VBSR P/E/E Committee
Agenda
May 16, 2006
Noon – 1:00
Sweetwater’s, Burlington
Business Horizons, VBSR's semiannual printed newsletter
General overview & desired outcomes (12:00 – 12:05)
Format, content, differences between summer and winter editions:
Features common to both
 Lead article, one or two shorter articles
 Thanks to sustaining and gold level members
 Welcome to new members
 Upcoming events
 Board of directors
 Networking events photo summary/collage
Spring/summer
 Annual report
 Photos/summary of spring conference
 Preview of fall conference
Fall/winter
 Public policy watch
 Photos/summary of fall conference
 Preview of spring conference/call for presentations, Terry Ehrich nominations
Outcomes: Suggestions for improved/refreshed format & content; specific ideas for
future articles
Newsletter goals (12:05 – 12:20)
Goals, and how they fit with VBSR's overall program/education goals:
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Educate through coverage of SR issues, member businesses, best practices
Introduce new members
Update on legislative issues and VBSR’s policy focus
Update on state of the organization (annual report)
Improvement of format and content (12:20 – 12:35)
Discuss how format and content can better achieve those goals, including the best
combination of specific components (e.g., feature articles, best practices, business tools &
resources, etc.)
Brainstorm articles and potential contributors (12:35 - 1:00)
Ideas for summer issue:
 Review and photos of spring conference
 Preview of fall conference
 Article(s) by fall keynoters?
 Mathew Rubin’s thoughts on Terry Ehrich
 Greening up the office based on Co-op America guidelines
 Article by someone at Federal Reserve Bank on employer-assisted housing (sent
by Bruce Seifer)
General ideas:
 feature new member
 feature gold level member
 feature long-standing member
 features on/info from other similar orgs around the country/world
VBSR newsletter past articles (most recent first):
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Cleaning for Heath: Products and Practices for a Safer Indoor Environment
by INFORM—national non-profit research
Holy Grail found: absolute, definitive proof that responsible companies perform
better financially
by Marjorie Kelly
On Choosing Community (reasons to buy local)
by Chris Morrow
Organic Food for Public Schools
by George Schenk
VBSR Ambassadors Program
by staff
Forging a New Approach to Leadership (feature on Hubbardton Forge & its
expansion, team building, and management structure)
by Laura Peterson
Navigating Child Care Tax Credits: New Resource Helps Small Businesses
Create Cost-Effective, Family-Friendly Workplaces
by Elizabeth Meyer
A New Economic Vision (excerpt from speech at fall conference)
by Don Mayer
2002 World Summit: A Mixed Bag (summary of Sylvie’s experience at gathering
of 60,000 world gov’t, business, civic leaders)
by Sylvia Blanchet
“Green Thursdays” Create a Common Language at Truex Cullins & Partners
Architects
by Lisa Marie Gerondeau
A Clean Sweep: Wind Energy Investments Can Offset Your Emissions
by Tom Boucher
Is an ESOP Right for You?
by Corey Rosen (Exec Dir of Nat’l Ctr for Employee Ownership)
Members Making a Difference (short paragraphs on members’ SR best
practices—appeared in several issues)
by staff
John Winter: Stirring it Up at Green Mountain Coffee Roasters
by Lisa Marie Gerondeau
Your Passions, Your Portfolio: Making Your Money Make a Difference
by Jennifer Pearl
Map the Route of Your Corporate Culture: Cultural Business Plans Can Steer You
in the Right Direction (including a sample plan developed at King Arthur Flour)
by Flip Brown
Taking the Natural Step Toward Sustainability (overview of The Natural Step
[TNS] framework)
by Paul Lipke
Why Work? (overview of important needs met in the workplace)
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by Michael Garrett
Green Taxes: Changing the Way We Think (background info related to VBSR’s
work with Fair Tax Coalition)
by staff
Murray Banks Says “Awesome!” (feature on communications consultant)
by Page Guertin
More Firms Buying Into Idealism: They say bottom line has room for doing good
(review of fall conference )
by Carolyn Martin (staff of Keene Sentinel)
Sharing Our Values, Sharing My Vision (member review of fall conference)
by Betty Frye
Behaviors Demonstrate Your True Vision (story of how employee burn-out in one
organization didn’t match stated values)
by Ron Rosenburg
Toppling Goliath: Initiatives for Fairer Tax Systems Build Across the Country
(article from VNRC)
by Brenda Hausauer
Vermont Employers Take Heed: Problems Plague Work Visa Program
by Brian Sullivan (attorney with Burak, Anderson & Melloni)
What Labor Shortage? Dot.com Taps Into Non-Traditional Neighborhoods
(feature on CitySoft’s hiring from non-traditional, urban neighborhoods)
by Laura Peterson
Go Big Green! Can a Green Team Tackle Your Environmental Challenges?
by Laura Peterson