DISCOVER: GREEN BUSINESS STUDIES

OVERVIEW

For the past few years, corporate social responsibility has gained a lot of attention as some of the world's largest companies have embraced improving the environmental impact of their activities.

We are now seeing small businesses continue this trend (some would argue they actually started it) by building their business models around sustainable products and services. Entrepreneurial innovation as well as improvements on outdated infrastructure has lead to a flurry of green business activity. The potential for job creation and economic growth is extremely promising and, if managed correctly, could have a positive impact on our environment, economy, and community not seen in generations.

Although the surge of small green businesses is encouraging, the green economy is still in its nascent stage and little information is available about these up-and-coming companies. Try it. Do a search on the internet...not much there. We believe these young green businesses are the key to the success of a robust green economy, and we want to help them succeed. But in order to do that, we need to know more.

The Green Business Studies will investigate and DISCOVER the ins and outs of small green businesses' core operations, sustainable practices, and future goals. We will gain a better understanding of how a company can improve its impact on the environment and the community while also improving the bottom line. We will learn where businesses face the largest obstacles to growth and how to mitigate them. We will identify trends and future opportunities for business growth.

Understanding the needs of businesses that comprise the landscape of the green economy will be vital to their success. Our goal is to find solutions before they become insurmountable barriers.

FOCUS

The Green Business Studies will focus on a wide range of small businesses across all industries with revenue of $10 million or less. We will begin our first study in New York State and then branch out to other states until we have a comprehensive understanding of small green business activity in the U.S.

While the main focus of the study will be to investigate small green business practices and barriers to growth, RTI will also conduct in-depth interviews with government officials that offer support services to green businesses, venture capital firms that invest in green businesses, business students who are planning to start careers a green industry, and experienced green business leaders who have gained valuable insight by navigating through the perils of operating their own small business.

For more information about the Green Business Studies please e-mail: study@risingtideinitiative.org