Program helps businesses be more sustainable

So how can businesses in the Inland Northwest go green? Small business owners and entrepreneurs can now get technical assistance through a local non-profit committed to the sustainability of the local environment and also the economy. The organization is Sustainable Local Investments Partners and it can help companies make the necessary changes that will earn them a SMART award from Spokane’s Sustainable Management of Assets, Resources and Technology Recognition (SMART) Program. “Many businesses don’t know where to start. Some don’t even know how sustainability applies to their business,” said Susanne Croft, chairwoman of the SLIP board of directors and also the incentives specialist for the City of Spokane’s Business & Development Services Department. “The Sustainable Local Investment Partners will work with business owners to identify the changes that will best strengthen their market position and their bottom line,” she said. Established in the summer of 2006 as an incentive for sustainable economic development, SLIP is “dedicated to helping the local entrepreneur grow his or her business in the Inland Northwest without degrading the environmental or social fabric of their community,” according to its brochure. SLIP is a consortium of local agencies and organizations that include the City of Spokane, Avista and the state Department of Ecology. The organization also involves local financial institutions such as Numerica and the Spokane Teachers Credit Union as well as non-profits including SNAP (Spokane Neighborhood Action Partners) and Community-Minded Enterprises. Its goal is to help businesses understand the value of the “triple bottom line” – a calculation that focuses on people, planet and profit. After all, a company can’t continue to be profitable without the support of healthy and satisfied employees as well as resources from the natural environment. SLIP can offer business owners technical support as they adopt a triple bottom line approach. Some may also be eligible for loans to help their businesses become greener. The process begins with an interview with SLIP’s business assistance team. Eligible candidates are then referred to the technical assistance team, which includes experts from Avista, the Department of Ecology, Green Building Consultants and other organizations. The SLIP project also enables people in the Inland Northwest to invest in local businesses that are socially responsible and committed to the environment. While many Americans already invest in socially responsible funds, this unique model is an opportunity for area residents to actually put their money into their own community, said Croft. “The idea is to create a way to keep our money working locally to support local businesses,” she said. “You’re investing in more than just your own financial stability. You’re also investing in the future resilience of your community, which is what sustainability is all about.”