Spam alert for Ashley Carter Selection Committee Chair US Commerce Association

Two of my clients in unrelated fields received these 'awards' designations (pictured at above), and I think they may be part of a spamming operation and may have hidden motives. To support this theory, I searched for Ashley Carters name and her group and found this notice below from the Spokane Better Business Bureau:

"Recent emails notifying businesses that they have won prestigious awards from a national association appear to be part of a widespread scheme designed to get companies to pay for “vanity” awards and plaques."


The full BBB article can be found here:
http://spokane.bbb.org/article/all-that-glitters-us-commerce-association-awards-to-biz-may-not-be-what-they-seem-11397

The e-mail my client received is below.

.........................


I am pleased to announce that Devine Corporation has been selected for the 2009 Best of Wall Township Award in the Glassware Decorators category by the US Commerce Association.

In recognition of your achievement, a 2009 Best of Wall Township Award has been designed for display at your place of business. You may arrange to have your award sent directly to Devine Corporation by following the simple steps on the 2009 Best of Wall Township Award order form. Simply copy and paste this link into your browser to receive your award:
https://www.us-ca.org/AHKAS-JDTK

Each year, the US Commerce Association (USCA) identifies companies that we believe have achieved exceptional marketing success in their local community and business category. These are local companies that enhance the positive image of small business through service to their customers and community.

Also, a copy of the press release publicizing the selection of Devine Corporation has been posted on our website. The USCA hereby grants Devine Corporation a non-exclusive, royalty-free license to use, reproduce, distribute, and display this press release in any media formats and through any media channels.

An Award Code has been assigned to your company that can be used on our website for quick access to your award information and press release.

Your Award Code is: HKAS-JDTK

Sincerely,

Ashley Carter
Selection Committee Chair
US Commerce Association

Wal-Mart to put green ratings on products

I'd like to see all my clients with products and services consider doing what Wal-mart is doing: creating green ratings. Please see article below. The logic is three-fold: 1) it helps the planet 2) makes your product cost less 3) puts you ahead of competitors. Consumers care what a product does to the environment.

Excerpt:
Wal-Mart Thursday will tell suppliers they must calculate and disclose the full environmental costs of making their products, then allow Wal-Mart to distill the information into a rating system that shoppers will see alongside prices for everything from T-shirts to televisions.



The questionnaire Wal-Mart sends suppliers is below.

Please find the full article here:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124766892562645475.html


Sustainability Index: Supplier Assessment Questions
Energy and Climate

Reduce energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions

1. Have you measured your corporate greenhouse gas emissions? (Y/N)

2. Have you opted to report your greenhouse gas emissions to the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP)? (Y/N)

3. What are your total greenhouse gas emissions reported in your most recently completed report? (Enter total metric tons CO2e, e.g. CDP6 Questionnaire, Section 2b -- Scope 1 and 2 emissions)

4. Have you set publicly available greenhouse gas reduction targets? If yes, what are those targets? (Enter total metric tons and target date; 2 fields or leave blank)

Material Efficiency

Reduce waste and enhance quality

Scores will be automatically calculated based on your participation in the Packaging Scorecard in addition to the following:

5. If measured, please report total amount of solid waste generated from the facilities that produce your product(s) for Wal-Mart Inc for the most recent year measured. (Enter total lbs)

6. Have you set publicly available solid waste reduction targets? If yes, what are those targets? (Enter total lbs and target date; 2 fields or leave blank)

7. If measured, please report total water use from the facilities that produce your product(s) for Wal-Mart Inc for the most recent year measured. (Enter total gallons)

8. Have you set publically available water use reduction targets? If yes, what are those targets? (Enter total gallons and target date; 2 fields or leave blank)

Natural Resources

High quality, responsibly sourced raw materials

9. Have you established publicly available sustainability purchasing guidelines for your direct suppliers that address issues such as environmental compliance, employment practices, and product/ingredient safety? (Y/N)

10. Have you obtained 3rd party certifications for any of the products that you sell to Walmart? If so, from the list of certifications below, please select those for which any of your products are, or utilize materials that are, currently certified.

People and Community

Responsible and ethical production

11. Do you know the location of 100% of the facilities that produce your product(s)? (Y/N)

12. Before beginning a business relationship with a manufacturing facility, do you evaluate their quality of production and capacity for production? (Y/N)

13. Do you have a process for managing social compliance at the manufacturing level? (Y/N)

14. Do you work with your supply base to resolve issues found during social compliance evaluations and also document specific corrections and improvements? (Y/N)

15. Do you invest in community development activities in the markets you source from and/or operate within? (Y/N)

How products are made at SpreadShirt.com

Neat video:

Watch video

Good quotes

Design is problem solving.
- Kevin Farnham (2006)

The page metaphor is dead, and people are finally understanding what to do now that we don't have pages.
- Liz Danzico (2008)

Choice architecture: the framing of how decisions are presented to consumers

An article from the Wall St. Journal about government policy mentioned this neat approach to business:

... "choice architecture" -- the context, format and framing of how decisions are presented to consumers. You will eat more nuts from a big bowl than from a small bowl. You will choose surgery if you are told it offers a 90% chance of survival; you will reject it if you are told there is a 10% chance it will kill you. The same people who would skip investing in a 401(k) if they had to "opt in" to the plan will participate if they have to "opt out" in order to skip it.


I wonder how this may be applied to help us succeed at anything we do.

Read full article here:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124545477468032915.html