A sold out crowd of sustainable businesses and individuals attended the Second Annual Triple Bottom Line Bash hosted by West Michigan Sustainable Business Forum at New Vintage Place in Grand Rapids last Thursday evening. The bash, business awards and dinner designed for the sustainable business community in Grand Rapids is quickly becoming the “go to” event of the year for those practicing the Triple Bottom Line in their business practices, as indicated by the overflowing crowd. Many thanks go out to all the sponsors who made the event possible, as there are actually too many to list in this article.
One of the main features of the event is to honor those individuals who have had the largest impact on sustainable practices within the community and induct them into the West Michigan Sustainable Business Hall of Fame. This years’ inductees included: Renae Hesselink from Nichols, David Rinard of Steelcase, Rich Vanderveen from Mackinaw Power and designer Tom Newhouse. All of this years’ inductees deserve praise for their commitment not just to sustainability but to the positive impact they’ve had on their community.
Another feature of the evening was to select the Sustainable Business of the Year. This years’ award winner was the local sustainable brewery, “Brewery Vivant.” Congratulations to this sustainable brewery business whose business practices seems to contemplate the Triple Bottom Line throughout their corporate structure, including the owners, brewing staff, marketing, kitchen and front-of-the-house teams.
Brewery Vivant is just a few years old, but has truly immersed its business practices and engaged in the Triple Bottom Line. They’ve used the B-Corps model to institutionalize their practices. Whether considering a sustainable can or saving water through the production of beer, using locally sourced ingredients and foods in their kitchen, sustainability seems to continuously permeate decision-making at this forward thinking establishment. Congratulations for having a LEED Certified building, the honor of your selection as 2015 Sustainable Business of the Year but more importantly, your commitment to making the world a more sustainable place to live, work and play.
Events like the Second Triple Bottom Line Bash are important for recognizing those taking the many extra steps necessary to positively impact the world through their sustainable business practices and individual efforts. It would be wonderful to report on more sustainable champions throughout our state being recognized for making Michigan a more sustainable place. Certainly, more events like this need to take place in order to acknowledge those working so hard to not only turn our state around, but make it a cleaner, more sustainable place for future generations.
ROBERT E. MATTLER is Managing Director for PACE-Equity in Michigan. He speaks, writes and reports about emerging sustainable real estate and development issues in Michigan and elsewhere.Bob is a senior correspondent for www.greeningdetroit.com. For more information, contact Bob at PACE-Equity (248) 762-4370; or by e-mail: bmattler@pace-equity.com.