Tag: Sustainable Business

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How Hollywood is Working to Tackle the Climate Crisis

Written by:
Vanessa Chumbley ’22
Managing Editor
Connect with Vanessa on LinkedIn

The relationship between film and television and American culture is a popular topic which many scholars have dedicated their careers to. Indeed, it is part of the evolution of the relationship that art has always had with culture. Through pre-historic drawings, sculpture, the written word, visual art, and now films and TV, art has always been both a product of a given culture and a vehicle for influencing and changing culture. Art reflects current attitudes, beliefs, and trends, but also provides new perspectives and has the power to change the way people understand and interact with the world around them. It is difficult to understand exactly the extent to which the content we watch today is a product of cultural trends versus the cause of cultural trends, but Oscar Wilde may have been on to something when he wrote, “Life imitates art far more than Art imitates life.”

It is through art and storytelling that we have come to understand our history as a species, and they remain a vital and integral part of our understanding of the world. Today, it is largely through film and TV that we tell the stories of our time – the stories that future generations will look to in order to understand this period of time in human history. One of the most important stories of our time, if not the most important, is that of our rapidly changing environment, climate change, and the role that human beings play in these changes.

The entertainment community is beginning to understand how they can play a role in tackling the climate crisis. A recent UK report, produced by the Behavioural Insight Team in collaboration with Sky TV, provided a strong call to action for the media and entertainment industry to use their platform to promote a more sustainable future, stating:

Broadcast organisations and content creators… have a unique opportunity to make a difference for the planet. Through the programs that they produce, the characters that they create, the plot-lines that they develop, and the adverts that they broadcast, content creators have the potential to have a far-reaching impact on the knowledge, attitudes and behaviours of citizens, and to spark conversations in boardrooms and political arenas alike. They are also pivotally placed to help people sift through the maze of choices and claims, to adopt behaviours – and products – that can get us to a greener future.1

The idea of entertainment content influencing and shifting cultural norms around sustainability and climate change is compelling and credible when we consider how content has shaped culture in the past. Film and TV’s influence on things like violence and smoking among children and teens has been widely discussed, but there is also data on the positive impact content has had on topics such as acceptance of homosexuality, public health, and having a designated driver.

Source: https://www.amazon.com/Will-Grace-Season-1/dp/B074R41PZF

As the world’s largest Entertainment and Media (E&M) industry, Hollywood is beginning to take this call to action to heart. In April of 2022, Good Energy – a “story consultancy for the age of climate change” – released their climate storytelling playbook: “A playbook for screenwriting in the age of climate change”. This playbook applies climate and behavioral science to the writing and storytelling process, outlining best practices for climate character development, how to talk about climate change, and how to portray sustainable behaviors on screen.

The conversation continued in June at the Hollywood Climate Summit, an annual gathering of entertainment, climate and behavioral science experts, and activists with programming aimed at how Hollywood can address the climate crisis. I attended a few of the Summit events as research for my Practicum Project with the Sustainable Production Alliance (SPA) – a consortium of the world’s leading film, TV, and streaming companies dedicated to accelerating the transformation of the entertainment business into a more sustainable industry. Working on this Practicum Project has provided introductions to many organizations working to tackle the climate crisis through content, including Green Product Placement, the Environmental Media Association, and Rare – one of the presenting organizations at the Summit.

The Summit brought together some of the industry’s most knowledgeable professionals, from the VP of Animation Film at Netflix to the founder of Good Energy to Erin Brockovich. Programming covered a variety of climate storytelling topics, including workshops on screenwriting, dispelling character tropes, unpacking climate emotions, and seminars on climate justice stories and elevating the voices of minority creators.

I was thrilled to see SI-MBA alum, Julie Keck, leading an event titled, “Kin Theory: A Community Centering Indigenous Creators”. Julie graduated from SI-MBA in 2019 and is now Co-Founder and Chief Business Development Officer of OTV Studio, an artist and IP incubator for intersectional creators that connects these artists to studios, networks, and audiences. She also works as a Consulting Producer with Nia Tero, a non-profit organization working to preserve Indigenous peoples, cultures, and land through advocacy, policymaking, and storytelling.

The industry is not only addressing climate change through its content, however. The major Hollywood studios and streaming companies are taking ambitious steps to reducing the carbon footprint of their business and physical production operations. For example, Sony installed solar panels on their lot, offsetting 100% of the electricity consumed by stage operations. Paramount constructed an alternative energy plant on their property, lowering energy consumption to below 1990 levels and saving 400 million tons of greenhouse gases over the past decade. Disney is piloting a digester, turning all their food and green waste into compost without needing to be transported to another facility. Studio crews take home the compost to use in their gardens, thus engaging and educating employees in the process2.

Source: https://thewaltdisneycompany.com/powering-the-magic-with-renewable-energy/

Much of the work done by my Practicum host, SPA, has centered around reducing the carbon footprint of physical production. They have produced tools including a carbon footprint calculator and a plywood tracking worksheet to be used on set. They connect filmmakers to a variety of green vendors and published the industry’s first comprehensive report on carbon emissions from physical production between 2016 and 2019. What is inspiring about SPA is that it’s an alliance comprised of the industry’s largest competitors – always battling for projects, talent, and viewers. However, they’ve come together to work collaboratively to make the industry as a whole more sustainable. Lisa Day, Manager of Environmental Sustainability at Disney, is one the point people for my Practicum project. The Hollywood Reporter Sustainability Issue shared the following quote from Lisa:

From the early, early days of starting this work, we came together and we said, ‘You know what, we can be as competitive as we want to at the box office, on our linear channels and our streaming services, but this is an area where we really need to be cooperative and not competitive,’ speaking of the industry’s collaborative effort to tackle climate change.1

The entertainment community has only just begun these important conversations on how to be a force for good when it comes to the climate crisis. Much more work and research are needed to reach the full potential of the positive impact the industry could have. I am excited and honored to make even a small contribution to this effort through my Practicum Project. While there is still a long way to go, this movement within the industry is gaining significant momentum, and I am hopeful it will lead to more action and widespread positive impact.

1Londakova, K., Reynolds, J., Farrell, A., Whitwell-Mak, J., Meyer zu Brickwedde, E., Mottershaw, A., . . . Park, T. (2021). The power of TV: Nudging viewers to decarbonise their lifestyles. Retrieved July 1, 2022, from https://www.bi.team/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Broadcasters-Report.pdf

2Chuba, K. (2022). Thr sustainability issue. Retrieved July 1, 2022, from https://sustainability.hollywoodreporter.com/p/5

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Impact Investors of Tomorrow: The Turner MIINT Program

Written By:

Carly Joos ‘22  
Digital Content Editor 
Connect with Carly on LinkedIn 

Devon Maddux ‘22 
Contributing Writer 
Connect with Devon on LinkedIn 

It was a crisp October afternoon when our team first met. The whiteboard in our meeting room mapped out the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, pulling together themes and ideas on which we could base our investment thesis. One kept catching our attention – “Affordable and Clean Energy.” The energy experts on the team, Ben Foxman and Josh Kriesberg, chimed in with energy-burden metrics while we discussed the realities of climate justice. Quickly, our thesis became clear, “our firm will invest in companies at the nexus of clean technology and accessibility.” We unofficially dubbed ourselves Empathic Ventures and embarked on our journey through the Turner MIINT competition. 

Source: Slide from the UVM MIINT Team’s Final Presentation

Every year the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business pairs up with the Bridges Impact Foundation to host the Turner MBA Impact Investing Network & Training (MIINT) program. This year-long competition is designed to give MBA students a hands-on experience as early-stage impact investors. During the 2021-2022 academic year, 630 students competed from 45 global institutions. The grand prize? A $50,000 investment into an impact-driven startup of the team’s choosing. Along the way, each team was required to develop an investment thesis, source potential investments, conduct due diligence, and ultimately craft an investment memo and pitch their chosen startup.  

This was the second year that students from the University of Vermont’s (UVM) Sustainable Innovation MBA (SI-MBA) program participated in the competition. Two teams competed internally to make it to the semi-finals – our team versus another whose investment thesis focused on women’s healthcare. We felt honored to be chosen to represent UVM in the semi-finals and, ultimately, our team was one of eight that made it to the final competition. We competed in the finals alongside other top business programs including the London School of Economics, MIT Sloan School of Management, the Wharton School, UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School, Columbia SIPA, Harvard Business School, and the Yale School of Management. 

In addition to a competition, the Turner MIINT program offers an incredible opportunity to learn the ins and outs of impact investing and venture capital. The program provided a host of resources and asynchronous learning modules that guided our team through the full investment cycle. We attended workshops with industry experts who shared frameworks for analyzing both business performance and social and environmental impact. Participating in this challenge, we were both humbled and inspired by the global scale at which the sustainable revolution is washing over the private equity and venture capital industry. Students from all over the globe were able to have the shared experience of learning what it means to be an impact investor. 

Alongside guidance from the Turner MIINT competition facilitators and partners, the SI-MBA program paired us with faculty advisor Cairn Cross. Cairn is the Co-founder and Managing Director of Fresh Tracks Capital, an early-stage venture capital firm focused on financing businesses in Vermont. Cairn was very generous with his time, scheduling frequent check-ins to help our team understand core topics in venture capital. These topics included: developing an investment thesis, sourcing potential deals, analyzing startup pro-forma financial statements, and more. Cairn also brought in experts from his network to help us through the due diligence process, provide feedback and support, and ultimately judge our investment memo and pitch. These sessions, along with the work required to advance through the competition, often required hours of work each week in addition to our accelerated MBA curriculum. Nevertheless, our team thrived knowing that we could provide catalytic capital to help a potentially world-changing company get its start. 

UVM Turner MIINT Finalists (from left to right) Ben Foxman, Devon Maddux, Tate Moeller, Carly Joos & Josh Kriesberg 

After a rigorous sourcing and due diligence process where we explored over 20 different early-stage ventures, we ultimately recommended investment in Community Energy Labs (CEL). CEL is a woman-founded, woman-run company with a mission to make smart energy management and decarbonization accessible and affordable. The company’s commercial building control solution uses machine learning to monitor, learn, and adjust building energy use to meet client goals. CEL is focused on bringing their affordable solution to schools, universities, and municipalities to help buildings lower energy costs, reduce CO2 emissions, and ultimately prepare for a transition to renewable energy sources. Although our team did not have the opportunity to invest in CEL, we continue to stay close to the company’s founder, Tanya Barham, and are excited to continue supporting its mission as we advance into our post-MBA careers. 

“MIINT opened my eyes to the sustainable change and positive non-financial outcomes created through impact investment,” Tate Moeller reflected about her experience in the program. “In 2021, just 2% of venture capital funds were awarded to female-founded companies. Pitching a woman-owned and led, energy and tech-focused startup in the finals of Wharton’s global competition was one of my proudest accomplishments this year. I am very grateful to have shared it with wonderful classmates and friends.” 

Overall, the Turner MIINT competition provided an incredible experience that left our team with a great network, new skills, and, most importantly, lifelong friendships. In addition to the personal growth we gained through this program, we are humbled to be part of the larger industry shift toward impact investing. We hope to support the increasing momentum that impact investing has in securing a more sustainable future for business. Ultimately, it will be the disruptive entrepreneurs of today that pave the way for the sustainable businesses of tomorrow. 

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Moving Beyond ESG to System Impact

Written By:
Taylor Smith ’22
Content Editor
Connect with Taylor on LinkedIn

Students in UVM’s Sustainable Innovation MBA (SI-MBA) program have taken control of the newly established SI-MBA Impact Fund. This donor-supported investment fund is committed to promoting the electrification of the U.S. economy. The fund is built around an emerging school of thought termed “system-level investing.” This approach acknowledges the interplay between the investment decisions made by individuals and the underlying social, economic, and environmental systems that ultimately drive U.S. financial markets.

Conventional investment approaches have a history of degrading our foundational systems in the pursuit of quarterly profits. Ever since the economist Milton Friedman embedded the concept of shareholder primacy1 in the 1960s and 1970s, profit maximization has been the aim of most corporate decision making. Even as our systems show the effects of degradation, it has been difficult to popularize a new paradigm of investment theory.

1Shareholder primacy is a form of corporate governance that focuses on maximizing the value of shareholders before considering the interests of other corporate stakeholders, such as society, the community, customers, employees, and the environment.

In 21st Century Investing (2021), William Burckart and Steve Lydenberg explore the emerging school of system-level investing. A key recognition of this investment approach is that we are not passive participants in capital markets. Our collective investments depend on, and influence, the long-term health of our underlying shared systems. The upshot is our investment decisions can support the health of our institutions and the environment. For instance, strategic investments in renewable energy diversify our electric grid and improve resiliency, but also reduce many social, environmental, and financial costs associated with pollution and climate risk.

21st Century Investing by William Burckart and Steve Lydenberg
Source: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/659299/21st-century-investing-by-william-burckart-and-steve-lydenberg/

System-level investors also recognize that various asset classes are inherently suited to tackle specific types of challenges. Fixed income government assets (bonds) can be used to construct public works. Equities (stocks) provide voting power and can influence long-term initiatives within large publicly traded firms. Venture capital investments can empower new start-ups that disrupt established industry players. Investors can participate and magnify their impact by funding the asset classes that maximize societal benefits in their chosen arena. Tactical groups of investments across several asset classes can work collectively to solve critical problems.

System-level investing confronts the problems of short-termism head-on. As Burckart and Lydenberg note, “Investors with long-term time horizons…recognize that the further out they look, the more their interests and those of society coincide. The greater their commitment to a long-term approach, the more they value the health of underlying systems.” System-level investors recognize a simple truth; to maximize returns in the long run, the underlying systems must be sustainable. Otherwise, the system breaks down. It is no surprise that many pension funds, such as those supporting workers in California (CalPERS), Quebec (CDPQ), and the Church of England, are drawn to a systems approach.

Few issues rise to the level where a systems approach makes sense. According to Burckart and Lydenberg, appropriate issues are those that have achieved widespread consensus as to their systematic importance, are broadly relevant to investment returns, are capable of being influenced by investors, and have long-term uncertainty. Issues that meet this threshold include climate change, income inequality, access to fresh water, and future pandemics.

In the SI-MBA program, student analysts, faculty advisors, and alumni practitioners are working to address our chosen theme: the full electrification of the U.S. economy. This theme was selected in support of UVM’s strong commitment to climate action. Embedded within the U.S. power grid are the diversified categories of 1) energy creation and distribution, 2) energy storage, and 3) energy consumption. Teams of students are collaborating to search for best-in-class, innovative public companies within each of these divisions that are helping to accelerate the U.S. energy transition. The energy grid is being considered at a global level, from the mining companies that extract heavy metals for battery and solar manufacturing, to the marketers who influence cultural trends and spending habits.

Photo by Aidan Hancock on Unsplash

SI-MBA students are committed to driving sustainable change across diverse fields: energy, education, public health, and many others. Thanks to UVM’s donors, those interested in pursuing careers in finance and analytics are gaining real world experience, with a chance to support systemic change long before graduation. While the SI-MBA Impact Fund isn’t likely to disrupt financial markets on its own, we are supporting a growing community of sustainable finance professionals. Collective action is essential for scaling impact.

We know that financial professionals can use a system-level investing approach to create societal benefits without sacrificing financial returns. Bolstering the health of underlying social, financial, and environmental systems creates a rising tide of investment opportunities for all. Before long, conventional investors will choose to ride the wave.

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The Power of Storytelling at Patagonia

Written By:

Josie Brownell ’22
Contributing Writer
Connect with Josie on LinkedIn

Zoe Kurtz ’22
Contributing Writer
Connect with Zoe on LinkedIn

Today, Patagonia, Inc. is a well-known and revered sustainability retail giant, but this reputation did not come easily. When Patagonia first entered the marketplace in 1973, “sustainability” was far from a commonplace term. However, over time, the company has demonstrated how business can be a force for good – for both planet and people – and not simply an extractive institution. 

As founder, Yvon Chouinard shaped Patagonia’s mission statement and core values through his own image. The company’s mission is simple:

Patagonia is in business to save our home planet.

Chouinard first started Patagonia as a climbing equipment company. He was a passionate climber who, along with Tom Frost, created tools to improve the sport. The pair began selling steel pitons, which were effective in keeping climbers safe but not in protecting the rocks – a massive conflict with their values as avid outdoorsmen. When they realized their products were harming the natural landscape, Chouinard and Frost innovated a new tool and compelled customers to alter their climbing practices.

Source: https://signalvnoise.com/posts/2776-on-writing-the-1972-chouinard-catalog-that-changed-a-business-and-climbing-forever

The pair announced a pivot in their 1972 catalogue, saying: “No longer can we assume the earth’s resources are limitless; that there are ranges of unclimbed peaks extending endlessly across the horizon. Mountains are finite, and despite their massive appearances, they are fragile.” This announcement exemplifies how Patagonia employs storytelling to create a community of people engaged in the practice of saving our home planet. 

The SI-MBA cohort had the pleasure of welcoming Vincent Stanley, Patagonia’s Director of Philosophy, as a guest speaker for our Family Business Club. He has been with Patagonia since its inception and has served as chief storyteller for many years. Storytelling is an integral part of Patagonia’s culture and their primary tactic for furthering the “responsible business” movement. In his first few words to the cohort Stanley was quick to distinguish between sustainability and responsibility, deeming the latter a more suitable term given that everyone possesses the agency to be responsible.

Vincent Stanley
Patagonia’s Vincent Stanley
Source: https://www.vincentstanley.com/

Patagonia has always engaged deeply with their employees, consumers, and the physical world; this engagement has taken the shape of storytelling in many ways. Initially this communication occurred on employee camping trips to inspire passion around protecting the natural environment, but they have graduated to written and visual mediums to highlight relevant environmental and social issues for both employees and consumers. Creating a platform for these stories is part of what makes Patagonia a leader in sustainability: their focus goes beyond sales and lies truly in their values of being “in business to save our home planet.” 

When asked how it feels to be such an industry leader, Stanley replied, “We’re humbled. We’re not sure environmentalism is yet a major concern for the majority of consumers, but it is for our friends and customers.” 

This sense of humility is evident in Patagonia’s storytelling as they weave together voices from Chilean fishermen, female carpenters, Japanese sake brewers, and many more. The company illustrates the impact of environmental and social issues on the people experiencing these issues firsthand. Patagonia’s stories create a community around their brand and shed light on how we can all make a difference. The stories Patagonia shares through their platform ground these issues and create community for all involved with the brand. Just last week, a group of SI-MBA students attended a screening of Patagonia’s latest film, Newtok, which showed the impact of sea-level rise in a small community in Alaska. 

Patagonia’s use of storytelling also brings a sense of inclusivity to their brand. Regardless of hobbies, interests, or identities, people want to support Patagonia and everything the company stands for. Stanley explained, “The films, books, store events are all ways to connect with the customer through shared values and action. We think that among our customers an alliance or network of people who share these values will be even more central to the business ten years from now than today.” 

It’s subtle and it’s intentional. Patagonia is purposefully creating collective action and consumer buy-in through storytelling. The Patagonia brand itself is a call to action. 

Looking to the future, regenerative practices are at the forefront of Patagonia’s strategy, mirroring the mindset of giving back more than we take. Using their established platform, the company is now able to share their successes and inspire a more responsible path forward for the business community. Patagonia has paved the way; it’s time for other businesses to follow suit.  

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Local Business Spotlight: The Restock Shop

Written By:
Colleen Miller ‘22
Contributing Writer
Connect with Colleen on LinkedIn

Source: https://www.instagram.com/therestockshopvt/

We live in a time when plastics are ever-present and seemingly unavoidable in our lives. Plastics package our food, medication, and personal care items – and that’s just scratching the surface. Individuals who wish to avoid purchasing items packaged in plastic must go to great lengths to do so, either by purchasing specialty products or DIYing their own.

I was able to speak with Marina McCoy, owner of The Restock Shop – a low-waste store located in Burlington, Vermont. The store aims to solve the problems created by unsustainable packaging and make a low-waste lifestyle more accessible to everyday consumers.

Source: https://www.instagram.com/therestockshopvt/

Since the store opened in 2021, The Restock Shop’s mission has been to help reduce waste and educate the community about low-waste living. Shifting to a low-waste lifestyle can be intimidating. Marina’s advice? Ask the staff questions! All of Restock’s employees champion low-waste lifestyles and are happy to advise low-waste novices. The shop also hosts regular workshops that walk participants through creating their own low-waste products. Past workshops include: Zero Waste 101, DIY Candles, and DIY Lip and Foot Scrubs.

Customers at The Restock Shop will find a variety of refillable personal care and cleaning products that can be refilled at stations using either containers brought from home, or  “borrowed” from Restock’s jar library. When asked what some of her favorite products are in the shop, Marina excitedly mentioned the shop’s intimate products, tongue scraper, and earwax pick. According to Marina, an earwax pick is one of those things you didn’t know you needed.

Source: https://www.instagram.com/therestockshopvt/

The shop works hard to ensure that its suppliers share its mission and vision and Marina and her team strive to sell products from underrepresented communities. Their vendor qualifications include: 1% for the Planet members, Certified Zero Waste, BIPOC-Owned, Asian-Owned, Woman-Owned, and organizations that donate profits to LGBTQ+ charities. Marina recognized Queer Candle and Kind Laundry as two great supplier partners.

Source: https://www.instagram.com/therestockshopvt/

One of the first things that a customer will notice when walking into the shop is its bright and cheery color scheme. When asked about the inspiration for the shop’s design, Marina shared, “I love the 90s. The shop has a 90s theme because we are trying to reclaim the 90s which is when unsustainable packaging took over. I don’t like how whitewashed the zero-waste movement became and want to take that out with fun colors,”

Marina studied sustainability in college and says that she used to be judgmental of how much waste others produced until she realized how hypocritical that attitude can be. For example, when reflecting on her own lifestyle, Marina noted, “I’m not going to give up my CSA [Community Supported Agriculture] because it sometimes contains a plastic bag.” She now focuses on trying to reduce overall consumption rather than enforcing a strict zero-waste regime.

Marina brings her welcoming, non-judgmental attitude into the store every day. When asked about her aspirations for Restock’s future, Marina said she hopes the store can become a community center where vendors can connect with the local community. In the future she hopes to expand the shop to have a presence at local CSAs and farmers markets to make a low-waste lifestyle available to even more people.

The Restock Shop is located at 230 College Street, Burlington Vermont.

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New Belgium Brews for a Cleaner Future

Written By:
Zoe Kurtz ’22
Contributing Writer
Connect with Zoe on LinkedIn

At the beginning of March, I joined five other students and traveled to Asheville, North Carolina to enjoy spring break, which included a meeting with the New Belgium sustainability team. As a SI-MBA student with a particular affection for breweries, I was fully supportive of the school-inspired detour. We were particularly interested in meeting Sarah Fraser, New Belgium’s sustainability specialist. New Belgium rides ahead of their competition as the proud brewer of Fat Tire, the first carbon neutral beer to be distributed in the US. This means that both the brewing and the sourcing of Fat Tire contributes no net carbon to the atmosphere. That’s right, something that is delicious for you is also delicious for the planet.

SI-MBA students at the New Belgium Liquid Center in Asheville, NC

New Belgium’s story is novel in the industry but becoming increasingly popular as more breweries experiment with innovative sustainable techniques to brew ever more delicious beer. Traditionally, the brewing process consumes large amounts of energy and water, both in sourcing the ingredients and transforming those grains into the beverage we are all expecting. While these challenges present massive hurdles to overcome for breweries trying to reduce their environmental footprint, New Belgium is not shying away.

I was giddy walking into New Belgium’s Liquid Center in Asheville to meet Sarah. The Liquid Center is a paradise for beer lovers. The bar inside is colorful and welcoming, and the outdoor space overlooks the French Broad River, which plays host to the tasting room and brewery. As we walked in, we could see the current construction to install solar panels on the brewhouse underway: another investment New Belgium is making towards their sustainability goals. As we sat outside, absorbing the southern sun and sipping our beers, we spoke with Sarah about everything from their carbon neutrality goals, supply chain issues, their relationship with the local Asheville brewery scene, and different exciting innovations they are exploring. The experience was both surreal and validating as I saw classroom discussions transition so seamlessly into real life application in an industry I love.

Entrance to the Liquid Center in Asheville, NC. Photo Courtesy of Sarah Fraser, New Belgium Brewing

Our conversation with Sarah left me with two major impressions: 1) to help achieve their sustainability goals, New Belgium’s operations could benefit from a more dedicated focus on the collection and analysis of data, and 2) the brewing industry is better positioned than most to successfully make the transition to carbon neutrality.

New Belgium is already tracking their brewery’s utilities and operational data, as well as their greenhouse gas emissions data, choosing to self-report across three defined scopes: Scope 1 emissions are all direct emissions from owned or controlled sources (such as in-building heating equipment); Scope 2 emissions are all indirect emissions from purchased electricity; and Scope 3 emissions are all indirect emissions (not included in Scope 2) that occur along the entire value chain (Greenhouse Gas Protocol). New Belgium is going the extra mile to track Scope 3 emissions – a strategic decision that exemplifies their robust commitment to sustainability. The sustainability office at New Belgium is an interdepartmental team of passionate employees. They are tasked with the collection and use of this data to help New Belgium move closer to their 2030 climate commitments. However, not having a full-time team of dedicated sustainability analysts limits the power of the data New Belgium collects.

The true power of data analytics is in how it provides companies the flexibility and creativity to experiment with innovative new approaches to their processes without investing significant capital. This process takes intention, know-how, and most importantly, time. Sarah did speak about how New Belgium is shifting the way they use their data: she highlighted some projects that use data to help estimate potential emissions reductions from changes to recipes or production processes. This shift could uncover new innovations that push New Belgium closer to their sustainability goals.

Innovation is only as valuable as it is scalable. Sarah reflects on how the industry competes for shelf space but collaborates in every other way. This is evidenced by the formation of the Brewers Association, an organizing body that allows for the space to share ideas, innovations, and best practices with fellow brewers. New Belgium is a proud member of the Brewers Association and cofounder of the Association’s sustainability subcommittee.  New Belgium even took an additional step towards transparency by creating an independently run Carbon Neutral Toolkit. This website is their “How-To”, aimed at helping other small brewers reach their carbon neutrality goals. Their commitment to sharing best practices is emblematic of the camaraderie in the industry: New Belgium embraces information sharing as a way to create a more sustainable industry, rather than gatekeeping their knowledge to retain their competitive advantage.

Brewery patrons enjoying the view of the French Broad River from the Tasting Center. Photo Courtesy of Sarah Fraser, New Belgium Brewing

There was something sublime about sitting outdoors next to the river, listening to the water rush past, and feeling the winter Asheville sun that made our drinks taste even better. Sarah, at one point, reflected: brewing consumes so much water and energy that those who brew understand and feel how their work is pulling those resources from the Earth. The brewing process truly connects the heart of the brewer and the soul of sustainability, encouraging the innovation we see in the brewing atmosphere in the hopes of a more environmentally friendly beverage. Connection and innovation are at the core of the brewing industry, allowing for a unique advantage to adapt to a new way of life as we all rush against the deadline of climate change.

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Global Village Foods: “The way we’d make it for you, if you came to dinner”

Written By:

Nancy Demuth ‘22
Creative Director
Connect with Nancy on LinkedIn

Tahagod Mohamed ‘22
Contributing Writer
Connect with Tahagod on LinkedIn

Global Village Foods’ range of frozen meals. Credit: Global Village Foods

As busy SI-MBA students, frozen food has become a staple of our diets this year. Luckily for us, few frozen food options are tastier, or healthier, than those made by Global Village Foods – a Vermont-based family business whose delicious meals are readily available in Burlington.

Global Village Foods’ founders Damaris and Mel Hall – from Kenya and Memphis, respectively – are on a mission to make delicious, nutritious, allergen-free African food accessible to everyone. Currently a first-generation family business, the second generation is already getting involved, with the couple’s daughter, Wangene, making an impact as Director of Marketing.

To hear the story behind the delicious meals we’ve been enjoying throughout the year, we spoke with Damaris and Mel to hear more about their business’ unique story and philosophy.

What’s the story of Global Village Foods so far?

Damaris: When I moved to Vermont 30 years ago, I found it very difficult to adjust to the food. I missed African and Kenyan food, but ethnic foods were difficult to find back then. In my moments of desperation, I would ask my mother to ship 50-pound bags of millet to me from Kenya! Eventually, we were able to source US-grown millet and teff from a local co-op, and started cooking African food at home. Then we started catering at small events, because we wanted to introduce our delicious food to Americans, too.

Mel: We realized our food is best when we make it ourselves, the way we would make it for you, if you came for dinner – that’s the energy we bring to it. Fast forwarding to 2022, we’ve done everything imaginable in food service, including running a 68-seat full-service restaurant. That was too difficult to manage with our young family, so we switched to selling prepared meals to local co-ops. Our frozen meals and snacks have been stocked in Whole Foods since 2017 and we’re now in all 42 stores of the entire Northeast region, as well as about 180 other specialty food stores.

Damaris and Mel Hall holding their 2021 NEXTY Award. Credit: Global Village Foods

Why did you start focusing on allergen-free food?

Damaris: Along the journey, we had a son who developed food allergies. We found he did much better eating our food because it contained fewer allergens.

Mel: Most of our offering is dairy, egg, nut, soy, sesame, seafood, and gluten-free. This has made us attractive to college environments, where you have to be really aware of students with food allergies. We’ve actually just started servicing the dining halls at UVM, and will be rolling out to a number of other schools in the Boston area.

Why Vermont, and what is it like being part of the Vermont business ecosystem?

Damaris: We didn’t choose Vermont – Vermont chose us! The food we cook is mostly vegetarian, with a very limited amount of meat, and Vermonters were really receptive to that. One of the first events we served our food at was the Vermont Reggae Festival – most of that crowd was actually vegetarian and they really enjoyed it. There’s also the element of introducing people to my culture. I’m really passionate about food, and I believe that people should eat good food that is going to do them good. My grandmother lived to be 92 and my grandfather 104, and I think that has a lot to do with eating food in its natural state, the way it was meant to be.

What’s your sustainability philosophy at Global Village Foods?

Mel: Damaris and I actually met in an Environmental Studies program when I was in Kenya, so sustainability has always been a point of interest for us. Living in Vermont, there’s a whole sensibility around giving back, not just to the environment, but also to the community. One of the great things about doing frozen food, too, is that it eliminates waste. We also reduce food waste as much as possible in our kitchen, as well as our paper and cardboard output.

Damaris: I think we just like to use the common sense method. We ask ourselves: “What are we feeding our customers, and is it sustainable?” We work with local farmers to source locally-grown produce. We also use a lot of millet, not just because we eat a lot of it in Kenya, but because it’s a crop with a very small environmental impact. As a business, we follow the principle of “people first”, because if you care about the people and the environment, the results will always be beautiful.

The full range of Global Village Foods’ delicious meals. Credit: Global Village Foods

Are there any sustainability projects you’re working on currently?

Mel: One of the environmental pain points I would love to resolve is our packaging – we currently pack our meals in a black plastic tray. We attempted to switch to a compostable film tray, which unfortunately could not sustain various conditions in the marketplace. For example, if you thawed the meal out, the tray could completely fall apart. I would love for someone to invent a really solid, truly recyclable, bio-compostable tray.

What’s it like being a Black-owned business in Vermont?

Mel: Being in Vermont has been liberating of preconceived notions, in the sense that people are more interested in your product’s quality than it being made by a Black-owned business. What has driven our growth is people finding our food culturally different, nutritionally balanced, and tasty! Now, the flip side is that in America, minority-owned businesses do not all enjoy the same level of growth and success because of systematic barriers. Financial markets here do not account for the imbalanced starting point that minority businesses come with compared to their white counterparts. Having said that, if anyone is going to make a progressive move to recalibrate, it will be Vermont!

Damaris: What I experienced is that when we are dealing with individuals, they are more understanding about diversity. However, when you are talking about institutions, the inclusive language does not translate to purposeful funding for minority businesses. The criterion for judging is still set at fairly high standards compared to the reality experienced by these minority businesses. The institutional brick wall does exist and while there are programs intended to help small businesses, the message gets lost in translation once it reaches banks.

Global Village Foods’ samosa bowl. Credit: Global Village Foods

What is next for Global Village Foods?

Damaris: Our hope and dream is to make Global Village mainstream so that people know what African families eat, which is the same food you eat at home, but spiced differently. We want to make African food a staple cuisine that is just as well-known as Chinese, Korean, and American cuisines. In terms of engaging the next generation, we want to see our children carry on the business if they are interested. Our children have been fortunate to see our business through all its stages and most importantly, they see the wonderful work culture we built for our employees. That is something we value and hope to continue seeing in the future.

Mel: Our goal is to distribute African food from Vermont to the rest of the country.  We want to develop a solid system that operates at the efficiency of a corporation, but with Vermont’s ethos of social responsibility. Of course, we intend to do that while still incorporating sustainability into our supply chain. As a family business, we also hope to expose our children to the strategic business planning and logistics needed to get us there. Our eldest daughter has already brought a lot of growth as Director of Marketing. 

What is your advice to our SI-MBA class, or any aspiring business owners?

Damaris: Understand that business is a language, so seek help and surround yourself with people who know more than you to accelerate your growth. Find something you are passionate about, because that is what will give you meaning when you are faced with hard times. And as you make the profits, do something with them that will be beneficial to humanity.

Mel: Know your why, and don’t restrict your why. There will be times when the “what” and “how” put a lump in your throat and a pit in your stomach. The passion you develop for your work will get you through those hard times.

To learn more about Global Village Foods, check out their website or find a distributor near you. (UVM students can also find Global Village Foods products at the dining hall!)

This interview has been lightly edited for clarity.

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Sustainable Business: A Centuries-Old Concept

Written By:
Nancy Demuth ’22
Creative Director
Connect with Nancy on LinkedIn

‘Acanthus’, a naturalistic wallpaper design by 19th century entrepreneur William Morris. Credit: Birmingham Museums Trust https://unsplash.com/photos/v15kmerLWcA

Many of us tend to think of sustainable business as a recent phenomenon. It’s certainly true that in the last few decades, the climate crisis has compelled a new wave of companies to benefit both people and planet through their everyday operations. But in the wise words of American poet and civil rights activist Audre Lorde: ‘There are no new ideas. There are only new ways of making them felt.’[1]

In Professor Dita Sharma’s Entrepreneurial Family Business class, we learned that notions of “sustainability” have evolved over time. While the world’s most pressing concern today is the climate crisis, previous generations have also harnessed the power of business to tackle various social and environmental problems. They might not have used the word “sustainability”, but the concept of protecting people and planet would have been familiar to them.

I joined the SI-MBA program as an international student from the UK, a country with a rich history of sustainable business pioneers determined to change the status quo. Many of them worked against the backdrop of the Industrial Revolution, which began in the 18th century and had a brutal impact on the poorest people in society. For centuries, millions of working-class people labored for twelve to sixteen hours each day for little pay in dirty, cramped and extremely dangerous conditions. Workers’ rights were virtually non-existent, employers were often cruel and dictatorial, and child labor was a common and accepted reality.

Child labour in dangerous factory conditions became commonplace during the Industrial Revolution. Source: WikiImages from Pixabay https://pixabay.com/photos/child-labour-south-carolina-62922/?download

This was the world that Welsh factory owner Robert Owen (1771-1858) grew up in. In 1799, Owen purchased the New Lanark cotton mill from his father-in-law David Dale. While Dale was already considered a generous employer for the time, conditions at the mill were still, objectively, brutal. As a first step, Owen immediately banned corporal punishment for children, stopped accepting child workers from the local poor house, and raised the minimum age of employment to ten.

Eventually, Owen phased out the hiring of children completely and sent his remaining child workers to a purpose-built school. He also made many other decisions which, at the time, were nothing less than revolutionary: from implementing measures to increase his workers’ autonomy and motivation in the workplace, to improving workers’ housing, to opening an adult night school for his workers (commonly credited as the first in the world)[2].

In 1807, President Jefferson passed the Embargo Act, which put American cotton exports to Britain on hold. In response, most British cotton mills began laying off their workers. Owen, however, made the highly unusual decision to keep his workers on at full pay, earning him even more respect and loyalty from his employees. His approach reminds me of Dan Price, the tech CEO who in 2015 famously took a pay cut to pay all his employees a minimum salary of $70,000.

Owen is often remembered today as a philanthropist. However, this characterization glosses over the fact that his social initiatives could always be justified on economic grounds. The social improvements he pioneered weren’t simply acts of charity, but considered business decisions – and under his management, the factory became exceptionally profitable, with returns of over 50% on investment.

Textile designer William Morris (1834-1896) was another sustainability-minded entrepreneur whose ideas were far ahead of his time. Morris’ designs, famously inspired by the forms and shapes of the natural world, are as popular in British homes today as they were over a century ago. But fewer people are aware of the activism that accompanied his business acumen.

‘Kennet’, one of Morris’ nature-inspired designs. Credit: Birmingham Museums Trust/Unsplash https://unsplash.com/photos/-KfLa4I4eTo

A committed environmentalist and campaigner, Morris was infuriated by the effects of industrial waste and pollution on the natural environment. He eschewed industrial production methods, instead opting to use small-scale, artisan production at his furnishings company, Morris & Co. He revived obsolete, artisanal production techniques, insisted on the use of high-quality raw materials, and used almost exclusively natural dyes[3]. He was also socially progressive, proving himself lightyears ahead of his time by hiring women as decorators in an era when this was far from considered a suitably “feminine” profession[4]. Even today, CEOs in male-dominated sectors tend to be far less proactive in this respect.

As an egalitarian and a committed socialist, the fact that only affluent households could afford Morris’ products was deeply troubling to him. While he never fully resolved this problem, his tactic was to educate consumers into making fewer purchases of higher quality. Today, many purpose-driven businesses still grapple with the very same issue: like Patagonia, whose striking “Don’t Buy This Jacket” campaign encouraged customers to buy less, but buy better. Morris’ message, then, seems more likely to resonate with customers in the 2020s than it was in the 1870s (at least, for those of us who constantly struggle to stop buying things we don’t need and achieve Marie Kondo levels of minimalism).

Morris’ childhood home in Walthamstow, north east London, is now the William Morris Gallery. Credit: Kenny Orr/Unsplash
https://unsplash.com/photos/aQSZqWzzjg4

A century later, in 1976, trailblazing entrepreneur and activist Anita Roddick (1942-2007) opened the first Body Shop in Brighton on the south coast of England. This was an era long before the advent of Fairtrade certification, the trend for zero-waste stores, and the boom in natural and vegan cosmetics. But Roddick was already travelling across the Global South to buy directly from farmer groups, asking customers to use refillable bottles, and campaigning against animal testing[5]. In the profit-obsessed, Thatcherite 1980s, Roddick was seemingly the antithesis of everything a CEO should be.

Roddick was no stranger to controversy, and her decision to take the business public in 1984 angered many who felt she had compromised her principles (and she did live to regret her decision). But few would deny that Roddick truly broke the business mold and paved a path for others – particularly women – to follow. Before anyone had coined the phrase ‘B Corporation’, ‘social enterprise’, or ‘Triple Bottom Line’, Roddick had already succeeded at growing a purpose-driven, activist enterprise in an extremely unforgiving and profit-obsessed business ecosystem.

Started in 1977, in 2022 there are now approximately 3,000 Body Shop stores worldwide – including this branch in Burlington, VT. Credit: Nancy Demuth

Though the world has changed dramatically since Owen, Morris, and even Roddick’s time, the problems they railed against still exist in some form today. As sustainable business students, we tend to constantly look ahead to the future at the potential of the latest technological advances to drive positive change. But more often than not, there’s also a great deal of inspiration to be found from the ingenious ideas of the past.

The opinions expressed in this article are my own, and do not represent the views of UVM or the Sustainable Innovation Review editorial team.

[1] Popova, M. (2022, January 28). Audre Lorde on poetry as an instrument of change and the courage to feel as an antidote to fear, a portal to power and possibility, and a fulcrum of action. The Marginalian. Retrieved February 4, 2022, from https://www.themarginalian.org/2020/10/18/poetry-is-not-a-luxury-audre-lorde/#:~:text=Poetry%20is%20not%20a%20luxury.,then%20into%20more%20tangible%20action.

[2] British Library. (n.d.). Robert Owen. British Library. Retrieved February 4, 2022, from https://www.bl.uk/people/robert-owen

[3] Barber, J. (n.d.). Bringing the garden indoors: How nature inspired William Morris. National Trust. Retrieved February 4, 2022, from https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/features/bringing-the-garden-indoors-how-nature-inspired-william-morris

[4] Watson, A. (2019, September 9). The first eco-warrior of design. BBC Culture. Retrieved February 4, 2022, from https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20190909-the-first-eco-warrior-of-design

[5] Horwell, V. (2007, September 12). Obituary: Dame Anita Roddick. The Guardian. Retrieved February 4, 2022, from https://www.theguardian.com/news/2007/sep/12/guardianobituaries.business

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SI-MBA Practicum Projects: It Begins!

Written By:
Vanessa Chumbley ’22
Managing Editor
Connect with Vanessa on LinkedIn

It felt like waking up to learn school is cancelled for a snow day. It was December 22nd and SI-MBA students finally received something we’d been waiting for with bated breath for weeks – our Practicum Project assignments.

The Practicum Projects are the capstone experience of the SI-MBA program. They are a full-time, hands-on, consulting project with an organization seeking to advance sustainable business within their own organization or their industry. These organizations may be entrepreneurial ventures, B corporations, NGOs (non-governmental organizations, or non-profits), or large, international corporations. Projects focus on a range of issues – from supply chain, to impact investing, to sustainable business strategy, to measurement and reporting of GHG emissions, to affecting sustainable behavior change through media and entertainment content.

Teams of two to four students are paired with a host organization before the new year, and once January rolls around, the preliminary research begins. This is where our cohort is now – holding kickoff meetings with host organizations and beginning to wrap our minds around the scope of our projects. It’s a very exciting time, as we’re able to start applying what we’ve been learning in the classroom to solve real-world problems. What is even more exciting, the organizations we are engaged with – which include Microsoft, Burton, Clorox, SAS, and a consortium of film and TV companies including HBO and Disney – may actually implement the ideas we come up with. While the Practicum is not job placement, these projects open doors to industries of interest and provide critical networking opportunities and practical experience which, who knows, could lead to a job offer in the future. Here are some common questions about Practicum Projects:

Are the host organizations the same every year?

No – while SI-MBA has relationships with several companies that do repeatedly host Practicum Projects, it is not always the same organizations from one year to the next. As the program grows, expands its reach, and makes new connections, new host organizations become part of the UVM network.

Additionally, students are able to build their own connections with specific organizations of interest in the hopes of setting up a Practicum Project. This is great for the student if they have a specific goal or organization in mind and it is great for the program, as it expands their network.

How does the selection process work?

The SI-MBA administration and faculty advisors work hard throughout the fall semester cultivating Practicum Projects. Interested host organizations submit Practicum proposals with a brief description of the project. Then, before the new year, the cohort receives the full list of proposals. We then rank our top three choices, and it’s almost guaranteed that we will be placed in either our first or second choice. Because students are placed in teams of two to four people, many projects do not get chosen, so it can be a competitive process for the host organizations.

Does the Practicum happen at the same time as coursework?

Yes and no – the bulk of the Practicum work takes place from mid-May through July, once our core coursework has been completed. This is when we are expected to be working full-time on the project. However, we are expected to conduct research and fully scope the project from January through mid-May on a part-time basis.  

Photo by Brooke Cagle on Unsplash

Do students get paid for their work on the Practicum projects?

No – students receive course credit for the Practicum and do not get paid. However, these projects provide invaluable networking opportunities, practical experience, and resume content.

Do students work remotely or travel to the host organization?

This is largely up to the host organization, who will cover the costs of any travel if it is deemed necessary. For the most part, work is done remotely as this greatly increases the breadth of potential host organizations, from local Vermont companies, to US-based and international organizations.

As the year progresses, we will be sharing more information about our Practicum Projects and the work we are doing. Additionally, be on the lookout for this years’ list of Practicum Project descriptions on the SI-MBA website, coming soon!

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Innovators in Residence: Duane Peterson Co-Founder of SunCommon

Written By:

Patrick Donohue ‘22
Contributing Writer
Connect with Patrick on LinkedIn

Dan Lazarus ‘22
Community Catalyst
Connect with Dan on LinkedIn

Recently, the SI-MBA ‘22 cohort had the pleasure to spend an afternoon with Duane Peterson, Co-Founder of SunCommon, a  Vermont-based installer of residential solar power systems.

Duane led us through a lively discussion about passion, community, the solar industry, and more.

“Those with the biggest buildings have the power,” said Duane at the beginning of the conversation. Throughout human history, control of the largest structures systematically and often subconsciously expresses power over others. The pyramids, then the cathedrals and now energy, industry, finance, and more. Duane opened his talk with a thought-provoking idea and a lens to analyze power. The fight for a more just world (healthier, more sustainable, more equitable) is inextricably linked to power. While low-income communities are disproportionately affected by climate change, they are continuously overlooked during the decision making process. In the context of SunCommon, Duane built a low-cost solution for residential solar energy production, and simultaneously removed barriers for people historically locked out of the solar revolution.

Duane spoke to us with a heavy dose of honesty. Adorned in a patterned button-down and his quintessential purple framed spectacles, he spoke with eloquence and full transparency. Throughout the three-hour discussion, the audience leaned forward with eagerness, firing questions at Duane. There was an air of excitement in the room, verging on intensity.

Duane is laser focused on people and believes wholeheartedly that, “how we treat each other matters a lot.” His candid responses to our cohort’s questions, “off-the-cuff” style of presentation, and acknowledgment of his own privileges speak to the people-centric values that underpin everything he does at SunCommon. 

“How we treat each other matters a lot.”

Wrapping up his speech came a question from the back of the room. “What advice do you have for us as business students?”

“What a fitting finale,” Duane quipped. “Find the people you want to do business with, identify what matters, and hold out for that.”

In the leadup to his in-person speaker series with SI-MBA, we were fortunate to have the chance to speak with Duane one-on-one and learn more about his personal journey. 

Duane has enjoyed an exploratative career, including years spent as a police officer, ambulance medic, political campaigner, environmental advocate, and “Chief of Stuff” at Ben & Jerry’s. Speaking with Duane, it was evident that his passions lie in organizing towards justice and developing clear, common-sense initiatives to tackle the systemic problems he sees in his community.    

Below is a synthesized snapshot of the provocative interview: 

Tell us a little about yourself and your involvement in sustainability?

I think of myself as a millennial. As millennials, we’re open to adventure, we’re seeking knowledge, we want to explore new things, we’re not going to do the same jobs for 40 years at a corporation. The people I hire, I know they aren’t going to work here forever. I hope they’ll find fulfillment with their jobs and pour themselves into it, but then I hope they go on and see what’s next for them. I think that’s beautiful.

To me, sustainability is an objectionable word. I think of it like I think of the word tolerance. It comes across like it’s the bare minimum. Well, how about a positive impact? It’s still not perfect, but rather than sustainability, I like to think of values-led business, that is, imbuing business with good and providing a beneficial outcome.    

How did your work at Ben & Jerry’s and their B-Corp certification inform your work in developing SunCommon?

The simplest way to think about it is this: at Ben & Jerry’s, we sought to have every business decision reflect our values. What are you actually doing every day? How are you treating your people, communities, and environment? Who do we hire? Where do we set up our factories? That’s the power of the business. That sort of thinking gave us an appreciation for and ownership of impact. Let’s use the power of business to do good things at every level. When we started SunCommon, that was the vibe from the very beginning. 

“Let’s use the power of business to do good things at every level.”

How important is the B-Corp certification to your company, and how much bearing does it have on your day-to-day operational decision-making?

We were very surprised at how rigorous the assessment was. There were a bunch of issues that we hadn’t considered. The coolest thing about it was the app. When you entered a finding, there would be a pop-up that would ask, ‘Would you like to improve your impact?’ Well sure! And the feed would put you into contact with another B-Corp that had already tackled that issue. This certification helps us get away from winging it and drives us into the rigor. And we’re really excited about that.

I was also a little surprised that the certification had meaning to others. Through the certification, we attract a lot of brilliant young people that care and are looking for fulfillment. 

How does community involvement, as well as your involvement with VBSR (Vermont Business for Social Responsibility) and VPIRG (Vermont Public Interest Research Group), fit into your mission/ passion as a leader?

I think a lot of older white guys in this movement appreciate the attention. That can be an insular, looking for aggrandizement thing, like ‘this is about me,’ or it can be about establishing standing to include other people. I think I probably have a bit of both. I operate in these networks; I learn a lot from these people and am inspired by their ideas. I hope that I can also support them, what they’re doing, and provide credibility, resources, and advancement with my presence. It’s an interesting transaction and positivity that I pull from this involvement, and I’m grateful for it.

Given your rapid growth and recent merger with iSun, what measures has your management team put forward to maintain company culture and vision?

The issue is that iSun wants us to share what we know and our values-led approach to business, and as we bolt more into the platform, the question is: how do we export what’s good about SunCommon? Right now, that’s a bit unknown. We’re not a consulting firm [designed] to share things we’ve already figured out. And yet, in some ways, that’s what iSun paid for. So, how do we keep our day jobs and keep growing the business of SunCommon, while also spreading our joy and wonder? We haven’t figured that out yet, but we’re gonna need to! 

How has your relationship with James (co-founder and co-president at SunCommon) evolved over the years, and how does your partnership foster long-term development of SunCommon and other community initiatives?

We met in 2008 when I was the board president at VPIRG, and he was the whip-smart director of the clean energy program. We designed the campaign to retire Vermont Yankee, the nuclear power station. So we ran this campaign and pulled it off! We’re extraordinarily different people, but we discovered that our strengths and weaknesses really line up well. So James and I cooked up a project at VPIRG to prove that the adoption of clean energy was feasible, and when that worked, we decided to start a business. 

What advice can you provide for young professionals seeking to find a foothold in the field of renewables, climate change, or values-led enterprise? 

My advice to young people is to just go do things! There’s so much to do in this world. Gain experience by just diving in and doing interesting things. And if this is the field that you want to get into, define what these terms mean, what are the jobs in it, what are the descriptions and qualifications that employers are looking for. Then go crush it.  

Photo by Zbynek Burival on Unsplash

If you are interested in the work Duane has been a part of, the change he advocates for, or the people that inspire him, check out the book Double Dip by Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield or the paper entitled Repowering Vermont by James Moore. 

This interview has been lightly edited for clarity.