Representatives from Sustainable Business Network of Massachusetts presented an overview of its services to Dedham’s Sustainability Advisory Committee and explored the possibility of partnering with the town.
The town’s Environmental Coordinator Virginia LeClair secured $1,600 of the mitigation funds from the construction of Legacy Place to form a green business program.
She had already used the funds to create materials such as a logo and checklist when LeClair and the town’s Economic Director Karen O’Connell realized it might be more effective to partner with the Cambridge-based nonprofit than start from scratch.
Members voiced that a green program would attract customers, save money, and make Dedham a healthier place to live and work. It can even increase employee retention, according to Managing Director of Sustainable Business Network Katrina Kazda.
“We looked at other communities across the country and what they were doing, we met with different consulting companies, and then we stumbled across this program. It was really what we wanted to create and it was already here,” LeClair said at the Sustainability Advisory Committee meeting on Monday, Jan. 28.
LeClair and O’Connell met with Sustainable Business Network to determine if “we could merge with this already established program that would bring a higher level of credibility and service,” LeClair explained.
In the case of a partnership, businesses would still pay Sustainable Business Network directly for its services, whose Sustainable Business Leadership Program starts at $600 for a business of 1,000 square-feet or less. Limited funds would most likely not make it possible for the committee to help offset costs, LeClair said.
Instead, she suggested the town could work with the nonprofit by being a liaison to business owners as well as helping Sustainable Business Network navigate town government.
The education and certification typically takes businesses six months to one year. Recertification is required every two years, and Sustainable Business Network provides support continual support upon completion of the program, according to Managing Director Katrina Kazda.
In her presentation, Kazda emphasized that Sustainable Business Network’s approach is “iterative” and flexible.
“Instead of just staying, ‘you should really update your lighting,’ we say ‘these are the local companies you can work with, these are the [tax] incentives you may be able to use,’” she explained.
Sustainable Business Network also takes into account that different businesses have different budgets, Kazda said.
“Best case scenario you have a old 3 gallon toilet and you replace it, but there comes a cost with that…if you’re really just scraping by, you could fill some coke bottles with sand and put them in the back of your tank,” Kazda said.
Representatives from Sustainable Business Network of Massachusetts presented an overview of its services to Dedham’s Sustainability Advisory Committee and explored the possibility of partnering with the town.
The town’s Environmental Coordinator Virginia LeClair secured $1,600 of the mitigation funds from the construction of Legacy Place to form a green business program.
She had already used the funds to create materials such as a logo and checklist when LeClair and the town’s Economic Director Karen O’Connell realized it might be more effective to partner with the Cambridge-based nonprofit than start from scratch.
Members voiced that a green program would attract customers, save money, and make Dedham a healthier place to live and work. It can even increase employee retention, according to Managing Director of Sustainable Business Network Katrina Kazda.
“We looked at other communities across the country and what they were doing, we met with different consulting companies, and then we stumbled across this program. It was really what we wanted to create and it was already here,” LeClair said at the Sustainability Advisory Committee meeting on Monday, Jan. 28.
LeClair and O’Connell met with Sustainable Business Network to determine if “we could merge with this already established program that would bring a higher level of credibility and service,” LeClair explained.
In the case of a partnership, businesses would still pay Sustainable Business Network directly for its services, whose Sustainable Business Leadership Program starts at $600 for a business of 1,000 square-feet or less. Limited funds would most likely not make it possible for the committee to help offset costs, LeClair said.
Instead, she suggested the town could work with the nonprofit by being a liaison to business owners as well as helping Sustainable Business Network navigate town government.
The education and certification typically takes businesses six months to one year. Recertification is required every two years, and Sustainable Business Network provides support continual support upon completion of the program, according to Managing Director Katrina Kazda.
In her presentation, Kazda emphasized that Sustainable Business Network’s approach is “iterative” and flexible.
“Instead of just staying, ‘you should really update your lighting,’ we say ‘these are the local companies you can work with, these are the [tax] incentives you may be able to use,’” she explained.
Sustainable Business Network also takes into account that different businesses have different budgets, Kazda said.
“Best case scenario you have a old 3 gallon toilet and you replace it, but there comes a cost with that…if you’re really just scraping by, you could fill some coke bottles with sand and put them in the back of your tank,” Kazda said.
She admitted, however, that it can be harder to work with the smallest businesses. Businesses large enough to appoint a sustainability ‘point person’ are often most successful at implementing the program, though she claimed the certification process only takes about 20 hours total.
Committee members seemed interested in continuing to explore a partnership with Sustainable Business Network.
“The next step would be meeting with the Oakdale Square Alliance and Dedham Square Circle,” LeClair said.
Committee Chairman Jonathan Briggs suggested that the certification could promote friendly competition between business owners.
“They might think, ‘that person did that, I want to do that. That person is greener than me? No way,’” he said.
But committee member Deb Harrison was focused on unity.
“Why have 17 different [recycling contracts],” Harrison asked. “Why not say we can do it together?”
