CGSP - What Makes Us Different

What Makes The Canadian Green Sustainability Program (CGSP) Different:

  • The CGSP is not a product specific program. It accepts all Manufacturer or Distributor product lines that are EcoLogo or Green Seal certified.

  • The CGSP welcomes Building Service Contractors (BSC) and In-house Service Providers (ISP) who become Certified Green Sustainability Contractors (CGSC), into the CSSA organization, as Associate Members.

  • The CGSP represents a rapidly growing national network of Expert Sustainability Professionals (ESP), offering expertise and resource, to those Certified Green Sustainability Managers (CGSM) and CGSCs that need support in the program.

  • The CGSP has been endorsed in principal by EcoLogo/Terra Choice.

  • The CGSP is represented by a CSSA liaison officer to:
    • solicit endorsements from organizations like Terra Choice
    • promote the program to organizations like BOMA
    • promote the program @ various government levels across the nation

  • The CGSP has established a National Directory for its growing list of ESPs
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  • The CGSP has established a National Directory for its growing list of CGSCs.

  • The CGSP has established a National Directory for its growing list of CGSMs.

  • The CGSP reaches out to every BSC and ISP, regardless of size; and, has already established the largest national network of ESPs trained to serve BSCs and ISPs, in this country, regardless of demographics.

  • The CGSP is constantly under evaluation, to ensure preservation in leadership, green standards and technology.

  • The CGSP is represented by an industry panel of professionals, responsible to provide an unbiased, open forum to listen to and examine the recommendations/suggestions from within the industry. Sitting on the panel are Formulators, Manufacturers, Distributors and CGSCs; all of whom, have a strong belief in the program.

Protecting the Canadian Green Sustainability Program
Note: Franken LeDrew Consulting (FLC), from time to time, will perform impromptu audits or mini-audits of facilities that are certified. This is to ensure the following:

  • That a Site Audit performed by an ESP has met satisfactorily an FLC inspection of that audit
  • That the ESP performing the audit has satisfactorily met the applicant's (requesting the audit) expectation
  • That consistency of the CGSP is maintained throughout the facility, there by upholding the certified status level in which it has achieved
  • To police against any serious violation of the CSSA code of ethics, either perpetrated by an ESP or a CGSC. Any serious infraction against the program could potentially suspend or terminate their certification rights, as well as, place into jeopardy the certification status of that facility

  • An FLC audit could also be initiated as an investigation by one of its own agents looking into serious complaints of violation against the CSSA code of ethics.
    Examples of such violations are:
    • ESP falsifying an audit in favour of the CGSC by not recording their negligible practice of the CGSP
    • ESP falsifying an audit in favour of the Facility Operator/Manager just to obtain a Site Certificate that belies the true status of the facility
    • ESP falsifying an audit in favour of the Building Owner just to obtain a Site Certificate that belies the true status of the facility
    • ESP signs off on a BSC application without the BSC ever receiving training or testing
    • CGSC using their certification privileges as a smoke screen tactic to bid on green tenders and (or) to promote their company as being "Green" without any serious intention of delivering such a service
    • CGSC reverts back to using only conventional cleaners

  • If such practices are proven true, the consequences of such practices to the ESP are as follows:
    • Risk suspension from the program. Suspension to be determined by FLC
    • Risk complete termination from the program, if after re-instatement another serious infraction were to occur
    • Risk having their company name removed from the CSSA directory
    • Risk having all their Certified Site compromised
    • Risk losing all certification privileges
    • Risk having their name removed from the CSSA directory

  • If such practices are proven true, the consequences of such practices to the CGSC are as follows:
    • Risk suspension from the program. Suspension to be determined by FLC
    • Risk complete termination from the program, if after re-instatement another serious infraction were to occur
    • Risk having their company name removed from the CSSA directory (Tender validation jeopardized)
    • Risk having all their Certified Sites compromised
    • Risk losing the Re-certification privileges of their Certified Site accounts
    • Risk having to explain to their accounts - Building Owners or Facility Managers/Operator - inquiring as to why their facility had been disqualified from the CGSP
    • Risk losing all certification privileges
    • Risk being delisted as a CSSA Associate Member

The CSSA does not anticipate a large scale abuse of such practices. Formulators, Manufacturers and Labelling Organizations are meeting the intense "green market" demand for "preferable products". Today, BSCs and ISPs have a plethora of green products to choose from that meet or exceed their everyday needs, with costs that are comparable to those of conventional cleaners. It would serve absolutely no purpose for a BSC, an ISP or a Distributor to go through the process of becoming certified, only to then dishonour their reputation and integrity through selfish means. Public awareness towards our environment has become very sensitive and intense. The link between the Environment, Politics and the economy has never been stronger.