UCF Sustainability Initiatives will host a virtual town hall
2021-07-30 12:00 - 13:30 (America/New_York) | FL
Beginning in March 2021, UCF launched a year-long sustainability strategic planning process. The new plan will build upon the successes of the 2010 Climate Action Plan, and guide the university’s path of innovative leadership in sustainability. The town hall will address curriculum and research, energy and the built environment, landscape and natural resources, transportation, and waste.
The event will feature a panel of leaders from across the university and a special presentation from Dr. Zhihua Qu, faculty lead for UCF’s Resilient, Intelligent and Sustainable Energy Systems Cluster (RISES).
To learn more about the event visit https://events.ucf.edu/event/2140713/sustainability-virtual-town-hall/.
You can email questions in advance to sustainable@ucf.edu and share your vision of a sustainable future by completing the Sustainability at UCF survey:
English – http://ucf.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0HSbBvoPKHEHurY
Español – http://ucf.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_7QjijMbXbC0JfvM

Best for the World 2021: Uplifting B Corp Best Practices in the US & Canada
2021-08-03 13:00 - 14:30 | FL
About this event

We will share more information about what it means to be a Certified B Corporation, the history of the Best for The World (BFTW) program and will host a panel of BFTW companies to share their stories and uplift their best practices.
About the Best for the World Program
Every year, B Lab recognizes the top-performing B Corps creating the greatest impact through their businesses. These B Corps are named Best for the World™ as their verified scores in the five impact areas evaluated on the B Impact Assessment (BIA)—community, customers, environment, governance, and workers—are amongst the global top 5% in their corresponding size group.
These businesses are proving that competing not only to be the best in the world, but the best for the world, is a winning strategy. BFTW provides an opportunity for the global B Corp community to exchange best practices and explore collaboration opportunities to advance positive impact as a collective. In doing so, we work together towards the fulfillment of our movement’s vision to transform the global economy to benefit all people, communities, and the planet.
Best for the World categories:

Community: By investing in communities, these companies work every day to build a shared, sustainable prosperity for all. Their mission-driven cultures embrace social engagement, charitable giving, and strong communities.
Environment: Leading the way toward a more sustainable and regenerative planet, these companies put the environment first in their everyday business practices.
Workers: What is a business without its workers? These B Corps prioritize their workforce through employee-focused efforts, from inclusive hiring practices to employee ownership.
Customers: These businesses set the standard for serving their customers. By providing critical services like education, healthcare, and finance management, they add value to customers’ lives while supporting the greater good.
Governance: These honorees embody what it means to use business as a force for good. By building their vision and values into the core of their company, they ensure that their mission will live on with transparency and accountability.

Who should attend?
This event is free and open to anyone who is interested in learning about how to implement business practices that are better for people and the planet. The event may be of particular interest to current B Corp employees and employees of companies pursuing certification who want to learn about ways to improve their practices and their B Impact Assessment score.
Who’s Speaking?

Beau’s All Natural Brewing Co.- Steve Beauchesne, Co-founder, CEO
BDC (Business Development Bank of Canada) – Carla Heim, Senior Advisor, Purpose Entrepreneurship BDC
Lancaster Works – Tyrone Miller, CEO
Seventh Generation – Ashley Orgain, Global Director Advocacy and Sustainability
Uncommon Goods– David Bolotsky, Founder, CEO

B Corp 101
2021-08-05 14:00 - 15:00, 2021-09-02 14:00 - 15:00, 2021-11-04 14:00 - 15:00, 2021-12-02 14:00 - 15:00 | FL
An introduction to the B Corp movement and certification process presented by Cultivating Capital

About this event

Are you curious about B Corps?
As the B Corp movement continues to grow, more and more people are learning about B Corps, yet it’s common to have questions:

What are B Corps?
What does it take to get certified?
How much does it cost?
Does my company have to be a Benefit Corporation?

These are just some of the questions that come up when you’re new to the B Corp world.
This presentation is designed to introduce you to the B Corp movement. You’ll walk away with a better understanding about what B Corps are, why they matter, how you can get involved and support the movement, and what resources are available to you to learn more.
Accolades from previous webinar attendees
“The webinar has created a great deal of clarity. We are still in the exploratory phase with our company. The webinar helped me to take the next steps in our organization and to inform the rest of the team.”
“The content and agenda for the webinar was great! Lots of great information and in a digestable format.”
“Very useful overview of the B Corp concept and introduction to the application process.”
“Informative, impactful, uplifting!”
About the presenter
Carolina Miranda is the Founder of Cultivating Capital, a Certified B Corp since 2012 that works with small businesses to improve their sustainability and social impact practices. She specializes in helping companies align their business with their values by implementing best practices for social and environmental responsibility.
As a B Corp Consultant, she has helped businesses to achieve B Corp certification, get recertified, and to maintain their certifications. She is currently participating in a pilot program run by B Lab to train external verifiers and is receiving extensive training from B Lab in order to perform certification verifications independently. She is a frequent speaker presenting about B Corps at webinars and conferences, including all three of the B Corp Leadership Development Conferences held in 2020. She serves on the Executive Committee for the B Corp Women CEOs We the Change movement, supports the B Local activities in the SF Bay Area, and was awarded the 2020 Community Builders award from B Lab for her contributions to the community.

The Business Case for Resilience
2021-09-28 13:00 - 14:00 | FL
We have confirmed speakers from Disney, Tupperware, Siemens, Legacy Resorts, and Climate First Bank and the panel will be moderated by the Orlando Economic Partnership. Introductions and welcome will be made by the UK Consul General.

USGBC Florida Presents Residential Developer Thought Leadership Panel
2021-09-30 12:00 - 13:30 | FL
Much of the world is spending a lot of time at home these days so it is more important than ever to have a healthy, safe, high performing, resilient home. Learn from owners and developers about why they pursued LEED certification for their residential projects – from single family homes to multifamily buildings to mixed use and how they are achieving all of these elements. Featured projects include AMLI Midtown Miami North (LEED for HOMES v2010, Platinum, Mid-rise), MODEL Hunters Point Pearl Homes & Marina (LEED v4.1 BD+C: Residential Single Family & LEED Zero Energy, Platinum), Historic Barnett Tower Adaptive Reuse/Renovation (LEED v4 BD+C NC), and Eglin AFB Temporary Lodging Facility (LEED for HOMES v2008, Gold).
Advance registration is required. Login instructions will be emailed to registered attendees 24 hours in advance of the session. You may also pose questions you’d like to discuss related to this topic in the registration!

The Future of Capitalism: The Role of Certified B Corporations and Benefit Governance, Featuring Patagonia, Revolution Foods and Southern Bancorp
2021-10-13 11:00 - 12:00 | FL
Join B Lab and Certified B Corporations (also known as B Corps) for a discussion on building a more inclusive and sustainable economy through a real-life model of stakeholder capitalism. B Corps are businesses that meet the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability to balance profit and purpose. B Corps are accelerating a global culture shift to redefine success in business and build a more inclusive and sustainable economy. Many B Corps are committed to addressing problems of inequity and injustice that disproportionately affect communities of color. And earlier this year, B Lab joined a coalition of more than 50 impact-oriented organizations to call for a White House Initiative on Inclusive Economic Growth that would embrace structural reforms in order to create an economy that works for all.
With remarks provided by:
• Andrew Kassoy, Co-Founder, B Lab Global
• Deval Patrick, former Governor of Massachusetts
A conversation with panelists:
• Ryan Gellert, CEO, Patagonia
• Darrin Williams, CEO, Southern Bancorp
• Kirsten Tobey, Founder and Chief Impact Officer, Revolution Foods
Moderated by:
• Jorge Fontanez, Chief Executive Officer, B Lab U.S. & Canada
• Holly Ensign-Barstow, Director, Stakeholder Governance and Policy, B Lab U.S. & Canada

Find and Select Better Materials Today: Free Training by ecomedes
2021-10-19 14:00 - 15:00 | FL
Drastically reduce the time it takes to search for the best materials for your LEED or green building project, learn how to list a product, automate a product’s LEED documentation process with one click, and promote a product as “Verified for LEED” by attending this free interactive demo. Learn about GBCI’s Better Materials Initiative and its Unified Search feature that allows you to search across all leading global material platforms simultaneously in one go as well as enjoy a real time interative demo from ecomedes, Inc. (one of the leading global material platforms). Check out this amazing tool before, during and after program: https://materialsforleed.ecomedes.com
Architects, designers, facility managers and anyone who is in charge of selecting materials and products for a healthy, sustainable, high performance space will benefit from this training. Manufacturers, vendors and distributors that have materials and products for green buildings will learn how to list your product, automate your product’s LEED documentation process with one click, and promote your product as “Verified for LEED.”
Speaker

Paul Shahriari, Chief Innovation Officer / Co-founder, ecomedes, Inc.

Schedule at a Glance

Virtual lobby opens (5 minutes before training)
Welcome / Introductions / Announcements (10 min)
Training & Live Demonstration (30 min)
Interactive Q&A (20 min)
Session Concludes (on the hour)

Learning Objectives
Course Participants will gain the following skills and knowledge

Understand how the USGBC Better Materials Platform is constructed from industry certification data and when to use this tool for material selection.
Learn how to streamline your ability to document LEED contribution for building products via the “Verified for LEED” program
Learn how to use the Ecomedes tool option to: 1) Discover building materials that meet project sustainability goals; 2) Conduct comparison of sustainable building products; 3) Analyze energy and water impact of building materials; and 4) Create documentation for LEED projects

Learn names of the 5 platforms participating in the Better Materials Initiative program and where to find them

Cost

Free

Impact Mission Miami presents an informative and engaging session about the growing B Corp and values-aligned Miami business ecosystem
2021-10-20 11:00 - 12:00 | FL
Join Impact Mission Miami as we share more information about the benefits of pursuing a values-aligned path for your business. We will break down what a B Corp is, how to begin your B Corp journey and have special guests who can speak to their perosnal experiences with the process.
A regional chapter of Florida For Good, Impact Mission Miami was created to represent sustainable and values-aligned companies in the South Florida region. This collective is focused on bringing awareness to and cultivating the conscious business movement in the region, as well as gathering like-minded individuals and providing resources to help companies find a more values-driven path while encouraging the use of the B Impact Assessment and creation of Certified B Corps.
The ultimate goal for our platform is to help a purpose-driven economy thrive here in the beautiful South Florida community.

Florida Recycling Summit at Tervis
2021-10-21 13:00 - 15:30 | Tervis Facility, 201 Triple Diamond Blvd, Venice, FL, 34275, United States
Manufacturing and Recycling go hand-in-hand. Join our panel of experts as they discuss how manufacturing uses recycling in everyday activities.
Panelist include Rogan Donelly, President & CEO of Tervis; Rob Harris, Executive Director of Sarasota Manatee Manufacturing Association and Tom Feeney, President & CEO of Associated Industries of Florida. Our moderator will be Steve Lezman – PepsiCo and Chair of the Florida Recycling Partnership Foundation
Following the panel discussion, there will be a tour of the Tervis Facility
Space is limited for this event!
Date: Thursday, October 21, 2021
Cost: $75 per person
Sponsors: Limited number of Gold – $750 or Green – $500 sponsorships
More information: keyna@flrecycling.org or 850.728.1054

LEED Green Associate Exam Prep Bootcamp (Two Half Fridays)
2021-10-22 09:00 - 12:00 | FL
This TWO half day virtual workshop held on two consecutive Fridays (10/22/21 & 10/29/21 9am-12pm) will be a dynamic, interactive training course taught by USGBC Faculty that provides guidance tied to the specifics of each LEED category. Whether seeking a better understanding of how to integrate sustainability, wellness, and green construction practices into the built environment, LEED, and/or pursuing the LEED Green Associate credential, this class is for you!
Schedule of Day 1 Workshop

Introduction to green building fundamentals
LEED Framework
Location and transportation
Sustainable sites
Water efficiency

Schedule of Day 2 Workshop

Energy efficiency
Materials & resources
Healthy buildings
What to expect on the LEED Green Associate Exam
Group quiz and questions review
Study-time and test-taking recommendations

Registration Includes:

Two half days of intense classroom training in a virtual, open, interactive environment. Both days are included in the cost of the ticket and different information will be presented each day.
List of terrific resources to help with your studying, knowledge and prep test questions.
Digital presentation workbook to take notes on during class (the recording will not be shared)
Ongoing access to the instructor for additional questions post training

Fees:

City/County/Government USGBC Member Course Fee: $150.00
City/County/Government Non-member Course Fee: $200
USGBC Florida Individual Member Course Fee: $150.00
Non-Member Course Fee: $200.00
Student Course Fee: $120.00 (with valid ID)
Group discounts available upon request (5-10 people 20% discount; 11+ people 25% discount)
Credential Exam Fee: $200 Members / $250 Non-members / $100 Students (Optional; Add on)

Not a USGBC Florida Community Member, yet? Get a 15% discount when you register and add on an individual membership!
Refunds allowed up to seven days before class starts. Email sboren@usgbc.org
Upon completion of this Course, registrants will be able to:

Identify the key components of the LEED Rating System.
Discuss the overall LEED Certification process.
Describe the intents and associated concepts of each LEED credit category.
Recognize successful LEED strategies and measurements for achieving credit category goals.
Explain regulations, recognition, and incentives related to each credit category.
More confidently sit for the LEED Green Associate exam and pass!
Use credentials on your resume for job opportunity.

USGBC Florida Presents Public Sector Policies Panel & Facilities Showcase
2021-10-22 12:00 - 13:30 | FL
With this program we want to share public policies that are accelerating green building adoption and demonstrate the variety of space types for which the public sector is achieving LEED certification. Learn about current policy and program initiatives as well as hear from project teams and owners who will highlight the goals, strategies, outcomes, and lessons learned from several different LEED rating systems including LEED BD+C, LEED CS Retail, LEED ID+C CI Healthcare, and LEED O+M.
Advance registration is required. Login instructions will be emailed to registered attendees 24 hours in advance of the session. You may also pose questions you’d like to discuss related to this topic in the registration.
Not a USGBC Florida Community Member, yet? Get a 15% discount when you register and add on an individual membership!
BIG THANK YOU TO SEQUIL Systems for being our event Education Sponsor!
Speakers
Policy Panel

Elizabeth Beardsley, Senior Policy Counsel, USGBC Advocacy Team
Chris Castro, Director of Sustainability & Resiliency, City of Orlando
Alyssia Berthoumieux, Senior Sustainability Coordinator, City of Miami Beach
Patricia Gomez, PE, CEM, GBE, LEED AP, Ph.D., Sustainability/Resilience/Energy Program Manager, Office of Resilience, Miami Dade County

Showcase
Tyndall AFB Clinic, Tyndall Air Force Base (ID+C CI v2009 Healthcare, Silver, 82,645 sq ft)

Ashley Eusey, PE, LEED AP, GGP, WELL AP, Associate | Sustainability Specialist, Hoefer Welker
Parker Hall, PE, LEED AP, GPCP, CxT, Lead Mechanical Engineer, Hoefer Welker

Orange County Convention Center Recertification, Orlando (LEED-EB:OM v2009, Gold, 2,929,475 sq ft)

Kristy Walson, PE, LEED Fellow, BEMP, Senior Sustainability Consultant, Energy Services Manager, TLC Engineering Solutions

Collins Park Parking Garage, Miami Beach (BD+C CS v4 Retail, Gold, 22,725 sq ft)

Sabrina Baglieri, Senior Capital Projects Coordinator, City of Miami Beach
Samantha Varela, LEED AP, WELL AP, Fitwel Ambassador, Director of Sustainability Services, SEQUIL Systems Inc.

City of Dunedin EOC/Fire Training Center, Dunedin (BD+C NC v4, Silver, 5,696 sq ft)

Drew Smith, LEED AP BD&C, CGP, CxA, CSI, GBTP, COO, Two Trails, Inc.

Schedule at a Glance

11:45 PM: Virtual lobby opens
12:00 PM – 12:10 PM: USGBC Welcome (10 minutes)
12:10 PM – 12:40 PM: Policy Panel
12:40 PM – 12:50 PM: Tyndall AFB Medical & Vet Clinic, Tyndall Air Force Base (ID+C CI v2009 Healthcare, Silver, 82,645 sq ft) (10 mins)
12:50 PM – 1:00 PM: Orange County Convention Center Recertification, Orlando (LEED-EB:OM v2009, Gold, 2,929,475 sq ft) (10 mins)
1:00 PM – 1:10 PM Collins Park Parking Garage, Miami Beach (BD+C CS v4 Retail, Gold, 22,725 sq ft) (10 mins)
1:10 PM – 1:20 PM: City of Dunedin EOC/Fire Training Center, Dunedin (BD+C NC v4, Silver, 5,696 sq ft) (10 min)
1:20 PM – 1:30 PM: Q&A and Wrap Up (10 min)

Learning Objectives

Describe the top, overarching goals and objectives of the projects as they relate to sustainability, health & wellness, resilience, and equity
Compare and contrast the most notable strategies from the projects that contributed to achieving LEED BD+C, LEED CS Retail, LEED ID+C CI Healthcare, and LEED O+M certification and recertification.
Link lessons learned from these projects with an emphasis on health and human experience, and how the project teams would approach things differently under LEED BD+C, LEED CS Retail, LEED ID+C CI Healthcare, and LEED O+M.
Discuss how the projects’ performance outcomes added value, and how ongoing performance is being measured against LEED v4.1 O+M recertification guidance
Learn about various public policies in Florida and how they are encouraging adoption of LEED and green building strategies.

Continuing Education
Submitted for approval for

1.5 GBCI LEED-specific CE hours (for the BD+C, ID+C, and O+M specialties, and the LEED Green Assoc. credential)
AIA approved for 1.5 LU/HSW

Cost

USGBC Florida Member + Guest (BOGO) — $20
USGBC Member & Partner Organization members — $20
General / Non-members — $30
Emerging Professionals (Out of college; 30 and under) — $15
Full time students (with .edu email) — $15

Special opportunity for USGBC Florida Individual Members — Please consider bringing another person (e.g., student, client, someone who has never heard of USGBC) for no extra cost as part of your registration. The BOGO offer is to say thank you for being a part of our community!

Women in Green Leadership in Equity Through a Sustainability Lens
2021-10-26 12:00 - 14:00 | FL
USGBC’s commitment to transforming the way we do business in the building industry includes social equity. Without social equity, our projects and organizations cannot be truly sustainable.
Join us for our fourth and last 2021 Women in Green Leadership in Equity Through a Sustainability Lens where we will discuss what exactly it is social equity and how do we incorporate it into our every day lives, our work culture, practices and LEED projects, and our larger communities. How do we be steadfast and strong (2021 WIG theme) with building equity into all that we do across across Florida? This WIG will address these questions and more.
Men are welcome too, of course! Advance registration is required. Login instructions will be emailed to registered attendees 24 hours in advance of the session. You may also pose questions you’d like to discuss related to this topic in the registration!
Not a USGBC Florida Community Member, yet? Get a 15% discount when you register and add on an individual membership!
Speakers
Keynote:

Merchon Green, Equity Official, City of Orlando

Solutions Showcase

Food Inequities — Anna Prizzo, – Alachua County Commissioner, Program Director and Campus Food Systems Coordinator, University of Florida
LEED Social Equity Project Team Pilot Credit & JUST Certification — Kristy Walson, TLC Engineering Solutions

Breakout Session Topics & Facilitators:

Civic Engagement Training
Supportive, equitable and inclusive company culture
Projects considering social equity in their design
Career Development & Education

Schedule at a Glance

11:45am Virtual lobby opens
12-12:10pm Welcome / Announcements
12:10-12:25pm Keynote
12:25-12:55pm Solutions Showcase & Spotlight Panel
12:55-1:00pm Break with live music
1:00-1:05pm Transition to Breakout Sessions
1:05-1:40pm Facilitated Breakout Sessions
1:40-1:55pm Report outs from Breakout Sessions
1:55pm-2pm What we heard today & resources moving forward
2pm Session Concludes

Available Continuing Education

1.5 GBCI General CEUs (Approved)

Cost

USGBC Florida Member + Guest (BOGO) — $20
USGBC Member & Partner Organization members — $20
General / Non-members — $30
Emerging Professionals (Out of college; 30 and under) — $15
Full time students (with .edu email) — $15

Special opportunity for USGBC Florida Individual Members — Please consider bringing another person (e.g., student, client, someone who has never heard of USGBC) for no extra cost as part of your registration. The BOGO offer is to say thank you for being a part of our community!

Supplier Diversity Webinar
2021-10-26 13:00 - 14:00 | FL
B Local Illinois is proud to sponsor this webinar featuring a panel of distinguished, mission-driven leaders that will be speaking to the power and value of establishing a supplier diversity program within your company or organization.
Business has the power to be a force for good. And good businesses are those that are best prepared to win in a global marketplace that places increasing importance on companies’ social and environmental performance.
About the speakers
Laura McCord
Laura McCord (she/her/hers) has over 20 years of food retail experience with experience as a grocer, and account manager, with the majority of her time spent in category management. After obtaining her Master’s degree in Sustainable Management, she transitioned to a newly created position at KeHE, Sustainability, and Corporate Responsibility, which focuses on environmental stewardship, employee engagement, and community involvement.
Laura is also the co-founder of CAREtrade, which focuses on suppliers that share KeHE’s mission to serve to make lives better and DIVERSEtrade™, which focuses on diverse suppliers at KeHE.
Robyn Lustbader
Robyn (she/her/hers) is the Senior Engagement Officer at Cara Collective and Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) Chair at B Local Illinois. Robyn’s passion for JEDI issues starts with her diverse family, and celebrating her Pacific Islander heritage. She started her career as a musician, with a Music Education and Performance degree from Ithaca College. She is currently a rising Baumhart Scholar MBA at Loyola University’s Quinlan School of Business and a member of the Chicago Chamber Choir.
Omar Brown
Omar Brown (he/him/his) is Senior Vice President, People & Culture Officer for Big Ten Conference. In this role, he drives diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives throughout the conference, such as the Equality Coalition and the Advisory Commission. Brown leads all people ops efforts for conference staff including talent acquisition, professional development and performance management. Prior to joining Big Ten, Brown was an organizational transformation leader in Deloitte’s Human Capital Consulting practice.
From 2012 to 2015, Brown was part of the leadership team at the Chicago Transit Authority, including more than two years as vice president of human resources (HR).
Brown has amassed a great deal of practical experience in benefits consulting, finance and diversity throughout his career through his service with organizations such as City of Chicago, University of Illinois System, Illinois Housing Development Authority, General Board of Pension, and Aon Hewitt.
Jeromé Holston
Jeromé Holston is the Director of the LGBT Chamber of Commerce of Illinois–an organization whose focus is on promoting economic opportunities for the LGBT community. The LGBT Chamber of Commerce of Illinois does this by being an advocate and resource for all member businesses that encourage equality.
Under Jeromé’s leadership, the Chamber serves a roster of over 300 Members, a number that increases almost daily. These members are lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) business owners, as well as gay-supportive businesses. Together they employ over 2,000 people in the Chicago area, with gross revenues that exceed $200 million.
Vincent Williams
J. Vincent Williams is President and Chief Executive Officer of Chicago Minority Supplier Development Council (ChicagoMSDC).
Prior to accepting the appointment at the ChicagoMSDC, Mr. Williams led economic development initiatives by consulting directly with small businesses and entrepreneurs interested in starting, growing, or scaling their business as the Vice President of Economic Empowerment and the Director of the Illinois Small Business Development Center at the YWCA Metropolitan Chicago.
Mr. Williams spent more than 25 years of his career in corporate America and non-profit organizations. He has extensive knowledge and experience in managing small business sustainability and succession, leading corporate C-Suite engagement and building valuable community partnerships. He is a native of Chicago’s South Side and comes from a family of entrepreneurs.
About B Local Illinois
B Local Illinois is the non-profit organization whose purpose is to grow and support businesses in Illinois that have committed to a triple bottom line of purpose, profit and planet by obtaining B Corp certification. For more information, please visit their website.

Social Enterprise Alliance South Florida Chapter Meeting
2021-10-27 15:30 - 17:30 | Lynn University, 3601 N Military Trl, Boca Raton, FL, 33431, United States
A gathering of support and collaboration.

The Purposeful Growth Institute's Launch
2021-10-27 16:30 - 17:00 | FL
In that context, attracting, keeping, and growing the qualified, motivated, collaborative, and innovative people your team needs is no joke. Your business depends on it, but so does our collective well-being.
To address the crises of health, equity, environment, and economic stability, we need talented professionals who are healthy, creative, and engaged in purpose-driven companies working toward a healthier and fairer way of working and living.
Which is why, building on a decade of work growing purposeful leaders through Inspiring Capital, we have launched the Purposeful Growth Institute (PGI), a nonprofit corporation (501c3 status pending)!
An Invitation:
Join us at 4:30-5 pm ET on October 27 to learn more about:

PGI’s establishment and mission;
Our BIG early win of a $2M contract with the National Parks Service to recruit purpose-driven, diverse business professionals; and
Ways you could benefit from and contribute to PGI’s mission to help individuals, organizations and employers align their skills, interest, and needs with the needs of their communities.

Who should attend?
If you are:

Looking to recruit purpose-driven, diverse MBA talent;
Seeking a career-fortifying summer internship as a first-year MBA student ;
Eager to spread the word or partner in PGI’s mission,
You should come hear from our CEO & Co-Founder, Nell Derick Debevoise, about how to engage with PGI in the months and years to come!

Background:
The Purposeful Growth Institute envisions a world in which work is a critical element of human dignity, happiness, and satisfaction. By developing leaders who will build fairer and healthier workplaces, we are working toward a more inclusive, antiracist, and sustainable version of capitalism.
Learn more and sign up for opportunities and updates at www.purposefulgrowth.org.

Disinformation and Our Civic Future Learn How Business Can Play a Positive Role in American Elections
2021-10-29 14:00 - 15:00 | FL
It’s no secret: America’s electoral system faces a crisis of trust, driven by the proliferation of disinformation and conspiracy theories that threatens the public’s faith in the civic discourse and the conduct of elections. All this breeds polarization and economic instability.
As institutions that depend on a well-functioning government and society, US businesses have a vested interest in addressing these challenges and investing in the future of the democratic system.
But what, specifically, can businesses do to address these challenges?
Some companies are already taking steps to educate their workforces and customers to spot unfounded claims about the integrity of our election infrastructure. As trusted institutions, business can help to respond to distortions, myths and outright lies about how elections are conducted and verified in the U.S.
Join us on October 29th, 2:00 to 3:00 PM ET for a timely webinar—featuring leaders from business, tech, and civil society. We’ll explore the risks facing democracy, the state-of-play regarding state and federal elections policy, and practical actions the private sector can take to promote trust and transparency in campaigns and elections.
Speakers:
Craig Newmark, Craig Newmark Philanthropies
Larry Norden, Brennan Center
Sarah Bonk, Business for America
Moderator: Justin Talbot Zorn, National Election Defense Coalition

Other Speakers to be announced

Register soon because space is limited.

14th Annual Sustainable Buzz
2021-11-04 18:00 - 21:30 | Tampa Garden Club, 2629 Bayshore Boulevard, Tampa, FL, 33629, United States
DON’T MISS THE BUZZ!
This annual festival and fundraiser at the Tampa Garden Club celebrates Our Sustainable Business Award Winners along with foodieland food, craft beers, fine wines and spirits and live entertainment. Walk the Green Carpet while honoring local businesses doing great things for our community and the planet!

6:00 to 9:30 Buzz Celebration

SPONSORSHIP AND VENDOR OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE!
Contact Andrea at andrea@sustany.org or go HERE

B Corp Workshop Series for Businesses
2021-11-10 15:00 - 16:00 | FL
Three, one-hour workshops for businesses to benchmark, express and improve their triple bottom line through B Lab’s Impact Assessment.

About this event

The B Corp Workshop Series offers business tools to benchmark, express and improve their triple bottom line impact (People, Planet, Profit) through B Lab’s SDG Manager and B Impact Assessment (BIA). Through this program, our region is encouraging the triple-bottom-line business philosophy, so that one day, companies thrive not only to be the best, but also to attract the best for workers, and improve communities and the environment.

Part 1: Get a Baseline — Assess how your company performs against dozens of best practices on employee, community, and environmental impact
Part 2: Compare Your Impact — See how your company stacks up against thousands of other businesses through the Quick Impact Snapshot.
Part 3: Improve Your Impact — Create a plan to improve your business’s practices, and help your staff implement them quickly with our best practice guides and examples.

There are 3 workshops in the series that will take place from 3PM – 4PM on November 10th, November 17th, and November 24th.
Workshops will be held virtually via Zoom. $25 for per workshop ($75 for the series). Each workshop requires a separate ticket, so be sure to buy all three tickets if you plan to complete the series.
About the Speaker
Kim Goddu-Alexander runs Bethesda Green’s Be Community Programs and the Be Impact Initiative, providing a richness of connection among a wide array of stakeholders. Kim is the Team lead for B Corp Certification.

Nov. 15–19, 2021 Is Florida Recycles Week
2021-11-15 - 2021-11-20 | FL
Florida Recycles Week is held in conjunction with America Recycles Day to raise awareness about actions individuals can take to increase recycling habits and reduce waste. During this week, and throughout the year, we encourage taking the recycling pledge to “Learn, Act and Share” to support recycling.
During Florida Recycles Week daily webinars will be held to provide educational opportunities on where and what to recycle, strategies for recycling when away from home and how to close the loop by buying products made with recycled content. Additionally you can take the Daily Recycling Challenge and share your recycling goals and actions on social media, #FloridaRecycles.

Schedule of Events

Monday, Nov. 15, 2021, 11 a.m. EST
“Take the Pledge” It’s America Recycles Day! – sponsored by Publix Super Markets. Kick-off Florida Recycles Week with our state and local partners.

Learn: Recycling Education, City of Orlando
Act: Food Waste Diversion, FDEP
Share: KFB Affiliates

Tuesday, Nov. 16, 2021, 11 a.m. EST
“You Can Recycle Right” – sponsored by Waste Management. What are the right items to place in curbside recycle containers: plastic bottles and jugs, aluminum and steel cans, paper and cardboard.

Information for residents on how to place the right items in curbside recycle containers.
Learn what items, such as plastic bags and packaging film are recyclable, but not curbside.

Wednesday, Nov. 17, 2021, 11 a.m. EST
Press Event at the Florida Capitol

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection will announce Recycling Recognition award winners.
The Florida Recycling Partnership will announce its Recycling Champion award winners.

Thursday, Nov. 18, 2021, 11 a.m. EST
“Recycle on the Go” – sponsored by Wawa. Look for recycling containers while traveling. If you can’t find a recycling bin, make sure to have a bag in your car so you can take your plastic bottles and aluminum cans home and recycle them.

Tips for recycling on the go.
Sarasota County covers more than just roadways.
Drive it Home initiative.

Friday, Nov. 19, 2021, 11 a.m. EST
“Buy Recycled” – sponsored by Publix Super Markets. Look for items made with recycled content when you make your purchases.

Recycled shirts and dog leashes.
How brands are using recycled content.
Every Bottle Back.

B Corp Certification Readiness - Preparing for Your B Corp Journey
2021-11-18 12:00 - 13:00 | FL

USGBC Florida Presents Residential Showcase & Developer Panel
2021-11-19 12:00 - 14:00 | FL
Much of the world is spending a lot of time at home these days so it is more important than ever to have a healthy, safe, high performing, resilient home. Learn from owners and developers about why they pursued LEED certification for their residential projects – from single family homes to multifamily buildings to mixed use and how they are achieving all of these elements. Featured projects include AMLI Midtown Miami North (LEED for HOMES v2010, Platinum, Mid-rise), MODEL Hunters Point Pearl Homes & Marina (LEED v4.1 BD+C: Residential Single Family & LEED Zero Energy, Platinum), Historic Barnett Tower Adaptive Reuse/Renovation (LEED v4 BD+C NC), and Eglin AFB Temporary Lodging Facility (LEED for HOMES v2008, Gold).
Advance registration is required. Login instructions will be emailed to registered attendees 24 hours in advance of the session. You may also pose questions you’d like to discuss related to this topic in the registration!
Not a USGBC Florida Community Member, yet? Get a 15% discount when you register and add on an individual membership!
BIG THANK YOU TO OUR EVENT TITLE SPONSOR
Spinnaker Group
Speakers & Projects
AMLI Midtown Miami North, Miami, FL (LEED-HOMES MR v2010, Platinum, Mid-rise, 988,873 sq ft)

Erin Hatcher, Vice President, Sustainability, AMLI Residential

MODEL Hunters Point Pearl Homes & Marina, Palmetto, FL (LEED v4.1 BD+C: Residential Single Family & LEED Zero Energy, Platinum, 1,700 sq ft)

Marshall Gobuty, Managing Partner, Pearl Homes Florida

Eglin AFB Temporary Lodging Facility, Eglin AFB, FL — one hour from Pensacola, FL (LEED-HOMES v2008, Gold, 14,000 sq ft)

Diana Giraldo, Business Development Director, E3 Building Sciences

Learning Objectives

Identify the top, overarching goals of the project and link lessons learned from this project with an emphasis on human experience and LEED, and health and wellness and resilience.
Compare and contrast the most notable strategies from the projects that contributed to achieving LEED for Homes v2008 and LEED for Homes v2010 certification.
Compare and contrast the most notable strategies from the projects that contributed to achieving LEED v4.1 BD+C Residential Single Family and LEED v4 BD+C NC.
Discuss the projects’ building performance outcomes, and how strategies to achieve certain credits in LEED for Homes v2008, LEED for Homes v2010, LEED v4 BD+C, and LEED v4.1 BD+C added value.

Continuing Education

GBCI-approved for 1.5 LEED-specific CE hours for the BD+C & Homes specialties and LEED Green Associate
AIA approved for 1.5 LU

Schedule at a Glance

11:45 AM: Doors Open & Virtual Networking
12:00 PM – 12:15 PM: USGBC FL Welcome
12:15 PM – 12:25 PM: Session Framing
12:25 PM - 12:30 PM: Erin Hatcher, Vice President, Sustainability, AMLI Residential
12:30 PM – 12:40 PM: Marshall Gobuty, Managing Partner, Pearl Homes Florida
12:40 PM – 12:50 PM: Steve Atkins, Principal, SouthEast Development Group, LLC (INVITED)
12:50 PM – 1:00 PM: Diana Giraldo, Business Development Director, E3 Building Sciences
1:00 PM – 1:25 PM: Discussion and Q&A
1:25 PM – 1:30 PM: Wrap up (5 mins)
1:30 PM – Event adjourns

B Corp Certification: Meeting the Legal Requirement
2021-11-23 12:00 - 13:00 | FL

Making Our Voices Heard: 2022 Legislative Priority Briefing
2021-12-01 15:00 - 16:30 | FL

Water Conservation and Pollution Control with Ms. Perez
2021-12-08 11:00 - 12:00 | FL
Water quality and quantity are always hot topics in Southwest Florida. This presentation will highlight the water challenges facing us locally. It will emphasize simple changes that each of us can make to protect our water for the future.

How Business Can Address the Threats To Our Democracy
2021-12-08 12:00 - 13:00 | FL
Our democracy is fragile
In response to the growing influence of authoritarian leaders around the globe, President Biden and the U.S. State Department will be holding a virtual Summit on Democracy from December 9th–10th. Leaders from the U.S. government, foreign heads of state, civil society, and private sector will discuss challenges and opportunities facing democracies around the globe. The meeting will provide a platform for leaders to make both individual and collective commitments to defend democracy and human rights at home and abroad.
In parallel to the summit, Business for America is planning a 75-minute webinar on December 8th (12:00pm – 1:15pm EST) to discuss “How Business Can Address the Threats to Democracy.” We’ll focus on the escalating threats to our political stability and form of government, and provide a roadmap for individual company and collective business action to protect our representative democracy and capitalistic economy.
The discussion will include insightful presentations from Ian Bassin, co-founder of Protect Democracy, Didi Kuo of Stanford University, Joel Elliot of Salesforce, Dave Leichtman of Microsoft, and others.
Join us on Wednesday December 8th from 12:00 – 1:15PM EST to learn how you can be part of the solution.
Register soon because space is limited. We hope you’re able to join us!

Y&How Climate Workshop #2: Agriculture in Collier County
2022-01-05 11:00 - 12:00 | FL
Agriculture is big (and small) business in Collier County. Learn about the importance of this industry in our community and where you can purchase local foods from local producers. Supporting Florida agriculture is a sure way to reduce climate impacts, support our economy and eat healthily. Resources to read before her presentation are found here.

PRESENTED BY
Ms. Jessica Ryals,
Agriculture & Sustainable Food Systems Agent
Jessica Ryals is the Agriculture & Sustainable Food Systems Agent for UF/IFAS Extension, Collier County. She develops educational programs that focus on agricultural production, farming regulation and policy, farm food safety, local food businesses, and consumer education. She is a two-time graduate of Florida Gulf Coast University, getting her undergraduate degree in 2008 and a Master’s in Public Administration in 2012.

Tampa Bay Minority Business Expo
2022-01-14 18:00 - 21:00 | 11141 US Hwy 19 N., Suite 2040, Clearwater, FL33764, 11141 US Hwy 19 N. Suite 204, Clearwater, FL, 33764, United States
This event is for PCUL Serious Business Academy Participants and other business owners who may be interested in networking and building relationships in the community
