Operating Certo

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is the Certo Online Sustainable Program?
  Our main service is the Certo Online Program, this is designed to take businesses along a sustainable pathway so they can best manage changes within their business. Once registered, a unique Certo reference number is supplied for each business and these are used for confidential reporting purposes. Your business is supplied with a work program (guides and templates) and is responsible for competing all information (guided by us). An initial online presentation and training session is completed, with follow up sessions if needed. Our online Tracker form is completed at the start of the program, then again after 3 months (to achieve Starter progress – the minimum status expected to be achieved) and again after 9 months (to achieve Operating status).
  
  Every year the form must be completed in order to record progress made by companies. Energy, water and waste is recorded along with benchmarking data: business type, floor area, employee numbers. This allows companies to be compared, using their sustainability profile with the profiles of like businesses (confidential reports are supplied by Certo as part of the monthly fee, no company names are supplied in these reports).
  
  Your business must achieve the Starter and Operating levels as these form the foundation of a sustainable business. Advanced is the preferred base level of achievement for your business to be regarded as a significant sustainable business performer. The Optimum level is optional.
• What do we need to do to achieve Certo Operating status?
  The Operating Level denotes that priority changes are underway, your business is considered active in sustainable management. The work program is underway, all stakeholders are identified. All energy, water and waste inputs and outputs are recorded with reduction steps in place. Carbon footprint and mitigation planning underway. All suppliers have completed the online “Supplier Credentials Survey“. Survey results have been analysed and suppliers have been ranked. Suppliers have been informed and they start to close any gaps identified. The ecosystem mapping, relative to the business, is now complete. Management metrics and accountability standards are identified. The materiality map is complete for products sold and purchased. Competitor gap analysis has been completed. Marketing and communications of sustainable practice gap analysis complete. The draft Corporate Sustainability Plan is now complete. Alignment with GRI reporting standards and UN SDGs, and GRI and UN underway. The business has completed all 3 months action steps, the business focus and the processes are aligned. The business has achieved up to 40% of the program requirements. The business is ready to move onto the Certo Advanced stage.
• What happens if we leave the Certo Online program?
  We hope you decide to stay on the program as you are able to report each year and receive confidential comparisons of your annual sustainability performance against like companies. However, if you do decide to leave then we simply need one month’s notice. The initial starter fee and all monthly program fees are non-refundable. You will no longer receive annual comparison reports and no longer be able to use the Certo logos and any publications (online, pdfs and printed documents) featuring our logos should be edited to exclude our logos within 3 months of you leaving the program.
• Who has created Sustainable Businesses and the Certo services?
  My name is Ken Graham, I am the business owner and the principal consultant. Sustainable Businesses and Certo services are run under the company: Sway Marketing Management Ltd NZCN 1212722.
  
  I am a qualified energy efficiency engineer, management consultant and sustainability advisor, with over 25 years senior management experience in industries directly related to sustainable business management. I have worked and studied in three countries so I have a good feel for sustainable business issues across varying cultures and operating environments (the Certo program and the sustainable businesses resources have all been developed based on this).
  
  My qualifications are as follows:
  
  Master of Business Degree (Massey, NZ)
  Master of Marketing Degree (Melbourne, Aus)
  Master of Science Degree (Plymouth, UK)
  
  Higher National Certificate Electrical Engineering (Blackpool College, UK)
  Diploma Energy Technology (North Trafford College, UK)
  Certificate EcoSystem Services Design (Geneva University)
  Certificate Global Environmental Management (Technical University of Denmark)
  Certificate Circular Economy - Sustainable Materials Management (Lund University, Sweden)
  Certificate Corporate Sustainability Management (Stern Business School, New York University)
  
  Certified Sustainability Practitioner (CSR, Dubai)
  Certified ISO 14001 EMS (EFG, UK)
  Certified Construction LCA (OneClick, USA)
  Certified Corporate Director (Inst Dir, NZ)
  
  
  
  
  As an experienced manager, researcher, analyst and presenter, I can provide comprehensive sustainable management services. I can combine business analysis, strategy planning, operations, marketing and communications with the technical aspects of manufacturing, product design and distribution.
  
  My relevant work experiences are as follows:
  United Kingdom - energy consultant, sustainability manager.
  Australia - energy and water efficiency advisor.
  New Zealand - energy efficiency advisor, senior official and NZ delegate in central government energy agency, water efficiency advisor, waste management and recycling advisory services, material sourcing and packaging design services, freight distribution analysis, sustainability management and training.
  France - creation of new sustainable businesses online consultancy venture, including an online best practice program.
• What are your sustainable practice service fees?
  The cost of achieving sustainable practice depends on the size and complexity of your business, in particular how many products and services you provide:
  
  Contracting charges vary between e60 euro/hr and e100 euro/hr (excluding taxes and travel/accommodation costs).
  
  Workshop fees are e600 (half-day), e1000 (full-day), e1800 (2 days) and e2400 (3 days) (excluding taxes and travel/accommodation costs).
  Online workshops are 80% of the above fees (a 20% discount).
  
  The Certo Online Program set up fee is e1,800 euro (excluding taxes) and the ongoing monthly fee is e60 euros/month (excluding taxes).
  This fee structure is for a single site business. If multiple sites are included the fee reduces by 10% per site to a maximum discount of 40% across all sites. Example: A company with 5+ sites would receive a 40% discount and would be charged a e1080 set up fee (excluding taxes) per site and each site would pay an ongoing monthly fee of e36 euros/month.
  
  Sustainability is not about loading extra costs into your business, it is about using the same budgets more efficiently and sustainably. This leads to lower operating costs, lower risks, lower stock redundancies and increased future-proofed revenues.
  
  However, you may (and most likely) incur other business costs in achieving your sustainability goals, such as: changes to technology used - relating to energy and water use, like transport, lighting, heating and motors, and changes to materials used and products purchased. These additional costs can be determined during the advisory process using third party suppliers.