Adelante Empresas

Businesses

Environmental Sustainability

A commitment for the benefit of all

Every day we make choices on what to buy, eat, how we travel, and how we treat each other as human beings.  Adelante Empresas recognizes the need to be aware of the variety of impacts we all have on the communities in which we live and on the planet in general.  For this reason, Adelante Empresas incorporates environmental sustainability into the education and development of its entrepreneurs and their businesses.

Adelante Empresas business network members are committed to pursuing environmental sustainability both in their professional and personal lives.  Each of our businesses signs a Sustainability Pledge, and dedicates a portion of their business development activities to pursuing specific steps that comply with the philosophy of the Triple Bottom Line: People, Planet, Profits. 

Below are some concrete examples of participating businesses and individuals taking the steps towards sustainability:

• Blanco's Green Cleaners - Fernando and Venicia attended workshops to make their cleaning business environmentally sustainable. They use all homemade, non-toxic products and are now taking a leadership role in our cooperative, educating other members about how to make their own, natural cleaning materials.
  

• Fernando Niño – Fernando is an experienced farmer who has made the decision to enroll in our sustainable farming and small business development classes. With his newly acquired skills, he plans to launch a sustainable farming business this summer. He understands the health, social, and personal economic benefits of making his business environmentally friendly. 
  

• Cleaning Wizards, LLC - Idolina, Mago, and Gaby have been a model of environmental sustainability since they began their business using homemade, natural cleaning solutions.  Idolina recently shared her personal health benefits with aspiring entrepreneurs. When she works with chemicals, she gets terrible headaches and feels sick; but when she works with the Cleaning Wizards, she does not experience these unhealthy side effects. These personal stories will motivate other entrepreneurs to change their habits for the benefit of the greater community.
  

By signing the Sustainability Pledge, Adelante Empresas’ member businesses recognize the importance of the Triple Bottom Line: People, Planet, and Profits. Through our program’s one-on-one counseling sessions and small business development classes, Adelante Empresas supports participating businesses to take on the challenge of becoming environmentally sustainable and to improve their businesses in the process.

Below you will find the pledge that serves as a guide for developing a sustainable business by addressing six areas of sustainability:

• Purchasing
  

• Transportation
  

• Food
  

• Community and Social Responsibility
  

• Conservation and Waste Reduction
  

• Energy Efficiency. 
  

How you can help
Adelante Empresas, in order to best address the needs of our entrepreneurs, seeks community members with a strong commitment to environmental sustainability to join our mentoring program and provide support to our businesses as they progress towards implementing more sustainable practices. 

Currently we are reaching out to organizations that provide low to no-cost audits and workshops to better educate our entrepreneurs and the Latino community as to the benefits of sustainable lifestyles and business practices.

For more information about Adelante Empresas' Sustainability Initiative and our businesses' efforts to give back to the community please contact Andrew Mueller at amueller@adelantemujeres.org or (503) 992-0078

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