Mainebiz

V O L . X X X N O. X I M AY 1 3 , 2 0 2 4 8 B U S I N E S S M A I N E B U S I N E S S M A I N E B U S I N E S S N E W S F RO M A RO U N D T H E S TAT E Norway Savings to open first NH branch Norway Savings Bank said it plans to open its first branch in New Hampshire in early 2025. e full- service branch will be in North Conway, N.H., near Ridgeline Community, a planned 126-acre development of 55-and-over and workforce housing, ski condomini- ums, eateries, commercial space, medical office buildings and memory care and assisted living facilities. Site work for the new branch began in February, with the footprint of the bank and its future parking lot now clearly outlined. Foundation and base work is expected to be complete this summer. N O T E W O R T H Y C E N T R A L & W E S T E R N Malone Commercial Brokers an- nounced the sale of a newly construct- ed 26,000-square-foot self-storage facility located at 17 Town House Road in West Gardiner. The 7.5-acre There are many good reasons, but let's start with 3: • Fair renewal rates offered at the first quote. • 99% overall Member satisfaction rate.* • Our Partner Promise is a key reason we boast a 96% Large Group renewal rate.** Ready to see how health insurance can be done differently? Request a quote from your valued broker or call our Business Development team at (207) 402-3353. Why go with Community Health Options? A nonprofit health insurance partner made for Maine businesses. * Member satisfaction rate based on 2023 Member STAMP survey. ** The Partner Promise is our 13-point quantifiable, time-based commit- ments to Large Group employers. LG20240513 A S K AC E A n s w e r e d b y C a r r i e G r e e n Y a r d l e y , Y a r d l e y E s q . P L L C The Association for Consulting Expertise (ACE) is a nonprofit association of independent consultants who value "Success through Collaboration." The public is welcome to attend its regular meetings to share best practices and engage with industry experts. For more information go to www.consultexpertise.com. Q: My company has expressed its commitment to environmental and social responsibility, and we need to make that commitment real. How? ACE advises: You may be familiar with investors' use of responsible Environmental, Social and Governance factors to make investment decisions. Attracting capital is a powerful incentive. For business owners like yourself, decision-making based on sound environmental, social and governance prin- ciples is simply the right thing to do. Environmental and social issues give rise to compelling stories — extreme weather, asylum seekers and the hous- ing crisis, for example. By contrast, governance dwells in the dark world of lawyers, generates reems of paper, and seems, frankly, boring. Governance distributes rights and responsibilities through- out a business, from owners (members, shareholders), to board members, managers, employees, and stakeholders (lenders, customers, and vendors). In the ESG context gov- ernance necessarily includes management practices. Consequently, governance documents range from bylaws and LLC agreements to budgets, financial reports, job descrip- tions and process checklists. You will achieve neither your environmental nor your social goals without them. Let's assume your LLC owns a large property and anticipates developing it for a combination of residential and commercial pur- poses. It is committed to develop- ment incorporating green principles. Does your LLC agreement reflect this commitment? Has the LLC's leadership adopted a clear environmental policy statement to be integrated into its com- mercial commitments, such as tenant leases and vendor con- tracts? Do your contract negotiators summarize how the other party has committed itself to operate within your policies before presenting the contract for signature? Have you authorized your negotiators to recommend contract awards to someone other than the lowest bidder? Does your budget reflect this? These are not just paperwork; they will help your business prosper. In the words of Blackrock founder, Larry Fink, "pur- poseful companies, with better environmental, social, and governance (ESG) profiles, …outperform(ed) their peers." Carrie Green Yardley, vice president of ACE, founded Yardley Esq. PLLC in 2015. The firm works with small businesses and owners on governance and transactions, from startup to exit. She can be reached at carrie@yardleyesq.com C E N T R A L & W E S T E R N

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