Six local organizations were honored with various awards by members of the West Michigan Sustainable Business Forum.
Blandford Nature Center, Meijer, the city of Grand Rapids, Jireh Metal Products, The Source and Creative Dining Services were award winners at the eighth annual Triple Bottom Line Bash, the signature event of the local sustainable business community.
Blandford Nature Center was named the 2021 West Michigan Sustainable Business of the Year for representing the West Michigan Sustainable Business “values of the triple bottom line.”
“Blandford Nature Center is honored to be recognized by our peers in this way. Sustainability is the key to our collective future, and we take that seriously,” said Jason Meyer, Blandford Nature Center president and CEO. “Nature centers aren’t always seen as innovative, but that is one of our core values at Blandford. We’ve been striving for sustainability in a number of ways, including our recent decision to pursue the Living Building Challenge at our future facility at The Highlands.”
The nature center also was the recipient of the West Michigan Clean Water Leadership Award. It honors an organization for demonstrating a commitment to the proliferation of green stormwater infrastructure and other water quality stewardship practices on its property or among its stakeholders.
Blandford Nature Center has been implementing steps to improve its sustainability outcomes, especially its use of green stormwater infrastructure. The organization recently acquired and restored a former golf course, The Highlands, a partnership with the Land Conservancy of West Michigan.
“We are proud to receive this award, but we must also recognize that Blandford Nature Center’s efforts to become more sustainable have been a collaborative effort between our organization, our large number of partners, our donors and our visitors,” Meyer said. “We’re all in this together.”
Meijer received the West Michigan Circular Economy Leadership Award. The award honors an organization’s efforts to promote waste diversion and development of a circular economy in West Michigan through its programs and practices or through promotion of diversion with its clients or community.
The city of Grand Rapids secured the West Michigan Climate Leadership Award, which honors an organization for adopting practices that demonstrate climate leadership locally and within its industry.
Jireh Metal Products was recognized with the West Michigan Person of Color Led Sustainable Business of the Year Award. It honors a local minority-owned organization that models a commitment to the triple bottom line, embracing business practices that demonstrate environmental stewardship, economic vitality and social responsibility.
The Source earned the West Michigan Corporate Social Responsibility Leadership Award. It honors an organization for successful efforts to promote corporate social responsibility, equity, empowerment and justice within its operations and the communities it serves.
Creative Dining Services was awarded the West Michigan Triple Bottom Line Leadership Award. It honors a local organization that models a commitment to the triple bottom line, embracing business practices that demonstrate environmental stewardship, economic vitality and social responsibility.
“We are grateful to have the opportunity to recognize the contributions that local businesses and institutions are making in the advancement of climate solutions, social justice, community resilience and the creation of a circular economy,” said WMSBF Executive Director Daniel Schoonmaker. “It was wonderful to see so many of our peers come out again to support this work.”
The West Michigan Sustainable Business Forum also honored three local individuals with Hall of Fame inductions and a Future Hall of Fame Award.
Eric DeLong, deputy city manager for the city of Grand Rapids, and Kenyatta Brame, executive vice president for Cascade Engineering, were inducted into the West Michigan Sustainable Business Hall of Fame.
The Sustainable Business Hall of Fame is a lifetime achievement award that recognizes extraordinary contributions to the growth of sustainable business in West Michigan over the course of a career.
Alita Kelly, co-founder of the South East Market, was recognized with the Future Sustainable Business Hall of Fame Award, which honors an emerging professional whose work deserves wider recognition.
