Inforum Presents 'Understanding Sustainability ... and How To Make It Work for You'

Inforum Presents 'Understanding Sustainability ... and How To Make It Work for
You'
Hosted by Inforum, A Professional Women's Alliance

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., April 17 /PRNewswire/ -- Inforum, Michigan's premier
organization for professional women, will present a luncheon forum on
"Understanding Sustainability... And How to Make it Work for You" on Tuesday,
April 29.
A panel of experts in business, government and education will reveal what
the "triple bottom line" model of business operation is and how it can impact
a company's bottom line, the environment and society. They will share valuable
tips on how this strategy can be applied to all aspects of life and why
community welfare is linked to individual and organizational welfare.

Date: Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Time: 5 p.m. Networking/Registration; 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.
Presentation/Dinner
Place: Aquinas College, Donnelly Center, 1607 Robinson Rd SE,
Grand Rapids, MI 49506
Cost: Inforum members $35; Non-members $50. (Add $10 after
4/26/2008 and at the door)
Reservations: www.inforummichigan.org or 616.913.0206

Panelists include Marylu Dykstra, Owner, Sirius Resources; Mary Ellen
Mika, LEED-AP, CPM, Supply Chain Manager, Energy and Environment, Steelcase;
Laura Rauwerda, West Michigan Field Representative, Michigan Department of
Environmental Quality; and Deb Steketee, Ph.D., Executive Director for the
Center for Sustainability, Aquinas College. The moderator for the evening will
be Kelley Losey, Business Unit Manager, Quest Sustainable Solutions, Cascade
Engineering.
"The triple bottom line approach to business management is based on trying
to integrate the three Es -- economics, environment, and ethical social
responsibilities -- not just concentrating on economics as businesses often
did when they issued their financial reports. If these three pillars of
sustainability are not in balance, a business will not be on a track to
sustainability," explains Inforum presenter Mary Ellen Mika, LEED-AP, CPM,
Supply Chain Manager, Energy and Environment, for Steelcase.
Mika also works with products that are rated "cradle to cradle certified"
by McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry based on their impact on the
environment -- from gathering and transporting raw materials to the production
facility, to the production process, to the materials used to make the
product, to distribution, then what happens to the product once it is no
longer used. Products that have the least negative impact on the environment
throughout their life cycle may be eligible for an "eco-label" such as MBDC's
"cradle to cradle certification."
For example, Steelcase's Think Chair is rated highly because of the
materials and process used to make the chair, and that it's easy to
disassemble to be recycled or perhaps easily stored for future use instead of
ending up as a bulky piece in a land fill.
Inforum presenter Marylu Dykstra, Principal, Sirius Resources, cites her
own lifestyle as an example of how simple it can be for small businesses or
individuals to work towards sustainability. Dykstra works from home and says,
"If I can't work virtually, I group meetings so my time on the road is
reduced, helping both my financial and environmental bottom lines." Addressing
the social justice perspective of sustainability, she gives discounts on
professional services she provides to non-profit organizations, helping them
work within limited budgets.
To hear more examples of how businesses can benefit from sustainable
business operations, attend the Inforum "Understanding Sustainability" dinner
hosted by Inforum and sponsored by Miller Canfield and co-Sponsored by Cascade
Engineering.
With more than 2,200 members from a broad cross-section of Michigan's
business community, Inforum is one of the largest and most prestigious
business forums for women in the nation. The mission of the organization is
to strengthen the business environment by creating opportunities for women to
lead and succeed. Founded as the Women's Economic Club in 1962 in Detroit,
Inforum has affiliates in Grand Rapids and Lansing, Michigan. For more
SOURCE Inforum

Judy Welch, Inforum West Michigan Regional Manager, +1-616-913-0206, or cell,
+1-616-308-7389, jwelch@inforummichigan.org