Sustainability Metrics, Certifications and Standards
Your customers and suppliers are demanding that you demonstrate your commitment to sustainability. With hundreds of measurement tools, standards and labels, what do you invest in?
Dan Vermeer (moderator)
Director, Duke Sustainable Business Initiative
Dan comes to Duke from The Coca-Cola Company, where he was Director of Sustainable Value Chain, an enterprise-wide initiative to integrate sustainability into Coca-Colas core business practices including business planning, procurement, employee engagement, customer relationships, communications, and brand positioning. Prior to that, Dan founded and led Coca-Colas Community Water Partnerships program, resulting in 125 public-private water sustainability projects in 50 countries. Dan holds a BA in Psychology from Hope College, an MA in Cultural Anthropology from the University of Virginia and a PhD in Learning Sciences from Northwestern University.
Jonathan Estes
Senior Analyst, Strategic Measures
Jonathan Estes is a partner with Strategic Measures, Inc., a management consultancy that delivers a "value analytics" approach to help organizations measure overall business impact of their sustainability initiatives. Prior to forming SMI, Jonathan started Avanta Media Corp. to apply his experience in adult education to innovations in online learning. A compelling writer and popular keynote speaker, Jonathan has worked throughout the US and internationally in corporations, universities, and state and federal government. In addition to extensive speaking engagements for sustainability systems development, Jonathan is also currently writing a book, "Smart Green: How to Implement Sustainable Business Practices in Any Industry—and Make Money", through Wiley & Sons due out in early 2009.
Alyssa Farrell
Marketing Manager for Sustainability Solutions, SAS
Alyssa Farrell is the Marketing Manager for Sustainability Solutions and works with SAS customers around the world to understand best practices and solutions for challenging business issues. She participates in environmental industry groups and supports the SAS Executive Sustainability Council, the leadership team that governs SAS’ sustainable business practices. Farrell regularly speaks with trade associations, analysts, and the press about the opportunities organizations have to effectively manage a sustainable strategy and drive healthy economic growth. Prior to joining SAS, Farrell was a senior consultant in the Deloitte Public Sector practice. She is a graduate of the Eller College of Management at the University of Arizona, where she earned her MBA degree. She also holds a BA degree from Duke University.
Bart Houlahan
Co-founder, B Lab
Bart Houlahan, is co-founder of B Lab and the B Corporation certification for purpose-driven companies. Prior to B Lab, Bart was CFO, COO and President of AND 1, a basketball footwear, apparel and entertainment company, where he grew annual revenues from $4M to $250M over 11 years. Before AND 1, Bart was an investment banker with Stonebridge Associates, BNY Associates, and Prudential-Bache Securities, focused on providing corporate finance and merger and acquisition services to small-cap businesses. Bart grew up in Chicago and is a graduate of Stanford University.
Susan Inglis
Director, Sustainable Furnishings Council
Susan Inglis is executive director and a founding member of the Sustainable Furnishings Council (SFC), an independent coalition founded in March 2007 to promote sustainable practices within the industry. SFC works with industry leaders to establish criteria to gauge the sustainability of furniture products and practices. Inglis is also founder and owner of From The Mountain, a company that develops, sources, and manages production of home furnishings and textiles handmade in Bolivia, Columbia, Peru, Ghana, Madagascar, Uganda and other international locales, often linking indigenous artisan groups to new markets and supporting international microenterprise development organizations. Inglis holds a degree in anthropology from the UNC at Chapel Hill. She is an active member of the Fair Trade Federation, The Crafts Center, and WithIt (Women in the Home Industries Today).
Mark LaCroix
Executive VP, GreenLife
Mark LaCroix serves as Executive Vice President of Business Development at The GreenLife Organization, a vertically integrated provider of carbon management products and services. Prior to joining GreenLife in April of this year he held the position of Vice President, Global Sustainability with InterfaceFABRIC, a leading manufacturer of commercial interior fabrics. Mr. LaCroix is a LEED™ Accredited Professional and speaks regularly on sustainability-related topics to industry and community groups. He serves on the external advisory boards for the Erb Institute at the University of Michigan and Aquinas College Sustainable Business Degree program.
Jonathan Estes is a partner with Strategic Measures, Inc., a management consultancy that delivers a "value analytics" approach to help organizations measure overall business impact of their sustainability initiatives. Prior to forming SMI, Jonathan started Avanta Media Corp. to apply his experience in adult education to innovations in online learning. A compelling writer and popular keynote speaker, Jonathan has worked throughout the US and internationally in corporations, universities, and state and federal government. In addition to extensive speaking engagements for sustainability systems development, Jonathan is also currently writing a book, "Smart Green: How to Implement Sustainable Business Practices in Any Industry—and Make Money", through Wiley & Sons due out in early 2009.
Alyssa Farrell is the Marketing Manager for Sustainability Solutions and works with SAS customers around the world to understand best practices and solutions for challenging business issues. She participates in environmental industry groups and supports the SAS Executive Sustainability Council, the leadership team that governs SAS’ sustainable business practices. Farrell regularly speaks with trade associations, analysts, and the press about the opportunities organizations have to effectively manage a sustainable strategy and drive healthy economic growth. Prior to joining SAS, Farrell was a senior consultant in the Deloitte Public Sector practice. She is a graduate of the Eller College of Management at the University of Arizona, where she earned her MBA degree. She also holds a BA degree from Duke University.
Bart Houlahan, is co-founder of B Lab and the B Corporation certification for purpose-driven companies. Prior to B Lab, Bart was CFO, COO and President of AND 1, a basketball footwear, apparel and entertainment company, where he grew annual revenues from $4M to $250M over 11 years. Before AND 1, Bart was an investment banker with Stonebridge Associates, BNY Associates, and Prudential-Bache Securities, focused on providing corporate finance and merger and acquisition services to small-cap businesses. Bart grew up in Chicago and is a graduate of Stanford University.
Susan Inglis is executive director and a founding member of the Sustainable Furnishings Council (SFC), an independent coalition founded in March 2007 to promote sustainable practices within the industry. SFC works with industry leaders to establish criteria to gauge the sustainability of furniture products and practices. Inglis is also founder and owner of From The Mountain, a company that develops, sources, and manages production of home furnishings and textiles handmade in Bolivia, Columbia, Peru, Ghana, Madagascar, Uganda and other international locales, often linking indigenous artisan groups to new markets and supporting international microenterprise development organizations. Inglis holds a degree in anthropology from the UNC at Chapel Hill. She is an active member of the Fair Trade Federation, The Crafts Center, and WithIt (Women in the Home Industries Today).
Mark LaCroix serves as Executive Vice President of Business Development at The GreenLife Organization, a vertically integrated provider of carbon management products and services. Prior to joining GreenLife in April of this year he held the position of Vice President, Global Sustainability with InterfaceFABRIC, a leading manufacturer of commercial interior fabrics. Mr. LaCroix is a LEED™ Accredited Professional and speaks regularly on sustainability-related topics to industry and community groups. He serves on the external advisory boards for the Erb Institute at the University of Michigan and Aquinas College Sustainable Business Degree program.