The Greater Good - Volume 4, Issue 4
“Let us listen to the voice of unborn generations and make the Earth the hospitable place that any human being deserves."
-Gro Harlem Brundtland
With Earth Week here, it's more important than ever to realize how much impact your small business can have on the environment. From adopting a reduce, reuse, recycle practice to developing simple policies for your business to advocating for environmental change in your cities and states, you can make a huge difference in the livability of our planet.
And that difference can't come soon enough as an April 4th United Nations report on climate change indicated that the harmful carbon emissions from 2010-2019 have never been higher in human history. The UN's Secretary General Antonio Guterres stated that the world is on a "fast track" to disaster.
So what are some practical ways your business can help get us off that track?
Environmental products company Terrapass suggests 10 simple strategies to green your small business and reduce your carbon footprint.
Use renewable energy
Smart lighting, smart working
Reduce your business travel
Maximize energy efficiency
Reduce waste
Switch to smart shipping
Surround yourself with sustainable partners
Educate, engage and encourage
Save water
Use smarter temperature systems
Remember: every action your small business takes counts in keeping our communities and our planet livable for generations to come.
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Are you a BIPOC business? Helping create an inclusive and welcoming community, embracing all, is the highest priority for us. To do so, we are now offering 15% off our certification fee to all BIPOC businesses to become a Benefit Corporation for Good. Just reach out to us.
(23 reviews = 23 x 5-star reviews: What clients are saying about us.)
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Now about this issue of The Greater Good.
First of all, you can read what 11 thought leaders describe as the "one" essential tip to becoming a purpose-driven small business today.
Secondly, you can watch a YouTube video and learn the core best practices for DEI (Diversity/Equity/Inclusion) and how they can benefit your small business internally and externally.
Finally, you can listen to a podcast about why it's so critical that your business has a purpose people identify with and how to become more credible with your community.
11 Essential Tips for Building a Purpose-Driven Small Business To help leaders with building a purpose-driven business, we asked purpose-driven leaders and business owners this question for their best tips. From researching mission statements to identifying your “why", there are several tips and examples that may help you build a more purpose-driven business. Here are 11 tips to build a purpose-driven business. Read Now
What are the Best Practices for Bringing DEI into Your Small Business? It's a question we get asked often: How do I bring Diversity, Equity and Inclusion values into my small business? With this video, you'll learn the core best practices for DEI and how they can benefit your organization internally and externally. Discover how to take steps toward positively embedding DEI values into your organization to transform and sustain its health. Watch Now
Why should a Small Business Become a Benefit Corporation? How do small businesses today find a way to connect with purpose-driven consumers and employees? Listen in as we're interviewed on this podcast hosted by a highly-respected business that has worked diligently to become a certified B Corp and a certified Benefit Corporation for Good. Both are based on the triple bottom line of People, Planet and Profit and both help create engagement with people seeking to do business or work for a company that does more than just make a profit. Listen Now
HIGHLIGHTS
We're excited to announce our first Advisory Council for BCFG. These purpose-driven leaders are representative of our growing community and have made a true impact through their businesses and with their stakeholders. Most importantly, they will support the evoluation and continuous improvement of BCFG. Meet them here.
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Learn more about our 8 standards for becoming a certified Benefit Corporation for Good.
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EVENTS
April 28: How To Come Up with a Great Business Idea
Info here.
May 3: Essential Digital Marketing Strategies
Info here.
May 10: From Concept to Kitchen to Market
Info here.
FREE GUIDE: ENVIRONMENTAL TIPS TO GREEN YOUR BUSINESS
Looking for a simple small business guide to become a more sustainable small business? Environmental Tips to Green Your Business, authored by sustainability advisory firm, Thinking Beyond Business and a certified Benefit Corporation for Good, is available as a free download. Just sign up on their website.
INTERESTED IN SUPPORTING THE SMALL BIZ COMMUNITY THROUGH ADVOCACY?
The Small Business Utility Advocates is a 501c3 nonprofit organization that represents, protects, and promotes the interests of small business utility customers. Energy, water, and other utilities have a direct impact upon the success of small businesses.
As strong supporters of the work of SBUA, Benefit Corporations for Good has seen the organization in action before the Oregon Public Utility Commission and in B2B meetings using expertise and experience to push for equitable treatment for small businesses.
If you're a business leader in the Portland, OR area and want to support SBUA through work advocating for small business, you might be eligible for some compensation for your time and efforts. For details contact diane@utilityadvocates.org.
For more information about what SBUA has been doing generally and in Oregon see www.utilityadvocates.org/news-and-resources.
KNOW OTHERS WHO BELIEVE IN A BETTER BUSINESS MODEL?
Do you know other people who are interested in the Triple Bottom Line of People, Planet and Profit? Conscientious eaders and businesses who believe in doing business for the greater good? Then send them this link so they can receive our eletter free every other week devoted, of course, to the greater good!
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If you're interested in seeing the companies we've certified to date, go here.
If you're interested in learning more about our certification process, go here.
If you're interested in becoming an Oregon Benefit Company, go here.