A Collaborative Business Community and Executive Development Center

Transcription

1 C o r p o r a t e S o c i a l R e s p o n s i b i l i t y a n d B e n e fi t R e p o r t A Collaborative Business Community and Executive Development Center

2 2 A Year in Review 2017 Who We Are The Business Executive Sustainable Training headquarters (BESThq) is a vibrant, sustainable business community servicing and supporting emerging firms with emphasis on historically underutilized community and collaboration with like-minded agencies, large business, and non-profits. Why Because no one should feel alone on their journey. We can make a difference together. How We grow and impact with focus on: Relationship Empowerment Inclusion. Mission and Vision BESThq prides itself in being a humanistic organization, recognizing the importance of inspiration, intelligence and idea enterprise. While managing risk and strategically growing sustainable firms and individuals, BESThq strives to build strong relationships, empower entrepreneurs, and create an inclusive, thriving community of men and women for others. As one of the first Oregon Benefit Companies, BESThq assumes responsibility and seeks to model the QUAD- RUPLE BOTTOM-LINE for members, partners and the broader community: People Profit Planet Purpose. Left: City of Beaverton folks chat with small business owners that attended BESThq s We Welcome Entrepreneurs Event for Welcoming Week. BESThq had a year for the records and continued creating meaningful business relationships, creating new reach to communities that surround us, providing hundreds of events, many of which focusing on social/environmental elements, and partnering with community partners to create opportunities for collaboration, connection and success. Included in our yearly event programming were our second year of Fall Sustainability Series Business Academies, which brought three business sustainability topics, including Health Insurance, Sustainability in the Workplace and Workplace Emergency Preparedness. In addition to the Fall Sustainable Series, BESThq partnered with non-profit Adelante Mujeres to host their inaugural Welcoming Week event, We Welcome Entrepreneurs Beaverton. Both Adelante and BESThq received a City of Beaverton Welcoming Week Mini Grant that sought to champion the Sanctuary City s Welcoming Week through community activities and events. Adelante and BESThq welcomed immigrant and refugee communities to connect with local and state resources and held a celebration of culture. Representative Ken Helm visits BESThq VOICES group for a legislative update. Other regular programming at BESThq continued, including our VOICES advocacy group in which we brought in several representatives and advocated for the small business community in legislative processes. Others included our annual Business Expo West with theme Go Make A Difference, which provided a platform for businesses small and large to connect and grow. The community, directly & indirectly, supported non-profits and community events while working to model social and environmental responsibility. BESThq consistently holds weekly Executive Briefing meetings connecting small business owners with each other and community partners. These meetings feature speakers including regional and city government bodies, environmental organizations, nonprofits and small businesses themselves, allowing for a wide variance of groups to build meaningful relationships and remain visible in the community.

3 3 Measuring Progress: A Green America Certified Company Why Green America? We choose to consider the Green America standard for it s accessibility. This certification allows small businesses to certify through a simple process that is easily completed and affordable. When starting a small business with a need to prioritize resources without stretching too thin, the Green America standard was a certificate that was within our means. Being Green America Certified Means BESThq: Actively uses business as a tool for positive social impact Is environmentally responsible in the running of operations and facilities Operates a values-driven enterprise according to principles of social justice and environmental sustainability Strives to be socially responsible and committed to practices that benefit customers, community and the environment Is accountable for work by continually tracking progress and improving as needed

4 4 Key Initiatives in 2017 BESThq Voices Advocacy group collaborating to make heard the voice of small business. Monthly meetings that included more visits from representatives in Nonprofit Support Offer meeting space for free to local nonprofits (green & social benefit) and become connected through various activities non-profits included: Adelante Mujeres, United by Media, VetREST, EarthShare Oregon, Partners in Diversity, SBUA, Verde NW, Bridge Meadows, Union Gospel Mission and Oregon Food Bank. Oregon Business Climate Declaration: Commitment to Climate Change We demonstrate strong business support for taking action on climate change and energy policy at both the state and federal level. Fall Sustainability Series BESThq offered the first Sustainability Series of the Business Academies focused on Health Insurance, Workplace Sustainability and Emergency Preparedness. Safe Space Declaration Continuation BESThq officially declared itself a Safe Space in 2017 and sought to provide an inclusive space for all racial identities, ethnicities, genders, religions and sexual orientations. We Welcome Entrepreneurs Beaverton BESThq partnered with non-profit Adelante Mujeres and Beaverton City Government to host an event focused on welcoming immigrant and refugee entrepreneurs during Welcoming Week. Scenes from the We Welcoming Entrepreneurs Beaverton Event that BESThq and Adelante Mujeres co-hosted, welcoming in the diverse community of entrepreneurs in Beaverton and Washington County. Above: Adelante Empresas graduate and owner of La Mixteca Oaxaca serves food to guests. Top right: Adelante Mujeres Maribel De Leon talks with We Welcome participants. Below right: Participants enjoy the various cultural foods provided by community participants.

5 5 Key Events in 2017 BESThq s Social, Environmental, and Member Benefits in Action Business Expo West 2017 April 2017 marked BESThq s annual business expo, a 500+ person B-B event themed Go Make A Difference - proceeds to 5 non-profits. Spirit in Business Free & Weekly, a nondenominational, welcoming community gathering to connect work, family and spirituality in a supporting and thoughtful environment. Relay for Life BESThq Hopesters joined 30 other teams to raise close to $1,544 for the American Cancer Society in Overall Relay donations for 2017 brought in over $64,000. School Supply Drive Enough school supplies to fill up a truck were donated by the BESThq Gives Back program to St. Andrews Nativity School, a Catholic tuition free school that serves students from low-income families. Toy Drive, Coat Drive, Food Drive The BESThq Gives Back program supplied toys, coats, and food to Doernbecher Children s Hospital, Reynolds School District and the Oregon Food Bank. In total, the BESThq community donated 467 pounds or 389 meals that the Food Bank contributed to the community helping feed our neighbors in need! Blood Drive in partnership with the American Red Cross, BESThq hosted the Bloodmobile & received 12 donations, enough blood to save approximately 36 lives. Meet & Certify In conjunction with Metro and other agencies, BESThq facilitated 3 events benefitting nearly 200 folks with COBID certification & agency relationships. STEM Minecraft Night BESThq s Plan Center team created STEM Minecraft night in 2016, now a free, monthly reoccurring event, which brings together k-12 students and their families, as well as engineer professionals. The STEM related program allows participants to build inside a virtual world in a team-based setting. STEM Minecraft expanded to Spokane, WA in 2017 and continued to expand sponsor relationships.

6 6 Hinderances and Challenges in 2017 BESThq experienced some limits in cash flow that prevented us from potentially implementing more social and environmental activities. We were able to hire on additional staff, though had some turnover which presented challenges to bandwidth and organizational management. Looking Ahead Into 2018 and Beyond BESThq seeks to be a leader in the Oregon Benefit Company Community. We hosted our second Sustainability Series, which included sessions focused on sustainability for businesses. BESThq completed our Energy Star Certificate in 2017, in which we were awarded a score of 92. BESThq continues to encourage businesses in our community to support sustainable energy initiatives. Our VOICES meetings have included environmental sustainability focus seeking to educate businesses how they are affected by such matters and advocate on behalf of them in legislative proceedings. We have been very vocal with our area representatives. BESThq has promoted mass and alternative transportation through various events, including Business Expo West Shuttle service and carpool rides to Salem area small business events. This year we also plan to assess our building for solar panels and work on attaining an electric charging station. We will host a third Fall Sustainability Series in BESThq expects to participate in more sustainability initiatives in 2018, such as potentially becoming an B Corporation and working with the City of Beaverton to partner on environmental projects.

7 Impact Partners and Sponsors While encouraging growth through community, BESThq survives and thrives through active engagement of our community BESThq facility notes: - Our 6,700 facility is Energy Star Certified with a score of 92 - Located across the street from a MAX stop, daily use by BESThq tenants, & friends - Of course, BESThq has an active recycling program & community dishware Some Stats on the BESThq Community: Members and partners Members BESThq Community Linked In Group; 607 Facebook Likes; 764 Twitter Followers