Hartford Business Journal

8 Hartford Business Journal • October 24, 2016 www.HartfordBusiness.com from page 1 might benefit them, and vice versa. Launched by longtime corporate-sustain- ability advocate Heather Burns, the council is pursuing nonprofit certification and hopes to combine elements of a chamber of commerce and think tank to promote policies and ini- tiatives for businesses and government that could slow climate change. Similar groups exist in other states, including Massachusetts, California, Ver- mont and West Virginia. "I know that to be successful in bringing sustainable business to the next level, which by the way is critical to the existence of humans on this planet, we must break down industry sectors and cross county lines in the state," said Burns, a Fairfield County resident. In addition to Uber, the Connecticut Sus- tainable Business Council's founding mem- bers include the quasi-public Connecticut Green Bank; New Haven's ESG Compass, which provides software to assess environ- mental and other risks; Milford's EBP Supply Solutions, which counts green cleaning sup- plies among its offerings; and White Plains- based commuter services provider Metro- pool, whose CEO John Lyons is chairing the council's board of directors. Mackey Dykes, the Green Bank's vice presi- dent of commercial and industrial programs, said at the launch event that the Green Bank was excited about the council's potential. "There hasn't been a like-minded forum for groups like us and businesses like us to come together to share best practices to advocate together for sustainability in the state and to promote it," Dykes said. Keri Enright-Kato, director of the Depart- ment of Energy and Environmental Protec- tion's office of climate change and technology, said Connecticut can't solve climate change on its own, but collective efforts — such as a Northeast carbon-credit trading program cre- ated in 2008 — can make a difference. "We know sustainability makes business sense," Enright-Kato said to the audience, adding that it can help reduce operating costs, improve reputations, attract employees and open new markets. "What are the opportuni- ties for which your company or organization might have the biggest sustainable impact?" Though much of the council's governance structure and high-level members are Fair- field County focused, that could change. Burns said she is planning launch events in Hartford and New Haven in March and June, respectively. She intends for the council to have a statewide membership. Matt Powers, Uber's Connecticut general manager, said he saw a clear reason for the ridesharing company, which markets its ser- vices as a way to reduce traffic and green- house-gas emissions, to participate. "What we're hopeful for is we can work with other like-minded businesses across the state to drive some real change," Powers said, "whether it's on the legislative side or telling the public about sustainability." Asked about their respective interests in the council, Pratt & Whitney and ESPN both expressed optimism about its prospects. "At Pratt & Whitney, and across all of Unit- ed Technologies, we define sustainability as doing good for the planet while we do good for our customers, employees, communities and shareowners," said Pratt spokesman Ray Hernandez. "To that end, we continu- ously evaluate opportunities where we can share best practices on sustainability and are encouraged to see many of our area peers engaged in similar activities." ESPN's Kevin Martinez, vice president of corporate citizenship, said his company wants to learn from area companies that are "on the cutting edge of sustainability." "ESPN is committed to protecting and preserving the environment, as well as edu- cating and inspiring sports fans to embrace sustainable choices and lifestyles," Martinez said. "We actively manage our energy and water consumption, as well as waste." Early goals Though the council's precise policy agenda is yet to be determined, it's leadership has iden- tified several key focus areas that it hopes will allow the organization to unite a broad variety of industry sectors, from institutional inves- tors to organic farmers and manufacturers. They include climate change and emis- sions, sustainable supply chains and sustain- able procurement. Burns is an expert on the latter, having run a consultancy since 2006 to help com- panies and government agencies implement sustainable strategies. One idea discussed at the launch event was pushing state government to beef up Connecticut's sustainable procurement pro- gram, possibly through an executive order from Gov. Dannel P. Malloy. Connecticut already has sustainability requirements for agencies purchasing a variety of products, including cleaning supplies, appliances and vehicles. But Burns thinks that list could be expanded. "We hope to increase market demand for those [sustainable] products and services," she said. "We want to help those suppliers grow." One relatively new concept is creating sustainability standards for the profession- al services industry. Burns is vice chair of a committee within NSF International — an arbiter of standards and certifications for various products — that has been working on a framework for professional services. The committee began its work in 2009 after President Obama issued an executive order requiring federal purchasers to consider an array of environmental and social impacts for both products and services. Burns said she expects the NSF Green council targets climate change Member FDIC Equal Housing Lender 866.959.BANK (2265) bankatunited.com Talk to one of our experienced bankers today, or visit bankatunited.com. *Subject to credit approval. Flexible banking solutions to help grow your business. At United Bank, our commitment to small business runs deep. So whether you're just starting out or looking to grow, we offer an entire suite of small business solutions, local decision-making and expert guidance designed to help keep your business running smoothly. SECURED LINE OF CREDIT* UP TO $ 300,000 UNSECURED LINE OF CREDIT* UP TO $ 50,000

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