Becoming a Sustainable Business

A sustainable business is one that is resource efficient, socially responsible, and environmentally sensitive. Sustainable San Mateo County defines sustainability as "meeting the needs of this generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs." Your business can make a difference beginning with smart Purchasing Decisions and an efficient Commercial Recycling program. By promoting alternatives to the single-occupancy-vehicle commute to your employees, businesses can help clean the air and help staff reduce commute cost and travel time to and from work.

Sustainable San Mateo County
Sustainable San Mateo County, an active nonprofit in the county, brings together a group of people interested in encouraging businesses, individuals, and government agencies to look to the future of our community. There is always a place for someone interested in helping educate, sharing the objectives of sustainability or simply learning about how to improve and guide a business into a more economic, equitable, and environmental direction. Sustainable San Mateo County awards annual recognition awards to businesses and programs in the county and publishes an Indicators Report each year tracking the progress of the County towards sustainability.

GreenBlue
GreenBlue is a nonprofit based on the principles discussed in Cradle to Cradle by William McDonough. The mission of the nonprofit is:
to inspire a transformation in the design of human industry... based on principles found in the productive systems of nature... making commercial activity an ecological and socially regenerative force.
If you are interested in changing your vision, this is the organization to look into.

the Natural Step
From their services page: "The Natural Step engages with companies to transform the way they do business by integrating sustainability principles into their core strategies, decisions, operations -- and bottom line. We help companies understand how the current state of the world is impacting business systems, and how, in turn, business systems are impacting the state of the world."

Peninsula Traffic Congestion Relief Alliance
Find out how you can promote alternatives to the single-occupancy-vehicle commute mode. Commute alternative programs can help to keep the Bay Area's air clean and at the same time reduce employees' commute cost and travel time. These programs are also great no-cost and low-cost tools to enhance employees' benefits packages. The Alliance will help you to implement a commuter program that is appropriate for your organization.

Smart Communities Network
This is an excellent source of information developed by the US Department of Energy and contains a list of Principles and Guidelines that describe several of the current approaches with links.

ISO Information Center
Find out how ISO 14000 and ISO 14001 work and how to be certified under it. This website is the center for the ISO community and explains why businesses take part in their program.

Pacific Gas and Electric Company
PG&E offers information on how your business can save money by taking measures to conserve energy. Check out the incentives for cutting down on your energy consumption.

Rocky Mountain Institute
This is a nonprofit organization that works with businesses, manufacturers, communities, governments, and individuals on projects concerning sustainability. They provide a large amount of information on conservation and they experiment with their own building and transportation designs.

Sustainable Business Insider
This site features news, articles, resources and new concepts.