Sustainability-minded service providers may become easier to find thanks to NSF International’s new standard, NSF P391: General Sustainability Assessment Criteria for Services and Service Providers.
Maintenance personnel, consultants, installation professionals, and other providers who pursue certification under the consensus-based standard will be better equipped to differentiate their offerings from those of non-green organizations, making it simpler for companies to find green operating solutions.
NSF P391 evaluates each service provider on three key facets of sustainability: environmental impact (energy use and greenhouse gas emissions), labor impact (health and safety issues and employment practices), and social responsibility (community assessment).
Certification is then awarded at the Conformant, Silver, Gold, or Platinum level, and the certified provider is able to use the NSF Sustainability Certified mark in advertising and marketing. The logo serves as a convenient way to initially identify service providers’ commitment to sustainability before further vetting them.
“The NSF P391 protocol is the first in the industry to help define what constitutes more sustainable services,” says Tom Bruursema, general manager of NSF’s sustainability division. “The criteria in this protocol help service organizations assess their internal practices, drive efficiencies, and attain preferred status in their markets.”
