4/9/15 – Crosby’s – Setting an Example for Convenience Stores in WNY
Small Business Green Initiative (SBGI) Certification
Buffalo, NY: Today, Crosby’s is the first company in Western New York to be awarded the Small Business Green Initiative (SBGI) certification. The SBGI certification is instituted by Sustainable Earth Solutions (SES), a Buffalo-based B-Corporation that is committed to empowering small businesses to gain competitive advantages by integrating sustainability with their strategies and operations. In preparing to obtain the SBGI certification, Crosby’s goal was to cost-effectively reduce energy consumption. They did so, and have realized better performance.
Crosby’s is constantly looking for ways to improve its measures for sustainability. Some of its note-worthy initiatives include: composting food waste, selling locally-grown and -produced food, and following best practices of green building for its chain of stores. Having completed energy efficiency measures and green energy production projects with success, the company embarked on the SBGI journey to identify more means to become more sustainable. While working with the SES team, it was brought to their attention that thermostats located close to their kitchens were triggering premature activation of air-conditioning. Not only did this cause the stores to be too cold, it also led to extra energy expense. Contractors for Crosby’s are now looking into the possibility of better locations for thermostats. Given its advanced capability for clean energy production, Crosby’s is also working on installing a highly visible monitor in its stores that will display real-time energy production , to show that they are changing for the better.
Earning SBGI certification involved the following stages for Crosby’s:
- Establish a mission, conduct baseline analysis and identify a project topic;
- Identify challenges, assistors and resistors; develop a strategic plan;
- Implement the plan and submit a detailed report of that,with metrics.
In receiving the SBGI certification, Steve Warren, the Crosby’s representative, said, “In being the Project Manager of the SBGI for Crosby’s, the SBGI helped me identify sustainability goals, and creatively come up with ideas to reach them. I feel that Crosby’s has done a great job. but our work is not done,. We will always look for an economically-feasible way to become a more sustainable company. The future of sustainability in Crosby’s is bright.”
About Sustainable Earth Solutions: Sustainable Earth Solutions (SES) is a Buffalo-based sustainability consulting company. SES has assisted Greatbatch Medical and the Buffalo Zoo in launching their sustainability programs. SES is one of only two B-Corporations in WNY. So, it leads our region in work for social benefit. SES has achieved a top 10% ranking among all the global B-Corps, for its positive impact on the WNY and global communities.