Coming off another successful year of delivering Triple Botton Line results (fiscal, social and environmental) to enterprises of all types and sizes across the bi-state area in 2024, the St. Louis Green Business Challenge continues to support integration of sustainability measures into the kinds of everyday operational practices common to every business. The Challenge – a program of the Missouri Botanical Garden – is focused on inspiring voluntary steps to help improve the environment and air quality in the region. As the Clean Air Partnership has a similar mission, we’re pleased to once again highlight its tremendous impact by recognizing some of the outstanding participants throughout this milestone year.
Since the program launched in 2010, more than 300 businesses, non-profits and municipalities have joined the Challenge, engaging over 160,000 employees and nearly 570,000 residents that have been influenced by this work. Ongoing commitment to sustainability remains strong as 60% of these companies have participated in the Challenge for two or more years and 50% for three years or more. Just this last year alone, 60 companies, non-profits, institutions and governmental bodies participated in the Challenge. An impressive 100% of these participants formed a Green Team to lead sustainability efforts, established or are developing sustainability policies, kept up with or started workplace recycling (even during remote working), and maintained sustainability communications with colleagues or constituents. Moreover, 99% continued or added to special waste stream recycling and 98% provided green learning opportunities or Green-At-Home resources for employees.
Now in its 15th year, Challenge activity influences the business, higher education, local government and non-profit sectors of the St. Louis regional economy. The program works for building owners and tenants, supporting companies new to sustainability concepts, those already engaged and seeking to improve, as well as high-performing multi-year participants. 2024 Challenge companies benefitted from customized coaching, including annual site visits provided by expert staff of the EarthWays Center, the Garden’s sustainability division. These services supported company Green Teams in efficient and cost-effective sustainability work through policies and practices, in accord with each company’s unique goals and culture.
Other noteworthy sustainability service honors for the Challenge included being recognized with the 2024 Program Excellence Award by the American Public Gardens Association. Additionally, Challenge manager Jean Ponzi received the Lewis C. Green Environmental Service Award from Great Rivers Environmental Law Center, was named by Grow Native! as 2024 Native Plant Ambassador, and was also honored with the Gateway Lifetime Public Service Award from East-West Gateway Council of Governments. Talk about a clean air champion! 👏
Registration for the 2025 Challenge is open now through March 31st. A Green Biz Showcase happy hour event will kick off this year’s program on Thursday, Feb. 27th from 4:30-7 p.m., hosted at Cortex Innovation District. For more information on how to get your company or municipality involved in the St. Louis Green Business Challenge/Green Cities Challenge, subscribe to the Challenge’s bi-monthly E-newsletter here or visit stlouisgreenchallenge.com. To learn more about the link between sustainability and air quality, be sure to check out our website, like us on Facebook or follow us on X, formerly known as Twitter, @gatewaycleanair.
(L-R) Jaclyn Jezik and Jean Ponzi, Challenge staff