2019 Green Masters Program Now Open
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Greetings!
This is our first official newsletter of 2019 and our first newsletter from our new home inside of WMEP.
This year is off to a productive start. The Council now has an official “home” in our downtown Milwaukee office and I have been busy connecting to business leaders and regional groups across the state. We are fortunate in Wisconsin to have strong leaders working together to advance sustainability programming in their businesses. If we have not already met, I look forward to connecting over 2019 and hearing about what challenges and celebrations you are experiencing and how The Council can better serve you.
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The last few weeks I have been learning the ins and outs of the Green Masters Program and the tool we use to administer it. I invite you this year, as you apply to the program to think about how the tool could be improved to meet the needs of your sustainability reporting, programming and business size and sector. In 2019, as part of our strategic planning process, we will be conducting a survey and focus groups to assess and improve the overall program, now in its 10th successful year. The goal is simple; how can the program evolve as the discipline evolves and continue to be an exceptional tool for sustainability benchmarking in Wisconsin (and possibly beyond). Stay tuned!
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Over the past month, we’ve been busy updating and improving the Green Masters program and are excited to announce that the
2019 Green Masters Application is NOW OPEN!
With almost 150 businesses from across Wisconsin participating last year, we have high hopes for this 10th year of the program!
Last year was an incredible year for Wisconsin businesses interested in sustainability, and the Green Masters Program reflected the broader interest and increased activity.
Last year, the average score for participants was 464 compared with an average score of 448 in 2017. To put that into perspective, the average score was only 70 in 2009! Last year alone, we welcomed nearly 25 new applicants, and hope to double that number this year.
As a reminder, the
Green Masters Program is a completely free, objective, points-based recognition and assessment program that enables Wisconsin businesses of all sizes and from all sectors to receive recognition for their sustainability work. Developed by the Wisconsin Sustainable Business Council and Wisconsin businesses, in conjunction with the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the Green Masters Program highlights and supports Wisconsin’s sustainability leaders. Any business that has taken at least one action in each of nine key sustainability areas: energy, carbon and other emissions, water, waste management, transportation, supply chain, workforce, governance and community and educational outreach, is eligible to apply.
The Program is a free tool that helps identify opportunities for improvement, something for which consultants charge thousands of dollars.
As we move forward into 2019, we will continue to offer innovative tools and resources to help you improve your sustainability performance. If you are a returning company to the program and
you refer a new company to join, you will receive a free dashboard ($100 value). As always, all first-time applicants receive a free dashboard.
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As in the past, successful applicants receive a certificate of recognition, use of the logo, a dashboard graphically showing how your performance compares against others in your sector (free for all new applicants) and the opportunity to network and share best practices with other companies and industries. We also distribute a press release celebrating the accomplishments of anyone that asks.
The Green Masters application is updated every year to reflect the most relevant and up-to-date opportunities and trends in sustainability.
The questions are meant to provide Wisconsin businesses with the ideas and inspiration to be as sustainable as possible. Your application is good for two years in the program, but, because we update the application every year, we suggest that businesses apply annually to stay up to date with the latest best practices.
As previously mentioned, the program is
completely free to all new applicants. In addition, the program remains
free to all returning companies that apply
before September 1st. For participants that miss the September 1st deadline, but apply before
October 1st there will be a
$100 charge. For participants that wait until between October 1st and October 31st, there will be a
$250 charge.
Best of luck and we are excited to see what 2019 has in store!
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"The Green Masters Program is an easy, low-cost way to benchmark your Sustainability Program with other businesses in the State of Wisconsin. We have used it to help track our year-over-year progress in the various areas that make up the Green Masters scorecard to help determine our program’s strengths and weaknesses and where we should concentrate our future efforts."
- Kevin Tubbs, Vice President and Chief Ethics, Compliance and Sustainability Officer
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February 21 | 8:00 am - 4:15 pm CST | Milwaukee, WI
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“Make it Happen!” is our 2019 Manufacturing Matters! conference theme.
Manufacturer’s confidence hasn’t been this high in years. The economy is strong, and more things become possible each day.
There are of course challenges in this dynamic business environment. Labor is tightening. Technologies are changing the way work is done. Tariffs are creating a level of uncertainty. Better, faster, cheaper, cleaner, and “right now” are the mantras of key customers.
But the pros outweigh the cons and this environment favors the bold, those who “Make it Happen” now rather than sitting on the sidelines to see who will pass them by.
There will be 18 total breakout sessions to choose from with three sessions in each of the following six conference tracks:
- Workforce Excellence
- Improving Productivity
- Leading for Success
- Strategic Growth
- Leveraging Sustainability
- Industry 4.0/Technology
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Alliance For Water Stewardship Training
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April 5-7 | 8:00 am - 4 pm CST | Madison, WI
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Join us in Madison to be one of the first cohorts in North America to get trained on the AWS Standard v2.0 and receive insights into other changes to the AWS System that will result. The training will provide participants the knowledge required to implement, promote and optimize site-specific water management techniques and watershed-based stewardship strategies.
Also, 2019 is the year AWS is transitioning trainees into its new Professional Credentialing Program. This means trainees will receive an individual Professional Credential upon completion of the training. More details will be provided during this training.
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Wisconsin Women in Green Power Breakfast
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March 8 | 8:00 am - 10 am CST | Milwaukee, WI
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Our 2019 Wisconsin Women in Green collaborators invite YOU to join us on March 8th to celebrate International Women's Day (IWD) and the power of purpose to shape our lives, our careers and our changing world.
IWD is all about unity, celebration, reflection, advocacy and action, and this year’s theme encourages us all to help create a #BalanceforBetter. At our Women in Green power breakfast, we will delve into the ways women can lead with purpose to inspire others and drive continued creativity and progress.
Our distinguished panel of speakers will share their personal experiences and insights about the role their work is playing in helping to create a more equitable and just world for all. Our speakers will highlight real world examples of actions that can be taken by each of us, in order to grow a #CultureofCourage and empowerment.
Join us to celebrate Wisconsin trailblazers and discuss how we work together to forge ahead.
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April 8-9 | Saint Paul, MN
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The U.S. Green Building Council’s IMPACT conference is the Midwest’s green building event of the year, attracting hundreds of green building professionals from across the region, and serving as a forum for builders, developers, sustainability leaders and change makers to unite and demonstrate the many innovative ways the Midwest is raising the bar when it comes to green building.
The 2019 IMPACT conference will be held April 8-9 in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and will be co-located with the Green Schools Conference & Expo (GSCE), the largest annual event for green school advocates in the U.S. The event will feature two days of conference programing and tours, kicking off with a welcome reception at the Science Museum of Minnesota. The conference will also feature a keynote from Zaria Forman, a world-renowned artist known for her pastel depictions of climate change.
The IMPACT conference unites industry leaders, experts and professionals to inspire, connect and advance sustainable building across the Midwest. Industry professionals attending IMPACT have a unique opportunity to enhance their understanding of the K-12 schools sector by also attending GSCE. GSCE offers an opportunity for attendees to learn creative strategies to support healthy, sustainable schools. The co-location of the two conferences will bring together experts from diverse industries within the green building world for a unique opportunity to collaborate and share successes.
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In Wisconsin, many oppose transmission line to bring western wind power
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Bucking trend, Wisconsin utilities burned more coal in 2017; environmentalists warn against gas investments
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Report Report: Diversity, Disclosure, CDP and the SDGs
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