You’re invited!
Good for Grand Rapids AWARDS RECEPTION
MARCH 8, 2018 6-8 pm • Lions & Rabbits
SPONSORED BY:
2 GOOD FOR GRAND RAPIDS
TELL ME ABOUT “GOOD FOR GRAND RAPIDS” Good for Grand Rapids is a Local First initiative that brings together and celebrates companies that have a demonstrated commitment to positive environmental and social change in Grand Rapids and beyond. The initiative inspires, equips, and celebrates Grand Rapids companies that create high-quality jobs, stronger communities, and a healthier Great Lakes
region. This March, Local First is excited to recognize the businesses who have participated in the initiative by taking the Quick Impact Assessment (QIA). The QIA measures dozens of best practices on employee, community, and environmental impact. Business owners can also see how they stack up with other businesses nationally. Out of the 70 businesses
who participated in 2017, Local First announces the eight top-scoring businesses that have been selected to receive the Good for Grand Rapids Awards.
GOOD FOR GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESSES A Moveable Feast About Face of Grand Rapids ACT PhotoMedia Action Awning Art of the Table Atomic Object Ball Park Floral & Gifts Bazzani Building Company Better Way Imports Bistro Bella Vita Boxed GR Brewery Vivant Byron Center Meats Caffeinated Press, Inc Cascade Chiropractic Clinic Cascade Engineering Catalyst Partners Celebration Cinema City of Grand Rapids Community Automotive Inc Daddy’s Dough Cookies
Doorganics Downtown Grand Rapids Inc. Dr. Johns Candies E3M Solutions LLC El Granjero Mexican Grill Essence Restaurant Group Fenn Valley Vineyards Field and Fire Café Fishladder Inc. Foodie Central Tours Forty Acres Furniture City Creamery Glamour and Grit Floral Global Infusion Gold Coast Doulas Grand Rapids Natural Health Great Lakes Music Camp Grove Hemp Solutions LLC Highland Group Hire for Hope
Hungerford Nichols CPA Hungry Architecture JoJo’s House of Beauty, Inc LaFleur Marketing, LLC LINC Up Lindo Mexico Lions and Rabbits Louise Earl Butcher Love’s Ice Cream Malamiah Juice Bar Management Business Solutions Mi Casa Restaurant Michael T Neiss and Associates Mindful Vinyasa School of Yoga Mixed Staffing and Recruiting Mokaya Moondrop Herbals, LLC Mosby’s Popcorn Neighbors Development LLC Next Door Photos One World Diversity
Patty Matters Porteen Gear, Inc. Priority HR River City Impov Romence Gardens & Greenhouses She Rides Her Own Way smartdept. Inc Stingray Advisory Group LLC Sugar Mommas Swift Printing & Communications The Gluten Free Bar The Green Well The Image Shoppe The Well Being LLC Uccello’s Hospitality Group Urban Pharm WGVU Public Media Wolverine Coil Spring
GOOD FOR GRAND RAPIDS COLLECTIVE IMPACT CLOUD % of Projects Mixed Use
Local Practice Summary
Measures the percentage of projects that have either been completed in the last 24 months or have made measureable contributions to mixeduse projects.
Measures a business’ local sourcing, local giving, and local distribution of goods and services.
% of Projects LEED Certified
Measure the amount of employees in a producer cooperative (producerowned, democratically-controlled organizations) who are from low-income communities.
Measures how many projects a business has completed in the last 24 months that were LEED Certified
% Purchases from Small Cooperative Members
Measures how many materials were purchased from small (<50 workers) co-op members in the last fiscal year.
% of Revenue Donated
Measures the percentage of revenue that was donated to non-profit partners and/or charities in the last fiscal year.
Low-Income Cooperative Members
Ownership by Non-Executive Employees
Measures the percentage of employee ownership outside of executives and founders.
Support for Underemployed
Measures the intentionality of a business’ charitable giving.
Measures a combination of training/ activities that are available to employees from chronically underemployed populations and the percentage of employees who have barriers to employment who have participated these training/activities.
High to Low Pay Ratio
Toxin Reducing Product
Designed to Give Description
Measures the gap between the highest paid and the lowest paid employee.
Land/Wildlife Conservation
Measures how a business’ product or service conserves natural resources.
Local Ownership
Measures how many companies have 50% or more local ownership.
Measures a business’ product or service that mediates, minimizes, and/or prevents toxins against the revenue of those products or services.
Workforce Development
Measures the efforts a business puts in to the development, recruitment, and retention of its workforce.
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Taking the Quick Impact Assessment was a great place to start as we consider ways to improve our business and evaluate how we can positively impact our community. The assessment provided a great snapshot of our business’ impact and we encourage any business that’s looking to improve and grow to embrace this innovative online tool.
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Tom Prince CPA, MBA, Shareholder at Hungerford Nichols
MEASURE YOUR IMPACT. STRENGTHEN YOUR BUSINESS. BE A FORCE FOR GOOD.
GOOD FOR GRAND RAPIDS 3
MEASURE WHAT MATTERS PROGRAM SERIES Other ways your business can be used as a force for good!
WORKSHOPS Raising the Bar for Business April 12, 9-11am • Herrick District Library Affording Retention: Building Healthier Teams May 9, 8:30-1-:00am • Strive Putting the “Eco” in Economy June 20, 11:30am-1:00pm • Catalyst Partners Mission Possible: Telling Your Story July 11, 4:30-6:00pm • Geek Group Anti-Gentrify: Moving Kindly into a Neighborhood September 19, 4:30-6:00pm • Location TBD The Social Justice Entrepreneur October 20, 3:30-5:00pm • Start Garden
MIXERS – 4:30-6:30PM
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June 25 at Swift Printing August 23 at Hungerford Nichols September 13 at The Image Shoppe November 15 at Rocket Pies
By improving our building and taking steps to become LEED certified, we have been able to attract more highly-skilled workers. This is an industry where it’s hard to find talent. Thanks to these efforts, I’m now attracting professionals with more than 25 years of industry experience. Richard Zaagman Community Automotive
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GET INVOLVED!
TAKE THE QUICK IMPACT ASSESSMENT Have basic knowledge of... f Business structure and history f Energy consumption and waste management practices f Frequent vendors and suppliers
ATTEND A WORKSHOP OR A MIXER f Meet values-aligned community members and decision makers f Learn strategies to strengthen your business
Real solutions to your real business challenges.
f Connect with resources to help you succeed Flexibility | Prompt answers Customization | Creativity
USE BUSINESS AS A FORCE FOR GOOD f Show off your Good for GR materials to demonstrate your commitment to the community
Speak with a business banker today. UnitedBank4U.com | 616.559.7000
f Encourage others to participate f Implement positive change!
Take the QIA at LOCALFIRST.COM/ASSESSMENT Questions? Call (616) 808-3788 or email dana@localfirst.com
Member FDIC
AWARD RECIPIENTS
GOOD FOR THE COMMUNITY
GOOD FOR THE ENVIRONMENT
4 GOOD FOR GRAND RAPIDS
HIRE FOR HOPE
Furniture City Creamery handcrafts from-scratch, gourmet and unique ice cream flavors and frozen treats from its storefront in East Hills. Furniture City Creamery’s ice cream experience goes beyond the shop, too, as they also offer a variety of full service catering options for special events. Furniture City Creamery offers a wide variety of customizable catering experiences, from an array of ice cream carts crafted from upcycled furniture, to vintagestyle ice cream treats served out of their 1970s ice cream truck. Furniture City Creamery is “Good for Grand Rapids” because of their commitment to creating thoughtfully engineered and delicious products while offering bar-none experiences befitting of the incredible community they’re a part of. Furniture City Creamery is proud to do business in a way that considers facets far beyond “just” the bottom line.
Hire for Hope is a socially-conscious recruiting firm focused on hiring sales and operations professionals for West Michigan companies. Hire for Hope partners with a diverse client base and assists with finding top talent for permanent mid- to senior-level positions. Hire for Hope has a philanthropic focus, donating 10 percent of its revenue to Safe Haven Ministries, a local nonprofit and domestic violence agency located in West Michigan. Founder Ashley Ward started the firm because of her passion for recruiting combined with her entrepreneurial spirit. She has also had a passion for raising awareness of domestic violence, as a survivor herself. Safe Haven Ministries had a positive impact on her life and now, Hire for Hope gives back by helping women and children in the community who need the same services and resources that helped Ashley get to where she is today.
GOOD FOR THE COMMUNITY
GOOD FOR THE ENVIRONMENT
FURNITURE CITY CREAMERY
COMMUNITY AUTOMOTIVE INC.
CELEBRATION! CINEMA
In its 43rd year of serving Grand Rapids, Community Automotive is an automotive repair and service company located on Fulton Street. Community Automotive was founded with a vision to enhance the surrounding neighborhood by providing auto repair services and making a positive impact on the environment. With a commitment to continuously improving both the products they offer and the customer care that is given in the process, Community Automotive is dedicated to excellence and integrity, which is good for customers and Grand Rapids. Community Automotive has also taken steps to make a positive environmental impact by making improvements to their property and building and earning LEED certification. Instead of building a new shop to meet LEED requirements, Community Automotive Repair renovated its existing facility to operate at the highest efficiency. Community Automotive is also proud to offer a professional and enjoyable environment for its employees.
Celebration! Cinema and Studio C! are committed to creating space where magic happens. They do this through their people, programing, community partnerships and through their spaces. Celebration! Cinema hires individuals that reflect the communities in which they operate and empower them with the practice of business transparency and training on the art of celebrated service. Celebration! Cinema also brings the community together through film by partnering with organizations including DisArt, Mosaic Film Experience, Treetops Collective, Partners for a Racism-Free Community, WGVU and many others. They also offer Sensory Showtimes that make movies welcoming for individuals with disabilities. Celebration! Cinema is “Good for Grand Rapids” because of their commitment to people, practice of business transparency and open book finance, and training on the topic of Celebrated Service. Celebration! Cinema hosts the annual Celebrated Service Award, which allows them to celebrate the businesses that inspire them and make a positive impact in the community. Celebration! Cinema also uses its space as a hub for community events and fundraisers.
AWARD RECIPIENTS
GOOD FOR EMPLOYEES
GOOD FOR GOVERNANCE
GOOD FOR GRAND RAPIDS 5
MALAMIAH JUICE BAR
Glamour and Grit Floral offers beautiful, environmentally and socially conscious floral design. Located in the Creston neighborhood, Glamour and Grit Floral offers custom flower arrangements, indoor plants and much more. As a floral designer, Glamour and Grit Floral is committed to reducing its carbon footprint by composting all flower clippings, using recycled glass vases and offering locally grown flowers and plants. Glamour and Grit Floral is Good for Grand Rapids because of their commitment to community and making a positive impact on the environment. They truly care about the Grand Rapids community and want to see it thrive, whether it’s looking for ways to be more environmentally friendly or engaging in the community in any way they can.
Malamiah Juice Bar is a family owned business that specializes in creating delicious juices and smoothies. They strive to provide a joyful environment that enhances the mood of all who interact with their business. Malamiah Juice Bar is committed to creating nutritious products that provide various access points to increase healthy living. They respect the planet by making choices that prioritize sustainability and intentionally contribute to local economic growth. Additionally, Malamiah Juice Bar designs their employment framework to provide young people with work based mentoring and leadership development. Malamiah Juice Bar is “Good for Grand Rapids” because they intentionally seek to be an asset to the community. With a mission to elevate community wellness through healthy products, local partnerships and youth employment, every time a customer enjoys a Malamiah Juice Bar beverage, they are supporting local farmers and helping provide young people with an opportunity to develop important life skills.
GOOD FOR EMPLOYEES
GOOD FOR GOVERNANCE
GLAMOR & GRIT
WOLVERINE COIL SPRING CO.
LINDO MEXICO RESTAURANTE MEXICANO
For over 70 years, Wolverine Coil Spring Co. has manufactured springs, coils, stampings and forms for the automotive, office furniture and other industries. Wolverine Coil Spring Co. is committed to being a great place to work and to also being involved in the community, and over recent years, Wolverine Coil Spring Co. has incorporated the triple bottom line into their mission statement and bylaws. Wolverine Coil Spring Co. is “Good for Grand Rapids” because of their commitment to offering a great place to work and making a positive impact in the community. From offering living wages and benefits including short-term to long-term disability and 401k to offering a workplace wellness program, both the health and financial wellness of employees is important at Wolverine Coil Spring Co. Additionally, Wolverine Coil Spring Co. is committed to attracting and developing talent in West Michigan and helps grow talent by being members of The Source, participating in MiCareerQuest and offering tuition reimbursement for employees.
Lindo Mexico is a restaurant that exists to provide an exceptional experience to all its customers and accomplishes this by using high-quality ingredients, offering unique beverages and live music, and through their commitment to supporting the community. Lindo Mexico is founded on a culture that offers growth for employees to develop their skills so they can better serve themselves and the local community. Lindo Mexico is “Good for Grand Rapids” because they believe when they invest in employees, they are investing in family. They are committed to helping the community grow and doing that through education. Gricelda Mata, owner of Lindo Mexico, says that she is happy to provide a job for employees, but is even happier when she offers a workshop that focuses on employee development and they attend.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY:
6 GOOD FOR GRAND RAPIDS
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Leaders build community. We build leaders! 509 Fruit St. South Haven, MI 49090 (269)365-1148 mike@michaelneiss.com www.michaelneiss.com @mneiss
Michigan’s Only Certified Master of The Leadership Challenge
We Wrap Our Future In Every Package *
Family owned butcher shop for over 70 years
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Custom processing for beef, pork, lamb, buffalo, venison, and goat
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State-of-the-art processing facility with USDA inspector on site daily
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Full service retail store with a great variety of products
www.byroncentermeats.com
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Measuring what matters, helps us compare what we say to what we actually do. Assessing out impact illuminates areas to celebrate and guides our strategies for improvement. This insight is invaluable as we works to build a profitable business that serves our employees, our customers, and our community. Anissa Eddie owner of Malamiah Juice bar
GOOD FOR GRAND RAPIDS
Elissa Hillary Local First
AWARDS SPONSORS
GOOD FOR GRAND RAPIDS
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Seeing the impact our businesses are already making is truly inspiring. The commitment they make to positive change in this community is what will keep West Michigan thriving.
2018 PROGRAM SERIES SPONSORS
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GOOD FOR GRAND RAPIDS 7
PLATINUM SPONSOR
GIFT SPONSOR
GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS JOURNAL is pleased to announce that Lis Wiehl will be in Grand Rapids on March 7, 2018, as the keynote speaker for the biennial “The 50 Most Influential Women in West Michigan” luncheon event.
GOLD SPONSORS
Lis Wiehl is one of the nation’s most prominent trial lawyers, a highly regarded legal commentator, and New York Times Bestselling Author. For fifteen years, she was a legal analyst and reporter on the Fox News Channel. Wiehl has authored 13 suspense novels and is also the author of The 51% Minority: How Women Are Still Not Equal And What You Can Do About It. Launching in 2018, Wiehl’s The Hunting Series will detail the relentless quest for justice in some of history’s most devastating and sensational crimes. Prior to joining Fox News Channel, Wiehl served as a legal analyst and reporter for NBC News and NPR’s All Things Considered. Before that, Wiehl served as a Federal Prosecutor in the U.S. Attorney’s office. She earned her Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School, her Master of Arts in Literature from the University of Queensland, and is currently a Professor of Law at New York Law School.
TICKETS NOW AVAILABLE AT grbj50women18.eventbrite.com
SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE Contact sponsor@grbj.com for more information
FLORAL SPONSOR
IN ASSOCIATION WITH
MEET A FEW OF WEST MICHIGANâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S B CORPS
WHAT ARE B CORPS AND WHY TO THEY MATTER? B Corps are also Good for Grand Rapids! They create high-quality jobs, use ethical and sustainable business practices, and give back to their communities. Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve committed to positive change and have gone on to the next level. Each B Corp has taken an assessment that is three times the length of the QIA, which is then verified by a third party organization. Of the 18 B Corps in our great state, 15 are located right here in West Michigan. For more information visit: localfirst.com/bcorp