Business View - January 2016 61
munities. “That ties us to all of the sustainability best
practices that are happening in the sectors,” Christo-
pher says.
As if the preceding wasn’t enough to endorse Chris-
topher’s bona fides in the realm of best sustainability
practices, he has also recently authored Sustainability
Demystified, a practitioner’s guide for businesses, and
organizational leaders, managers, and owners that
uses local case studies to present ways in which en-
terprises can reap the benefits of best sustainability
practices. “We probably have over 20 best practices of
sustainability that businesses have implemented and
there is a local case study of each of the companies
that is implementing them,” he explains.
“Everybody is a client,” he adds. “Long term, sustain-
ability is about avoiding costs, creating value, and mak-
ing better decisions that improve social, environment,
and economic impact. It’s first about creating aware-
ness for all different institutions, enterprises, organi-
zations, and businesses and letting them understand
what sustainability really means.” To emphasize the
point, Christopher quotes a contemporary colleague
this time - Birgit Klohs, a local economic development
leader, who recently opined that “’Sustainability is the
DNA of West Michigan.’” Christopher sums up: “When
you say that, it’s beyond an individual. It’s beyond a
corporation, or an entity, or organization. We’re all,
now, looking at a set of applied best practices that
could make West Michigan a very attractive region to
live, learn, work, and play – and that is the end zone
for us.”
PREFERRED VENDORS
DeWitt Barrels
- DeWitt Barrels specialize in the sales
and reconditioning of steel, fiber, and plastic drums of
all sizes. The company also sells IBC’s (Intermediate
Bulk Containers) and new drums. It was founded in
1893, in Chicago, by Peter DeWitt and his two sons,
Peter and William, who began by making and repairing
wooden barrels and kegs. -
Independent Bank of West Michigan
-
-
dentbank.com
Quoin, Inc. (Almond Products)
-
ucts.com
CLEAN & GREEN
