L-R: Rep. Jimmy Gomez, D-CA, House Ways & Means Committee; Hadley Heath Manning, Dir. of Policy, Independent Women’s Forum; Rebecca Hamilton, co-CEO, W.S. Badger; Joan Lunden, journalist, author, advocate and frm. host of Good Morning America; Rep. Richard Neal, D-MA, Chairman, House Ways & Means Committee; Victoria Shabo, Sr. Fellow, New America; Sharon Terman, Dir. of Work & Family Policy, Legal Aid at Work of California; Kemi Role, Dir. of Work Equity, National Employment Law Project

ASBC MEMBER TESTIFIES FOR PAID LEAVE AT
HOUSE WAYS AND MEANS HEARING

Rebecca Hamilton, co-CEO of Gilsum, N.H.-based W.S. Badger Company, a member of the American Sustainable Business Council, testified January 28 in support of the FAMILY Act (H.R. 1185) before the U.S. House Ways and Means Committee. 

Family owned and run, W.S. Badger was founded in 1995 in rural southwestern New Hampshire and employs 100 people in the manufacture and sale of organic balms and personal care products. The company prides itself on “creating a supportive and family-friendly workplace,” epitomizing what ASBC calls the “high road workplace.”  

W.S. Badger pays a $15-per-hour starting wage with five weeks of paid family and medical leave; flexible work schedules; long- and short-term disability; profit sharing; a “babies-at-work” program, and subsidized, near-site childcare where all employees are treated as valuable members of our community.    

“These benefits align with our mission as a family-friendly workplace, but it makes good business sense,” said Hamilton, the only businessperson to testify. “Our innovative approach has enabled us to spend $0 on recruitment, while retaining an engaged and committed workforce for the past 25 years.”

Read her testimony.

 

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NEPA Campaign!

ASBC fighting to stop White House proposal to cripple NEPA 

The White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) is proposing to cripple the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The Trump Administration’s proposed weaker rules would eliminate the requirement for federal agencies to consider climate change impacts in reviewing federally permitted projects and increase the risk of environmental disasters like oil spills and endanger our waterways and ecosystems. Demand that the administration stop eroding environmental protections that NEPA provides by signing our lettersubmitting your own comment or doing both. 

Click to Tweet: Add your voice to @ASBCouncil’s fight to stop the White House efforts to erode the National Environmental Policy Act here

 

House moves to require EPA to enforce PFAS limits 

This month the House passed H.R. 535, PFAS Action of 2019, requiring the EPA to enforce limits on industry's release of PFAS chemicals into our air and water, set limits on PFAS allowed in tap water, and kick-start the process of cleaning up legacy PFAS contamination by designating certain types of PFAS hazardous substances under the federal Superfund law. However, the Senate has indicated it will not consider the bill, and even if it were to act, the President has threatened to veto. Sign on to tell the Senate to act!

Click To Tweet: PFAS chemicals linked to various health problems and are in the drinking water of up to 110 million people in the US. The House passed a bill to tackle the issue. Sign this business letter asking the Senate to do the same

 

We moved! 

New Address:

1140 3rd Street, NE, Floor 2 
Washington, DC 20002 
Phone: (202) 660-1455

Media Coverage, Blogs, and More

Welcome New Members

Palladium Level Business Member

Core Development Group (new joint ASBC NJSBC Palladium Member) 
Core Development is a full-service solar power project financing, development & installation (EPC) provider. Its full-service capabilities and resources – project finance, site feasibility, design, build, procurement, operations, maintenance – have elevated our global clients to the top of the Corporate Solar Users list. Core Development Group is also able to provide renewable energy Power Purchase Agreement options for companies and communities for no money out of pocket. 

Core Development Group is composed of highly experienced developers, professional engineers, project and construction managers, and finance professionals that are equipped with the latest digital platforms and technology capable of solving large-scale and complex solar energy needs.

Bronze Level Business Member 

Olin Enterprises
Olin Enterprises provides organizational assessments, research, analyses, and recommendations – especially to those organizations dedicated to charity, justice, philanthropy, and sustainability. 

Member and Staff News

Conor Ryan, Communications and Social Media Intern, ASBC
ASBC is excited to announce that Conor Ryan joined the ASBC team as the Communications and Social Media Strategy Intern. He has a Bachelors of Mass Communications from the University of South Carolina with a minor in Business Administration. Prior to ASBC, he worked for the South Carolina Small Business Chamber of Commerce as the Chief Intern focusing on a campaign to end foreign interference in our election systems. Before stepping into the policy arena, he was the Lead Public Relations Intern for the Muscular Dystrophy Association of Greater South Carolina where he worked with donors and patients. A native of Rockville, MD, Conor is fired up to work on sustainable business policies at the state and federal level.   

Climate Futures launches the 1PLANET Marketplace
What if your company could improve its bottom-line and help the environment with every sale? That’s the aim of the 1PLANET Marketplace developed by Climate Futures.   

 “People know climate change is real,” says Jesse Uzzell, Climate Futures CEO, “but still struggle to answer the question of, “What can I really do about climate change? The 1PLANET Marketplace empowers people and companies to collaborate toward ending the climate crisis by promoting effective climate solutions. We designed the 1PLANET App to be easy to use so that even “casual environmentalists” can take action through their consumer choices and daily activities. Our partners also benefit by marketing their sustainable products and services to our 1PLANET community. 

“1PLANET solves two big problems consumers face: It makes taking climate action easy and it saves them valuable time finding those sustainable alternatives. For our business partners it turns a perceived cost into a competitive advantage and financial benefit. This aligns their brand and value proposition to the rising sustainability trends both in regulations and in how consumers are now choosing where to spend their money” said Uzzell. 

Customers are increasingly showing their preference for businesses who are climate conscious. A 2019 industry survey showed over 60% of Americans prefer companies with public commitments to sustainability goals, and 72% say businesses are responsible for improving sustainable development outcomes.  

“It’s great that whales like Amazon and Microsoft are now committing to reduce their carbon emissions, but what about the rest of us?  1PLANET is our answer.” 

Partners can use 1PLANET to engage their stakeholders to take climate action through offering carbon neutral shipping options, or the offsetting of product, service, or event carbon emissions. At the same time, they can also benefit financially and even white label their own climate friendly services or products. 1PLANET can even promote eco-action through existing or custom-made reward programs. 

“1PLANET will continue to evolve as an open eco-system and we are actively onboarding new business partners and climate project developers. We would be thrilled to work with more ASBC members as we share the same goals and values. Just contact us at partners@climatefutures.com and let’s discuss how we can help,” said Uzzell.

Did you know that cigarette butts are the most littered item in the world? NSAC is sponsoring Senate Bill 424 (Jackson) in California which is the first in the world legislation to ban single-use plastic cigarette and cigar filters, single-use e-cigarettes, and require the producer funded take-back of reusable e-cigarettes. We need YOUR help to make history TOGETHER! Please make a donation of any size today and sign on in support of this legislation that is leading the world at reducing this plastic pollution finally and forever by emailing Heidi@NSAction.us with your name, title, organization and logo! 

10 WINNERS in 2020, 5 CATEGORIES, DEADLINE: 300 APPLICATIONS OR FEB.10, 2020 

We are accepting applications for climate solution projects! If you have a project that reduces greenhouse gas emissions or increases carbon uptake, you could be awarded $25,000 and the prestige of winning one of the world's most up-and-coming awards. We reward 2 winners in each of the following categories: 

  • Capture & Utilization 
  • Energy 
  • Finance 
  • Transport & Mobility
  • Social and Cultural Pathways 

    HURRY - APPLY HERE

Has your company considered banking with a credit union, but something’s held you back? Help the Post Growth Institute discover the nature of those barriers by filling in their 5 minute survey here: http://bit.ly/BusinessBankingSurvey

Upcoming Events

Sustainability in Packaging Conference 
Chicago, IL | March 11 - 13
Sustainability in Packaging US 2020: Making Sustainable Packaging A Commercial Reality will provide expert content and key insights from some of the top brand owners, CPG’s, retailers, packaging manufacturers, government  regulators, and NGO’s who are making moves in the sustainable packaging space. Join ASBC staff and members!  

Companies for Zero Waste
Newark, NJ | March 24 - 26
Connect and explore emerging trends to move towards zero waste goals, pressing challenges and promising opportunities shaping business amid a world of climate change, resource constraints and unprecedented stakeholder pressures. ASBC President David Levine and ASBC Executive VP Thomas Oppel are keynote speakers. 

Local Economies for the 21st Century
Madison, WI | April 22 – 24

This 2.5-day AMIBA National conference will provide an interactive format for idea-sharing, skill-sharpening, and movement building. AMIBA is harnessing our decades of expertise, and gathering movement leaders in one place, as we embark in a fresh direction to strengthen our collective impact and individual communities. ASBC President David Levine is a keynote speaker.    

EarthX Conference 2020 
Dallas, TX | April 23 – 26
EarthX Conference is a series of conferences that convene for the purpose of cultivating relationships and forming partnerships between mission-driven advocates, investors, accelerators, researchers and other concerned world citizens. The conference goals are to educate, promote and instigate activities that sustain environmental initiatives with a substantial, positive impact on all living things and on our planet. 

 
 

American Sustainable Business Council
1140 3rd Street, NE, Floor 2,  | Washington, District of Columbia  20002
202-660-1455 | replies@asbcouncil.org

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