THE SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS LEADERS PROGRAM CONTINUES TO EVOLVE

The decade and a half old program has been revamped to encompass local needs in addition to national and global standards.

The Sustainable Business Leaders (SBL) program is Jackson Hole’s green business education and recognition program and membership-based association that has been managed by ISWR since 2007.

While the program has been in existence for nearly 15 years, originally created to help educate organizations on recycling standards in Teton County, members are now actively engaged in the leadership and direction of the program, and the focus is shifted toward information and resources.

Organizations are admitted into the program after scoring above a threshold of 50 percent or higher in a survey that evaluates compliance with criteria in the following areas: Planning & Management; Purchasing & Waste Management; Energy; Water; Transportation; Community Investment; Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion; Health & Safety; Marketing & Communications; Conservation & Resource Protection; Training, Certification & Recognition; and Innovation.

The SBL team drew from research of other sustainability standards being promoted internationally as well as local sustainability priorities and programs to update the survey. The new survey expands on the information including practices and criteria on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; Health and Safety; and Conservation and Resource Protection. These topics were identified as needed and desired in the SBL

program during the opportunity presented by the slowdown in the program due to COVID-19.

This year was also the first that the program was expanded with a grant opportunity eligible to all SBL members. The inaugural grants were awarded to Wheel Wranglers, General Laundry, and Avant Delivery.

‘’We are excited to start the Sustainable Business Leaders Grants Program as part of the next generation of benefits to those businesses and organizations that have demonstrated a commitment to sustainability and contributing to our community’s efforts toward environmental stewardship, social responsibility, and economic vitality,” said Timothy O’Donoghue, Riverwind Foundation Executive Director.

Wheel Wranglers will use the funds to expand their “bikes-by-bikes” program, limiting the need for carbon-emitting vehicles to deliver bicycle rentals while Avant Delivery will build accessible drop-off stations for their reusable containers and lastly, General Laundry will use the funds to promote their “Baskets, Not Plastics!” campaign, providing baskets or hampers to those who would typically use single-use products when transporting their laundry.

The Sustainable Business Leaders program will continue to grow and change to meet the needs of its participants and the town’s Environmental and Social goals. For more information about or share ideas for the Sustainable Business Leaders Program, visit https://www. roadtozerowastejh.org/business-leader-program/, contact Program Manager, Carlyann Edwards at carlyann@riverwindfoundation.org, or Waste Diversion Outreach Coordinator, Becky Kiefer at ISWRoutreach@tetoncountywy.gov.

Chase Krumholz