USA
America’s Best Cleaners (ABC) is encouraging its affiliates to make a positive long-term change and become certified by the newly branded Green Business Benchmark, formerly Green Business Bureau (GBB). GBB’s recent rebranding signifies an opportunity for the organisation to align with customer needs, establish clarity, and support the future development of products. Green Business Benchmark’s mission is to deliver easy-to-use software that empowers organisations to accelerate their sustainability impact with the ultimate vision of making sustainability accessible to every organisation on the planet.
GREEN INITIATIVES: Photograph shows a group of ABC Affiliates on a ‘green’ inititiative when they visited Santa Barbara CA desalination plant to learn about the water shortage facing the west and ways to collectively reduce water consumption and lower wastewater production
Leah Mowery, Green Business Benchmark's sustainability program manager, shared: "ABC has exemplified a steadfast dedication to sustainability throughout our relationship. Their proactive involvement has been instrumental in shaping innovative drycleaning sustainability initiatives for their affiliates and beyond, resulting in certification and value creation for all involved.”
The drycleaning industry is seeing an increase in regulations related to sustainable business practices, including Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), SEC regulations, and EU climate disclosures and reporting. Consumer demand for sustainable products and services is also on the rise, with 76% of US consumers and 80% of young US adults willing to pay more for environmentally friendly products according to the 2023 Business of Sustainability Index released by PDI Technologies.
ABC's executive director Chris White said: "Celebrating over 15 years of our alliance with the Green Business Benchmark, we at America’s Best Cleaners remain more committed than ever to leading the charge in sustainable business practices. This long-standing partnership is a cornerstone of our mission to combine top-tier service with environmental responsibility. Through Benchmark's comprehensive suite of eco-friendly tools and initiatives, we've not only championed sustainability but also unlocked new avenues for profitability and excellence in our industry. As we continue this journey, our enthusiasm for making a meaningful, positive impact on our planet only grows stronger."
Affiliates that are GBB certified can now be identified by the new certification badge beneath their logo on the ABC website. This badge links to the affiliate’s GBB profile where consumers can view its sustainability performance and completed initiatives.
ABC has achieved Platinum Level Certification with the GBB and was named one of the ‘Best of GBB’ in 2022 in recognition of the organisation's sustainability efforts. ABC's history of sustainability includes the early adoption of liquified CO2 cleaning, professional wetcleaning, and the implementation of the world's only bio-based textile cleaning agent, SystemK4. ABC continues to work with technology partners to implement paperless tagging, invoicing, and manifesting to reduce paper and single use plastic consumption.
