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Begin using Root 360 now at www.root360.org. To learn more about Manomets Sustainable Economies programs please visit httpswww.manomet.org sustainable-economies According to The 21st Century Corporation The Ceres Roadmap for Sustainability businesses that are already beginning to include sustainabil- ity in their core strategy will be the leaders of tomorrow. Success requires placing sustain- ability at the epicenter of business models. Environmental social and governance issues must be seamlessly integrated into strategic plan- ning and investment decision making. Company practices must reflect an understanding that they are dependent upon goods and services provided by nature and that natures limits and finite resources must be fully valued and managed for long term growth and prosperity. As many more people become informed about the worlds resource and sustainability challenges they are also becoming more active and knowledgeable about businesses sustainability practicesor lack thereof. When businesses are not imple- menting such changes customers are making their voices heard by not spending or investing with them. At Manomet our Sustainable Economies Program is dedicated to creating a balanced relationship between our modern economy and the natural world. To help small and medium sized businesses improve performance across the environmental social and governance ESG spectrum Manomet has developed Root 360. This web-based tool www.root360.org is a gateway for businesses to benchmark and improve their sustainable busi- ness practiceshelping them to be in greater alignment with a functional sustainable economy. In less than 15 minutes this practical tool provides an opportunity for business owners to begin to assess how sustain- ably fit they are. Special features of the program include a benchmarking tool for comparative analysis and an interactive sustainability SWOT AnalysisMy SWOT 360. SWOT stands for strenghts weaknesses opportunities and threats. This specific tool will help businesses evaluate options and make strategic decisions. Impact calculators are tied to best management practices and show savingsboth in cost and resources like greenhouse gas emissions gallons of water and tons of waste. Participants can choose from a variety of options and com- mitment levels. By proceeding through the different surveys Manomet foresees significant reductions in the environmental footprint and increased economic viability of participating businessesas well as an improved quality of experience for the workers customers and communities that are touched by these businesses. A resource library and the ability to connect with a network of business advisors through local small business development centers or chambers of commerce are also being built into the tools menu of offerings. One of the most interesting elements of Root 360 is its Community Centric Peer Group Sustainability plat- form. Through this unique feature it is easy to coordinate a sustainability initiative across a community region or indus- try group. Connecting with other businesses and learning from each other can be an excellent way to increase sustain- ability efforts and lower costs. This June the Plymouth Massachusetts Area Chamber of Commerce PACC launched a Root 360 Initiative as a way to engage their members in a regional sustainability effort. PACC President Kevin OReilly recently shared We are pleased to be participating in the launch of Manomets Root 360 busi- ness sustainability tool. Through the use of this platform businesses have the opportunity to learn how sound business practices are both good for the bottom line and the environ- ment in our communities. As a chamber initiative PACC members were invited to use the online tool to benchmark their individual businesses through July to gain a sustainability score for the PACC service area. Our hope is to use the Root 360 tool as another way to engage our businesses in sustainability efforts across our region. By doing this together as a chamber we feel it is an excellent way to combine efforts learn from each other and build healthy businesses and communities said Director of Membership Relations Meaghan Doherty. Working with chambers across the country is one of our key strategies to implement Root 360. Were excited to be working with the PACC in Americas hometown shared Sustainable Economies Senior Program Leader Anthony Jaccarino. Currently he and his team are meeting with several chambers of commerce small business development centers and other types of business organizations. The goal is to have 8000 businesses using Root 360 over the next three years to increase sustainability practices and outcomes across this sector. There are approximately six million small businesses in the U.S. representing 99 of all employer firms and 55 of all jobs according to the Small Business Administration. To solve a problem as large as the worlds sustainability challenge we can begin to make a difference by working togetherone small business or community at a time. It is an excellent way to combine efforts learn from each other and build healthy businesses and communities. Meaghan Doherty PACC Director of Membership Relations