If you missed the webinar or want to revisit the content, you can watch the full recording here or review the slide deck here.

Election Outcomes and Policy Highlights

The 2024 elections led to significant political shifts, including unified Republican control of Congress. The Trump Administration’s agenda includes a blend of deregulatory measures and a re-evaluation of climate and energy policies, including:

• Energy and Climate Policies: Plans to scale back on clean energy investments and emissions standards while boosting traditional energy sources like oil, gas, and coal.
• Inflation Reduction Act (IRA): Efforts to weaken provisions of the IRA supporting renewable energy and sustainable infrastructure.
• Tax Policy: The continuation of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), with a focus on permanent corporate tax cuts and modifications to research and development (R&D) expenses.
• Trade and Supply Chains: Increased tariffs on imports, potentially impacting supply chain costs and accessibility.

What This Means for Businesses

Small and independent businesses, especially those committed to sustainability like SBN’s members, should anticipate changes that might impact their operations. While deregulation may lower compliance costs, cuts to clean energy funding and changes to tax credits could hinder growth opportunities for values-driven businesses.

Tips for Businesses to Adapt and Thrive

• Build Relationships with Legislators
  Advocacy will be critical in this political climate. Engage with policymakers to communicate your business needs and concerns. Organizations like SBN can help to amplify your voice and connect you with decision-makers.

• Assess Your Energy Strategies
  With potential reductions in renewable energy incentives, consider diversifying your energy portfolio or investing in efficiency measures to mitigate rising costs.

• Plan for Tax Changes
  Stay updated on potential changes to the TCJA and related tax policies. Work with your financial advisors or accountants to leverage existing credits and prepare for future shifts.

• Focus on Supply Chain Resilience
  Tariffs and onshoring policies may disrupt supply chains. Explore domestic, local sourcing options and invest in technologies to enhance logistics efficiency.

• Leverage Community and Resources
  Join networks like SBN to access educational resources, peer support, and advocacy tools tailored for values-driven businesses navigating this transition.

Looking Ahead

The Trump Administration’s anticipated policies offer opportunities for businesses to adapt and stay nimble in this changing landscape. During the session, Jason High drove home an important point: “Building relationships with legislators and engaging through networks are essential steps to ensure your business thrives in the new landscape.”

At SBN, we’re here to help you navigate these changes and continue building a just, green, and thriving economy. Whether you’re looking for resources, connections, or advocacy support, we’ve got you covered. Visit us at sbnphiladelphia.org or reach out to us directly at info@sbnphiladelphia.org to learn more about how we can support your business in 2025 and beyond.

This SBN program is a part of Every Voice, Every Vote, a collaborative project managed by The Lenfest Institute for Journalism. Lead support for Every Voice, Every Vote in 2024 and 2025 is provided by the William Penn Foundation with additional funding from The Lenfest Institute for Journalism, Comcast NBC Universal, The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, Henry L. Kimelman Family Foundation, Judy and Peter Leone, Arctos Foundation, Wyncote Foundation, 25th Century Foundation, and Dolfinger-McMahon Foundation. To learn more about the project and view a full list of supporters, visit www.everyvoice-everyvote.org. Editorial content is created independently of the project’s donors.

The post Navigating the Post-Election Landscape: Key Takeaways for Businesses appeared first on Sustainable Business Network of Greater Philadelphia.

“It is time to bring back the City of Philadelphia’s Sustainable Business Tax Credit, which rewards business that do well by doing good,” said Councilmember Jamie Gauthier (3rd District), Chair of the Committee on the Environment. “Sustainable businesses have our community’s back, the City should have theirs.”

The SBTC was originally introduced in 2009 and expired in 2023. By restoring the SBTC, Councilmember Gauthier will uplift local businesses that are building an economic ecosystem that centers on localism, serving community needs, sharing wealth, and protecting the environment.

Devi Ramkissoon, Executive Director of the Sustainable Business Network of Greater Philadelphia (SBN) said, “SBN applauds Councilmember Gauthier’s re-introduction of the Sustainable Business Tax Credit. This long overdue and vital legislation will allow businesses in the City to achieve sustainability goals that are in line with the Mayor’s Clean and Green initiatives and advance Philadelphia’s reputation as one of the most sustainable and business-friendly cities in the country. This updated legislation will benefit more businesses in an even more equitable way than the first iteration of the SBTC.”

Councilmember Gauthier’s bill would also make the following changes to the SBTC:

• Removes the sunset date, making it a permanent resource for local sustainable businesses.
• Increases the maximum tax credit from $4,000 to $8,000 annually.
• Removes the cap on the number of participating businesses.
• Streamlines the certification process to make it more accessible and efficient for the City and applicants.

Jenn Richey Nicholas, CEO of Pixel Parlor, a women-owned B Corp, said, “The Sustainable Business Tax Credit proves to purpose driven business owners that the city is invested in a sustainable economy and future for its citizens. It makes business owners feel seen and gives them a bit of a boost to keep putting in the hard work.”

Nothing is more make-or-break for our city’s future than preparing for climate change. To do this successfully, the City must incentivize the private sector to be part of the climate solution.

To earn the SBTC, businesses must be a certified “B Corp” or meet the Office of Sustainability’s definition of a “Sustainable Business”. Previous sustainability criteria can be found here.

SBN champions the SBTC. As the then-leader of SBN, Councilmember Gauthier worked with then-Councilmember Maria Quiñones-Sánchez to expand the initial version of the SBTC in 2016.

# # #

Councilmember Jamie Gauthier (3rd District) is the Chair of City Council’s Committee on the Environment. She has years of experience in the sustainability sector. Before joining Philadelphia City Council in 2020, Councilmember Gauthier led the Fairmount Park Conservancy and Sustainable Business Network of Greater Philadelphia.

Since its founding in 2001, the Sustainable Business Network of Greater Philadelphia has helped thousands of local independent businesses in the Greater Philadelphia region to build profitable enterprises that serve the community, share wealth, and protect the environment.

The post Philadelphia Councilmember Jamie Gauthier Introduces Bill to Restore Sustainable Business Tax Credit appeared first on Sustainable Business Network of Greater Philadelphia.

SBN identifies twenty-five issues impacting the region’s ability to achieve equitable, inclusive, climate resilient economic growth.

(PHILADELPHIA, PA February 20, 2020) — The Sustainable Business Network of Greater Philadelphia (SBN) is building a new economy built on equity and climate resilience.  Since its founding in 2001, SBN has been serving independent businesses based in Greater Philadelphia, helping them to improve their social and environmental practices, as well as their profitability.

SBN often gets asked, “What does a just, green, and thriving economy look like?” so they embarked on a year-long project to offer an answer.  Informed by SBN’s 20 years of leadership, as well as substantive research and input from their membership, SBN selected 25 issues that are core to any metropolitan area’s ability to achieve equitable, inclusive, and climate resilient economic growth.  SBN elaborated on these issues in their recently published paper, Vision for a Just, Green, and Thriving Local Economy, which covers everything from equitable transportation systems, renewable energy, nature-based stormwater management, resources for business owners from historically marginalized communities, and incentives for socially and environmentally responsible business practices.

“This paper is SBN’s stake in the ground. We wanted to be transparent with and accountable to our members and other stakeholders about what needs to change in order for our region to have a thriving local economy rooted in equity and climate resilience,” said SBN’s Executive Director, Anna Shipp. “SBN believes in the extraordinary power that businesses have to be a force for good, and we know they can’t move the needle alone. Government and our local business community must work together to innovate and advance policy solutions that drive real systemic change.”

“I’m proud to see SBN step into a new era of its advocacy,” said Heather Hanowitz, Chair of SBN’s Board of Directors. “This paper demonstrates the uniqueness of SBN and its membership, the commitment that these incredible businesses have to the region, and the necessity of partnership between the private sector, government, and communities in creating an economically vibrant, socially equitable, and climate resilient Philadelphia region.”

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The Sustainable Business Network of Greater Philadelphia (SBN) is building a just, green, and thriving economy in the region.  We inspire, challenge, and support the local independent business community to be change agents in the movement towards social equity and climate resilience.  SBN members are independent businesses based in Greater Philadelphia that practice – and measure success by – the triple bottom line of people, planet, and profitability.  Since our founding in 2001, SBN has remained the region’s leading membership and advocacy organization serving the local triple bottom line business community.

www.sbnphiladelphia.org

The post SBN Releases Vision for a Just, Green, and Thriving Local Economy appeared first on Sustainable Business Network of Greater Philadelphia.

Dear Patty,

I’m really nervous. I just hired my first consultant to help us create a strategic plan. I want to make sure the organization gets their money’s worth and we end up with a useful plan. Can you give me any tips about how best to work with a consultant?

Thanks,
Nervous Nelly

Dear Nervous Nelly,

I’m glad you reached out with this question. Here are some questions to answer before hiring a consultant. You may decide to share some of this information in an RFP and/or interview:

1. How much time will your organization be able to devote to this project? What is the timeline for the project, and how much staff time will be devoted to the project?

2. Which staff people will be involved in the project?

3. Besides staff, who will need to give input into the project, and what will the process be to engage these stakeholders?

4. What kind of background information does the consultant need in order to move the project forward?

5. On what criteria will you be assessing the consultant’s work? What would success look like?

6. What changes do you hope to see as a result of the work with the consultant? For example, for many organizations a strategic plan is an opportunity to reengage stakeholders and get them excited about the mission of the organization. How could the process support these changes?

Please remember that part of a consultant’s role is to tell you what they can do based on your organization’s timeline and the resources that are available.

Please be open to feedback that your goals cannot be accomplished with the resources and time available, and consider revising your goals and/or timeline.

Once you’ve hired a consultant, you’ll want to make sure to communicate with them about the following issues:

1. Who will be the primary point of contact with the consultant? Make sure the consultant is clear about who to contact when questions arise.

2. How often will you be in contact with the consultant? For example, will you have regular meetings or phone calls? What form of communication is preferred?

3. What aspects of your organization’s culture should the consultant know about?

4. Have there been any recent stressful organizational events or hard conversations that would be useful for the consultant to know about?

5. If anything changes in your organization that would affect the project the consultant is working on, please notify them immediately.

Respect your consultant’s time. They are not on salary and every hour counts! Give them constructive feedback regularly so they can give you the best work product possible.

Good luck,
Patty

This column offers tips and tools for building democratic workplaces, improving workplace culture & communication, and aligning how we do our work (process) with why we do our work (purpose). Patty is a fictional adjunct of The Blue Door Group, LLC — a real Philadelphia-based consulting firm focused on designing and teaching participatory process for learning, dialogue, and capacity-building. Do you have a question for Patty? Send it to info@bluedoorgroup.net and put “Ask Patty” in the subject line

The post Ask Yourself These 6 Questions Before You Hire A Consultant appeared first on Sustainable Business Network of Greater Philadelphia.

Money spent at local businesses circulates through local economies more than money spent at non-local businesses. As such, local businesses are the engine of a resilient local economy. They also have a better track record of making the positive social and environmental decisions that impact our communities.

However, it is not always as easy to reconcile the more impactful choice with the easy choice. Our busy schedules sometimes make momentary convenience outweigh long term future impacts, especially when we have entire superstores nearby that carry nearly every item possible and Amazon who will you deliver to you at an almost creepy speed.

At least this is the narrative, but just because Target is open late and has everything you need (and don’t need) does not mean that shopping at big box stores is really that much more convenient. Plus, most times, shopping at large non-local franchises requires getting in a car (and in most cases, having a car).

Luckily, for those that want shop with their values and close to home, Mariposa Food Co-op, conveniently located on Baltimore Avenue, has been serving West Philadelphia residents since the 1970s.

Not only is the store a hub of convenience for more conscious shoppers, but as a cooperative business, Mariposa is able to return surplus revenue back into the store and surrounding community. In addition to ensuring low prices, the business also stresses sustainability through sourcing 100% local and renewable energy from fellow SBN member The Energy Co-Op, composting their food waste, and recycling.

“While Mariposa’s main function is operating a retail grocery store, we value environmental sustainability and community health when making organizational decisions.”

We spoke with the folks at Mariposa Co-op to learn how they are changing the local shopping environment. We were eager to learn how their cooperative business model provides them with the ability to measure success on a triple bottom line of people, planet, and profit.

Please share a victory story: What is a recent challenge that you have overcome, and how did you do it?

In August, Mariposa Food Co-op increased its new entry level starting wage to $13 per hour, the highest starting wage among Philadelphia area grocery stores.

As a model for good jobs in the Philadelphia area, Mariposa Food Co-op is excited to become a leader in the retail industry at a time when workers’ rights are threatened by the expansion of large corporations. Lower prices too often come at the expense of worker compensation, including livable wages; affordable and accessible health benefits; and scheduling and hiring practices.

Mariposa Food Co-op operates as a democratic workplace in which employees are empowered to contribute to organizational decisions by serving on staff-elected committees and voting on internal practices. Over the last year, Mariposa’s leadership team and personnel committee examined the Co-op’s financial state and compensation practices. A unanimous decision was passed in August 2017 to significantly increase the starting wage in order to uphold the values of the Co-op.

What role does your community play in the success of your business?

Originally founded as a buying club in 1971, Mariposa exists out of the community’s need for fresh, healthy and affordable foods. As a consumer-owned food co-op, all community members are welcome to own a share of the Co-op by investing equity. While our storefront is open to the public, ownership is a voluntary means of engaging with the Co-op and our community. Owners have a voice in business decisions and elect a Board of Delegates to oversee the management team and represent the voice of our owner base. To ensure ownership is accessible to all community members, Mariposa subsidizes equity for low-income shoppers through our Owner Fund program and recently introduced the Food For All 10% daily discount to further support these community members.

Can you walk us through one of your triple bottom line practices and the impact it has had on your business?

While Mariposa’s main function is operating a retail grocery store, we value environmental sustainability and community health when making organizational decisions. The Co-op sources 100% local and renewable electricity through the Energy Co-op, composts 100 gallons of food waste and recycles 300 gallons of paper, plastic, glass and metals per week.

Mariposa chooses a hyper-local approach to hiring whenever possible to ensure maximum investment in and from our immediate community.

The starting wage for Mariposa employees is $13/hour. (Philly’s living wage $12.17.) Additionally, Mariposa invests in the health and general well-being of its employees by offering all employees who are scheduled for at least 25 hours per week free medical insurance, extremely affordable dental insurance, short term disability insurance, vision insurance, and paid time off. This year, we also made a big step towards becoming a family-friendly employer by decreasing the cost for employees who add their dependents under age 26 to our company insurance plans.

What is one thing that most people do not know about your business that you would like them to know?

Mariposa Food Co-op operates as a democratic workplace in which employees are empowered to contribute to organizational decisions by serving on staff-elected committees and voting on internal practices. The Co-op has six committees which can be composed of staff in any department and any position. Each committee is responsible for making decisions and proposing policies to management.

Click here to learn more about Mariposa Food Co-op and explore SBN’s directory of local independent businesses at the online Sustainable Business Directory.

The post Maximizing Investment in (and from) the Community appeared first on Sustainable Business Network of Greater Philadelphia.

Dear Patty,

I am a young professional in the nonprofit sector with a Master’s of Art in Leadership and Management. I recently discovered my passion for training and facilitation and I am considering consulting in the area of learning and education, intercultural leadership, and multicultural team development. As part of my business-development process I am wondering: What are some things you wish you knew when starting a consulting business?

Sincerely,
Curious Christine

Dear Christine,

As they say, hindsight is 20–20, so it is easier to see what “you should have known” after you have gone through it and learned from the experience. The curious thing is, many of these insights are only gained through your own trial-and-error. Not only because there is no ONE formula for success but also because only by going through the process will you discover your own strengths and weaknesses.

Having said that, there are four valuable things I have learned from starting my own business, which would have been helpful to have in mind when I was first venturing on this journey.

1. Working with a diverse and dedicated group of people contributes to success and sustainability

I am lucky to have found a group of people who are as hardworking and passionate as I am with whom to start a business. Our collective professional strengths enable us to offer a unique value proposition, which is a sum of very different professional and personal skills we could not amass individually. Having different ways to approach the work also challenges us to practice the skills of open communication, conflict resolution and participatory decision-making within our own organization, which leads to growth and helpful, tangible case-studies we can use with clients.

2. Taking time to work on the process (rather than the product) pays off

#1 on this list goes hand in hand with #2. Diversity in a group also means differing viewpoints and expectations. It is tempting for all organizations to focus on delivering services often at the expense of their own internal professional growth and development. Time and resources are limited, so it is tempting to forsake touching base with each other at regular intervals and addressing challenges or conflict. Believe me, taking the time to work on these things and improving team dynamics is a need not a luxury. As a professional coach once told me “slow down to speed up.” When better processes are developed not only does morale and internal buy-in improve, but productivity and creativity increase.

3. Developing systems staves off miscommunication and improves efficiency

Similar to #2, spending time and standardizing some of the menial tasks — from time sheets to financial tracking to communication protocols — may seem like busy-work, but it makes your life easier in the long-run. Even if you are working as an individual, these systems will make your life easier once you get really busy and have a lot of work and clients to juggle!

4. Meaningful networking is key to getting started and growing

I want to emphasize the word meaningful in networking, because I do not believe in developing relationships with people in a purely transactional manner. Meaningful relationships are authentic and heartfelt and provide both people with value and enrichment. It is important to nurture your professional relationships in a similar way that you nurture your personal ones…reaching out to people because you care about them and when you can help them (not just because you hope to get something out of the relationship). The professional relationships we have nurtured over the past decade are the ones that have led to most of our client work. In fact, our biggest contract to date, came in because someone who knew one of us recommended that we be invited to apply to a RFP. If just hearing the word “networking” makes you shiver, you may want to check out these articles based on Adam Grant’s research : Secrets to Successful Networking and why Networking is Overrated.

I hope these insights are helpful and best of luck in your endeavors!

Patty

This column offers tips and tools for building democratic workplaces, improving workplace culture & communication, and aligning how we do our work (process) with why we do our work (purpose). Patty is a fictional adjunct of The Blue Door Group, LLC — a real Philadelphia-based consulting firm focused on designing and teaching participatory process for learning, dialogue, and capacity-building. Do you have a question for Patty? Send it to info@bluedoorgroup.net and put “Ask Patty” in the subject line

The post What I Wish I Knew When Starting a Consulting Business appeared first on Sustainable Business Network of Greater Philadelphia.

“Cities will save the country.” –Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney

The Sustainable Business Network of Greater Philadelphia (SBN) welcomed Mayor Jim Kenney to meet with members at the final Entrepreneurs Roundtable of the year on November 15 at R2L Restaurant. Thirty-seven floors up, R2L was a fitting venue, presenting views of the entire city as members enjoyed exclusive access to a conversation with the Mayor about what lies on the horizon for Philadelphia.

This past year, the Mayor’s actions have struck a chord with the local impact economy. His pledge to protect our sanctuary city status, to invest in the education of our region’s future workforce, to uphold the values of the Paris Accord on a local level, and to improve energy use and costs for government buildings with the Philadelphia Municipal Energy Master Plan for the Built Environment demonstrates his commitment to a more sustainable Philadelphia.

Before discussing education and the city’s Amazon HQ2 bid, he began by addressing the public health crisis on many people’s minds: opioid addictions.

Throughout the city, there were 907 opioid related deaths just last year, a number almost 4 times the homicide rate, and that rate is projected to have another staggering increase in 2017, expected to reach up to 1,200 annual deaths.

To begin remedying the problem, Kenney implemented solutions that include providing treatment as well as permanent housing facilities for those struggling with addiction. After realizing the challenge of making those in need aware of the recovery services available, and being left with nearly 1,200 empty beds available in rehabilitation facilities, local government and Septa are now taking action to bring the solution directly to them. By creating a “Hub of Hope” inside the concourse of Septa’s regional rail facility, the local government hopes to supply those struggling with homelessness laundry facilities, a safe place to stay, and needed medical and mental health support.

“We are trying to get people to a point where they recognize there is an end to the tunnel they are in, and get them some treatment.”

With an anticipated completion in mid-December, the Mayor is hopeful these small local initiatives may begin to rectify the issue

To combat this issue from gripping the next generation, Kenney expressed that education must be the top priority. In order to begin implementing direly needed improvements, the mayor continues to defend the city’s Beverage Tax to provide funding to Philadelphia’s struggling educational system. Although the American Beverage Association (ABA) issued a subsequent lawsuit that has already been dismissed by both the Common Pleas and Commonwealth Courts, it may very well continue to the Supreme Court. By perpetuating a legal battle reminiscent of the days Big Tobacco fought in court, the ABA has effectively delayed many of the city’s anticipated improvements made possible from the beverage tax, namely increased educational opportunities for our youth. Prior to this encumbering legal battle, the city was expecting to be able to enroll nearly 4,000 students in quality Pre-K programs, but have only been able to provide for half of their projections while the continued funding for these programs remains uncertain until the cessation of the ABA’s lawsuit.

Despite the delay, the Mayor is still dedicated to providing opportunities for children in our cities public educational system. Throughout the economic downturn before his election, local schools took major hits in funding, resulting in the closing of 24 schools as well as huge losses in nearly every available service from the number of nurses and social workers to instructors and principals. Having now been able to replace these workers, the district has seen an increase in up to 5% in student’s standardized test scores for the first time in over a decade.

“If turning our schools around and fixing education gives me one term instead of two, bye!”

Kenney is determined to keep education a priority and vows to never permit similar educational funding cuts.

This dedication to education not only helps our children, but our city as a whole. With far reaching systemic impacts, it allows for a strong and forward-thinking community to continue growing and improving. By creating an educated and capable work force, Philadelphia has the opportunity to flourish in today’s technologically driven economy.

“We need to express to students that we believe in you — that your zip code doesn’t determine the services you receive.”

Despite the challenges, the mayor sees the possibilities through it all. Sharing his vision for under-served areas throughout the city, it is clear the Mayor has a hopeful outlook for all of our city’s neighborhoods. One example: the community at Broad and Erie. Although currently not on the map of must visit neighborhoods for retail or fine dining, Kenney sees immense potential for the area to become a new hub of commerce and community and stresses the importance of investments in these communities to allow them to realize their potential.

His inspiring, forward thinking mentality no doubt extends to the looming prospect of the Amazon move into Philadelphia as well. If chosen for the company’s new headquarters location, more than 50,000 jobs are expected to become available and Kenney and his entire team have been worked tirelessly to prepare proposals. Although faced with strong competition from cities nationwide, the mayor still retains his signature optimism.

“Even if we don’t get it, we’ve put in tremendous effort and improved our data, our videos, our websites, and everybody worked together.”

Whether or not Philadelphia becomes home to Amazon’s newest headquarters, our city has clearly made extensive advancements throughout the past two years, and our Mayor seems to have no shortage of innovative ideas for the future.

“You’re truly never happy until you’re in service to others”

It is evident how personally dedicated the Mayor is to his work and how he strives to understand what every citizen experiences, from those facing homelessness to students trying to succeed in underserved schools. While he is all too aware of the immense challenges facing our communities, it appears as if Kenney holds nothing but optimism for the city to be able to overcome them.

The post Philadelphia Local Independent Business Community Meets with Philadelphia Mayor appeared first on Sustainable Business Network of Greater Philadelphia.

On Small Business Saturday in 2016, 112 million shoppers showed their love for their favorite spots, and spent a reported $15.4 billion at small businesses.1

For the past seven years, this holiday has helped small businesses gain exposure and experience increased sales at the beginning of the holiday season.

As a community comprised of many small local businesses, we love that Small Business Saturday has helped consumers understand the importance of supporting your local economy:

• Spending money locally matters. Fourteen jobs are created for every $10 million in consumer spending at Amazon. Fifty-seven jobs are created for the same amount spent locally.2

• On average, 48 percent of each purchase at local independent businesses was recirculated locally, compared to less than 14 percent of purchases at chain stores.3

• There is a chance that you can ditch your car for the day and take a walk to meet your shopping needs.

It is clear. Shopping at small local businesses is an effective way to support your community.

So, please go out on Saturday and shop small.

But don’t stop there. Acquaint yourself with your small, local business community.

And shop local every day.

We encourage you to accept the challenge to rethink where you shop and do business and to make a commitment to choose local independent businesses.

The SBN community demonstrates every day the degree to which businesses can build profitable enterprises and serve community needs and protect the environment. The local independent businesses that make up our community set the example for how business can be a force for good.

Check out our online Sustainable Business Directory and add some of our member businesses to your Small Business Saturday shopping list, and then keep them in your regular rotation.

The post Shop Local Every Day appeared first on Sustainable Business Network of Greater Philadelphia.

By definition, the City of Philadelphia’s Commerce Director is charged with providing resources to local businesses. However, with thirty years of experience in the corporate world, Harold Epps has taken the initiative to ensure the scope of his impact is far more expansive. From Center’s City’s high rises to vacant lots in north Philadelphia, Epps is involved in it all, seeing not only where we are but where we are going. He is looking to what the future holds as he promotes growth throughout all of the city’s diverse neighborhoods. He was able to share some details on his team’s work at October’s Entrepreneur’s Roundtable, an event exclusive to Sustainable Business Network of Greater Philadelphia (SBN) members that allows local business leaders to engage in conversation with local policy makers.

“The reason I took the job was because I wanted to help facilitate as much progress in the neighborhoods as possible,” said Epps.

Our city is, without a doubt, growing. And while much of the focus has historically been on developing Center City, Epps is making it a priority to diversify funding to all of Philadelphia’s neighborhoods. Providing safe, clean, and well-lit areas to support this development lays the building blocks for new business growth and residential expansion throughout our diverse areas. With a population comprised of nearly 44% African American, 16% Hispanic and Latino, and 5% Asian, Epps realizes the importance of prioritizing minority and women business development in order for the economy to prosper. “We need to ensure that our workforce looks as much like the city as possible,” urged Epps.

As he implements diversity and inclusion policies, Epps has encountered a variety of unique challenges. With nearly 25.5% of Philadelphia living in poverty, the city faces a pressing problem. Providing housing is obviously crucial, but providing economic opportunities that allows citizens to be upwardly mobile is also an urgent need. As Epps has discovered, there is no blueprint for identifying which funding focus will have the most positive impact.

One investment that does carry with it an almost guaranteed positive impact is education. On a recent trip to Denver, the Commerce Director witnessed how other cities are stressing the importance of growing an educated workforce. In Denver, 55% of the population has attained 2 or 4-year degrees. This has opened the doors to business growth and the unemployment rate now stands at only 2%. In comparison, in Philadelphia only 35% of the population has attained a 2 or 4 year degree and the city faces an unemployment rate of 6%. This disparity illustrates to Epps the immense need for our city to begin investing in education, saying,

“Philadelphia is going in the right direction, but not nearly as fast enough.”

The current reality is that our public schools are in desperate need of an upgrade. Many areas are not yielding quality talent ready for the workforce and it is becoming evident that supplemental programs are necessary. Responding to these needs, the Commerce Department is now moving to collaborate with respective parties to introduce supportive resources such as coop, intern, and network experiences to show students the possibilities available after graduation and the importance of higher learning. “One of the biggest frustrations is taking our legacy manufacturing ecosystem and transferring it to a knowledge economy,” said Epps, “because that’s where the jobs go today.”

As our government works to secure more funding to encourage success in our public schools, another need is evident. Nontraditional students, a large population between the ages of 18–35, need to return to education to be able to gain employment. Without sufficient education to land them quality employment, many are left with fewer employment opportunities. And unfortunately, the lack of access to gainful employment can lead to an increase in drug activity in disadvantaged neighborhoods. This contributes to the sobering reality that more than a third of minority men in our community will come in contact with the judicial system, which not only stigmatizes them, but also limits their access to quality employment for the rest of their lives among other rights

Epps recounted a personal experience. Sitting behind a group of young people on the subway, the Commerce Director could hear a young man and two friends complaining how they are struggling to find jobs, so Epps decided to reach out. Offering his business card, he encouraged them to contact him for help. After one of the young men contacted him, Epps took on the project of helping him in his job search and was able to see first-hand the struggles that face many under-served youths as they try to provide for themselves and convince employers to give them a chance. By seeing how this young man’s story represents a larger narrative it is clear why so many fall back into poverty and unemployment despite their efforts. “As a community, we need to reach out and lift up our neighbors to give them access to equal opportunities,” said Epps.

An additional challenge in our educational system lies with students who do make it to college but are still unable to find gainful employment. As more students choose to attend colleges and universities, the need for technically skilled workers continues to rise throughout the city. In addition to not being able to find available jobs post-graduation, most students then carry nearly insurmountable college debt in addition. Epps urges both students and universities to put more emphasis on technical careers, as well as in the fastest growing segment in the city, the medical field. As one of the industries less vulnerable to outsourcing its labor force, it is vital that we realize this opportunity and begin preparing a work force to meet the needs of this rapidly growing industry.

While education is certainly a huge challenge facing our community, we are also facing a lag in our number of startup businesses. To address this, the Commerce Director is dedicating staff to specifically focus on helping these businesses, making governmental aid more accessible, and promoting the tech and startup ecosystem. Curtis Gregory, Senior Director at the Office of Business Services, shares Epps extensive business background, and together the two are focused on results and accountability for their new initiatives. 
Recognizing that capital procurement is a huge issue for new businesses, the team has created an online platform for which businesses may submit their information once and then disperse it to a multitude of banks and financial providers to petition for capital investment and loans. Once a lengthy and stressful process for new business owners, this implementation has made the first steps towards making funding more more fluid and accessible for small businesses and startups. In addition, the city is taking steps to encourage business development including investing in neighborhood beautification, providing grants to aid in high startup equipment costs, and enacting a Business Bill of Rights to ensure accessibility and accountability between business and local government. SBN has been instrumental in communicating the needs of the local, independent business community for the latter.

While we as citizens of Philadelphia are clearly invested in these new implementations for education and business, other stakeholders are also taking notice. Namely, Amazon. Epps communicated that although our geographic location offers needed efficient and affordable centralized access to other nearby metropolitan areas such as Washington D.C. and New York City, we have much more to offer the global company such as talent, affordability, and available infrastructure capacity.

Not only do the nearly 100 surrounding universities provide thousands of skilled graduates every year, but the Commerce Director is assured that the affordability of the city also lends itself to incoming talent relocating for employment at Amazon. Because sticker shock of the high cost of living in nearby areas, such as New York City, will likely make it more difficult and expensive for Amazon to recruit should they go elsewhere, Philadelphia poses a promising alternative. In terms of capacity for growth, Philadelphia also poses a viable option. Once home to nearly 2 million people throughout the 1950’s, today our population has dipped to just 1.5 million, which means we have available capacity for the influx of workers Amazon will no doubt introduce.

Although there are detractors and people concerned with the unintended consequences of courting such a large company, this potential for a rapid influx of available jobs has many in our city excited about the possibility of Amazon building their second headquarters in our city. While our city has successfully been able to add 50,000 jobs in the past 10 years, the move of the company would mean an additional 50,000 new available jobs almost immediately. Additionally, taxes procured from the expansion would mean huge changes for our city at large. With more funding to invest in other areas of the city, small businesses, and education, the addition of Amazon might be the jumpstart solution our city has been looking for to catapult other much-needed initiatives. And while our city realizes the immense benefits having such a huge company in Philadelphia, there are limits to the incentives we can offer:

“Our city and state is aggressive, but we will not be irresponsible when offering tax incentives to encourage businesses to move to our city,” said Epps.

It is evident that Philadelphia has a variety of exciting prospects on the horizon. Epps and his team is busy with many other initiatives throughout the city. By focusing on creating a support system for new business startups, adapting our public education system to provide the most effective additions to the workforce, and making the city’s government more accessible and accountable than ever before, Epps is ensuring his impact is being realized throughout all of our cities diverse communities. By expanding his reach beyond his job description, Epps is inspiring us to grow our impact as well. In emphasizing the need to reach out to our fellow community members, Harold Epps inspired us all at SBN’s Entrepreneurs Roundtable and illustrated how we can all work together to continue building a just, green, and thriving local economy.

When launching the Entrepreneurs’ Roundtable series in 2016, the goal was clear: connecting the voices and stories of SBN businesses with the region’s leading policy makers. Reflecting on our conversations to date, SBN is proud that the Roundtables have brought innovative ideas and diverse perspectives to complex issues like social entrepreneurship, environmental sustainability, workforce development, and the regulatory climate. To learn more, visit https://www.sbnphiladelphia.org/.

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As part of Philadelphia’s Minority Enterprise Development Week programming, SBN gathered three local women, minority, and disadvantaged business enterprise (WMDBE) business owners to discuss what the triple bottom line means to them and their business. The event, “What is the Impact Economy and How Do I Know if I’m Part of It?”, created a platform to share insights from three different sectors, showcasing how companies can go beyond only considering the conventional bottom line.

SBN was proud to welcome Liz Brown (Webjunto), Lou Rodriguez (Rodriguez Consulting) and Aasit Nanvati (WeGardn)to present on this panel.

Diversity, inclusion, and the triple bottom line have always been important aspects of Liz Brown’s business plan:

“What drove me to start the business, was knowing that I could use it to make a difference.”

By providing programming aimed at teaching students coding as well as promoting technology access in schools, Liz and her team are positively impacting the next generation of workers in Philadelphia’s growing tech community. She is also enthusiastic about civic hacking, a meetup of designers and developers who think collectively and creatively to solve pressing social issues. We have civic hacking to thank for new developments such as OneBusAway, a real-time locator for accurate public transportation schedules. The app was created by a civic hacking meetup of programmers and developers and has now expanded to multiple cities nationwide while still being run as an open source project.

When starting his company in 2007, Lou Rodriguez’s first hire was a female land surveyor from Poland who was unable to find a job here in the United States despite earning extensive education beyond what is required in the US. Realizing that there are many more highly skilled, yet under-served workers struggling to find employment, Lou decided to create a company culture that highlighted diversity. Today, with a team of international engineers and surveyors, Lou has been able to welcome employees from an expansive mix of backgrounds, experience, and ideas to address any challenges the team is faced with.

Aasit Nanvati is also no stranger to the impact economy. After extensive experience working in underserved communities internationally, Nanvati realized the importance of developing holistic partnerships between business, government, and educational institutions to address social needs. After returning to Philadelphia, he used his findings to get right to work developing a new online marketplace aimed to provide access to fresh, high quality, local foods. WeGardn brings diversity to the market by allowing small local farmers to reach a more widespread audience to sustain their business. Additionally, the online retailer provides a means for diverse consumers to access fresh nutritious foods, which is particularly a challenge for urban residents who don’t have local farm markets.

These three businesses demonstrate what it means to be part of the impact economy. Clearly these businesses are making a difference in Philadelphia, but in order to determine whether or not a business’s impact will have any effect on who is awarded city contracts we welcomed Trevor Day to the panel. As Procurement Commissioner for the City of Philadelphia, he shared how he has incorporated a “Best Value” policy for the department. This policy allows the city to consider impact when selecting vendors. His team not only compares prices but also quality, sustainability, and social impact. This policy makes it possible for smaller businesses to land government contracts, even if they are unable to provide the lowest costs.

It has been shown that money spent at local businesses will circulate through the economy three more times than if spent at a corporation or non-local business.

By opting to use local businesses, the city is impacting our communities on a broad scale and ensuring that money spent in Philadelphia, stays in Philadelphia.

In addition to enacting their new “Best Value” policy, local government is has doing what they can to encourage a more localized approach to institutional procurement. This starts with listening to the local business community. Over the past several months, SBN has gathered feedback from business owners about local procurement and we will use this information to make policy recommendations aimed at simplifying the procurement process. After hearing about these three businesses’ impact model and their commitment to diversity and inclusion, we look forward to the future of local procurement as one way to build a more resilient local economy.

To learn more about the Sustainable Business Network of Greater Philadelphia, click here.

Are you part of the impact economy? Want to learn more? Click here to take the Best for PHL workshop.

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