Big ideas are coming out of Manomet’s Sustainable Economies Program!

 

Our Sustainable Economies Program (SEP) has an eye on the future as our growing team works to advance sustainability in communities and businesses.  Many of you know that Manomet has a long history of working with the forestry, agriculture and dairy industries, as well as successes with our Grocery Stewardship Certification and the Downeast Fisheries Partnership.  With the recent launch of Root360.org—​an online tool that allows businesses to benchmark and improve their sustainable business practices—and the hiring of three new staff in the past year, SEP is poised to expand Manomet’s reach and ideas into many new sectors in the future.

 

Based out of our Brunswick, Maine office, SEP focuses beyond individual engagement to work and partner with much broader groups.  SEP works directly with businesses and communities on practices that will enhance their economic viability and quality of life while also reducing their environmental footprint – a win-win for all involved.  Our program has engaged with a long list of key players including Cabot Creamery, Hannaford Supermarkets, the Downeast Salmon Federation, Massachusetts’s Dairy Promotion Board, Ben and Jerry’s, the U.S. Forest Service and many, many others. 

 

With the hiring of Anthony Jaccarino, Danielle Sarmir and Lora Winslow over the past year, SEP has added individuals who are passionate about sustainability and bring long histories working at the intersection of science and business.  They have very different backgrounds ranging from investment strategy, business to business (B2B) marketing and environmental policy and research. Together they bring a shared perspective that in order for sustainability to be sustainable, businesses need to be profitable and provide a great place for their employees to work.  They’ve each worked directly on ways to bridge the gap between business and sustainable choices and to push businesses closer to the ‘triple bottom line.’  Their addition allows Manomet to go beyond the science of sustainability and better engage a growing number of partners in creating a sustainable future.

 

Director of the Sustainable Economies Program Andy Whitman is excited for the future, “Trends show that our program is posed for growth.  Sustainability is increasingly a distinguishing factor for consumers—especially Millennials, as my team learned at a Global Sustainability Summit in Denver.  The buzz about upcoming Paris Climate talks include front page stories about how business must adapt to climate change.  Corporate sustainability reports are looked for almost as much as their earnings reports. ”

 

Whitman continued, “We are growing our impact by building creative, practical solutions to help businesses and communities use the sustainability lens to engage others and create a thriving future.  With the addition of Anthony, Danielle and Lora, the Sustainable Economies Program and its programs are poised to be a growing part of Manomet’s future.”

 

Want to know more about the Sustainable Economies Program?  We’d love to hear from you.  Contact Andy Whitman at awhitman@manomet.org and he can put you in touch with the appropriate staff member.

 

-Danielle Sarmir