May 17, 2010 May meeting Many thanks to Mark LaCroix of the CarbonNeutral Company and Alison Waske of Warner, Norcross & Judd for presenting on carbon measurement and management at our May 10 meeting at GRCC! Both presentations will be available on the WMSBF website shortly. Additional thanks go out to Warner Norcross & Judd for sponsoring the meeting! June Meeting In lieu of meeting on the 2nd Monday of the month in June, the WMSBF is instead partnering with Davenport University, Corp! Magazine, and Cascade Engineering to offer special access to their Sustainable Business Practice Forum. On Friday, June 18, WMSBF members are invited to take advantage of an incredible $40 rate to participate in the day’s activities which include multiple track sessions, networking, and presentations by Cascade Engineering’s Fred Keller as well as Dr. Stuart Hart, Samuel C. Johnson Chair in Sustainable Global Enterprise at Cornell University. Registration includes breakfast and lunch, a copy of Hart’s book, and a jump drive. For those that are not familiar with Stuart Hart, Eric Timon of Access Business Group has provided this introduction: According to author Stuart Hart, sustainable global enterprise holds the
key to reducing poverty, reversing environmental destruction, and even
counteracting terrorism. He believes that business not government is best
equipped to lead the sustainable movement. Stuart is an advocate that
business can and should go beyond recycling and waste reduction practices
to enhance the environment rather than just reduce the impact on it.
Ultimately he attempts to provide a strategy that uplifts the entire human
family while simultaneously restoring the natural world.
Organizations: S.C. Johnson Chair of Sustainable Global Enterprise, Johnson
Graduate School of Management, Cornell University.
Notable Work:
Founder and Director of the Corporate Environmental Management Program
(CEMP) at the University of Michigan (1992-97);
Founder and Co-Director of the Center for Sustainable Enterprise (CSE)
at the University of North Carolina (1998-2003);
Founder of the Base of the Pyramid Learning Lab (2000);
Founding Director of the Center for Sustainable Global Enterprise at
Cornell University (2003-present).
Author of McKinsey Award winning 1997 Harvard Business Review article,
Beyond Greening: Strategies for a Sustainable World.
Co-author (with C.K. Prahalad) of the 2002 article The Fortune at the
Bottom of the Pyramid, which launched the corporate movement for
serving the poor.
BOP theory holds that multinational corporations can
simultaneously profit and help reduce global poverty by serving
a market they have largely ignored until recently.
Author of the new book, Capitalism at the Crossroads (2005).
Answers how BOP theory fits into environmental strategy and
explains how capitalism cannot afford to ignore sustainability.
Stuart argues that capitalism will thrive if it embraces
sustainability. Those interested should register as soon as possible via the Corp! magazine website here. WMSBF members are invited to use the promo code ‘WMSBF’ to take advantage of the $40 price. Cost for non-members is $100 for the day (those joining the WMSBF before registering are welcome to take advantage of this special pricing). Keller Future Center The Board of Directors would like to urge all who are available and interested in participating in GRCC’s Keller Future Center’s Urban Farming Demonstration Project. From their website: “This is a unique pilot project that connects college students, business professionals, and impassioned community citizens together in a process born from futuring, design, and innovation tools and techniques. This grand experiment will leverage contemporary methods and tools for innovation, integrative thinking, future trend analysis and user‐centered design research to arrive at descriptions, imperatives and solutions to a current regional issue that has environmental, economic and social impacts.” Various levels of participation are available ranging from participation in weekly meetings to virtual collaborators to process observers. Visit their website for additional information and a short video. From the Social Responsibility Committee Hello WMSBF, Thank you all for the lively Social Responsibility discussion at the April Monthly Meeting. There was great dialogue and information that was shared. As promised we captured everyone’s response and organized it for distribution. (We have the raw data for anyone who is interested.) The responses did reveal that there may be important follow-up learning opportunities and discussions. As the Social Responsibility committee plans its task for the next year, we would like some additional feedback on areas of interest. We have a very brief 4 question survey. Please take some time to complete, so that we can better meet the needs of the group. Click the following link: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/ZGJXVWJ Thank you on behalf of the Social Responsibility committee. 2010-2011 Board of Directors At last week’s meeting, the board welcomed new directors Ward Gahan and Alison Waske who were elected to two-year terms in April. Gayle DeBruyn officially took over for Marylu Dykstra as president of the WMSBF with Eric VanDellen of Access Business Group elected to fill the Vice President shoes left by Gayle. Gabe Wing of Herman Miller remains as Treasurer and David Rinard of Steelcase remains as Secretary. A complete list of directors serving on the WMSBF board is available on our website. The WMSBF on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook We are now on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. We are using these media to update meeting information, member news, and general sustainability news. Follow or friend to remain in the loop! As always, feel free to email me if you have any questions of concerns.
Kyle Ten Broeke
NEW MEMBER Rebecca Goh is a sustainable business major at Aquinas College
MONTHLY MEMBERSHIP MEETINGS Davenport University :: 6191 Kraft SE Grand Rapids (map) Friday, June 18, 2010 :: 7:30 am to 5:00 pm Attendees will be given the choice of two educational workshops to attend, these workshops are designed to fit any level of interested in Sustainable Business Practices. There will also be two keynote speakers that day. Fred Keller, CEO of Cascade Engineering will be speaking about Enhancing Our Communities and Economy via Sustainable Business Practices. We will also hear from Dr. Stuart Hart, from Cornell University regarding Building Business Value via Sustainable Business Practices. Dr. Hart will also give us a case study on Creating a Culture of Innovation. WMSBF Members are invited to take advantage of a special $40 registration fee (regularly $100). Enter promo code ‘WMSBF’ when registering to receive the discount. Those interested in attending are encouraged to register early as space is limited. Non-members are welcome to join the WMSBF before registering to take advantage of this special pricing. More information, including registration, can be found here.
SUSTAINABILITY EVENTS If you are sponsoring or hosting an upcoming event, please email me to include in our upcoming newsletters and calendar! 8th Annual BALLE Business Conference May 21-23, 2010 :: Charleston, SC Join hundreds of entrepreneurs and business owners, BALLE network leaders, economic developers, local government representatives and community connectors, as we explore innovative best practices in growing community wealth and opportunities for your community to step forward as a leader in the new economy.
Group rates are available for parties of 6+ or 10+ registrants. Please inquire with Event Manager Todd Mills for details.
You may also contact Elissa Sangalli Hillary at Local First (a BALLE affiliate) for additional information. Register Now! Sustainable Business Practice Forum Thursday and Friday, June 17-18, 2010 :: Cascade Engineering and Davenport University Corp! Magazine has partnered with Cascade Engineering and Davenport University to bring to you a two day Sustainable Business Practices Forum titled “Building Business Value and Enhancing Our Community via Sustainable Business Practices". Attendees will be given the choice of two educational workshops to attend, these workshops are designed to fit any level of interested in Sustainable Business Practices. There will also be two keynote speakers that day. Fred Keller, CEO of Cascade Engineering will be speaking about Enhancing Our Communities and Economy via Sustainable Business Practices. We will also hear from Dr. Stuart Hart, from Cornell University regarding Building Business Value via Sustainable Business Practices. Dr. Hart will also give us a case study on Creating a Culture of Innovation. WMSBF Members are invited to take advantage of a special $40 registration fee (regularly $100) for the second day of this event. Enter promo code ‘WMSBF’ when registering to receive the discount. More information, including registration, can be found here. | 