Sustainable Business Criteria
Many sustainability measures save businesses money and result in higher productivity, helping their bottomline. It should be no surprise then that major chains such as Wal-Mart and Home Depot are beginning major sustainability campaigns. At the Environmental Center, we feel it’s important for communities to define for themselves what it means to be sustainable and then let companies large and small figure out how to meet these community-defined criteria.
To research sustainable and socially responsible business practices, students read about how groups around the country and around the world are thinking about these issues. They then spoke with 10 local businesses and local sustainability advocates to get their ideas and opinions.
Here is more information on what businesses can do to help create a sustainable and socially just world.
Cutting the Carbon Footprint – Businesses around the world are trying to reduce global warming by cutting the use of fossil fuels, encouraging the use of mass transit and alternative transportation such bicycling, or by using alternative fuels in individual or fleet vehicles. Businesses are also conserving energy in their operations, becoming more energy efficient, purchasing green power, or generating renewable energy on-site. List what your business is doing to reduce your carbon emissions.
Responsible Purchasing and Product Sourcing – By purchasing and selling local, fair trade, sustainably produced, sweatshop-free goods and services with minimal packaging, many businesses are sending signals up the supply chain and leveraging the marketplace in a sustainable direction. Businesses are also searching out products that are reused, made of recycled materials, and/or produced with minimal energy requirements, lowering their impact on the planet. List what your business is doing to buy and sell sustainable and just products.
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle – More and more businesses are trying to eliminate waste from their operations by promoting reuse, using biodegradable products, and going the extra mile to recycle on-site while also making recycling accessible to customers. Businesses are also working to use precious resources like water as efficiently as possible. List what your business is doing to reduce, reuse, and recycle.
Enhancing the Environment – Realizing that their business relies upon a healthy ecosystem, several enterprises are re-investing in the natural capital upon which their business and the planet depend. Making the air, water, and land cleaner, healthier, and more ecologically sound should be a part of every business. Actions in this area range from using cutting-edge technologies to process waste, to organizing employees to clean up a river, to planting trees and protecting habitat. List what your business is doing to enhance the environment.
Community Education & Investment – Businesses large and small invest in the health of their community by sponsoring educational events and donating money and services to organizations working to improve the local quality of life. Some businesses make a conscious decision to try to make their products and services affordable to everyone. Businesses that locate themselves downtown in a central location help to both strengthen community and discourage sprawl. List what your business is doing to invest in the local community.
Fair and Healthy Workplace – Business depends on a strong partnership between owners and employees. Several businesses support their employees and the greater community by providing a livable wage, health insurance benefits, release time for volunteering, and other opportunities that improve their workers’ quality of life. Many businesses also actively support diversity in the workplace and take tangible steps to discourage discrimination, such as providing domestic partner benefits. Businesses also promote healthy lifestyles by going beyond OSHA requirements to create a safe environment for workers. List what your business is doing to create a fair and healthy workplace.
Check out our Sustainable Business Listings and see what businesses in the San Juan River watershed are doing in each of these areas.
Links to many of the organizations and initiatives that the students discovered during their research are available in the Sustainability Resources portion of our website.
