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Pennsylvania Clean Energy DEIJ Day

ASBN is proud to sponsor the Pennslyvania Clean Energy DEIJ Day-a state-specific full-day business and community development event series that brings together local, national, and international experts in clean energy with the sole purpose to ensure diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice (DEIJ) across the industry. Our clean energy DEIJ areas of focus are:

  • Exceeding local content goals with international partners
  • Advancing supply chain/supplier diversity
  • Ensuring traditional and nontraditional workforce development pathways
  • Creating meaningful and measurable community investment outcomes

Join us as we are Engineering Equity For All â„¢ to ensure a just and equitable clean energy transition. We look forward to you joining us!Registration is free to attend and there are opportunities to highlight local businesses aligned with the sustainable energy sector at this event.

[] For more information or to register click here

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2023 Farm Bill Fly-In

The American Sustainable Business Network and Regenerate America are teaming up to advocate for a more regenerative and just Farm Bill. The farm bill is one of the biggest legislative opportunities in 2023 to make a positive impact on the climate crisis, biodiversity, clean water, and social justice. Business members from both organizations will meet with members of Congress to make the case that a robust and resilient future of American agriculture will require investments in programs and policies that support regenerative producers and rebuild the missing middle of our domestic agriculture supply chains.

Questions? Reach out to Colton Fagundes, [] cfagundes@asbnetwork.org or Liza LaManna [] Lamanna@asbnetwork.org

Register for the Fly-In here

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Tribal Energy Equity Summit

[] The 2023 Annual Tribal Energy Equity Summit will assemble, for the first time, Native American tribal leaders and officials from the Federal Government, including the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), U.S. Department of Energy, and the U.S. Department of the Interior for the purposes of establishing relationships and catalyzing more meaningful and effective dialogue about critical energy considerations such as siting, transmission, interconnection and the many resources available to tribes to support a just transition to clean energy.

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Virtual Event

Fighting Climate Change and Building Regenerative Agriculture Supply Chains in the 2023 Farm Bill

In an increasingly uncertain economy, disrupted by severe and erratic climate conditions and global supply chain instability, regenerative agriculture represents a clear path forward for American businesses. Yet, these businesses have experienced barriers to fully bringing regenerative agriculture into their U.S. supply chains. In addition to the low number of agricultural producers trained in soil health practices, there are national supply chain gaps in the form of missing aggregators; limited processing and manufacturing capacity; and the associated shortages of skilled labor. Investments of resources in this “missing middle” is essential for both farmers to access existing markets and for brands and businesses striving to build new ones, but require the federal government’s partnership.

The American Sustainable Business Network and the [] Regenerate America coalition are partnering on a webinar to explore this issue of the “missing middle” and how USDA and Farm Bill policy address it. This webinar is presented by the ASBN Regenerative Agriculture and Justice Working Group [RELINK LOCAL].

Panelists will include:
Senator Peter Welch (D-VT)
Calla Rose Ostrander – Managing Partner, Terra Regenerative Capital
Suzanne McDowell– Vice President of Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability, King Arthur

[] REGISTER TODAY!

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Virtual Event

Restorative Capital Innovators- Investing in Inclusive Economies

The Restorative Capital Innovators series will focus on the work of BIPOC fund managers successfully building models of restorative finance. The April webinar is the first in a series and it also launches the partnership between ICC and ASBN to unlock more capital resources to BIPOC fund managers within the ICC network. RSF which has been an active member of the Restorative Investing Task Force has stepped up to support this partnership and help unlock more resources through its network.

The session will be moderated by Laina Greene, CEO of Angels of Impact. Speakers include: Najaah Daniels, CEO of Inclusive Capital Collective; Erika Williams, Vice President of Client Development at RSF Social Finance, and Derek Peebles, Director of Inclusive Economies at ASBN. Derek will open with explaining the work of ASBN Inclusive Economies and how this partnership with ICC and theRestorative Investing Task Force [RELINK LOCAL] is instrumental to building Inclusive Economies. Najaah will share the work of the ICC and offer some innovative financial instruments being innovated in its network. Erika will share about the Racial Justice Collaborative and how the work with ICC and ASBN Restorative Investing Task Force can help to flow resources to where it is needed most.

At the end of this session, we will head to a separate Zoom break-out room for a deeper discussion post the panel.

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Learn More [RELINK LOCAL] about the Restorative Investing Working Group

The aim of the Restorative Investing Task Force is to encourage the shifting of wealth and power back into marginalized communities by learning from those on the ground doing the hard work. For our March webinar, We do this by offering opportunities for others to join in new forms of Restorative Investing Capital Innovators are creating and ensuring peer learning on how best to address the racial wealth gap in the United States.

Learn also about our working methodology
Shared Agreements

[] REGISTER TODAY!

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GREENWASHING: A Conversation Between ASBN and ALLBIRDS

Join us for a discussion on GREENWASHING between the American Sustainable Business Network and Allbirds.

“Greenwashing” is the act or practice of making a product, service, organization, or policy appear more environmentally-friendly or less environmentally harmful than it actually is.

When companies greenwash their products and reputations, they’re creating the false or misleading impression that the use of such products and/or support of those businesses makes a meaningful contribution to environmental progress and ecological sustainability. Sometimes this perception is inadvertently created. More often, it’s a deliberate attempt to exploit public concerns for the purpose of enhancing profits and/or deliberately direct attention away from ongoing crimes against the planet.

In this discussion, you’ll learn where greenwashing comes from, what it looks like, and how to avoid it.

SPEAKERS

Jeffrey Hollender (CEO & Co-Founder, American Sustainable Business Network; former CEO & Co-Founder, Seventh Generation)

Jeffrey Hollender is CEO and co-founder of the American Sustainable Business Network, which through its national member network represents more than 250,000 businesses in a wide range of industries. He was co-founder and CEO of Seventh Generation, which he built into a leading natural product brand known for its authenticity, transparency, and progressive business practices.

Hollender was also the founder of Sustain Natural, that develops and markets sustainable feminine care products for women; and a strategic advisor and former Board Chair of Greenpeace US. He is currently an Adjunct Professor of sustainability and social entrepreneurship at the Stern Business School, New York University. He is also the author of his seven books, including most recently, “The Responsibility Revolution: How the Next Generation of Businesses Will Win and Planet Home.”

Hana Kajimura (Head of Sustainability, Allbirds)

Hana Kajimura leads sustainability at Allbirds, pushing the brand to integrate environmental and social sustainability into all aspects of the business including product, supply chain, and operations. She also shapes Allbirds’s innovation narrative and storytelling, translating sustainability initiatives into engaging consumer-facing stories. Prior to joining Allbirds, Hana worked in management consulting at Bain & Company, advising Fortune 500 clients across industries including technology, healthcare, private equity, and energy. Hana has also worked with Google X and Environmental Defense Fund on clean energy projects.

Stephanie Erwin (VP of Impact, Strategy & People, American Sustainable Business Network)

Stephanie Erwin (she/they) oversees ASBN’s strategy across its core functions and multi-issue portfolio, matching resources and capacity to long-term impact. She also leads the working group and strategy for the Circular Economy at ASBN. Over the course of her career, Stephanie has worn many hats as an entrepreneur, a strategist, and an analyst, focused on designing and scaling sustainable systems after years of working in the fintech, consumer, and nonprofit sectors. Stephanie holds an MBA in Sustainability specializing in Circular Value Chain and Impact Finance as well as an MS certificate in Environmental Policy from Bard College. She is also a co-instructor in Entrepreneurship at the Bard MBA in Sustainability Program.

* This event is exclusive to ASBN Members and Hanson Bridgett staff and clients only*

Hosted by Hanson Bridgett

[] Contact ASBN to Register

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Virtual Event

How to Align Ownership Interests with your Business’s Mission

American Sustainable Business Network invites you to join us on Wednesday, March 15th at 1pm ET for [] ASBN Live: How to Align Ownership Interests with Your Business’s Mission, an interactive webinar with RSF Social Finance CEO Jasper van Brakel and Natalie Reitman-White, ownership & governance design advisor at Alternative Ownership Advisors.

Many business leaders have asked themselves: If I take on equity investors, will I have to fight to preserve my company’s mission? If I have to sell my company to a larger enterprise to provide an exit for investors, will I be selling out that mission? Do I have to stay small to stay loyal to my founding purpose? How do I exit or retire from the business while making sure the employees and other stakeholders are taken care of, and the mission and culture is preserved? What alternative strategies exist?

For many growing, purpose-driven ventures, the choice between liquidity for the business or for owners on the one hand, and loyalty to a social or environmental mission on the other, is as real as it is problematic. And the stakes in addressing this conundrum go much deeper than the concerns of individual companies.

During this webinar, van Brakel and Reitman-White will talk about the advantages of transitioning to a mission-protective ownership structure, introduce several different models for alternative ownership and show how they play out in real life by offering examples of businesses that have employed each with success.

[] REGISTER TODAY!

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Virtual Event

Building a Community-Based Ecosystem for Manufacturing

The American Sustainable Business Network is excited to partner with Manufacturing Renaissance and ReImagine Appalachia for our February 9th webinar, “Building a Community-based Ecosystem for Manufacturing.” We are honored to work with these groups which have been leading this conversation in our nation for years. Join us as we learn from their experience and look to build our next steps together.

There is increasing national attention on how to rebuild U.S. manufacturing – and there are resources available at the federal level for this work. The challenge is whether manufacturing revitalization will be done using old models of development that concentrate wealth or new ones that build local resilience.ReImagine Appalachia, Manufacturing Renaissance, and the American Sustainable Business Network are partnering to highlight new opportunities for revitalizing our economy through manufacturing. New manufacturing in the region can and should berooted in the local community, include strong rights for workers and use ownership models that build local equity.

In this event we will discuss regional principles for manufacturing in the region includingstrategic vision, identify its component parts and develop follow up actions to help build this work in Appalachia.

REGISTER TODAY!

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Business for Democracy

ASBN’s Business for Democracy WorkingGroup [RELINK LOCAL] realized that overthe past fewyears,ithas becomeclear thatthe role of businesses, large andsmall, insupporting inclusive democracyis increasinglypertinent. ASBNhas long championedinclusivity and equity as enduring principles on which a healthy economy is founded. Anda functioningfree and fairdemocracy is an incomparable tool to achieving such a landscape.We believe bold changes must be made to protect American democracy, and businesses can lead the way.

As a representative of over 250,000 American businesses, the American Sustainable Business Networkis committed to pioneering these necessary reforms in order to ensure the survival of democracy.

The Business for Democracy Working Group will:

– Convene interested businesses with a shared commitment to democracy.

– Provide information on and lead discussion on the important role businesses can play with employees and the public in rejecting political messaging designed to misinform and instill mistrust and rejection of our democratic process.

– Explore the wide array of legislative reforms that can strengthen our democracy.

– Establish a method for businesses to be recognized for taking actions to protect our democracy.

Meets the first Wednesday of each month from 3:00 – 4:00pm ET.

Contact[] amaxwell@asbnetwork.orgto join

Working Groups are open to ASBN Members only.Sign up to be a member [RELINK LOCAL]to participate.

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Regenerative Agriculture and Justice

The Regenerative Agriculture and Justice working group [RELINK LOCAL] strives to advance public policies for a more regenerative, just, and equitable food and agricultural system.

This broad group of stakeholders brings together business leaders from industries throughout the agricultural value chain, advocacy organizations, and groups representing farmers, workers, and frontline communities.

Meets the 2nd Thursday of every month at 1 PM ET.

Contact[] cfagundes@asbnetwork.orgto join

Working Groups are open to ASBN Members only. Sign up to be a member [RELINK LOCAL] to participate.

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