Monday, March 26, 2007

EVENT: Webinar: Sustainability and The Natural Step (TNS)

Right now, there are many changes occurring in the world: the most obvious is climate change and the new mainstream attention towards sustainability. The word ‘sustainability’ is being used in so many different contexts: in the media, in business settings, on the street, etc. How do we as individuals or businesses make sense of all the new information? How do we know what choices to make today that will actually lead us towards a sustainable future?

Strategic Sustainability Consulting is pleased to offer Sustainability and The Natural Step (TNS), an interactive webinar designed to help participants understand the concept of sustainability using a scientific, holistic, and internationally-recognized framework. This 90-minute workshop will use The Natural Step (TNS) Framework to:

¨ Provide a basic understanding of how you interact within our global system and how this is critical for developing strategic sustainability plans

¨ Identify leverage points for influencing change in our complex world

¨ Bring alive the creativity within you to develop truly sustainable practices, cultures and systems

Strategic Sustainability Consulting is pleased to have Miriam Karell and Ingrid Jacobson facilitate this workshop. Miriam Karell is a sustainability strategist and the President of Three Point Vision, a company that inspires business leaders to integrate community, creativity and consciousness into their daily operations. Ingrid Jacobson is an experienced educator and facilitator for teams and individuals. She is currently consulting with Ella Baker Center for Human Rights in Oakland, CA to develop a long term sustainability strategy for their "green collar" jobs campaign.

Cost: $50

Register at: www.sustainabilityconsulting.com (click "Events")

Space is limited to ensure an interactive experience where you can ask questions and get real answers, so reserve your space today. Once you've signed up, you'll receive an email with log-in and call-in details.

Monday, March 19, 2007

RESOURCES: Domestic Violence and the Workplace

A growing number of community activists and human resource managers feel that domestic violence is everyone’s problem. A growing number of non profit organizations are working with companies to help stop and prevent domestic violence against both men and women. Domestic violence affects the productivity of the worker being violated, and thus curbing the violence “is good for the bottom line,” states Barbra Marlow, a Boston lawyer. Though Ms. Marlow contends that it is “not the business of business to get involved in employees’ lives.”


If a fellow worker is the victim of domestic violence, there are a few tips to help them cope, but we stress that professional help is always advised:
  • Give the worker a parking spot near a door.
  • Remove his or her name from the dial-by-name phone directory. "You don't want the batterer to use your company's resources to harass your employee," notes Barbara Marlowe of law firm Mintz Levin.
  • Offer a flexible schedule, since stalkers track people's whereabouts and movements. "Our most predictable habits are around our work schedule," Marlowe says.
  • If the employee sits at a reception desk or by a big first-floor window, relocate the person to another floor or an interior space. If you have satellite facilities, consider letting the worker set up more than one office.
  • Provide security guards with a photo of the abuser. "The guy might show up with flowers, and somebody could direct him right to her office," Marlowe says.
  • Listen to your employee. Don't make changes without his or her consent. Be discreet and helpful, but don't force the person to take any protective steps.
Read the whole article here.

Wednesday, March 14, 2007

WHY WE LOVE: Seventh Generation

Seventh Generation is a company that specializes in non-toxic, environmentally friendly products. The name came from a Native American employee, who said his Iroquois tribe believed that people must consider their impact for seven generations. The company states, “It's a name that embraces not only who we are and what we stand for today, but our hopes for the future as well.”

Why do we love them? Their products are eco-friendly, and work well. Seventh Generation offers products ranging from household items [non-toxic household cleaners, biodegradable laundry detergent, and recycled toilet paper and paper towels] to personal care [feminine care products and baby wipes and specially-formulated baby detergent]

Seventh Generation is also committed to supplying customers with valuable resources, especially on their website, about recycling, toxins, chemical additives, a Green Living section, and how the individual consumer can affect change.

One of the most interesting resources is the “Making a Difference” section of the website, where users can learn about current environmental issues in an easy to digest format. Don’t quite understand the mechanics behind global warming? Seventh Generation breaks it down for an easy read. Want to get involved in making a difference? Learn about Earth Day celebrations, as well as find links to other action-oriented companies. On June 9th, 2006, Seventh Generation was awarded the “Pioneer of Precaution” award by the Center for Health, Environment & Justice (CHEJ), Environmental Research Foundation (ERF) and Science and Environmental Health Network (SEHN).

Monday, March 12, 2007

JOBS: Summer Internships at Strategic Sustainability Consulting

Strategic Sustainability Consulting (SSC) is a Washington, DC-based company that provides organizations with the tools and expertise needed to actively manage their social and environmental impacts. We specialize in helping under-resourced organizations implement sustainable solutions usually reserved for large, multinational companies. Please visit our website at www.sustainabilityconsulting.com for more information about our products and services.

We're looking for 3 summer interns to help on a variety of sustainability topics. If you believe you might be a good fit with our objectives (see below), please send your CV and a cover letter to info@sustainabilityconsulting.com, indicating the position for which you'd like to be considered. NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE.

These internships are for 15-25 hours/week for June-August, and may be conducted remotely (although DC-based interns are preferred). A small stipend will be offered, along with a performance-based bonus. This is a great opportunity for individuals with an interest in getting into the sustainability consulting field, but who can't make a full-time commitment.

Marketing Intern

How do you market a small consultancy to worldwide clients? How do you take advantage of e-based "webinars" to reach clients who wouldn't normally be able to benefit from expert sustainability advice? We're looking for an enthusiastic, creative, and sensible Marketing Intern to review our marketing strategy so far, and to design a plan going forward. This is a position ideally suited to a graduate student (or mid-career changer) with previous marketing experience. It will be a largely self-directed project, so applicants should be self-motivated and be capable of exploring option with minimal hand-holding.

Research Interns (2)

The SSC Research Interns will work closely with lead consultants to provide background material for ongoing consulting projects. Past assignments have included researching stakeholder engagement in the mining industry, creating case studies on "green" supply chains, and developing surveys for employee satisfaction. If you have strong research and analysis skills, and can quickly gather and summarize data into its salient points, this is a great opportunity to dabble in a variety of sustainability topics.

Thursday, March 08, 2007

RESOURCES: How Green Is Your Meeting?

Now, your company can measure its environmental impact, thanks to a new service called the MeetGreen Calculator. This web-based service allows anyone to measure their meeting practices against green best practices. MeetGreen Calculator will give the user help in meeting these green standards. Examples include having attendees walk or use mass transit, buying food locally and donate left-overs to local food banks, using reusable cups and large-capacity water jugs rather than individual water bottles, and the like.

The results can lead to cost reduction, waste reduction, helping local communities, and the environment. The MeetGreen Calculator was recently used at the World Urban Forum. Ginny Stratton of Globe Foundation of Canada stated, “We are ecstatic to know that the host of practices we employed resulted in the highest possible MeetGreen rating and hope that the results of our efforts will create a legacy for future organizers of the World Urban Forum.” Some major companies that have employed the MeetGreen Calculator are the Sierra Club, US Green Building Council, Globe Foundation of Canada and the Business for Social Responsibility.

Monday, March 05, 2007

Why We Love: The Fruit Guys

Who doesn’t love fruit? It tastes good, and is essential to a healthy life. So how can employers make their employees healthier, and thus happier and more productive? Simple! As Marie Antoinette would say in the 21st century: Let them eat fruit! The Fruit Guys, founded in 1998, can supply your company with an ample supply of various fruits. Employers can order in weekly or bi-weekly shipments. There are currently three different types of orders. “The Harvest Flyer” is an assortment of various fruits, depending on seasonality. They include strawberries, peaches, pears, grapes, apples, plums, kiwis, blood oranges, tangerines, grapefruit, bananas, apricots, and oranges. “The Staples” is the second type of order, which includes bananas, oranges, and apples. The apples usually vary for more of a variety. The third option is the “The Organic,” of whose contents are similar to “The Harvest Flyer,” but all fruits are certified organic, and are harvested by sustainable agriculture, and are pesticide free. All shipments are earth-friendly. The crates are eco-friendly, and can be recycled.

Check them out at www.fruitguys.com