Green, greener, greenestwashing

Once upon a time, there was a Chinese company. Their website opened with a green banner about reducing emissions and saving the planet. The link to their Corporate Social Responsibility report was a button of a green tree, very prominent on the homepage.

The company produces airconditioner compressors and goes by the name of Highly. Their vice General Manager was  invited to a gathering of the Dutch Embassy about CSR held last month. He told the audience in his speech about the total installed capacity of the 118 million AC's they produce every year. This is more capacity than then three gorges dam alone can produce!

Hotshot continues his story: 'One of the struggles of Highly involves replacing the type of gas in our compressors by a more environmental friendly one.' Very noble of them of course. Except that the gas they are using is freon, a CFC that was banned by the Montreal Protocol to protect the ozon layer. It's now illegal in 197 countries (not China), and alternatives are widespread.

Last not but least, the human resource department of Highly is also very successful. All employees have two smileys they can use. One with the happy face that means everything ok! One with the sad face that means problem! Managers check out all employees with a sad smiley to see what the problem is. Managers have smileys too. Their managers come to check them out when they put the sad smiley on. Most days, Highly employees all have their happy smileys up. 'Working with Highly makes happy' says Hotshot.

Thumbs up Highly!

-- There's a very interesting documentary about the three gorges dam, made by an American Chinese, and a great hit worldwide.

-- Highly website http://www.highly.cc/