Nonprofit names Sustainable Business of the Year

Nonprofit names Sustainable Business of the Year

Courtesy The GFB

A local sustainability nonprofit named its Sustainable Business of the Year and honored other winners at an awards ceremony downtown.

Grand Rapids-based West Michigan Sustainable Business Forum (WMSBF) hosted its sixth annual Triple Bottom Line Bash at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park on Oct. 16 in conjunction with its 25th anniversary celebration.

The event celebrated the organization’s pick for Sustainable Business of the Year and also added two professionals to its Hall of Fame.

Additionally, several businesses were recognized for their work in number of other categories.

Sustainable Business of the Year

The West Michigan Sustainable Business of the Year Award was given to The Gluten Free Bar.

The award honors a local company that best represents the values of the triple bottom line, and the recipient is selected annually by a vote of the WMSBF membership.

Hall of Famers

The 2019 Sustainable Business Hall of Fame inductee is Keith Winn, president of Catalyst Partners. The Sustainable Business Hall of Fame award is a lifetime achievement recognition for extraordinary contributions to the growth of sustainable businesses in the West Michigan area over the course of a career.

The 2019 Future Hall of Fame honoree is Alice Jasper, sustainable business program manager for Local First. This award honors an emerging professional whose work the WMSBF membership believes deserves wider recognition.

Category winners

Triple Bottom Line Leadership Award: The Gluten Free Bar

Minority-Owned Sustainable Business Award: Jim Roberts Enterprises LLC

Circular Economy Leadership Award: Public Thread

Corporate Social Responsibility Leadership Award: Valley City Electronic Recycling

Climate Leadership Award: Environmental Resources Management

Clean Water Award: Frederik Meijer Gardens