April 20, 2009

UPDATES

 

MONTHLY MEETING
Many thanks to Paul Doyle, principal of Paul T. Doyle & Associates, and the representatives of Disability Advocates of Kent County (DAKC) for presenting our our monthly meeting last week at Aquinas College.  Paul has expressed interest in coming back to delve more into depth at a future meeting.  Minutes from the meeting can be downloaded here and presentations can be found on our website.  Also, please read through the DAKC wish list, which can be downloaded here.  If you are interested in attending the May 11 monthly meeting, please RSVP to info@wmsbf.org by 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 7.  More information can be found below or on our website.

BOARD ELECTIONS

In the coming days, you will be receiving an electronic ballot for the 2009 WMSBF Board elections.  Instructions will be included with that email and it is imperative that all members respond by the deadline stated. 

EMBRACING A GREEN FUTURE
The Right Place is presenting a two-day conference for manufacturers on April 28 and 29th at GVSU's Eberhard Center.  Early Bird Registration has been extended through today.  More information can be found below, on the WMSBF website, or through The Right Place.

As always, please feel free to email me at kyle@wmsbf.org if you have any questions. 

Kyle Ten Broeke

 

 

NEW MEMBERS

Meijer is committed to positive environmental care through our many corporate actions and decisions. One way we strive to make green business choices is by building safe, energy efficient, and environmentally friendly stores while maintaining higher standards for you. We're firmly dedicated to upholding these key values for all of us in the communities we serve.     

BISSELL Homecare has redefined the concept of clean with a family of innovative floor care products such as vacuums, carpet sweepers, carpet deep cleaners and bare floor vacuums. Along with a full line of time-tested floor cleaning chemicals. Each product is designed to improve the ways you take care of your home, especially the biggest home of all – Earth. Using our innovative spirit, we’re constantly searching for new ways to make our products safer for the environment.

SIGA Green Technologies is a B2B partner to small and mid-sized entrepreneurial businesses with focus on energy efficient and renewable products.  With offices in United States and Germany we facilitate access to new markets, predominantly Europe and North America.

 

MONTHLY MEMBERSHIP MEETINGS

Location TBD
May 11, 2009 :: 12:00 pm to 2:00 pm

 

The results of our Board election will be announced as we begin the new term.  We will also be rolling out recent improvements to the Concise Self-Assessment Guide in collaboration with The Right Place.  We will be meting in groups to discuss and provide feedback.

If you are interested in attending, you must RSVP to info@wmsbf.org This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it by Thursday, May 7.

There is a $10 arrangement fee, payable by cash or check at the event.  Credit card payments may be made prior to the event through PayPal (no PayPal account is necessary) here.  A $1 additional processing charge is included for credit card payments.

 

The Sustainable Business, Design, and Outreach committees will meet the hour before and the Board will meet immediately afterward (all board members are requested to attend).

 

 

 

SUSTAINABILITY EVENTS

 

Our Earth, Ourselves, Our Community!  Clothing Matters (141 Diamond SE)

Open House & Spring Fashion Show

April 23, 2009 :: 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Enjoy an evening of fun, live music, food, and fashion shows!  Featuring: the best of Spring Eco Fashions, accessorized by Global Infusion, The Nest, and Blue door.  Free raffle drawings will take place throughout the night, with prizes donated by Clothing Matters, Global Infusion, The Nest, the Green Life Market, Haelen Holistic Treatments, and Trillium Haven CSA Farm.   
Finger food, treats, and tea will be provided by our friends at the Green Life Market, Marie Catrib's, and Global Infusion. 

Music will be performed throughout the evening by local artist Benjamin Riley. 

Our neighbors at The Nest and Global Infusion will be open to host some of the activities throughout the night!

We hope to see you there!  Carpooling is strongly recommended.

Participating businesses: 
~Blue Door
~Clothing Matters
~Darcy's Hair Studio
~Global Infusion
~Green Life Market
~Haelen Holistic Treatments
~Marie Catrib's
~New Design Floral
~The Nest
~Trillium Haven CSA Farm

Embracing a Green Future
April 28 & 29, 2009 :: GVSU’s Eberhard Center

The Right Place, Inc./MMTC-West is hosting this event featuring sessions lead by manufacturers who have seen the power of sustainable business practices first-hand. Their presentations will give you specific tools and strategies in areas such as: Environmental Management Systems, Product/Service Design, Facilities, Purchasing/Supply Chain, Operations, Packaging, and more. Your conference admission also includes your choice of two of our intensive, half-day workshops:

Lean and Green

Green Materials and Chemistry

Carbon Management 101

Green Marketing Guidelines

Featuring Keynote Presentations by:

Nancy Hickey, Senior Vice President/Chief Administrative Officer, Steelcase Inc.

Gary Hirshberg, President/CEO, Stonyfield Farm

Doug DeVos, President, Amway Corp.

For more information, visit http://www.rightplace.org/events/green-future/

 

 

Designing Sustainable Communities Through Business

April 29, 2009 :: Aquinas College

 

Join us as at Aquinas College as we gather West Michigan's leading businesses to share best practices and take steps towards the Triple Bottom Line (economic, social, and environmental).  Start off the day by helping to define sustainability for our community and businesses, listen to keynote speaker Craig Throne (VP of Global Marketing for Merrell and Patagonia Footwear) as he describes the lessons Patagonia's learned along the way, select from eight hands-on sessions, and wrap up the day by networking with other attendees.  This is an event not-to-be-missed!

 

For more information, visit http://www.localfirst.com/calendar/123

 

The Employer of Choice Model: Strategies and Tools to Weather the Economic Storm

May 7, 2009 :: Cascade Engineering

 

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Amid the current economic downturn, organizations seeking to improve productivity, generate customer loyalty and raise awareness in the market are increasingly considering the “Employer of Choice” model. This approach aims to achieve measurable gains in productivity and profitability by creating working environments that cultivate employee involvement, trust and accountability. Workshop participants will gain insight into the process of becoming an Employer of Choice, and learn about Cascade’s own experience with this innovative methodology. Cascade CEO Fred Keller will provide a luncheon keynote presentation.

The workshop is intended for corporate and non-profit leaders with oversight for organizational

development, staffing, strategic direction and operations. It will feature a detailed presentation of the Employer of Choice model, including case studies, evaluation methodology, and breakout sessions on the specific approaches organizations can implement at the staff and leadership team levels. Upon the completion of the workshop, attendees will be equipped to evaluate their own organization’s capacity to change, increase performance capacity and create the success factors necessary to become an Employer of Choice. They will also learn how to design their organization’s structure to accommodate the Employer of Choice model.

 

Due to the workshop’s interactive format and unique opportunity to network with organizational decision makers, seating is limited. Cost for the event is $125, which includes continental breakfast, lunch and all workshop materials. Registration is available at  www.questsustainablesolutions.com. For information or questions, please contact: Kelley Losey at 616.975.4716.

 

Green Today, Jobs Tomorrow
May 11, 2009 :: Lansing Center

 

The Michigan Department of Energy, Labor & Economic Growth (DELEG) is now accepting registrations for the “Green Today, Jobs Tomorrow”; conference to be held on May 11, 2009 at the Lansing Center. The registration form is at available online at www.michigan.gov/greenjobsconference.

 

The conference is a once in a lifetime opportunity for everybody to play a role in devising the strategy to create a vibrant green economy in Michigan.  The conference is aimed at partners from the renewable energy, environmental, workforce, and economic development communities, as well as labor, education, student, community and faith-based leaders.  The conference will highlight what green jobs are coming and what training is needed for these jobs. The conference will feature dynamic national leaders soon to be announced.

 

Interested participants are encouraged to register as soon as possible since space is limited and to take advantage of the early registration fee of $110 offered through March 15. The registration fee increases to $135 for registrations submitted between March 16 and the May 4^th cutoff date. Registration on the day of the event, if still available, will be $185.

 

 

Members wishing to have an event included in this newsletter must submit their notice to info@wmsbf.org by the end of the day on Friday, May 1.

Our website is being updated regularly, please visit www.wmsbf.org for more information.