Here we are in the height of summer in Michigan. We’re spending more time outdoors, connecting with community programming and enjoying time with friends and family. Your team may be in and out of the office and perhaps this season is a traditionally slow quarter for business development. It’s no secret that as summer comes in full swing, small teams experience HR stressors and must remain agile.
Good For Michigan helps businesses that want to prioritize social and environmental justice. Caring for both our natural and human resources is crucial to running a business that creates social prosperity, environmental reciprocity, and a more equitable world for future generations.
We’ve learned that developing business practices and creating products and services that benefit people and place are built over time. It’s not about perfection; it’s about the steps you take towards deeper impact. You might not know it, but your business could already be developing governance, environmental, and community habits that put people first.
And fortunately, changes to your summer approach and larger business development goals do not have to happen all at once. We encourage you to instead think about singular actions as the beginning of forming a habit. A good habit that centers your people.
Make your summer an impactful one by starting, measuring, and furthering your sustainability journey:
Businesses that are good for governance build structures that encourage sustainable growth while maintaining and showcasing intentional values. This may include evaluating the company’s mission, ethics, accountability, and transparency. Likely, you’ve already implemented some practices worthy of celebrating. Maybe you offer flexible summer hours. But are they written down as a concrete policy? Learn who can help with governance habits.
How have your environmental impacts improved since the spring? Care for our environment is a crucial practice in building an economy that puts people first. Businesses may be considering their environmental impact via the company’s stewardship, utilities, natural resource use, emissions, and supply/distribution channels. For instance, choosing a local supplier can save your business money and reduce emissions caused from long-distance imports. Learn who can help with your environmental strategies.
What have you done to improve your community since April? No matter how you define “community,” we all understand the value of instilling positive impacts on the neighborhoods we operate in and hire from. You may be good for the community if you include inclusion and accessibility efforts, job creation, supplier relations, charitable giving, community services, and local involvement in your business practice. Learn who can help with community-building habits
Don't miss what's good and new at People First Economy! Coming up soon…
In September, People First Economy will celebrate Nourish Our Community. We believe that nourishing our community means providing the ingredients necessary for growth, health, and equity within the food economy so that the environment, businesses, and local communities thrive. Keep your eyes out for more info and see what we did last year.
The Upper Peninsula, Childcare, and Outdoor Rec Industry cohort continue to work through benchmarking and goal-setting. We’ve recently launched the Good For Traverse City Cohort and have also started building a community in Detroit and Petoskey. We’re inspired by the interdependent habits our cohort participants have created! These groups of businesses are building communities of practice all over the state of Michigan.
