 | | |  | Last-Chance Voting, Covid Relief Status and Game-Changer Accounting | | | | Last Chance: Help Your People Vote We’re down to the wire on what is one of a very few literally world-changing elections in our nation’s history. Topping the list of what’s at stake: Our country’s real economy, democracy, human health and a livable planet. Whatever else you do between now and the evening of Nov. 3, please make it your priority to vote, and help all your stakeholders vote, by give all your employees paid time off to vote and a full day of paid time to serve as poll workers (important with COVID-19 barring seniors from this usual task). In last month’s Policy Update, ASBC highlighted some members’ efforts to help employees and others vote. ASBC also has created resources for businesses to get out the vote (GOTV) as well as a pledge for businesses to promote election participation. ASBC Co-founder and President David Levine was quoted earlier in October in a Forbes blog post on this issue: “ASBC believes that voting is an indelible part of doing business in the U.S. as it strengthens accountability in public policy and primacy of rule of law, legitimacy of American public and private institutions, and an inclusive and equitable economy.” We send our deepest thanks to all our members and allies who are helping others exercise the one right that protects all other rights and makes progress possible: the vote. | | | | | | | | | | Still No Agreement for COVID Relief Despite weeks of negotiations between House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, an agreement on a new round of COVID relief for businesses and their employees, front-line workers and states appeared out of reach, at least before the Nov. 3 election. At least one difference remained: the national testing and tracing program for coronavirus that Democrats have pushed but which the White House has been reluctant to support. ASBC has continued to advocate for a new round of relief, with special focus on the struggles facing small and medium-sized businesses and the looming fact that emergency sick and family leave provisions that took effect April 1 in the Families First Coronavirus Response Act expire at the end of the year. Negotiations have been rocky given the President’s fluctuating positions, shifting from his calling to end talks until after the election followed by his insistence he would support a package with an even larger price tag than the $2.2 trillion measure passed by the House in early October. That package was already a slimmed-down version of the $3 trillion HEROES Act, passed by the House in mid-May. Both House-passed measures were ignored by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who has repeatedly downplayed the need for more aid. Based on reports, the U.S. is facing a significant resurgence of cases of the novel coronavirus as 36 out of 50 U.S. states have seen an increase for at least two weeks in a row. “It’s appalling that the practical, real-life necessities of our economy are being ignored by our Senate majority when they’re needed most,” says EVP Thomas Oppel, ASBC. “Winter is near, the threat of evictions is life-endangering, and the multitude of companies that do 25% of their annual sales in the last two months of the year are at huge risk. Our nation is being disabled by indifference as well as by the virus. It doesn’t have to be this way, and ASBC will continue to voice the business community’s insistence on elected officials doing their jobs now, not waiting until late January.” Visit ASBC’s website for updates on COVID-19-related issues and sign on to our business letter! | | | | | | | | Revolutionary Accounting Takes the Field Creating an economic system that works for all will remain an aspiration unless we change how we keep score. We must redefine profit, value and success to factor in a firm’s impact on all stakeholders, including the environment; and then connect those sustainability metrics with financial accounting statements business leaders can use to make better decisions. On October 8, ASBC’s webinar, Revolutionary Accounting with @HarvardHBS’s @GeorgeSerafeim, brought the transformational concept of impact-weighted accounts onto the field. #FullCostAccounting #BuildBackBetter. The webinar attracted 140 business leaders and was moderated by ASBC Co-founder and CEO Jeffrey Hollender. “This webinar was both brilliant and breathtaking!” Hollender reports. “ASBC is truly at the forefront of bringing what may be the most important work on Full-Cost Accounting to light.” Check out this webinar and slides plus other game-changing content on ASBC’s website under Research & Data/Webinars & Videos. | | | | | | | | Water Infrastructure and Economic Recovery Focused on meaningful priorities for our economy, ASBC continues to urge a long-overdue upgrade to America’s declining infrastructure, especially our essential water systems. Among ASBC’s other ongoing efforts, we’ve sent a sign-on letter to Congress, asserting that further neglect of our degraded water infrastructure puts us at risk for more sewage overflows and stormwater runoff that pollutes our waterways. Already, about 40% of our country’s freshwater sources are not suitable for consumption due to pollution. In July, the House of Representatives passed additional EPA funding to address this core problem, but the Senate has yet to take it up. Repairing, rebuilding and upgrading the nation’s infrastructure to more sustainable standards is estimated to create 25 million well-paying jobs to reboot our economy and ensure a healthier environment for generations to come. Learn more under Policy & Action/Infrastructure/Clean Water on ASBC’s website. | | | | | | Always Open: Problem-Solving Resources You can count on ASBC sending you timely action tips on legislative issues affecting your business, but we also offer busy leaders a wealth of in-depth guidance you can access any time on our website. Want the details on how famous companies of all sizes provide a high-road workplace – and how it boosts their business? Need to make a big media impression (or lots of them) with your firm’s sustainability news? Want to persuade your market why safer, greener products matter? Need to make your responsible business case for better laws to your elected officials at local, state and national levels? ASBC’s online library of resources can help with these and more. Check out the Research & Data and Policy & Action sections on the ASBC website and contact us with your questions or suggestions. | | | | | | | | | | Creating an Economic System that Works for All
October 7, ASBC and our dedicated working group released the comprehensive report, Creating an Economic System that Works for All. Almost a year in the making, the report outlines the major crises our nation now faces and proposes strategies on how to end them. The report offers a set of initiatives with which to create a more just, equitable, and sustainable economic system. Check out the press release, download a copy of the report, and be inspired! To learn more about the report and its goals, check out our October 21 webinar recording. | | | | Climate & Energy
On October 22, the Climate & Energy Working Group participated in the Connecticut Climate Action Summit held by ASBC member and affiliate Connecticut Sustainable Business Council. Our working group shared in a discussion of state and local solutions to climate change and the unique opportunity presented as state and federal lawmakers look to rebuild the economy in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. We discussed strategies to put climate resiliency and the rapid transition to a just, equitable, low-carbon economy at the center of our recovery efforts. Public policies that support the state's greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals have been slow to advance in Connecticut and elsewhere, but stronger advances may be possible if built into the pandemic recovery effort. | | | | Regenerative Agriculture & Farm Justice
ASBC launched its Regenerative Agriculture and Farm Justice working group on Sept. 28. In this first meeting, we laid the groundwork for what will be a cross-industry, multi-stakeholder approach to lift the voice of business for policies that advance a more regenerative and just food and agricultural system. Participants include several ASBC's business members who incorporate regenerative agriculture and justice in their supply chains and several other key stakeholders representing groups like family farmers, farmworkers, and food chain workers. Erin Heitkamp of Pipeline foods presented on the business and economic case for regenerative agriculture and Cornelius Blanding, Executive Director of the Federation of Southern Cooperatives/Land Assistance Fund, presented on the issues facing Black farmers in the South and the work his organizations does to build resilience in those communities. Learn more. | | | | Sustainable Packaging
At its meeting in mid-October, the Sustainable Packaging Working Group discussed its potential rebranding as the Circular Economy Working Group. A final decision will be made at the group’s November meeting. The group also heard from Sam and Jake Stark, founders of The Green Project, a marketplace for businesses to buy eco-friendly supplies and office products. | | | | | | | | Media Coverage, Blogs, and More | | | | Hugo Neu Corporation (Leadership Member) Hugo Neu Corporation supports the values of economic, social and environmental sustainability. It has developed deep experience since 1947 in investing, building and managing businesses in recycling, real estate and related industries. With a culture of innovative, visionary thinking for all its employees and stakeholders, it fosters cross-integration between its companies and non-profit partners’ activities. Hugo Neu combines a progressive outlook with reliability, professionalism, and compassion. AMP Robotics (Core Member) AMP Robotics is reimagining and modernizing the world’s recycling infrastructure by applying AI and robotics to economically recover commodities reclaimed as raw materials for the global supply chain. It builds and deploys technology that solves key recycling challenges and shifts industry economics to make it more efficient, cost-effective, scalable, and sustainable. It has installed 70+ systems across North America, Japan, and Europe and continues to innovate breakthrough recycling solutions. Pirelli Tire North America (Core Member) Pirelli Tire employs close to 300 people in the US and is part of a global multinational employing 36,000. Pirelli Tire understands that its industry, automotive, must lead in creating a more equitable, regenerative and prosperous world. Pirelli is already an industry leader in sustainability and plans to do much more. The quality tire manufacturer is focused on a responsible supply chain, circular economy, road safety and sustainability across its product lifecycle. The Green Project (Community Member) The Green Project helps businesses save our planet without breaking the bank. Its easy-to-use website provides an online marketplace where firms can make all of their regular office supply purchases of 100% eco-friendly, vetted-sustainable products, without shopping around. The website gives organizations of any size an outsourced sustainability arm while easily tracking and marketing the firm’s positive environmental impact. | | | | Member News -
Seventh Generation Seventh Generation has produced a new “Vote for Me” video reminding adults that people too young to vote are among the most ardent, dedicated advocates calling on government for climate justice, but they need adult voices to make theirs heard. The video asks adults to vote this year on behalf of the generations who can't vote yet, and Vote for the future. -
REV Sustainability REV+ALL is designing a new sustainability program with practical tools and resources to help responsible firms both take meaningful climate action and succeed in these uncertain times. Its dynamic course on sustainability and business resilience is tailored to small and mid-sized enterprises, particularly those of underrepresented entrepreneurs. REV+ALL seeks ASBC Policy Update readers’ input on the program because sustainability and climate change are critical to the survival of America’s enterprises and communities. Please help shape this valuable, targeted program: click here for a short survey. -
MaryAnne Howland, Ibis Communications MaryAnne Howland, ASBC board member and chair of the Race & Equity Working Group, has been extra-busy speaking about her 2020 book, Warrior Rising: How Four Men Helped a Boy on His Journey to Manhood. It’s the story of how one mother gave her son strong, positive male role models through the mentorship of four good men: a philanthropist, a financial planner, a publisher and an engineer. This story of powerful, positive mentorship – and thoughtful views on being a good man in the face of life’s challenges – will inspire anyone concerned with our youth and our country, especially now. | | ASBC Members, Let Us Help You Share Your News! Your ASBC membership is a valuable networking opportunity to share your news with other mission-driven companies and supporters nationwide. Please send us your product and service introductions, personnel and facility changes, awards, charitable events and other news in your press releases, blogs, captioned photos and videos. We’ll include them in ASBC’s monthly Policy Update newsletter and social media outlets. AND....Show your customers, prospects and vendors your values right upfront: display the “Proud Member of ASBC” logo on your website and marketing materials. ASBC appreciates your support for our work and we’re proud to support you all the way! | | | | | Upcoming Events ASBC & SVC 2020: Remaking & Revitalizing the Economy
Virtual | December 1 – 4
Join with sustainability-minded, values-driven colleagues at this virtual conference, take part in meaningful peer-to-peer conversations and strategize actions to further our shared interests! Attendees will be many of the 1,000+ members of ASBC-SVC: businesses, entrepreneurs, impact investors, policy makers, and capacity-builders, all striving to create an economy that works for all. | | | | | | | | American Sustainable Business Council
712 H Street, NE, PMB 42, | Washington, District of Columbia 20002
202-660-1455 | replies@asbcouncil.org | | | | | | | | | |
