance and develop a plan that prioritizes initiatives based on your results.

  • Bronze: Organize an office Green Team, designate a green leader, or create personal goals to help champion green initiatives throughout your company.

  • Bronze: Based on your specific industry, describe to us the major area of social and environmental impact (pick one for each) of your business and how you're currently addressing it.

  • Bronze: For a company that hires employees or uses interns/volunteers, establish a process for providing clear feedback on performance. For sole proprietors, establish a process to receive regular advice/mentoring on how to improve company performance.

  • Bronze: Develop a company social and environmental mission and vision statement and post it on your company's website.

  • Bronze: Create and publish a clear return/refund/cancellation process for customers on your website.

  • Silver: Identify any major environmental sourcing concerns in your supply chain and address at least one with a clear action plan. (If you are a service-based business, please click 'Complete').

  • Silver: Recommend environmentally preferable products and services to all of your clients (If you are a product-based business, please click 'Complete').

  • Silver: Establish practices to support the development and training of your employees and/or interns/volunteers. If sole proprietor, develop and implement a yearly plan for professional growth and development.

  • Silver: Install the display source code for your Green America Seal of Approval on your website.

  • Gold: Develop a fair labor Code of Conduct and require written consent from your core suppliers (If you are a service-based business, please click 'Complete').

  • Gold: Implement policies that encourage employee job flexibility and work life balance. If sole proprietor, develop and implement a plan to build stronger work life balance.

  • Silver: Identify any potential labor concerns in your operations (service company) or supply chain (product company) and address at least one with a clear action plan.

  • Conserving Resources, Recycling & Minimizing Waste

  • Eliminate paper towels, styrofoam or plastic cups, plates and utensils in the breakroom or kitchen. Use re-usable mugs, dishes, and silverware instead.

  • Place bins at print and copy stations to store unused printouts for scratch, draft paper, etc.

  • Use recycled or re-used boxes, bags, and general packaging for office mailings, shipping, marketing, and promotions.

  • Reduce outgoing mail by updating the contact information on your company's mailing lists regularly.

  • Reduce incoming junk mail by removing your business' name from national direct marketing databases.

  • Establish a paper recycling program for newspaper, office paper, direct mail, white and colored paper, cardboard, envelopes, magazines, and catalogs.

  • Use printers that have a duplexing (two-sided copying and printing) function, and print/copy double sided when possible.

  • Establish a recycling program that includes glass, plastic, and aluminum.

  • Responsibly dispose of hazardous items, such as CFL/fluorescent light bulbs, batteries, paint, and electronic waste.

  • Upcycle waste or materials that can't be easily recycled.

  • Develop a paper stewardship and reduction policy, and conduct a paper reduction campaign.

  • Set up an office supply re-use center and encourage materials sharing (I.e. rechargeable batteries, scrap paper, markers, etc.).

  • Sell or donate unneeded furniture and office equipment.

  • Use reusable or compostable catering supplies for company meetings and events (i.e. digital handouts, re-usable dishware and linens, or biodegradable flatware).

  • Recycle unwanted equipment and electronics, such as computer monitors, hard drives, cell phones, PDAs, toner cartridges.

  • Maximize the percentage of post-consumer recycled content in packaging for your products.

  • Implement a minimal packaging policy, based on industry best practices.

  • Ensure that product packaging is operationally recyclable, biodegradable, or responsibly disposable.

  • Use the most recyclable plastic available (lowest number inside the triangular recycling symbol), if using plastic packaging.

  • Design the product so as not to become obsolete (to the extent this can be anticipated).

  • Reduce the amount of paper used in marketing materials by eliminating envelopes, using fold and mail, providing information electronically, etc.

  • Use recycled materials or biodegradable packing peanuts for fill in packages.

  • Eliminate use of virgin plastic, polystyrene, or any other petrochemical-based packaging for your products.

  • Reporting Performance & Progress

  • Regularly update your customers about your business' efforts to become more environmentally and socially responsible (i.e. through company newsletters, press releases, tweets, etc.).

  • Have an accurate and complete ingredient and/or species list on product labels and website.

  • Submit to third-party audits of social and/or environmental performance and share the conclusions with the public.

  • Saving Energy & Using Renewable Energy Sources

  • Set computers and monitors to enter automatic standby or sleep mode after 20-30 minutes of inactivity.

  • Contact your local utility to conduct a commercial energy assessment (oftentimes offered free) to pinpoint specific areas of energy efficiency.

  • Install an ENERGY STAR programmable thermostat to automate your HVAC or A/C system.

  • Design your office with day lighting in mind (i.e., take significant advantage of natural light with sky windows, skylights, etc.).

  • Reduce air leaks with weather stripping and caulking around windows and doorways.

  • Change your HVAC or A/C filters every month or as required by the filter and HVAC or A/C manufacturer.

  • Develop an energy conservation policy or program that encourages employees to support energy conservation. (If you are a sole proprietor, hit 'Complete'.)

  • Use ceiling fans and cross ventilation in place of air conditioning when possible.

  • Add insulation and a timer to your hot water heater, or use a tankless water heater. (If you work out of a home office, click 'Complete'.)

  • Saving Water

  • Test irrigation systems to ensure proper orientation (avoiding pavement) and water schedule.

  • Obtain an assessment of your building's water use to identify specific water conservation ideas. (If you work out of a home office, click 'Complete'.)

  • Install a smart irrigation controller that uses weather data to irrigate appropriately. (If you work out of a home office, click 'Complete'.)

  • Plant native, region-friendly plants to reduce irrigation and minimize the impact on the local habitat.

  • Use water-conserving cleaning methods when possible (i.e. sweeping instead of mopping and hosing).

  • Supporting Responsible Industry Practices

  • Regularly review your marketing and promotional materials to ensure there is no use of negative stereotypes.

  • Regularly educate yourself on the progress of responsible environmental and social practices in your industry.

  • Supporting Your Community

  • Reserve a certain number of hours per year for employees to volunteer on local environmental or community projects (e.g., Habitat for Humanity, Earth Day). (If you are a sole proprietor, hit 'Complete'.)

  • Taking Care of Animals

  • Minimize the use of animal ingredients in your products, or ensure that animal-based ingredients or components were responsibly produced.

  • Taking Care of Customers & Clients

  • Provide an industry-leading performance guarantee/warranty for your product or service.

  • Using Organic & Renewable Materials

  • Use Fair Trade or organic coffee, tea, and sugar in the office.

  • Identify and eliminate any petroleum-based products, or items with petrochemical derivatives additives that your company uses or offers.

  • Remove any materials in your products for which there are material scarcity concerns.

  • Establishing Transparent Leadership & Governance

  • Implement profit-sharing plans with staff. (If you are a sole proprietor, hit 'Complete'.)

  • Implement a democratic voting process or consensus approach for key company decisions. (If you are a sole proprietor, hit 'Complete'.)

Green America is a not-for-profit membership organization founded in 1982 (formerly "Co-op America" until January 1, 2009). Its mission is to harness economic power—the strength of consumers, investors, businesses, and the marketplace—to create a socially just and environmentally sustainable society.

Green America's Green Business Network™ is the first, largest, and most diverse network of socially and environmentally responsible businesses in the country. The Green Business Network serves to connect, market, and grow the green marketplace. The Green America Seal of Approval recognizes businesses that meet Green America’s rigorous certification standards and display a deep commitment to consumers, communities, workers, and the planet.