Applying Sustainability Principles to Local Communities

Becoming an advocate for sustainability, while growing a multi-million dollar business and caring for more than a handful of dedicated workers has its demands as well as challenges and achievements. Today, the principle of sustainability is more and more prominent among larger Fortune 500 companies.

The Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes have become a benchmark for larger corporations. Why? Impact on local communities is paramount to the overall growth of the people that corporations serve. Coca-Cola, Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Starbucks, Times Warner, Daimler Chrysler, Ford, BMW and Volkswagen are among the more than 1000 profit or not-for profit organizations that follow the Global Reporting initiative guidelines for sustainability reporting. Today this network of more than 30,000 globally work together with GRI to make the principle of sustainability in local communities a reality for those it serves.

Practical Applications in a World of Needs

Each of the above corporations and many others who follow the guidelines of the Global Reporting Initiative in order to measure the impact they have on local communities. The diversity is deep and the impact is strong in most communities in which they provide goods and services.

For example Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, a growing specialty- coffee roaster in Waterbury,VT works with one of the local communities which provides green beans for its coffee roasting. Huatusco, Cooperativa del café de Union Regional de Pequenos Productores de is located in Veracruz, Mexico. Huatusco is a cooperative of nearly 2000 members who prove certified organic coffee to Green Mountain Coffee Roasters. In its efforts to provide ongoing development to its Coffee-Growing Communities Green Mountain has sought to sustain the Huatusco cooperative by making improvements to its coffee-processing mill, provided scholarships for the children of Huatusco members, contributes to Coffee For Kids. Coffee For Kids establishes ongoing support for children in the region of Huatusco. Coffee For Kids mission is “To help coffee-farming families improve the quality of their lives.”

Coffee For Kids is just one of the many programs that green Mountain has implemented for the local community of Huatusco. Another program Green Mountain contributes to is EcoLogic Finance , which provides education and credit for community-based businesses. EcoLogic Finance receives much of its funding from philanthropy.
Green Mountain Coffee Roasters is one of the many efforts among all global corporations working in conjunction with Global Reporting Initiative to show the impact they have on local communities. The principle of sustainability seeks to sustain present needs while insuring and providing positive and enduring means so that that later generations of local communities will have the natural resources to meet their needs.

Expanding communities, incorporating the local expertise of local businesses, enriching the lives of your circle of influence and striving to meet corporate deadlines makes for a life full of meaningful decisions. Participants who are promoting the principles outlined in the Global Reporting Initiative know what it means to invest time and resources with local communities in order to help shape a sustainable environment for future leaders.