Kutchins, Robbins & Diamond of Schaumburg is 1st U.S. Accounting Firm Certified Green by GBL

July 8, 2010 - PRLog -- Kutchins, Robbins and Diamond, Ltd. (KRD), based at 1101 Perimeter Dr., recently became the first accounting firm in the United States to earn Green Business League (GBL) certification for its commitment to sustainable business practices.  KRD received the GBL’s Silver Certification after going through a 100-step auditing process that evaluated its existing practices and identified opportunities for improvement.

“We began placing a major emphasis on sustainable practices several years ago when we merged with another firm that had made real strides in that direction.  We like the results and appreciate the positive comments that those practices have elicited from our clients,” said Allen I. Kutchins, co-founder of KRD, which now consists of 45 professionals.

“To continue that thrust, it made sense to tap some outside expertise in the person of Kaye Kharasch of Green Building Connections.  Kaye is certified by the Green Business League and used the league’s audit process to evaluate our operations and identify the steps we could take toward improved sustainability,” he said.

GBL was established in 2005 and is based in Plainfield, Ill.  It attempts to educate businesses on sustainable practices and create a transparent and credible certification system that recognizes businesses for their success in implementing those practices.  Businesses seeking certification work with one of 300 consultants trained by GBL to assess green practices and help each company develop a plan to expand them.

According to Kharasch, KRD already had a number of sustainable practices in place, including a strategy that dramatically reduced the need to print documents and another to promote recycling.

“Our objective is to make businesses aware of the many relatively simple steps they can take to minimize energy use and reduce the waste they generate, while recycling as much of their remaining waste as possible.  At the same time, we look at a range of workplace health issues, such as reducing the use of toxins and inhibiting the transmission of contagious illnesses,” said Kharasch.

The GBL Silver Certification is the first of four certification levels available to businesses.  The GBL states that more than 3,000 businesses in the United States and Canada have participated in the program to date.

According to Kutchins, positioning KRD on a pathway toward maximum sustainability fits comfortably with the firm’s overall business philosophy.  

“We want to be perceived by our clients and associates as both a leader and an organization that can be trusted to do the right thing, even if that costs more money and takes extra time,” Kutchins said.  “Our commitment to sustainability embodies those values because it requires upfront investment, some extra effort and some increased operating costs, but we are convinced it is the right thing to do for our firm, our community and our planet.”

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About Kutchins, Robbins & Diamond, Ltd.:
Kutchins, Robbins & Diamond, Ltd. (http://www.krdcpas.com), is a CPA firm that provides accounting & auditing, tax services, financial planning, investment advisory services, elder care planning, Quickbooks® services, turnaround management, forensic accounting and business valuation. Our primary area of service is the greater Chicago metropolitan area.