Posted:
12/12/2018 |
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Date: December 12, 2018
Contact: Missouri Botanical Garden Public Relations Dept.
Phone: (314) 577--0286 (media use only)
Email: cmartin@mobot.org media use only)
For Immediate Release
2018 St. Louis Green Business Challenge Awardees Announced
ST. LOUIS, MO - The St. Louis Green Business Challenge, a program of the Missouri Botanical Garden, has just completed the ninth year of work with companies across the bi-state region to advance sustainability as a business solution. At an awards celebration held Friday, December 7 at Innovation Hall in the Cortex Innovation District, 55 businesses and local government entities were recognized for their work this year to integrate sustainable policies and practices into their operations.
Ten of this year’s participants were honored with Awards of Merit, recognizing top performance in the 2018 Challenge. The Merit honorees are:
Challenge Leader Level
- Tarlton Corporation – 1st place
- St. Louis College of Pharmacy – 2nd place
- COCA – 3rd place
- World Wide Technology, Inc. – 4th place
- Forest Park Forever – 5th place
Challenge Champion Level
- Missouri Historical Society – 1st place
- UniGroup, Inc.– 2nd place
- Webster University – 3rd place
- Ameren Missouri – 4th place
- Maritz – 5th place
The St. Louis Green Business Challenge supports companies and local government entities’ voluntary efforts to conserve energy and water, reduce waste through recycling and other practices, advance sustainable transportation options, enhance biodiversity on company property, and educate and engage employees around sustainable thinking and practice. Companies use program tools including point-based scorecards to guide strategic implementation of green measures. Customized coaching supports each participant to identify and implement measures in accord with their unique company goals and culture. Program services support participants in evaluating and acting on sustainability options in ways that optimize cost-effectiveness and efficiency in conjunction with environmental outcomes.
Since its inception in 2010, 216 companies have “Taken the Challenge,” representing more than 150,000 employees actively engaged with sustainability information and practices.
“The Green Business Challenge is a successful and innovative example of how we can use competition and collaboration to improve both the economic and environmental health of our region,” said Bob Woodruff, COO of the Missouri Botanical Garden. “As delivered by our sustainability division, the EarthWays Center, the Garden is proud to lead this challenge to embrace sustainable practices for our business and civic community.
Glenda Abney, Director of the Garden’s EarthWays Center adds, “The Challenge cultivates a powerful combination of business and sustainability expertise across the St. Louis region. Working together with company Green Teams, our program team is able to guide strategic implementation of sustainability measures toward efficient, cost-effective results in accord with each company’s own goals and culture. The companies’ outcomes, in turn, advance our goal of making sustainability work, across our regional economy.”
The St. Louis Green Business Challenge will launch a tenth year of sustainable business services in early spring, 2019. To learn more, visit www.stlouisgreenchallenge.com
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St. Louis Green Business Challenge The St. Louis Green Business Challenge, a program of the Missouri Botanical Garden, assists companies in integrating sustainable measures into their daily operations. Launched in 2010, in partnership with the St. Louis Regional Chamber, the Challenge delivers “Triple Bottom Line” results (fiscal, social and environmental) to businesses of all types and sizes across the St. Louis region. Challenge activity influences the business, educational, governmental and non-profit sectors of the St. Louis regional economy. The program works for building owners and tenants, supporting companies new to the concept of sustainable business operations and those already engaged and ready to fully integrate sustainable options.
The Missouri Botanical Garden’s mission is “to discover and share knowledge about plants and their environment in order to preserve and enrich life.” Today, 158 years after opening, the Missouri Botanical Garden is a National Historic Landmark and a center for science, conservation, education and horticultural display.