scope:

The Standard is one of the first to focus on the service industry subsectors described as "professional services". Professional service firms are often characterized as those that have low capital intensity, high knowledge intensity, and a professionalized workforce.⁶

Some subsectors of the service industry rely heavily on the use, consumption, or conversion of raw materials, hazardous materials, manufactured goods, and/or energy to deliver the marketed service. A few examples might include commercial cleaning services, commercial landscaping, pest management, taxi service, and air travel. In these cases, the energy, material, or product-intensive nature of the service may dominate the overall "sustainability footprint" of the subsector, and the traditional lifecycle impacts of these energy and materials inputs may be the largest determinant in the service's triple-bottom line sustainability. NSF will address these service sectors as part of a separate, complementary Standard.

Purpose

The purpose of this Standard is to establish a set of general practices and performance criteria by which professional service providers may demonstrate their sustainability performance to meet the growing demand from governmental and private entities for sustainable products and services. Companies achieving certification to this Standard will have achieved documented and measurable levels of environmental, social, economic, and supply chain sustainability for the operations of their businesses and facilities.

⁶ The Sustainable Procurement Leadership Counsel ("SPLC"), Guidance for Leadership in Sustainable Purchasing Version 1.0 (2014) at 147.