For Immediate Release
October 20, 2011
 
Contact:      

Carol Pike, Chair, Tools & Resources Committee, carol@fusion-business.com, 616.617.0922

Eric Van Dellen, WMSBF Board President, 616.787.7394, Eric_VanDellen@amway.com

Lisa Locke, WMSBF Administrator, 616.914.1597, llocke@wmsbf.org


West Michigan Sustainable Business Forum Announces
2011 Community Pollution Prevention Grant Award

GRAND RAPIDS, MI –The West Michigan Sustainable Business Forum (WMSBF) announces a 2011 Community Pollution Prevention (P2) Grant Award from the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality for their Tools and Resources Initiative.
 
The WMSBF initiate will create a regional sustainability database that supports the measuring, comparing and reporting of data gathered from members, partners and other Sustainable Business Forums to determine the impact of sustainable practices on a consistent set of regional sustainability indicators.  The long-term value to the region and the State of Michigan is a single source of information on regional sustainability metrics and the impact of members, businesses and partners on those indicators.  The centerpiece of this project is the Self Assessment Guide to Sustainable Commerce.
 
This assessment guide provides a qualitative evaluation of the sustainability of business operations and strategies in eight separate categories. It was recently moved from a paper-based to web-based tool. “This award will allow us to significantly expand our current assessment tools; to create deep dives into the subject areas, provide more comprehensive resources and track the results,” says Carol Pike, Chair of the Tools & Resources Committee. WMSBF will receive $49,960 over a two-year period. A 25% match was required and is being met through in-kind donations of time and resources by the Tools & Resources, Energy, and Social Responsibility committees of the WMSBF.
 
The Tools and Resources Committee developed the initiative for this grant and will provide oversight of the project. Lisa Locke, WMSBF Administrator, will serve as Project Manager.
 
As part of their initiative, WMSBF has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Muskegon County and the Employers Association of West Michigan (EAWM). Part of Muskegon County’s award will support the EAWM’s Universal Waste Management Forum.   The MOU establishes a relationship to promote the use of each other’s tools, develop metrics, and share resources.  
 
Founded in 1994, the West Michigan Sustainable Business Forum is a network of businesses, institutions, and individuals dedicated to promoting business practices that demonstrate environmental stewardship, economic vitality, and social responsibility through education and collaboration. For more information, visit. www.wmsbf.org <http://www.wmsbf.org> .