LETTER FROM PRESIDENT
Sustainable Environmental Consultants began in 2008 with the mission to connect organizations and individuals to be leaders in protecting the environment. Through innovative sustainability solutions, we strive to transform our clients’ success, our communities, and the planet. Our two divisions, sustainability risk management and agricultural engineering, work independently and collaboratively to help clients move the needle in meeting sustainability goals, ultimately managing risk to their brand.
Our sustainability risk management division provides measurable solutions to help clients achieve their sustainability goals through field-level sustainability analysis and reporting on key performance indicators (KPIs) such as soil health, water, etc., leading to continuous improvement of their operation.
Our team works on in-field and on-farm goals through our unique verification and quantification platform to support claims and track progress. Additionally, we work with food and agriculture companies to reduce their scope 3 emissions and report on KPIs. We believe agriculture is a solution to climate change when regenerative agriculture practices are in place and producers and growers have the transparency to prove it from a third-party.
Within the agricultural engineering division, our team of experts advise clients on compliance strategies for a sustainable infrastructure. We help producers and growers identify, collect, verify and document data, and then provide them with comprehensive reports and professional
recommendations to help their journey to sustainability success. Together we are recognizing responsibility at the very source of our food system.
This report will highlight the progress we have made, and will continue to make, regarding:
> Safety
> Employee Well-being
> Environmental Sustainability
> Community Engagement
I encourage you to read through the report and discover how our company is continuing to lead in serving our clients by providing innovative solutions to better the planet that align with our core values of integrity, innovation, transparency and expertise.
Dr. Sara Crawford PresidentCOMPANY OVERVIEW
The following pages highlight how we incorporate environmental sustainability into our project services and business operations using innovative processes, initiatives and technology.
Safety Employee Well-being Environmental Sustainability Community EngagementMEET THE LEADERSHIP TEAM
Sara Crawford, Ph.D.
Dr. Sara Crawford joined Sustainable Environmental Consultants as president in May 2022. Her experience and connections throughout the supply chain bring a unique perspective and understanding of core points throughout the supply network. With an extensive background in agriculture, animal and meat sciences, and sustainability, and a client first focus, her insight and executive leadership drives innovation for regenerative agriculture practices and food supply related industries throughout all facets of the company. Dr. Crawford has a doctorate degree in animal welfare science, her master’s degree in meat science and genetics and an undergraduate degree in animal sciences, all from the Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio.
Doug McCorkle, Ph.D.
As the chief science officer for Sustainable Environmental Consultants, Doug McCorkle is responsible for creating and championing the strategic technological vision. This vision drives technology initiatives, balancing short-term and longterm company goals, and develops key solutions utilizing the EcoPractices® platform. He collaborates with the sales and customer support teams to prioritize new product development opportunities and current product enhancements, as well as oversees the evolution of the existing software system applications and architecture. Doug received his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He achieved his master’s and doctorate degrees in mechanical engineering from Iowa State University.
Angie Krieger
Angie Krieger joined Sustainable Environmental Consultants as vice president of operations in September 2022. A lawyer by trade, Angie holds over 20 years of experience in the agriculture industry. As vice president of operations, Angie works closely with president Sara Crawford to create and implement the strategic vision of the company and ensure that current and future operational needs are met. Angie earned her bachelor’s degree in animal science from Oklahoma State University. She went on to receive her Juris Doctor from the University of Nebraska.
Gabe McNunn, Ph.D.
Gabe McNunn is the director of environmental modeling and data science engineering for Sustainable Environmental Consultants. In his role, Gabe focuses on developing modeling tools and integrating them into the EcoPractices platform. In collaboration with the Sustainable Environmental Consultants team, he also fields client questions and provides insight and recommendations related to environmental analysis methods. Gabe received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mechanical engineering from Iowa State University. He received his doctorate in environmental science from Iowa State University in 2018.
MEET THE LEADERSHIP TEAM continued
Jennifer Jensen
Since joining the Sustainable Environmental Consultants team in 2016, Jennifer Jensen has held several integral roles. She worked initially as the EcoPractices manager, moving into the role of manager of sustainable practices and environmental analytics in 2018, and then transitioning into the director role in 2020. As a director, Jennifer focuses on Sustainable Environmental Consultants’ sustainability risk management platform, EcoPractices, where she manages and coordinates client projects as well as oversees daily operations, including the collection, storage and analysis of data to generate environmental impact values. Jennifer holds bachelor’s degrees in environmental science, agronomy and biology from Iowa State University.
Anne Dinges
Anne Dinges joined the Sustainable Environmental Consultants team as an agronomist and soil scientist in 2019. She was promoted to lead agronomist in spring of 2020 and now serves as the Director of Agronomics for our EcoPractices platform. She manages the agriculture team that works directly with farmers to collect and enroll data, as well as deliver data-driven reports for a variety of audiences, highlighting the scientific side of soil health and sustainable on-farm practices. Anne holds bachelor’s degrees in agronomy and global resource systems from Iowa State University.
Brian Severin
As the Director of Technical Services for Sustainable Environmental Consultants, Brian Severin leads a team of environmental, engineering, and technical specialists to guide project strategy and development. Brian and his team collaborate across the organization to consult on projects and assist clients with evaluation and implementation of on-farm projects to improve their environmental footprint.
Brian’s career passion is to create engineering designs that achieve project goals while enhancing the client’s operation and efficiency. He specializes in conservation, livestock waste management and watershed engineering practices.
HISTORY SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTANTS DIVISIONS
Sustainable Environmental Consultants was established in 2008. We found our niche as an agriculture consulting business, focusing on assisting livestock operations with regulatory permitting, applications and renewals. As local, state and federal environmental regulations evolved, so did our service offerings. Nutrient management plans, surveying, mapping and seepage testing were added to enhance what we could offer in order to provide comprehensive agricultural consulting to our clients.
As a company, Sustainable Environmental Consultants has transitioned and evolved over the years while continuing to maintain our core commitment to the sustainability and preservation of earth’s natural resources. Sustainability risk management was officially added to our portfolio in 2018 after seeing the need to help companies fund environmental efforts and progress toward preserving our ecosystems. Additionally, our reach has expanded beyond traditional agriculture and we now provide services to companies throughout the food chain and beyond.
Sustainable Environmental Consultants joined the Wright Service Corp. (WSC) employee-owned family of companies in 2012. WSC provides the support and resources needed to actively achieve our goals and continue building a company that has a positive impact on the industry and environment.
Sustainability Risk Management
Integrating sustainability into core business decision-making systems is crucial for agriculture and food companies. Through our sustainability risk management division, we can provide a full range of environmental services needed by food companies and their agriculture supply systems, as well as other industries concerned about their sustainability risk. Powered by our EcoPractices platform and backed by a highly specialized team of agricultural engineers, scientists and conservation planners, we can help companies protect their reputation and the financial health of their business on their journey to sustainability success.
Agricultural Engineering
The desire to work in partnership with the agricultural community to produce sustainable solutions while being environmentally conscience is fulfilled through our agricultural engineering division. Walking through regulatory compliance strategies, creating best practice management plans, and conducting seepage testing demonstrates our commitment to quality, transparency and consistency in providing you datadriven and actionable solutions. We help producers identify, collect, verify and document data, and provide them with comprehensive reports and professional recommendations to help them on their journey to sustainability success.
TEAM
Our team of Ph.D.s, agronomists, environmental scientists, animal scientists and agricultural engineers are committed to collectively working with producers and industry leaders to improve their environmental footprint.
MISSION AND VISION CORE VALUES
Mission
Recognize the responsibility of organizations and individuals to be leaders in protecting our environment. We desire to provide transformative sustainability solutions that minimize risk for our customers, our communities, and our planet.
Vision
Sustainable Environmental Consultants is a leader in providing innovative solutions to better the planet.
SAFETY
It is our highest concern.
INTEGRITY
We abide by the highest ethical standards.
TRANSPARENCY
We take pride in our independent authentication process of reliable traceability.
RESPECT
We exhibit it toward our team, our customers, and the environment.
SUSTAINABILITY
We value action over definition when it comes to sustainability because it’s our passion.
COLLABORATION
We recognize we will move the needle on sustainability only through partnership and cooperation by many.
INNOVATION
We deliver best-inclass solutions to our customers.
FAMILY
It is our foundation; it is who we are.
ABOUT THIS REPORT
Sustainable Environmental Consultants Sustainability Report / Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Mission Statement
Recognize the responsibility of organizations and individuals to be leaders in protecting our environment. We desire to provide transformative sustainability solutions that minimize risk for our customers, our communities, and our planet.
KPI Overview
Sustainable Environmental Consultants’ core Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) will be used to track the progress in key target areas. These will help shape goals to drive continuous improvement.
Safety Employee Well-being Environmental Sustainability Community EngagementOVERVIEW OF COMPANY INITIATIVES
Safety
Safety is our number one value. Our employees are trained on a consistent basis to ensure best safe practices are in place and to mitigate any potential risks or hazards. Internal protocols are routinely reviewed and updated by our risk and safety departments with the latest trainings and procedures to ensure our employees can get home safely each and every night. Our employees follow the Brother’s and Sister’s Keeper motto, striving to achieve zero OSHA recordable incidents.
Employee Well-being
Our employees create a rich work environment. Our family culture is what makes Sustainable Environmental Consultants unique and attractive to the next generation of the workforce. This includes a safe, enjoyable, diverse environment that offers opportunity for professional growth within the company. As competition for talent grows, Sustainable Environmental Consultants is committed to offering an attractive workplace to retain and foster talent.
Environmental Sustainability
As a company in the environmental services industry, we strive to protect and preserve all ecosystems. We continue to reduce our footprints and promote carbon positive practices at our office and in the communities we serve.
Community Engagement
Sustainable Environmental Consultants supports activities that benefit our employees and add value to the communities where we live and work. Through monetary and in-kind donations such as labor or education, we’re able to support various causes and organizations that align with our values. We take pride in building and developing relationships with our employees, clients and communities.
2022 Highlights Team Growth
23.8%
PROJECTS ON GROWN TO
OVER 46 37 Launch
Crop Species States and Provinces of R3 ROI Tool
SAFETY
Safety is our number one value. Our employees are trained on a consistent basis to ensure best safe practices are in place and to mitigate any potential risks or hazards. Internal protocols are routinely reviewed and updated by our risk and safety departments with the latest trainings and procedures to ensure our employees can get home safely each and every night. Our employees follow the Brother’s and Sister’s Keeper motto, striving to achieve zero OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Association) recordable incidents.
Safety Employee Well-being Environmental Sustainability Community Engagement4.03
ANNUAL INCIDENT RATE
WORKER SAFETY
All Wright Service Corp. (WSC) companies track and report accidents. Accidents are tracked with goals established for reduction. Accidents and near misses can be used as case studies in training materials to help identify preventative actions and prevent future incidents. A Days Away, Restricted, or Transferred (DART) rate represents OSHA injuries or illness that result in days away from work, restricted duty or transfer of duties. This is because only the more severe OSHA recordable injuries and illnesses are included in the DART rate. For those officing out of the WSC North American Headquarters location, disaster protocols are in place as well as evacuation plans that are posted throughout the WSC corporate office. These plans include a map of each area of the office with information on the location of AEDs, first aid kits, extinguishers, tornado shelters and assembly area. Two Sustainable Environmental Consultants employees became First Aid/CPR/AED trained in 2022.
SEC Annual Rates:
4.03
Annual Incident Rate
0.13
Claims per Employee
4.03
Days Away, Restricted or Transferred
CYBER SECURITY TRAINING
WSC’s Information Technology (IT) Department is dedicated to cyber security and business continuity. In 2019, an Information Security team was created to improve our security posture and execute yearly strategic security roadmaps, updated annually; by doing so, this maintains and strengthens our company’s ability to protect company and client data. The team conducts an annual comprehensive security assessment in tandem with monthly vulnerability scans and remediates identified issues. Our SIEM platform, AlienVault, monitored 24/7/365 by ProCircular, is utilized to help improve our detection and prevention of attacks on our company’s equipment year-round.
A security awareness program was launched in May of 2020. Employees undergo training to spot ‘phishing’ scams and other malicious emails or attacks. These fraudulent requests are sophisticated and can use known company contacts to lure others into sending funds to illegitimate recipients or compromise confidential data and information. On a monthly basis, employees are tested internally and if the employee fails, they are required to go through additional training, and in some cases meet with human resources (HR) and IT for performance improvement. As scams are ever-changing, training and tips are provided to arm our employees with the knowledge to be a digital Brother’s and Sister’s Keeper and ensure we protect our family of companies and their employees.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Conducted a tabletop exercise to prepare for any security emergency
- Rolled out BitWarden password manager
- Weekly trivia during Cyber Security Awareness Month in October
- Deployed the KnowBe4 learner app to all company mobile devices
- Made improvements to our security posture with our vCISO project and extended through 2025
49.25
In 2023, WSC will continue to implement tools and training for increased company preparedness and due diligence against increasing cyber security risk.
19
SAFETY GOALS
Cyber Security: In 2022, Sustainable Environmental Consultants will undergo proactive security measures with a 3rd party audit.
Cyber Security Training: Ensure company participation improvements by 5% of additional security awareness training.
Safety: Continue with zero safety incidents.
Cyber Security Training: Ensure company participation and improvement by 5% of additional security awareness training.
Cyber Security: Stay at or below a low-risk measure for all future app scans after 2022 remediation.
Cyber Security: In 2023, Sustainable Environmental Consultants will maintain a lowrisk level on their web app for EcoProducer.
Cyber Security: Work towards SOC II certification by 2025.
Cyber Security Training: Continue to hold company participation and improvement by 5% or 200 hours of additional security awareness training in 2023.
EMPLOYEE WELL-BEING
Our employees create a rich work environment. Our family culture is what makes Sustainable Environmental Consultants unique and attractive to the next generation of the workforce. This includes a safe, enjoyable, diverse environment that offers opportunity for professional growth within. As competition for talent grows, Sustainable Environmental Consultants is committed to offering an attractive workplace to retain and foster talent through our family of companies at all levels. Sustainable Environmental Consultants is proud to be employee owned. Continued training, education and development, and our employees’ well-being are top of mind.
Safety Employee Well-being Environmental Sustainability Community EngagementDIVERSITY & INCLUSION
Sustainable Environmental Consultants takes pride in their employees and diverse backgrounds. 2022 was a year of improvement in Sustainable Environmental Consultants employee management through upgrades to workplace processes and improved digital infrastructure. As a member of the Wright Service Corp. (WSC) family of companies, Sustainable Environmental Consultants is supported by a shared services team at the corporate campus that includes accounting, finance, fleet, human resources, legal, marketing and payroll. Together with our team, we work in partnership to provide exceptional service to our clients.
Employment
Gender
Sustainable Environmental Consultants’ employee handbook outlines several employment policies, procedures and practices. This contains equal opportunity employment policies, a code of conduct policy, business ethics statement, a harassment policy, and a protection against retaliation policy. Management and human resources staff have an open-door policy to report incidents and provide suggestions to improve the workplace.
ETHICAL STANDARDS TRAINING & EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES
LEAD Program
The Leadership, Education and Development (LEAD) Program is the preeminent leadership development program offered by WSC. The program currently takes place over the course of 18 months and consists of:
- Facilitated, in-person sessions at WSC headquarters in West Des Moines, Iowa
Nominations are carefully reviewed and selected by the committee. Whether selected or not, getting nominated indicates that your leader believes in your leadership abilities. Since the program’s inception, 61 employees have graduated from the program. The current cohort is comprised of 28 employees, with one Sustainable Environmental Consultants employee.
LEAD TRAINING HOURS COMPLETED IN 2022
HEALTH & WELLNESS
Benefits
Sustainable Environmental Consultants, as a WSC company, provides both full-time and part-time positions with a benefits package that far exceeds the industry standard. Employees receive comprehensive benefits such as health insurance, wellness incentive programs, life insurance, disability, vacation and sick time, bereavement, identity theft protection, traditional pre-tax and Roth 401(k) retirement plan options, and employees are part of profit sharing through an ESOP.
fees to provide competitive premium rates for employee’s insurance packages.
2,561 employees in the U.S. and Puerto Rico were enrolled in health insurance within the family of companies, 12 of those were Sustainable Environmental Consultants employees.
In 2022, Sustainable Environmental Consultants saw a 41.7% increase from 2021 in the number of those enrolled in the health insurance benefits.
In 2022, 50% of employee medical plans were individual and 50% were family plans.
LONGEVITY
Employee Ownership
Sustainable Environmental Consultants has been a proud employee-owned company since 2012. Through shared ownership, WSC’s ESOP helps promote a positive, unique organizational culture and supports company success. The ESOP is also designed to assist our employees with their retirement and provide them with a financial stake in the company. For our customers and partners, we are empowered to provide exceptional service and innovative solutions.
- Job shadow opportunity
- Participation in a mentor program
- Capstone project and presentation
Participants are nominated by leaders within the WSC family of companies. Nominators advocate for their nominee by illustrating that person’s leadership capabilities through real-life examples.
Health Insurance
Sustainable Environmental Consultants, as a WSC company, offers medical with prescription coverage, dental and vision insurance to all eligible non-union employees. Plans are offered either as individual or family. Family plans are not limited to number of dependents. WSC pays a portion of these insurance
The ESOP enables employees to directly affect profitability and value and see the results. The ESOP has also allowed the company to protect jobs and support the communities we work in.
Only non-union employees who are at least 18 years of age and
LONGEVITY continued
have worked for the company for one year totaling at least 1,000 hours are eligible to enter the plan. Employees are automatically enrolled in the ESOP after meeting the qualifications on April 1 or October 1, following their 1-year anniversary date with the company.
Retirement
Sustainable Environmental Consultants, as a WSC company, offers a comprehensive 401(k) retirement savings plan with the same eligibility requirements and entry dates as the ESOP.
WSC has a Safe Harbor March Program to the 401(k) offering, matching 100% of the first 3%, plus an additional 50% of the next 2% employees would contribute to their retirement savings. The matching funds are placed in the ESOP account. Meaning, employees should contribute at least 5% annually to receive the full company match. These company-matched contributions are 100% vested.
The Automatic Enrollment Program is an automatic 3% pre-tax 401(k) enrollment process for all eligible employees which increases contributions from salary pay by 1% each year until 10% is reached with an opt-out available. This was enacted to ensure employees were taking steps for their financial security in the future.
EMPLOYEE WELL-BEING GOALS
Diversity & Inclusion: Increase reporting capabilities on workforce demographics in 2022 with Workday.
Employee Well-Being: Conduct a survey for total reward offerings and preferences to employees.
Education & Development: Continue to pursue continuous education learning opportunities.
Education & Training: Continue to work with the training and development team to provide professional skills growth opportunities for team members.
401K Contributions
Those contributing 1-3% receive 100% company match, those contributing 4-5% receive an additional 50% match. 82% of those contributing are receiving the full match potential. Numbers can change daily.
Diversity & Inclusion: Analyze employee gender and race/ethnicity information to establish benchmarks and goals for annual diversity growth.
Employee Well-being: Continue to provide our employees with more benefits education through regular newsletters, plan enrollment resources, and new hire summaries.
2022 Accomplished Goals
Education & Development: Roll out project one source program via the Workday platform for efficient integration of company data storage and processing, employee records management, and improvement of employee procedures which will include the reduction of paper.
Education & Training: Update employee handbook to reflect Sustainable Environmental Consultants’ changing company needs.
Education & Development: Increase engagement in online learning by continuing to offer courses chosen through survey feedback, employee recommendations, and leader input. Continue to package courses into manageable sizes through programming like “Learn in Less” and “FiveMinute Fridays.”
Education & Development: Gather data that will inform a sustainable leadership development strategy that supports the growth of our family of companies.
ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY
As a company in the environmental services industry, we strive to protect and preserve all ecosystems. We continue to reduce our footprint and promote climatesmart practices at our office and in the communities we serve.
Safety Employee Well-being Environmental Sustainability Community EngagementSERVICE & PROJECT SPOTLIGHTS
Sustainability Risk Management
Our EcoPractices platform helps the food, beverage and ingredient industries benchmark and track internal sustainability goals and external metrics including industry standards and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
We deliver field-level quantification and practice verification services for a complete spectrum of environmental impacts including soil health, water quality, carbon sequestration, energy use and greenhouse gas emissions.
46
Crop Species
37
States/Provinces
The data provided adds valuable metrics to our client’s sustainability story. It is used to direct future environmental initiatives, increase marketability, and enhance consumer communications.
142,187
Field Operations Cataloged
OVER OVER
24,714
Acres Participating in Conservation Practices (buffers, waterways, wetlands, forest)
SERVICE & PROJECT SPOTLIGHTS continued
Agricultural Engineering
The Sustainable Environmental Consultants agricultural engineering team provides full scope conservation assistance, environmental compliance and watershed services. The team provides survey, planning and conservation engineering technical assistance to farmers and ranchers. This work includes over 10 edge-of-field practice designs to reduce surface water nitrate-nitrogen content. Sustainable Environmental Consultants provides engineering and environmental compliance assistance to over 50 livestock facilities in Kansas and Nebraska and provides engineering, inspection and compliance assistance to four watershed districts and over 50 dams in Kansas.
FreshPure® Waters
PROJECT SUMMARY
EDGE-OF-FIELD PRACTICES WERE DESIGNED IN 2022
FreshPure® Waters is a water filtration company that installs and maintains selfserve water filtration and dispensing systems in grocery stores and co-ops to provide customers with purified drinking water. They are focused on providing a high quality and sustainable source of drinking water that reduces single-use plastic consumption by promoting the use of reusable water containers. FreshPure partnered with Sustainable Environmental Consultants to conduct a life cycle assessment of its current infrastructure and operations with the goal of estimating the current efficiency of FreshPure’s operation at converting resources, such as energy and water, into purified drinking water, and to provide a baseline for reducing their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and water use. FreshPure was looking to enhance their understanding of their environmental footprint to provide to their clients and better share their story of their bulk water service offering in comparison to single use drinking water options on the market.
The Sustainable Environmental Consultants life cycle assessment report focused on two areas of concentration:
1. Baseline Carbon Footprint This report provided a baseline assessment for reducing FreshPure’s GHG footprint and water use to provide an inventory of direct and indirect GHG emissions and water use corresponding with current operations, while also highlighting potential areas where GHG emissions and water use may be reduced using alternative practices, improved technology and increased efficiency.
2. Water Bottle Comparison This report provided an environmental assessment of the FreshPure supply chain and operations compared to conventional single-use water bottles. Emissions included electricity, fuel, shipping, travel and water filter components.
After Sustainable Environmental Consultants provided the results of their data, FreshPure used the information to guide their communications and long-term sustainability strategy.
RESULTS
SERVICE & PROJECT SPOTLIGHTS continued
National Pork Board
PROJECT SUMMARY
Sustainability for America’s pork producers is about doing what’s right for people, pigs and the planet. For more than five decades, the producers represented by the National Pork Board (NPB) have been continuously improving the sustainability of pig farming. Sustainable Environmental Consultants started working with the NPB in spring 2021 with the goal of helping pork producers tell the story of how they are living out their We Care ® Ethical Principles. The We Care commitment was launched in 2008 as a way to promote responsibility across every aspect of pork production. Developed by pig farmers and operated by the NPB, the National Pork Producers Council and the state organizations representing pig farmers, We Care serves as a promise to continuously evaluate and improve production methods.
Sustainable Environmental Consultants’ goal is to work with NPB to collect, aggregate and share the proof points from farms across the country that show how pig farmers are improving the sustainability of pork. At the onset of Sustainable Environmental Consultants and NPB’s relationship, there were several early adopters volunteering as pilot farms within the program.
The program is ongoing, and statistical results will be reported on in future newsletters. Once reports are created, each producer will receive:
- An annual farm-focused report that turns science into sound bites to share with their family, landowners, community, bankers, processors, customers, etc.
- Carbon Footprint Calculator results
- Streamlined upload of data to the We Care app
- Confidential data
- Continuous improvement support
- Identification of potential carbon market opportunities
- Assistance to locate funding opportunities for practice adoption and efficiencies
69,000
SERVICE & PROJECT SPOTLIGHTS continued
Danone North America’s Soil Health Initiative Exceeds 2022 Goal
Excerpt from the originally released article by Danone North America 1.27.2022
Danone holds a global commitment to achieve net zero emissions by 2050 by helping to reduce the company’s carbon footprint (or scope 3 emissions). Developed in collaboration with Sustainable Environmental Consultants, the R3™ ROI Tool is designed to give farmers a comprehensive view of their operations and forecast the return on investment of personalized sustainability practices to drive increased adoption. The web-based application serves as a benchmarking and comparison tool that uses farm-specific verified data – deployed from the EcoPractices platform developed by Sustainable Environmental Consultants –to show the projected impact of change in farming practices, allowing farmers to evaluate their specific operations.
The R3™ ROI Tool proposes targeted practices as part of Sustainable Environmental Consultant’s Sustainable Continuous Improvement Plan™ (SCIP) which is utilized to advance regenerative agriculture practices on farms. The SCIPs are built from the independent third-party data with the goal of helping farmers learn from their soil to maximize environmental impact all while providing science-based benchmarks to set short and medium-term goals. Once a practice is selected, the R3™ ROI Tool provides models with forecasted returns on investment to help farmers understand the potential financial impacts regenerative agriculture can have on their farm to enable decision making and prioritization.
RESOURCE USE
Sustainable Environmental Consultants is currently working on a method to track all work related travel for both client work and other reasons. Technology advancements in our solution offering, such as remote sensed imagery capabilities, allows us to keep on-site travel to a minimum. Sustainable Environmental Consultants’ EcoPractices platform reduces the need for paper usage. When client deliverables are provided, recycled paper is utilized.
ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY GOALS
Resource Use: Begin a GHG inventory (following the GHG Protocol and Corporate Standard). 2022 will serve as the base year.
Environmental: Increase the design of bioreactors and saturated buffers by 20% in the Midwest to improve water quality.
Environmental: Design 38 edge-offield practice designs in 2023 to support regenerative agriculture practices with our clients and their farmer partners.
Environmental: Increase territory reach in the U.S. by two states to measure, monitor, and improve regenerative agriculture practices with our clients and their farmer partners.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Sustainable Environmental Consultants has a presence in the West Des Moines community through the Wright Service Corp. (WSC) corporate office, however our team is scattered in home offices across the country. We work in over 37 states and provinces and strive to create a positive impact on these local communities. Sustainable Environmental Consultants supports activities that benefit our employees and add value to the communities where we live and work. Through monetary and in-kind donations such as labor or education, we’re able to support various causes and organizations that align with our values. We take pride in building and developing relationships with our employees, clients and communities.
Safety Employee Well-being Environmental Sustainability Community EngagementCONTRIBUTION STUDENT ENGAGEMENT
Sustainable Environmental Consultants recognizes the important role of engagement in our local communities. We encourage employees to lend their voluntary support by offering eight hours of paid volunteer time per calendar year, per employee. As with many others, COVID-19 impacted the ability to be involved in various efforts. In 2022, the Sustainable Environmental Consultants team volunteered a total of 58.5 hours.
Iowa Gardening for Good Volunteer Outing
The Sustainable Environmental Consultants team spent an afternoon volunteering at Iowa Gardening for Good in September. Iowa Gardening for Good is located in Madrid, Iowa, and is dedicated to involving the community in growing produce for a good cause. The team harvested and packaged 150,000 lbs. of butternut squash.
Internship Program
Sustainable Environmental Consultants offers internship opportunities for students, allowing them to gain hands-on experience and valuable support in the field they hope to start a career in.
Iowa State University Career Fair
Members of the Sustainable Environmental Consultants team attended the Iowa State University career fair. We connected with students about starting a career in sustainable agriculture while keeping recruiting top of mind.
Ag Systems Technology (AST) Club Speaking Opportunity
“I was given the opportunity to fully engage in all aspects of the sustainability consulting process. I conducted data analysis, participated in client calls, and wrote reports, all with the support and encouragement of a talented and dedicated team.” Carson Miller, 2022 Agronomy Intern
Members of the Sustainable Environmental Consultants team had the opportunity to speak to students in the Ag Systems and Technology (AST) Club at Iowa State University. During this speaking engagement, the team spoke on services Sustainable Environmental Consultants has to offer and what a career with our team looks like.
Safety Employee Well-being Environmental Sustainability Community Engagement
REPUTATION
Employee Professional Associations & Company Memberships
> Cool Farm Alliance
> Field to Market
> Founding member of the Iowa chapter of the US Compost Council
> International Fresh Produce Association, formally Produce Marketing Association (PMA)
> Iowa Farm Bureau Federation
> Iowa Gardening For Good
> Iowa Sustainable Business Forum
> Iowa Young Professionals in Agriculture
> Licensed Professional Engineer – Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska and Minnesota
> Tri-Societies
• Soil Science Society of America
• Crop Science Society of America
• Agronomy Society of America
> Wright Foundation for Sustainability and Innovation
Industry Conference Presence
> Ag & Food Policy Summit
> Commodity Classic
> Future of Food
> Kansas Governor’s Water Conference
> Kansas Department of Agriculture, Dam Safety Conference
> National Biochar
> National Institute for Animal Agriculture Conference
> State Association of Kansas Watersheds Annual Meeting
> Sustainable Agriculture Summit
> Sustainable Agronomy Conference
> The Almond Conference
> US Farmers & Ranchers in Action, Honor the Harvest Forum
> Wisconsin Dairy Products Association
> World Pork Expo
> World Dairy Expo
Sponsorships and Contributions
In 2022, Sustainable Environmental consultants gave $7,900 in sponsorships and contributions.
FY2022 Social Media
In the News
Soil and Water Outcomes Fund Produces More Than Tenfold Increase in Environmental Outcomes in 2021 Dec. 9, 2021
Optimize Manure as Cheaper Source of Fertilizer Jan. 7, 2022
Danone North America’s soil health initiative exceeds 2022 goal Jan. 27, 2022
1,361
Total Audience
91 99,091 8,703
Sustainable Environmental Consultants uses LinkedIn to share updates about our company to employees, clients and the community. Published Posts Impressions Engagements
Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever Partner with SEC to Help Private Landowners Quantify Sustainability Metrics
Coffee Talk: Hot Topics in the Pork Industry July 14, 2022
Iowa Select Farms reports shows benefits hog manure soil health Sept. 2, 2022
Danone North America Shares Progress on Regenerative Agriculture Program, Covering Nearly 150,000 Acres and 75% of its Dairy Milk Volume Nov. 1, 2022
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT GOALS
Contribution: Increase monetary contributions to local community development programs.
Contribution: Improve and scale Sustainable Environmental Consultants sponsorship opportunities.
Contribution: Increase opportunities for employees to partake in volunteer events as a company and encourage volunteer opportunities outside of work hours.
Contribution: Create a community outreach committee to enable consistency and direction in Sustainable Environmental Consultants’ community engagement.
Reputation: Prioritize supply chain diversity and Environmental Social Governance (ESG) Standards.
CLOSING
The Sustainable Environmental Consultants team strives to live out our values and will continue to improve our sustainable practices to ensure a safe and bright future for our employee owners. We are committed to a better world for all by investing in the communities we serve through innovation, integrity and teamwork. We want to ensure that the decisions we make today have a positive impact on our employees, clients, community and the environment.
Safety Employee Well-being Environmental Sustainability Community EngagementAPPENDIX
An evaluation utilizing the EcoPractices ® platform, a proprietary tool created and owned by Sustainable Environmental Consultants, a Wright Service Corp. (WSC) subsidiary, in partnership with WSC. This report is intended to showcase the sustainability journey of WSC, dedicated to recognizing their responsibility toward their mission, vision and values for their employee owners, partners, clients, and the public.
This Corporate Social Responsibility Report will be further expanded upon in the coming years to comply with the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) standards.