Environmental Sustainability:
The Case for Going Green

October 1, 2008
U.S. Chamber of Commerce

On October 1st the National Chamber Foundation (NCF) and the Business Civic Leadership Center (BCLC) partnered to host a forum titled Environmental Sustainability: The Case for Going Green. A panel of experts discussed the practicality and feasibility of going green.

Click here to watch the webcast of the event.

Click here to access a post-event write-up.

Speakers included:

• Mark D. Friedrichs, Office of Policy and International Affairs, U.S. Department of Energy
• Glenn T. Prickett, Senior Vice President and Executive Director, Center for Environmental Leadership in Business
• Dawn C. Reeves, PE, LEED AP, Manager of Environmental Sustainability, Harris Teeter, Inc. (Click here to access Dawn’s presentation slides.)
• Mark Santacrose, President, Chief Executive Officer, Tecta America Corporation (Click here to access Mark’s presentation slides – coming soon!)
• Alison L. Taylor, Director, Government Affairs, Environment, Siemens Corporation (Click here to access Alison’s presentation slides)
• James E. Whaley, President, Siemens Foundation

Topics of discussion included:

• Effective green business products
• Established best practices for going green
• Current and proposed policies that encourage or obstruct sustainable practices
• The business community’s role in promoting environmental sustainability

Click here to view the agenda.

Resources

Event Sponsor – American Apparel and Footware Association (AAFA)
1. 2008 AAFA Restricted Substance List (RSL) – Release 3 – Introduction
2. 2008 AAFA RSL – Release 3
Additional Resources
1. Willard Intercontinental Sustainability Report – 2007

Deloitte and The Cambridge Group conducted a survey on the impact of Environmental Sustainability (ES) on businesses which has been analyzed and distributed to members of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Survey Findings: Did you know that…

• 71% want to improve brand strength and good will through Environmental Sustainability
• 74% want to increase sales
• 67% want to reduce costs

Click here to view and download the survey results.

Additionally, during this forum, BCLC will announce the call for nominations for its second annual Siemens Sustainable Community Awards. These awards recognize U.S. communities that integrate sustainable solutions into their long-term community development. Local governments, chambers of commerce, convention bureaus, economic development authorities, and similar organizations will also be awarded for their exceptional contributions to their community’s long-term social and economic development.

Three prizes will be presented to communities in the small, mid-size, and large categories. The winners will be announced on May 4, 2009 at BCLC’s National Conference on Corporate Community Investment in Chicago.

For information on last year’s award recipients click here.

Click here to access the Siemens 2009 Nomination Kit.

Thank you to our Event Sponsors: