On April 2, 2008, the Greater Burlington Industrial Corporation (GBIC) issued a report entitled “The Green Economy and Environmental Enterprise in Vermont”, available at www.vermont.org/pdf/SCG%20-GBIC%20green%20economy.pdf. The Report was produced for GBIC by The Snelling Center for Government based on a collaborative process conducted in 2007 by GBIC and the Lake Champlain Regional Chamber of Commerce (LCRCC). The Report represents the Burlington business community’s formal conclusions about how we should develop the green business sector.

GBIC and LCRCC first convened a study group to define the green economy and identify economic infrastructure required for it to thrive. Next, GBIC and The Snelling Institute gathered input from a group of businesses that met a broad definition of “green” enterprises. One immediate result of this process is the compilation of a list of “green” companies currently doing business in Vermont (see page 5 of the Report).

The Report concludes, among other things, that the “green” sector includes a variety of industries, not just the green energy industry. The list of green companies invited to participate in the collaborative process leading to the Report includes specialty food companies, an architectural firm, a seed company, a publishing company, and a variety of businesses. This broader definition of the green economy is a theme I have discussed in prior entries on this blog. The Report refers to these companies as “Green Products and Services Companies” (see page 3 of the Report).

The Report also concludes that all Vermont businesses have an important role in developing a green economy in Vermont, not just companies offering green products and services. “Businesses and institutions that conduct, or seek to conduct, their activities in a manner which promotes sustainable and environmentally sound objectives also need to be recognized as part of the state strategy for growing a green economy. Vermont can and will become the most ‘green’ when every company, organization and community pursues this objective.” (See page 17 of the Report).

The idea that all Vermont businesses have a role in the green economy is of great interest to me. I created and lead a discussion group for members of Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility (VBSR), www.vbsr.org, to consider ways for companies that do not have inherently green products and services to be more environmentally and socially responsible in our business practices. The group is now in our second year. We are creating a self-assessment tool for businesses to identify their baseline level of social responsibility, identify areas for improvement, and track progress. Our self-assessment project will create an avenue for all Vermont companies to become part of The Green Valley, if they so choose.