At the Assembly Elections Committee Hearing, we won a big 5-0 victory for AB 1148, the California DISCLOSE Act, thanks partially to an incredibly impressive showing at the hearing of over 100 people and delivery of over 15,000 signatures for AB 1148!  Everybody was amazed, at the number of people who came to Sacramento to demand that we fight back against unlimited anonymous spending by Big Money special interests by disclosing the top three funders of political ads — on the ads themselves.

AB 1148, authored by Assemblymember Julia Brownley and sponsored by the California Clean Money Campaign, would get rid of the fine print for disclosures and stop special interests from hiding behind fake names like “California Jobs Initiative”.  AB 1148 will require televised political ads to show their three largest funders on a full screen in large white print on a black background, with their logos.  That’s why it’s endorsed by over two hundred leaders and organizations like ours.

Not only will the California DISCLOSE Act apply to ads for and against ballot measures, but it will also apply to independent expenditures for and against candidates.  It will tell voters who is really funding propositions and attack ads when it counts!

(To learn more about this campaign and the Green Chamber business case for endorsing it, please visit our advocacy page on AB 1148: CA Disclose Act)

Tomorrow, the Green Chamber is headed to Sacramento for a second and very important hearing in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.  It is do or die time for AB 1148 CA Disclose Act and we must all rally with California Clean Money Campaign in showing our support and desire for greater transparency in campaign finance!

Critical vote for AB 1148, the California DISCLOSE Act:  Sign the petition to help it pass!
A critical bill addressing the unlimited anonymous contributions unleashed by the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision is having a do-or-die vote tomorrow, January 19th.   AB 1148, the California DISCLOSE Act, would stop special interests from deceiving voters about who is paying for political ads by requiring clear disclosure of their largest funders, on the ads themselves.

Please sign the online petition for AB 1148 now.   When you do, it will send an email with the petition and your comments from you to Speaker John Pérez, to all of the Assembly Appropriations Committee members who will be voting tomorrow, and to your own Assemblymember.  That way they’ll see how many people want to require political ads to show who really pays for them: http://www.CAclean.org/petition

After you sign the petition, then please take the next step and call Assembly Speaker John Pérez at (916) 319-2046 to urge him to do everything he can to help AB 1148 pass.

You can say something like: “My name is _____, and I’m calling to ask Speaker Pérez to do everything he can to help pass AB 1148, the California DISCLOSE Act, so voters know who really pays for political ads.” That’s all you have to say! 

Thanks again for taking these two crucial actions to help California Clean Money Campaign and the Green Chamber of Commerce pass AB 1148 – and start to fight directly back against the unlimited anonymous spending unleashed by Citizens United.

Calling All Current and Prospective Green Chamber Members!  

Please join us for the first of our monthly Marin County Green Chamber of Commerce Events to be held at the Venture Green House in San Rafael, CA on Wednesday, January 25 at 6:30pm!

Come participate in kick-starting the new year for the GCC by learning all about the current and future plans we have in the works for you and then get the chance to offer us feedback on what you would like to see more of in 2012 that will help you get the most out of your GCC membership!

At this event we will:

• Welcome in the new year with current, new, and potential green business and individual GCC members through networking, cocktails and light appetizers,
• Present a comprehensive and succinct overview of the GCC and where we are headed,
• Engage in an interactive feedback session with you about what type of member events, member perks, and policy you’d like to see us focus on this year,
• Share information with you about events on deck, green advocacy in the works, as well as leadership and volunteer opportunities for you to get involved with today!

REGISTER TODAY!

Date: Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Time: 6:30 to 8:30 pm

Location: Venture Greenhouse: 30 Castro Avenue, San Rafael, CA 94901

Directions: For directions to the Venture Greenhouse please click here

Cost: Free for Members, $10 for Non-Members, $5 for students

Thank You to Our Sponsors For This Event:

San Francisco, CA – January 30th:  As a partner of GreenBiz Group, the Green Chamber would like to help you kick-start the new year with the sustainability insight, connections, and tools necessary to make 2012 a real breakthrough. The GreenBiz Forum brings the greatest business minds together to not only “talk shop” about what’s working in sustainability but to help you understand the best way to apply those insights and techniques in your organization.  Because GCC is participating in this exciting program we can also offer you $100 off to all GCC members! Another reason to join today!

Framed by the 2012 State of Green Business report, the 2012 GreenBiz Forums bring together thought leaders and sustainability executives to define the trends, challenges and opportunities in sustainable business today. The Forums are the can’t-miss event for sustainability professionals, and the reasons why are simple: You’ll learn about the latest trends from thought-provoking speakers, make new connections with peers and suppliers, and bring back innovative, actionable ideas you can apply in your own organization. These one-day events engage stakeholders across industries, sectors, and regions to discuss how, and how well, companies are addressing sustainability in a comprehensive view of the state of green business today.

Find Out More About the 2012 Green Business Forum!

Date: January 30, 2012

Time: 7:45 am – 6:30 pm

Location: UCSF Mission Bay
1675 Owens St.
San Francisco, California 94158
United States

Travel Info: 

For map and directions, please click here 

For public transit directions to venue, please click here

Register Today!  *** GCC MEMBER DISCOUNT AVAILABLE:  Because GCC is participating in this exciting program we can also offer you $100 off to all GCC members! Another reason to join today!

Email: elena@greenchamberofcommerce.net to find out how!

Join Assemblymember Jared Huffman, Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard, and leading California sustainable businesses for the first effective date of Benefit Corporation legislation.

Remarks will begin at 9:30am at the Office of the Secretary of State (when it opens), after which the first benefit corporations in California will file their articles of amendment and set the stage for a more just, sustainable economy.  Please join us for this historic event!

RSVP to: http://cabenefitcorpinauguration.eventbrite.com/

Transportation Details:  The Capital Corridor train 522 arrives at the Sacremento Amtrak at 8:28am.   The train leaves from Oakland’s Jack London station at 6:30 and Emeryville at 6:40; there is bus service from San Francisco to the Emeryville station.  From there we will take the Sacramento Light Rail Gold Line directly to the Secretary of State’s office.  Tickets are available at www.amtrak.com.  For those of you driving, the address is 1500 11th Street, Sacramento.

If you are an existing business that is ready to elect benefit corporation status, please bring with you:

1. Your articles of amendment to file; and

2. Two checks – one for $30 for the amendment fee, and one for $15 for the in-person filing fee.  If you would like your amendments expedited you may choose to pay that surcharge, but it is not required ($350-$700; details here: http://www.sos.ca.gov/business/be/preclearance-expedited-services.htm#expedited).

The San Francisco Bay Area Green Chamber of Commerce would like to wish you a very happy holiday season and thank you for all of your ongoing support in 2011. This has been an exciting year for us.

Some of our accomplishments include:

• Passage of an opt-in Yellow Page Ordinance in San Francisco, B Corp legislation and Shark Protection Act in CA
• Developed several new partnerships including: Green For All, 350.org, ShadeFund, 2DegreesNetwork and Causecast
• Hosted a Future of Clean Tech event in Silicon Valley along with several mixers around the SF Bay Area
• Hosted our Annual Event at Levi Strauss and Co. headquarters with over 200 people in attendence
• Developed a business plan for the organization
• Welcomed several new Board of Directors: Elena Christopoulos, Andi Sterling, Sharmila Singh, Risa De Ferrari, and Sandra Stewart
• Welcomed new Board of Advisors: Gil Friend, Susan Frank, and Joshua Levine
• Began a Green Chamber Alliance with about 10 other Green Chambers around the country

Transitions

We wouldn’t have been able to do all this without the leadership of our Executive Director, Stacie Shepp. Stacie stepped into the ED role after being the Marketing Chair on the Board of Directors since 2010. Stacie has announced that her term as the ED will be coming to a close at the end of this year so that she can pursue her entrepreneurial endeavors.  Interim President, Elena Christopoulos will be leading the organization as we head into next year.

“I am very proud of this organization. The team we have in place and the foundation that we laid in 2011 will be exactly what the Green Chamber of Commerce needs to succeed in 2012. I am excited for the future and am thankful for the opportunity I was given to be part of such an inspiring organization doing
amazing work.”
Stacie Shepp

2012 Here We Come

Stay tuned for lots of exciting announcements in the coming year. In 2012 we will be focused on:

• Growing our membership base in the San Francisco Bay Area
• Hosting regular mixers and events around the SF Bay Area
• Developing a nationwide movement through the Green Chamber Alliance
• Supporting policy issues that enhance the future of Green business

Get Involved 

We invite you to get involved in the Green Chamber of Commerce today!

Here’s how:

• Become a Member
• Become a Sponsor
• Volunteer
• Join a committee

Visit our website for more info>>>

Contact us>>>

This year’s categories are: Environmental Project, Environmental Innovation, Sustainable Built Environment, and the Acterra Award for Sustainability.

Any business, municipality or organization located in the following counties is eligible to apply: Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz County. Non-profits may also apply if environmental work is not their central mission.

For more information, please contact awards@acterra.org

GCC: What inspired you to bring sustainable practices to dentistry?

NP: Part of it is my heritage. I come from a family of farmers in India and we valued sustainability in terms of the land and our relation to the animals, plants, and ecosystem. Beyond that, I just saw the need, and the opportunity to create something different in dentistry. The field has not had a great track record, especially when you consider how many heavy metal fillings people have had put in to their teeth, the inefficient and high radiation x-rays, and the tremendous waste in one-time use plastics and other disposable goods in the office for patients to clean, wipe, rinse, etc.

GCC: What can you tell us about your colleagues who have seen the practice grow? Do they better understand the connection between healing and sustainability?

NP: It seems like people are taking notice. Even during a down economy, my practice continues to thrive, and many traditional dentists have really struggled or had to consolidate practices. I’ve definitely been contacted by quite a few dentists looking to learn how we do what we do.

GCC: We find the concept of creating “partnerships” with your clients refreshing.  How has this connection with your patients lead to better treatment and care?

NP: It all begins with making the patient feel comfortable. By talking with them in a beautifully designed and comfortably furnished consultation room, we can really help take the edge off, and that really benefits the patient. Once they feel more open with their dentist, they feel freer to talk about what’s going on in their dental health, and that leads to better care. It definitely takes me a little more time to do things this way, but I feel it’s worth it to make that connection and make sure that patients get the treatment they deserve.

GCC: What are some of the steps you have taken to minimize waste and what are the benefits you have seen?

NP: We strive to cut waste wherever we can. Our office is LEED certified, which makes it very efficient to run. In addition, it’s a very healthy environment, so when there was a fire in the building a few years back, many other offices were filled with fumes from the accident and ours remained healthy and clean. There’s also little things–we offer people a real glass to drink water from, rather than a plastic, one-time use cup they will throw away. That helps our staff not have to take trash out as often, and of course reduces our cost of having to buy plastic cups.

GCC: What would you like people to think about when they hear about your practice? What would like them to know?

NP: I guess I would like them to know that they’re in great hands…that through the relationship we build with them and the extra mile we go to to make sure the office is healthy and eco-friendly, that we’ve really got their best interests in mind.

SAN FRANCISCO (November 29, 2011) – The San Francisco Bay Area Green Chamber of Commerce will be co-hosting a special event on December 7, 2011 with Assemblymember Jared Huffman, author of AB 361: California’s Benefit Corporation legislation, and the three attorneys who led the effort to develop it – Donald Simon of Wendel, Rosen, Black & Dean, John Montgomery of Montgomery & Hansen and Jonathan Storper of Hanson Bridgett. This event will offer business leaders a chance to learn more from the writers of the law about how to become and operate as a Benefit Corporation.

Benefit Corporation laws have passed in six states and counting across the US with California being the most recent addition to this list. California business leaders have an opportunity to encourage the adoption of Benefit Corporation certification for all businesses throughout the state to show that this new form of socially and environmentally responsible business is a necessary and effective tool for changing the way business can be done.

The event will be held from 8:30-10:00 a.m. at the Oakland law offices of Wendel, Rosen, Black, & Dean LLP located at 1111 Broadway, 19th Floor, Conference Room, Oakland, CA, 94607.  This is a one-time event that will be FREE for all to attend.

Speakers:

• Marin County Assemblymember Jared Huffman, a well known environmental advocate and author of AB 361 will provide information on the development and passage of AB 361.

• Donald Simon, an attorney, green business leader and partner at Wendel, Rosen, Black, & Dean, will explain everything aspiring Benefit Corporations need to know. Simon co-chaired the Benefit Corporation Legal Working Group to draft and spearhead the passage of AB 361 with Jonathan Storper of Hanson Bridgett and John Montgomery of Montgomery & Hansen.

Click here to RSVP for free to this event>>>

Click here for more information about the San Francisco Bay Area Green Chamber of Commerce>>>

About the Green Chamber of Commerce
The Green Chamber of Commerce is a growing and diverse business network dedicated to: promoting the success of our members, supporting the development of sustainable business practices, and advocating for green public policy. The Green Chamber provides its members with promotional opportunities, discounts, educational events, a voice in national and local policy, and tools to become more environmentally and socially responsible.

Contact:
Risa De Ferrari, Advocacy Co-Chair, Board of Directors
SF Bay Area Green Chamber of Commerce
415.839.9280
Risa@greenchamberofcommerce.net

]]> http://greenchamberofcommerce.net/2011/11/29/how-to-become-a-benefit-corporation-on-dec-7/feed/ 0 http://greenchamberofcommerce.net/2011/11/21/congrats-to-green-chamber-2011-business-sustainability-award-winner-parducci-wine-cellars/ http://greenchamberofcommerce.net/2011/11/21/congrats-to-green-chamber-2011-business-sustainability-award-winner-parducci-wine-cellars/#comments Mon, 21 Nov 2011 19:04:43 +0000 risa http://greenchamberofcommerce.net/?p=5082 The Green Chamber of Commerce would like to recognize Parducci Wine Cellars as our 2011 Business Sustainability Award winner!

Parducci Wine Cellars was peer selected to win the Green Chamber’s first ever Business Sustainability Award at our 3^rd Annual Green Chamber of Commerce Gala Event held on November 10th.

In their effort to become America’s Greenest Winery, Parducci is committed to making wine from locally farmed grapes, recycling 100% of winery waste water via an on site wetland, and using sustainable farming practices.  Additionally,  they utilize 100% renewable green power and employ earth-friendly packaging.  Parducci’s family-owned and operated company is creating a model of quality and environmental sustainability for other wineries to follow.

Green Chamber member Parducci Wine Cellars, continues to be a model business that pushes the envelop year after year on what it means to be sustainable.   The Green Chamber is proud to have Parducci as a member of our organization.

We would like to thank all GCC members who entered their submissions this year and we eagerly look forward to hearing new submissions in 2012.

As a membership based organization, we are proud to represent you all!

The Green Chamber sat down with Donald Simon, a longtime environmental advocate and partner at the Oakland based law firm of Wendel,Rosen, Black & Dean LLP to have an in-depth discussion about one of the most significant pieces of sustainable business legislation to hit the California coast; AB 361, California’s Benefit Corporation legislation.

This landmark legislation, which was signed into law on October 9 by Governor Jerry Brown and will go into effect January 3, 2012, will make the Benefit Corporation a legally recognized and protected form of incorporation available to California companies.  This new corporate structure allows businesses that are incorporated as a Benefit Corporation to pursue a material positive impact on the environment and community in addition to maximizing profits.

Donald Simon was a member of the legal working group that drafted and promoted the passage of AB 361 and is extremely knowledgeable when it comes to the details and impact of Benefit Corporations.  Read on to learn more about the legal implications, how this new law will impact businesses, and what Simon sees as the next steps for Benefit Corporations both here in California, as well as the rest of the country.

GCC: Can you describe how you see the passage of AB 361 changing legal implications for sustainable business and business as a whole?

DS: Under existing California law, corporate officers and directors have a fiduciary duty to maximize profits.  The law does not support their consideration of environmental and social factors, so anytime they put those interests ahead of even short-term profits, they risk liability to a disgruntled shareholder.  As a result, companies sometimes sacrifice socially and environmentally responsible decisions for the fastest profit generating approach, which usually burns the most resources at the fastest rate.

AB 361 provides greater freedom and responsibility to companies that choose to become Benefit Corporations.  They are required to consider broader societal and environmental impacts, as well as profits, and they have the freedom to prioritize whichever consideration they believe to be in the best interest of the company.  Most importantly, they can operate the Benefit Corporation as a true triple-bottom line enterprise without fear of liability. Indelible

GCC: Has there been any confusion about the Benefit Corporation law?

DS: A bit.  Some people have confused B Corp certification with being a Benefit Corporation.  Although the names are similar they are very different.  B Corp is certification label available to companies whose triple bottom line performance has been certified by the non-profit group B Lab, similar to having a LEED certified building.  Benefit Corporation is an alternative form of corporation that is now recognized by California law and governed by different rules than those that govern traditional corporations.  Although they are similar, a business can be one without being the other.

There has also been some confusion about the third-party standard requirements.  AB 361 promotes transparency by requiring Benefit Corporations to quantify their triple-bottom line performance each year using an independent and comprehensive third-party standard and to publish the results on their website.  Some people thought this meant that the third-party standard provider must certify the results, but that’s incorrect.  The Benefit Corporation can perform the assessment itself.  No certification is required.  Benefit Corporations are free to hire consultants to perform the assessment or to have the results certified, such as becoming a certified B Corporation, but neither is required.

Businesses should also know that there are an ever-increasing number of third-party standards that meet these criteria, including, : The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), GreenSeal, Underwriters Laboratories (UL), ISO2600, Green America, and the B Lab Impact Assessment tool.

GCC: Why do you feel Wendel Rosen Black & Dean has taken such an active approach in becoming a certified Green Business and most recently a certified B Corp?

DS: From our founding over one hundred years ago, Wendel Rosen has always been engaged in the community.  We are a part of our community and have long had a culture of giving back, which has taken various forms over the years.  Green business holds the greatest promise for changing the paradigm of how society interacts with the environment, both locally and globally.  Attorneys are often leaders, and we realized early on that we needed to set an example and help lead the green business movement forward in a strategic and effective manner.  That is why in July 2003, we became the first law firm in the country to gain third-party certification as a “Green Business”, and became a certified B Corporation in 2010. Truly, it felt natural to act as champions in this space, demonstrating our commitment by putting a flag in the ground and lending our legal expertise since day one.

Thankfully, we aren’t alone.  Firms like Hansen Bridget LLP and Montgomery & Hanson LLP are right there with us.  Two attorneys from those firms, Jonathan Storper and John Montgomery, were my co-chairs on the Benefit Corporation Legal Working Group.  We were the “Three Musketeers” and it was a joy to work with them.  We believe at Wendel Rosen, the more the merrier!

Believe it or not, California has some of the most archaic and conservative corporate laws in the nation.  Benefit Corporations represent a big shift, and it was a struggle.  But we overcame and prevailed because of the support from green business devotees and organizations like the Green Chamber, who lent their voice and showed up at public hearings to demonstrate the importance of this new corporate form.

GCC: With, the passage of Benefit Corporation laws in six states and more on the way, what do you see as the most important next steps for Benefit Corporations in California and across the United States?

DS: Benefit Corporations are the next evolution of business; bringing us all one step closer toward a positive vision of what businesses can be and should be.  I keep thinking of the famous line in the movie Field of Dreams:  “If you build it, they will come.”  Well, we’ve built it.  We succeeded in creating the Benefit Corporation.  But that’s meaningless unless businesses “come” by organizing or re-organizing as a Benefit Corporation.  That’s what will create the buzz and momentum that drives other companies to follow suit, and that’s how we’ll eventually change business as usual in this country so that these commonsense values are part of every corporation’s behavior.

Unlike other leaps forward, this one doesn’t require sacrifice.  Being a Benefit Corporation will make businesses more attractive to consumers and investors.  Their success will cause others to follow, and it’s through that “win-win” that we’ll drive real and permanent change.

While we encourage companies to become Benefit Corporations, the battle will be to continue to introduce and pass similar legislation in all 50 states, especially in Delaware where the majority of major corporations incorporate.

Upcoming Event: Wendel Rosen and the Green Chamber of Commerce will be co-hosting an event at Wendel Rosen’s Oakland office conference space on Wednesday, December 7 to discuss Benefit Corporations and introduce further information and details regarding becoming a Benefit Corporation.  Sign up today

Interview by Risa De Ferrari