Educating, Engaging and Empowering Sustainable Businesses Through a Smart Business Challenge MERRY RANKIN, SCOTT NEMEC AND TAYLOR SILVESTRINI
Ames and Iowa State University - Ames - Located in central Iowa - Population of 65,000, Founded in 1864, Home to Barilla Pasta, Workiva, REG, 3M, National Animal Disease Center Iowa State University – Founded in 1858, - First - designated land grant institution – Enrollment 35,000 – Eight colleges offering undergraduate, masters and PhD programs - celebrating 10 Years of the Live Green! Initiative 2008-2018
History of the Smart Business Challenge - Proposal from the Ames Chamber of Commerce - Established officially in 2014, as part of the City of Ames Sesquicentennial year celebration and visioning forward initiatives. - Celebrates accomplishment and connects to experts, expertise and resources. - Certification process is based on commitment to environmental, economic and social sustainability through a three-tiered checklist process.
Challenge Process and Checklist Checklist Details: 1. Energy Audit • 10 Sections (transportation, waste management, community relations, etc) 2. Challenge Checklist • Must complete 8 of 10 sections for a particular level in order to get certified at that level 3. Certification • Must fulfill lower certification levels to be certified at higher certification levels
Lessons Learned and Improvements: Marketing Events National Campus Sustainability Day Sustainapalooza Earth Day/Week
Lessons Learned and Improvements: Communication Templates for Templates Awareness Pre and for Piece of Post Awareness Checklist Survey Piece of Checklist Tips for Increasing Scheduling Tips for Certification Meetings to Increasing go Over Certification Checklist
Lessons Learned and Improvements: Engagement Attending Participating Recruiting farmers at Eco Fair Engaging through market and and city through business community sponsored social media walks events events
Lessons Learned and Improvements: Connection and Recognition Smart Business Challenge Luncheon Invitation to University Events
Businesses in the Smart Business Challenge Bronze Participants Platinum ● Ames Chamber of Commerce Silver ● ● Barilla Pasta Duck Worth Wearing ● ● Campustown Action Association The Fighting Burrito ● ● ● Coe’s Floral and Gifts Green Hills Retirement Arcadia Cafe ● Don and Son’s Body Shop Inc. ● Community Health Care Center Cafe Diem ● ● ● Mary Greeley Medical Center The Loft Ames The Frame Shop ● ● ● Nelson Electric McFarland Clinic Jax Outdoor Gear ● ● ● Octagon Center for the Arts Morning Bell Coffee Roasters Ron’s Auto Repair ● ● Pure Bridal Wheatsfield Cooperative ● ● Renewable Energy Group (REG) Wild Water Car Wash Gold ● S B & A Architects ● Wild Root Salon ● Lutheran Services of Iowa (LSI) ● Worldly Goods
“You’ll have instant access to experts who are ready to help you use what resources Participant Testimonials you have to the maximum advantage” --Nelson Electric “Being part of the program has given us a wonderful talking point “Without the Smart Business Challenge we would with our customers that highlights our achievements and frames not have known about BPA free receipt paper and how easy it is to implement it” our sustainability efforts as notable” – Morning Bell Coffee Roasters -- Duck Worth Wearing “It was a ah -ha moment at our first group meeting “The Smart Business Challenge is a great way to understand the impact you’re having hearing what other members of the Challenge were doing and realizing I could be doing that at on the community and as a part of the my place of business” community it was something we wanted to understand” --McFarland Clinic --Ames Chamber of Commerce https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=shZF5769EIQ&t=1s
Questions and Discussion Ideas Merry Rankin Smart Business Challenge Website: mrankin@iastate.edu https://www.cityofames.org/government/departments- divisions-a-h/electric/smart-business-challenge Scott Nemec snemec@iastate.edu Iowa State Live Green! Website: https://www.livegreen.iastate.edu/ Taylor Silvestrini tws@iastate.edu
Recommend
More recommend
