2019 Sustainability Accomplishments
2020 Sustainability Goals
B-Corp Certification
We are in the process of becoming a B-Corp. In fact, we lead a number of CEOs collaborating in a mastermind called “The Road to B” where we are all getting B-Corp certified so we have proof that we use our business as a source for good.
Greener Travel
The next company car will be electric. Just putting that into the universe right now. I am kind of a car girl. Not very excited about driving a Leaf or paying for a Tesla. Any suggestions?
Offsetting Our Carbon Footprint
We plan to offset our carbon footprint from business, person, and travel fully. Our goal is to be carbon neutral by 2030. It is surprisingly affordable and feels really good. Etsy now does this on ALL its shipping. Yay Etsy – so inspiring. It is coming, people! For those that are new to this, basically, you calculate how much carbon dioxide you are putting into the atmosphere (there are ways to do this) and then invest in something that will remove an equivalent amount of carbon dioxide, like some rain forest. It is the ultimate “leave nothing but footprints” move. If you want to examine how to do this, here are a few legit places that can help you get started:
- Climate Neutral is pioneering making it easy for businesses to calculate or offset their carbon footprint.
- Trees For The Future will help you calculate your carbon offsets and allow you to donate to their cause, which plants trees. Great for individuals and small businesses.
- Certified B Corp TripZero can help you with company travel and events. In support of a regenerative economy, when you book your hotel with TripZero, they calculate the carbon produced by your trip and offset the total by funding reforestation and renewable energy projects. This costs you nothing extra.
Banking Responsibly
We have moved our business banking accounts to a local, community based, environmentally and people-friendly alternative. We were horrified to learn that our current, well-known and respected bank is a significant funder of extractive industries.
Spending and Investing More Sustainably
We plan to ensure our spending and investing is with sustainable supply chain and into socially responsible investment (SRI) funds.
Use This To Do Good With Your Business Too
Our strategy and toolkit doesn’t belong to us. It was created by experts and industry leaders for all to use. We use the heck out of it, and we think you should too. Here’s where we recommend you start.
01. Tax yourself. Join 1% For The Planet, and commit to donating 1% of your revenue to environmental nonprofits.
02. Estimate your footprint. Use a 3rd party auditor like 3degrees or Carbonfund.org to estimate your Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions.
03. Offset your footprint. Offsetting your historic carbon emissions and all emissions moving forward is cheaper and easier than you think. We use and recommend Carbonfund.org and Bonneville Environmental Foundation.
04. Surround yourself with experts. Joint the OIA Sustainability Working Group and participate in bi-annual meetings.
05. Become an expert yourself. Read OIA’s Social Responsibility Guide.
06. Look under the hood. Audit your factories for worker safety and pay. We recommend Arche Advisors.
07. Set the bar. Develop a code of conduct for your factories to adhere to. Invest in audits to hold you and your partners accountable. You can use our code of conduct as a template.
08. Reduce your impact. Use the Higgs MSI product tool to see how your materials add up in terms of impact. Review the Restricted Substances List with your design and manufacturing team. Get a lifecycle assessment of your current materials through BlueSign. Reducing impact is a critical part of any sustainability strategy, but it takes time. A strategy focused solely on reducing is one that ignores the immediate actions you can take.