E4S Sustainable Business to Business Directory

= E4S Member

= E4S Champion

= SI Group Graduate

Welcome to the How-To Guide! On this page we have gathered potential sustainable business projects, many of which companies all over our region have undertaken on their way to realizing triple bottom-line benefits. Each potential project is linked to the corresponding Industry Guide page of companies that may provide the products or services necessary for each particular project. Please note: Not every company linked to for each project provides that product or service, these links serve only as a suggestion of where on the Industry Guide to look.

These potential projects are grouped into the general areas in which implementation can begin: Building Improvements and Design, Operations, Whole-Systems Design, New Market Identification, and New Company Culture. Learn more about the E4S implementation framework, check out our page on How To Do Sustainability.

Note: The order or selection of the organizations listed should not be taken as recommendations by the E4S organization but only as a guide to get you started.

Building Improvements and Design Start a healthy, high performance building or rennovation project Tune-up your building with a building commissioning Reduce your building`s climate change footprint with energy efficient improvements Make improvements to your building envelope Increase your building`s insulation to reduce HVAC energy demand Solar hot water heating Solar PV installation Wind turbine installation Audit your energy use Audit your water use Use low-flow fixtures to reduce water consumption Hire green contractors and subcontractors Use locally produced building products Use low-VOC paints, carpeting, flooring, and wall coverings Buy sustainably produced furnishings Buy and recycle your energy efficient CFLs Buy energy star equipment Purchase sustainable office supplies Use sustainable cleaning products and services in your office Use sustainable landscaping practices

Operations Audit your waste Reduce waste through recycling Recycle printer cartridges Hire caterers who use locally-grown food Entertain clients at locally-owned restaurants Hire print-vendors who use soy-based inks and recycled paper-stock Purchase hybrid or clean-fuel cars for your corporate fleet Participate in car-sharing programs Participate in mass-transit employee programs Implement an anti-idling program

Product or Service Whole-System Design Use sustainable product design (such as Cradle-to-Cradle or Biomimicry) Reduce product packaging waste Redesign products and services through the lense of sustainability (e.g. targeted marketing instead of mass mailing)

New Market Identification Identify your current customers and desired customers Can new sustainable products and services help you attract a new customer niche?

New Company Culture Create an employee education program Form a green/sustainability team Set a BHAG Create a sustainability implementation plan Produce an annual sustainability or triple bottom line report Celebrate meeting short-term sustainability goals Determine and reduce your carbon footprint Use green purchasing policies and practices (e.g. set a goal to purchase 20% more local or green products/services) Reward employees for using sustainable transportation Offer health and wellness programs to your employees.

Project funding provided by The S. Livingston Mather Charitable Trust.