About a year and a half ago, New North, Inc. realized the need for local businesses to better understand sustainability requirements and track performance.
Given increasing purchaser and consumer demand, government regulation and a changing labor force, New North President and CEO Barb LaMue says it’s important for businesses to embrace ESG (environmental, social, governance) practices in order to stay competitive.
“Businesses should be paying attention to ESG because it can help their bottom line. If you can look at how you can reduce your own particular waste, it’s a win-win for the business,” she says. “You’re eliminating cost, plus you’re helping the environment. Social issues that deal with diversity, equity and inclusion are very much a part of ESG, so it’s looking at it from a social equity perspective as well.”
On May 2, New North will debut its inaugural ESG Summit to provide a forum for businesses in Northeast Wisconsin to gain insights, resources and tools to either develop new ESG programs or accelerate existing ones. The summit will include presentations, panel conversations, roundtable discussions and networking breakout sessions.
Attendees will hear first-hand accounts from local businesses such as U.S. Venture, Plexus and Faith Technologies Incorporated that are leveraging sustainability to improve their businesses’ “triple bottom line” of people, planet and profit.
Creating a “coalition of colleagues” is one of the summit’s main goals, LaMue says.
“This is primarily geared toward companies and how they can start their ESG journey if they haven’t done so,” she says. “Some of the companies in our region are fairly sophisticated; they know much more about ESG than I probably ever will, and they’re willing to share lessons learned.”
The Wisconsin Sustainable Business Council, a summit partner, will coordinate a presentation on “The Business Imperative of Sustainability & ESG,” highlighting some key ESG benefits such as reduced risk and operating costs, increased innovation, and enhanced relationships with customers and stakeholders.
Panel conversations will dive deeper into topics including sustainability program basics, data-driven sustainability, and measuring and managing energy and greenhouse gas. Stephanie Krubsack, founder of Purevant Living, will facilitate a panel on sustainability in workforce recruitment and retention efforts, and fostering equity and inclusion.
Networking breakout discussions will explore topics such as federal programs and funding opportunities, navigating ESG pressures and DEI in ESG.
ESG is not only a business development concern, says LaMue. It factors into talent attraction and retention efforts as well.
“Younger talent wants to know before they sign on with an organization if they have an environmental, social and governance plan, and how can they be a part of leveraging that plan,” she says.
Young talent will be in abundance at the summit, which is being hosted at Lawrence University’s Warch Campus Center. Lawrence students may attend free of charge.
“We are ecstatic to be collaborating with New North on this inaugural ESG Summit. Creating space for learning and discussion is what institutions of higher learning specialize in, so it is exciting to work with an organization that is facilitating such a space,” says Lawrence University Sustainability Coordinator Carter Robinson. “Our students will have opportunities to dialogue with sustainability specialists in the region and further their own professional development.”
Garrett Singer, special assistant to the president at Lawrence, serves on the summit task force and sees much alignment between the event and the university’s educational mission, particularly its sustainability initiatives.
“This is a great opportunity to show our students how these structures and these values are embedded in corporations and our major employer partners in the region,” he says. “This is not a false dichotomy between corporate success and sustainability work — there are ways to marry those values and find a fulfilling career in sustainability work in a corporate setting.”
But it’s not just the students who will benefit, Singer says. Businesses will benefit from the student presence too.
“It’s an opportunity for recruitment for our corporate partners as well, many of whom are looking for bright, talented, curious and collaborative students,” he says. “We certainly have those in spades here at Lawrence.”
wisconsinsustainability.com/esgsummit
ESG Summit
Thursday, May 2
1-4:45 p.m.
Networking happy hour, 4:45-5:30 p.m.
Warch Campus Center
Lawrence University, Appleton
