The Business Landscape has Changed

If you were to wake up years in the future like Woody Allen in the 1973 comedy “Sleeper,” you’d be surprised by what has changed in your life. Normality and almost everything that you have known to be true.

That in a broad brushstroke summarizes expectations of what business, interpersonal relations, recreation, education, sports and other activities will look like after the coronavirus pandemic dissipates.

Yesterday, on Good Morning America, New York’s Gov. Andrew Cuomo opined when asked about schooling in September that he doesn’t know if schools will be open or not. Furthermore, he said, if someone offers a reply in any direction, don’t believe it. That means that no one, regardless of how educated or experienced they are, really knows what to expect in the near or distant future. SWAG is the name of the game.

So what should we do? What should business owners and entrepreneurs do to survive – not to mention thrive – until better times?

Basically, read as much as you can, listen to as many experts as you can, consult with as many smart people that you can, follow the rules and regulations, and then plan your steps to recovery meticulously, skillfully and effectively.

The road to recovery, relaunch or reopening of your business is a minefield with all sorts of obstacles not the least of which is the continuing prevalence of the disease itself. This fact alone has transformed people’s mentalities and made their manners unpredictable.

While coronavirus is being contained on one side of the country, it is spreading or spiking in other parts. It may be under control in one neighborhood of your marketplace while spreading on the other side of town.

As of this writing, the US death toll from the coronavirus illness is approaching 120,000, amid reports that nine states are recording either single-day record numbers of cases or their highest seven-day new case averages, indicating they are not managing to contain the spread. Some experts foresee between 130,000 and 140,000 deaths by the Fourth of July. Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Nevada, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina and Texas are seeing infections climb, according to a Washington Post analysis. The COVID-19 pandemic has killed some 445,000 globally already.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, head of the National Institute for Allergies and Infectious Diseases, said the current talk of a second wave of infections is irrelevant because the country is still dealing with the first wave. “We are seeing infections to a greater degree than they had previously seen in certain states, including states in the southwest and in the south,” Fauci said. “I don’t like to talk about a second wave right now, because we haven’t gotten out of our first wave.”

Nostradamus Arises

But Nostradamus predictions by reputable experts of a deadlier second wave in the fall are visible throughout the Internet, poisoning consumers’ behavior. Peering farther into the future, some analysts say there is at least a one-in-three chance that at least one of four major tail risks will occur within the next decade with major power outages as electrical power grids are disrupted: a major influenza pandemic killing more than 2 million people; a globally catastrophic volcanic eruption; a major solar flare; or a global war. Adjust the time frame to two decades, then there is a 56% chance of one of these disasters occurring, the analysts say, based on various studies and risk assessments.

After weeks at home, a stagnant economy, rising unemployment, padlocked businesses, schools and places of entertainment, and fear, the country is reawakening. Sadly, Americans aren’t cooperating with experts’ advice and frantically escaping their corrals, contributing to spikes and record numbers of hospitalizations as thousands more Americans get infected every day.

“We’re going to have to face the harsh reality in some states that we may need to shut down again,” Dr. Jonathan Reiner, a professor at George Washington University School of Medicine, was quoted as saying.

“Because of quarantine fatigue, because of the economic effects of quarantine, another round of shutdowns might have even larger effects on businesses that may be on the edge of not being able to stay solvent," warned Dr. Christopher Murray, director of the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington.

Experts offer three suggestions on curbing the spread of coronavirus: social distancing, masks and washing hands. Based on limited compliance with the first two it could then be safe to say that handwashing is also being belittled.

Gallup reported that about 67% of women said they had worn a mask outside their homes, compared with 56% of men, which was based on a random sample of 2,451 adults in the United States and had a margin of error of 3 percentage points. President Trump notoriously falls into the category of abstainers. Without delving into partisan affiliations, the survey found that people who live in a county that has recorded at least one coronavirus-related death are more likely to wear masks than people who live in counties that have recorded no deaths from the virus, according to the Gallup poll. Those who decline to wear masks say donning them is a sign of weakness or an infringement on their freedom of choice.

In New York City, some 80% of residents while nearly 79% of Los Angeles residents said they always wear masks in public, according to a nationally representative survey published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. However, outside of the two cities, 60% of Americans responded that they always wear masks in public.

Americans’ anarchistic and anti-science thinking will not benefit their communities, businesses and the world in the long run.

Feelings of Good Times Evaporate

Ironically, leading up to the pandemic catastrophe, small businesses had been optimistic about their prospects in 2020. Sales projections looked good. Then the bottom fell away. According to Princeton Economics, this spring surveyed small business owners were already severely impacted by COVID-19-related disruptions: 60% had already laid off at least one worker. Business owners’ expectations about the future were negative and deteriorated over time, with 37% of respondents in the first week reporting that they did not expect to recover within two years. That number grew to 46% by April 19. The proportion reporting that they didn’t expect to ever recover decreased by 0.4 percentage points per day, with only half of respondents believing their business would never recover within two years by the final week of the survey.

A recent study for the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research showed the number of active business owners in the United States had plunged by 3.3 million or 22% from February to April when the coronavirus shut down the economy, the steepest decline on record.

There is no question we are entering a deep and sharp recession, unfamiliar to economists as the virus is unfamiliar to the medical profession. Forecasters keep revising their predictions downward, with some now seeing an up to 40% drop in second quarter GDP.

Projected damage varies by industry. Overall, 38% of the small firms think they would still be open after a six-month crisis, but that drops to 27% for tourism and lodging firms, and only a 15% survival rate for restaurants.  And, as the authors note, entrepreneurs are notoriously optimistic, so “true survival rates may be even lower.” 

From a macroeconomic standpoint, the swiftness of closings is the biggest problem. Normally, around a third of small firms with employees fail in their first two years, and only about 50% survive for five years. But the pandemic crisis is compressing these closures into a very short time, which in turn drives down overall economic demand, in a negative spiral.

The economic toll from the first round of shutdowns has been staggering. More than 44 million people in the United States have filed for initial unemployment benefits since mid-March. The prognosis for a quick and painless recovery is not great. Many large and small businesses have already closed their doors while others face this unfortunate demise in the future. Everyone is loving their nerves.

According to the Small Business Administration (SBA), a small business is any firm with 1–499 employees. Under this definition, small businesses make up 47.3% of all private-sector employees but a whopping 61% of new jobs. So even a minor disruption in small businesses could affect a large portion of employees and the economy, especially during attempts at recovery. Seven and a half million small businesses will shut permanently if business disruption caused by COVID-19 continues unabated, according to a new survey from Main Street America. 

That sounds the death knell for a vital segment of America that is dependent on regular economic prosperity.

Reopening Steps in New Jersey

Unable to keep small business owners closed, governors are allowing them to open gradually their doors and begin servicing customers. For example, New Jersey’s Gov. Phil Murphy order provided clarification on how other businesses in the state may function, stating that:

• Restaurants and indoor recreational and entertainment businesses are permitted to allow individuals to tour their facilities for event-planning purposes, but such individuals must wear face coverings at all times and the facility may not provide food or drink tastings or samplings;

• Students, who may be accompanied by parents or guardians, may enter school premises to retrieve personal belongings from lockers, classrooms, or other areas;

• Open houses to view real estate are permitted, provided they comply with the restrictions on indoor gatherings, including the requirement that attendees wear face coverings;

• Bicycle shops, boat dealerships, car and used car dealerships, farming equipment stores, federal firearms licensees, livestock feed stores, mobile phone retail and repair shops, motorcycle dealerships, and nurseries and garden centers can operate according to the requirements placed on essential retail businesses;

• All car washes can operate according to the requirements placed on essential retail businesses;

• Yard and garage sales are permitted subject to the requirements on indoor gatherings, but municipalities shall have the discretion to impose additional restrictions on these sales;

• Special events, including fireworks displays, at public and private beaches, boardwalks, lakes, and lakeshores are permitted, subject to the restrictions on outdoor gatherings; and

• Shared space tutoring service facilities remain closed to students and clients.

These are more or less comparable across the country.

You may be chomping at the bit to open your business after weeks of being closed down, but it’s important to do so carefully. Budget for the new expenses you might face, assess your staffing needs, and continue adapting to these turbulent times so your business can survive the pandemic, and perhaps even thrive during it.

Erratic Consumer Behavior

Consumers’ behavior will impact your business because you will have to decide how to deal with those who aren’t ready to comply with the safety rules and regulations. Will you sell to them? Will you allow them into your place of business without face coverings?

To protect your customers and employees you may have to consider taking everyone’s temperature. However, will temperature checks make workplaces safe? According to experts, no, not completely. They can help reduce the risk of COVID-19 infections but shouldn’t be the only safety measure employers take.

Business owners, managers and employers should be aware that screening for fevers alone won’t eliminate risk. This becomes a new task for the human resources staff. People with the virus can be contagious without a fever, so it’s still important for employers to increase space between workers, disinfect surfaces and encourage hand washing. Employers have been seen installing Purell or other hand-washing stations in their places of business. A person’s temperature can be taken with a no-touch infrared thermometer pointed at the forehead, and workers can use the devices to take their own temperatures, using hand sanitizer before and after.

Restaurants are typical examples of small businesses and because they deal with food preparation and hungry patrons they’re under tighter scrutiny than other enterprises. They are also suffering more than others.

New research from the National Restaurant Association indicates that the restaurant industry has lost $120 billion in sales during the last three months due to the impact of coronavirus in the United States.

State mandated stay-at-home policies and forced closures of restaurants resulted in losses of $30 billion in March, $50 billion in April, and another $40 billion in May.

The association’s latest operator survey drew more than 3,800 responses, illustrating the extensive damage to restaurant businesses since the outbreak began. It found that the restaurant industry, which experienced the most significant sales and job losses of any industry in the country in the first quarter of 2020, expects to lose $240 billion by the year-end.

Social Distancing Leads to New Restaurant Budget

The social distancing requirement will certainly affect restaurants’ already impacted bottom lines. Foodservice operators need a pre-determined amount of sales per table to be profitable and the six-foot prerequisite will certainly erode their profits.

While waiting to open for al fresco or inside dining, many restaurants have been offering takeout service, which has its own set of new supplies, equipment and cost demands.

Like many retailers and other professions, foodservice also has had to invest in personal protective equipment such as overalls, masks and gloves, which is an extra costly line item. As a result, some American and Canadian restaurants have been seen adding a noticeable COVID-19 surcharge to their receipts totaling 5% of the bill. Will consumers accept that freely?

When given a choice between shopping and dining, consumers have chosen the former. That’s the finding from the latest survey from S&P Global Market Intelligence, which polled 1,250 people between April 30 and May 18. When restrictions let up, 44% of consumers said they planned to head back to stores. But only 31% said they’d dine out. After three months, the dine-out result rose to 40%.

Not that it should deteriorate to a battle between the two business segments, but restaurants can improve their odds by demonstrating the integrity of their menu selections at the time of the pandemic, offer patrons a pleasant and inviting ambiance, and assure them of a safe and healthy environment.

When you’re opening the doors to your business – food or non-food, you should pay attention to these issues: Safety and sanitizing procedures, your staffing needs, and being flexible with your business model.

The latter two points suggest that you should consider temporary staffing adjustments or reductions and not being married to your original business plan if you want to survive.

According to Luke Saunders, founder-CEO of the Farmer’s Fridge vending company, the future of the food business will be different. Among the differentiating points to consider are: food safety will be the new organic question, patrons will trim food-away-from-home budgets, closing the kitchen to the public eye, no more self-serve, 50% fewer tables, lines will not be a sign of success but rather poor management, limited menus and technology dominance.

The CDC recommends that restaurant layouts should be modified to allow for at least six-foot social distancing by marking tables that are not in use. Physical guides, such as tape on floors or sidewalks and signage, should also be used. Crowds should be discouraged through the use of phone apps, text technology, or signs to alert patrons when their table is ready. Buzzers and other shared objects should not be used, and self-serve food and drink options such as buffets, salad bars and drink stations should be avoided.

New Supermarket Traffic Patterns

In supermarkets, consumers that had begun to drift to the fresh produce sections have been seen wandering into the center aisles to buy packaged and dry goods. But COVID-19 quarantines and lockdowns have reversed the fresh trend, with shoppers clearing out shelf-stable products in recent months. 

Nielsen data sent to Food Dive showed exponential growth in these categories over the last nine weeks. Beans saw 82.1% growth, canned and pouch tuna jumped 75.6% and rice sales increased 84.5%​, according to Nielsen figures. 

“During the pandemic, consumers have begun to find comfort and a sense of safety in making sure they have enough food on hand,” Melanie Zanoza Bartelme, global food analyst at Mintel, told Food Dive. “Shelf-stable goods like beans and tuna offer a long shelf life and will 'be there' when consumers need them.”

This touches upon another consumer issue. I’ve seen shoppers obnoxiously defy supermarket traffic patterns clearly displayed on the floor that are intended to limit encounters in narrow aisles.

With the hint of reopening in the air, retail sales in May showed a 17.7% increase, the Department of Commerce announced, numbers that stood in sharp relief to the two previous months – there was a 14.7 percent drop in April and an 8.3 percent decline in March. However, The New York Times reported, “the underlying data presents a more complicated picture and shows just how arduous an economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic will be.

“The May numbers followed two months of record declines, and overall sales were still down 8% from February. Some categories, like clothing, were down as much as 63% from a year earlier. And many of the stores and restaurants that welcomed back customers last month did so with fewer employees, reflecting a permanently altered retail landscape and an ominous sign for the labor market.”

The story notes that “May’s retail sales figures became the latest data point fueling the debate in Washington and on Wall Street about whether a broad reopening of businesses will cause the economy to snap back quickly or if additional stimulus measures are needed.”

While competition among all businesses will be stiffer as the country opens up, those firms that demonstrate strict and visible adherence to official Centers for Disease Control regulations will edge out their competitors. Successful businesses will have to be quicker in launching new products and new marketing campaigns. They should take advantage of seasonal events that are celebrated, often worldwide, every year to promote their businesses such as Valentine's Day, Christmas, Black Friday, Easter, 4th of July, Thanksgiving, Chinese New Year, Halloween, Mother's Day and Father’s Day. Seasonal stories also include the four seasons: spring, summer, autumn/fall, and winter.

Pitching seasonal stories is a great way of getting regular media exposure and as the event happens at the same time every year, business owners can prepare for them in advance and use the same or similar angle year after year. Journalists accept story ideas that are current which makes seasonal stories very attractive to them and the good news is linking your business to a seasonal event and coming up with a seasonal story can be easy.

Digital Economy to be Key

We are heading into an intensified digital marketplace after coronavirus with consumers favoring online purchases rather than in person. Business owners can also benefit from this trend. Nearly 1/3 of small business owners have admitted that without digital tools they would have had to close all or part of their business during the COVID crisis. American small businesses are relying more on digital tools during the COVID crisis, with 76% saying that they’re relying more on digital tools to run their business. One-third of small businesses say that they will rely more on digital tools moving forward from the COVID crisis. A lot of business owners have learned from COVID-19 the importance of adapting. As you reopen, think about the evolving needs of customers & aim to accommodate. 40% of small businesses say they’ve relied on digital tools to find new customers during the #COVID19 crisis; 36% say they have used digital tools to pivot to online sales.

If you’re stuck coming up with a course of action, consider a Bloomberg discovery. In December 2017 Bloomberg made headlines when it published a report that suggested inclusive teams made better decisions up to 87% of the time. The report also noted that having more inclusive decision-making led to swifter decisions. As a contemporary solution, inclusiveness takes into account race, gender, age, and physically challenged people.

Recent newspaper articles have observed that the governments that have apparently dealt well with the COVID-19 pandemic, such as New Zealand, Germany and Taiwan, are those that have women in key positions. A wider analysis will be needed in due course to decide if the mere presence of women makes a difference, but a 2019 World Economic Forum report noted that having women in decision-making positions across different state-level governments in Canada made a measurable difference to health.

In order to attract and keep employees, you may have to consider new perks for them. Two hot ones nowadays are working from home to a greater or lesser degree or working four days a week.

Show your current and potential customers that you are sensitive to contemporary issues such as sustainability which usually helps businesses grow and expand.

All of this is important as the world’s governments claim to want to build back better or rebuild a better world after the immediate health and socio-economic impacts of the COVID-19 crisis have passed.

Going forward, seek sound advice from a host of free business consultative services such as the Small Business Administration (https://www.sba.gov/), America’s Small Business Development Centers (https://americassbdc.org/) and its state affiliations such as the New Jersey Small Business Development Centers (https://njsbdc.com/), SCORE (https://www.score.org/) and others.

I don’t know if what’s ahead of us is a brave, new world, but it certainly isn’t for the faint of heart. You had the skills, education, training, determination and attitude to launch your endeavor so relying on these characteristics today should carry you to better days.

AS A BONUS, here is a link to the 50 best blogs that every B2B marketer should follow:

https://business.linkedin.com/marketing-solutions/blog/b2b-content-marketing/2018/The-50-blogs-every-B2B-marketer-should-follow?src=li-scin&mcid=6607434924943335424

155 Global Firms Back ‘Net-Zero’ Covid-19 Recovery

World leaders have determined that coronavirus recovery is not nearly enough to help humanity. They believe that a mental, economic and political reset is needed to return to economic resiliency and growth.

Consequently, 155 global companies are jointly urging governments to align their covid-19 economic aid and recovery efforts with the latest climate science making this the largest ever UN-backed CEO-led climate advocacy effort, according to Science Based Targets initiative, the UN Global Compact, and the We Mean Business coalition.

These firms, with a combined market capitalization of more than $2.4 trillion and employing in excess of 5 million people, have reaffirmed their own science-based commitments to achieving a zero carbon economy and called on governments to match their ambition.

The business leaders noted that the coronavirus outbreak is a stark reminder of the fragility of the world’s current economic system. They also said the pandemic reminds world governments and businesses that science must be the collective guide on the path to a more resilient economy. Setting and working towards science-based targets is the best way for companies and governments alike to protect against future climate-related business and economic disruptions, they indicated.

As urgent discussions on recovery packages around the world have been ramping up, the companies, which are all part of the Science Based Targets initiative, are calling for policies that will build resilience against future shocks by supporting efforts to hold global temperature rise to within 1.5 C (34.7 F) above pre-industrial levels, in line with reaching net-zero emissions well before 2050.

The announcement comes as countries are preparing trillions of dollars worth of stimulus packages to help economies recover from the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic, and as they prepare to submit enhanced national climate plans under the Paris Agreement. In the coming weeks, several major economies will take key decisions in their recovery efforts, including the European Union Recovery Plan, new stimulus packages from the United States of America and India, and the G7 Heads of State summit in June.

These companies have already set, or committed to set, science-based emissions reduction targets, according to the announcement. By signing the statement, they are reaffirming that their own decisions and actions remain grounded in science, while calling on governments to “prioritize a faster and fairer transition from a grey to a green economy.” Policy and spending that incorporates climate targets will reduce vulnerability to future shocks and disasters, create good jobs, reduce emissions and ensure clean air, according to a study from Oxford University, thus making the planet better for future generations.

“Saving lives and livelihoods, and building a prosperous, inclusive and sustainable future, are at the heart of our efforts to recover from covid-19,” said UN Secretary-General António Guterres. “We can beat the virus, address climate change and create new jobs through actions that move us from the grey to green economy. Many companies are showing us that it is indeed possible and profitable to adopt sustainable, emission-reducing plans even during difficult times like this. I warmly welcome the ambitious, science-based actions we are seeing from leading companies who are demonstrating to policy-makers that green growth remains the best growth strategy.”

The business voices are convened by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) and its Business Ambition for 1.5C campaign partners, the UN Global Compact and the We Mean Business coalition. The SBTi, which is a collaboration between CDP, the UN Global Compact, World Resources Institute and WWF, independently assesses and validates corporate climate targets against the latest climate science.

“Governments have a critical role to play by aligning policies and recovery plans with the latest climate science, but they cannot drive a systemic socio-economic transformation alone. To address the interconnected crises we face, we must work together as an international community to deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement,” said Lila Karbassi, chief of programs at the UN Global Compact, and Science Based Targets initiative board member. “As the largest ever UN-backed CEO-led climate advocacy effort, these companies are leading the way in driving ambitious science-based action and advocacy to help reduce vulnerability to future shocks and disasters.”

“It is imperative that we not only restart the world economy — but also reset it. It would be a tragedy if after spending $10-20 trillion of public money we simply rebuild the same unequal, vulnerable and high carbon economy we had before,” said Dr. Andrew Steer, president and CEO of World Resources Institute and SBTi Board Member. “We applaud the leaders of these 155 companies, who are not only committed to resetting their own companies but are also demanding that the world’s governments act in the light of the best science and best economics which shows that climate-smart policies will create more jobs and stimulate resilient, inclusive economic growth.”

The signatories span 34 sectors and have headquarters in 33 countries: Abdi Ibrahim Pharmaceuticals, ACCIONA, Accor, Adobe, Agder Energi, Arabesque, Arc'teryx Equipment, AstraZeneca, Auchan Retail Portugal, Bayer, Beiersdorf, BIAL, Bonava, Burberry, Capgemini, Cargotec, Carlsberg Group, Cellnex, CEWE Stiftung & Co. KGaA, City Developments Limited, CMA CGM, Coca-Cola European Partners, Colgate Palmolive Company, Corbion, Cranswick, Dalberg Advisors, Dalmia Cement (Bharat) Limited, Danfoss Group, Diageo, Diam Group, dormakaba, Dutch-Bangla Pack, EcoVadis, EDF Group, EDP Energias de Portugal, Electrolux, En+ Group, Enel, ERM, Europcar Mobility Group, Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya, Firmenich, Gleeds, Glovo, Grundfos Holding, Grupo Red Eléctrica, GSMA, H. Lundbeck, H&M Group, Henkel, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Husqvarna Group, HP Inc., Iberdrola, ICA Gruppen, Inditex, Ingka Holding, Inter IKEA Group, Intuit, JLL, Kearney, Kelani Valley Plantations, Kuehne + Nagel International AG, LafargeHolcim, Legrand, Lojas Renner, Maeda Corporation, Magyar Telekom, Mars, Marshalls, Marui Group, Media 6, Movida Participações, MP Pension, Natura & Co., Nestlé, Nomad Foods, Novartis, Novo Nordisk, NR Instant Produce Public Company, O. T. Sports Manufacture, Orange, Orbia Advance, Orkla, Ørsted, Pearson, PensionDanmark, Pernod Ricard, PVH Corp., Refinitiv, Ronald Lu & Partners, Royal DSM, RSE (Ross-shire Engineering), Safaricom, Saint-Gobain, Salesforce.com inc., Sanofi, Scania, Scapa Inter, Schneider Electric, Schüco International, SIG Combibloc, Signify, Sky, SkyPower Global, Sofidel, Sonae Sierra, Sopra Steria Group, Stora Enso Oyj, SUEZ, Symrise, Syngenta Group, Takasago International Corporation, Talawakelle Tea Estates, Tate & Lyle, Tech Mahindra, Telefonica, The Co-op, The Lux Collective, TMG Automotive, Unilever, Vattenfall, Vaude Sport, Verbund, Vestas Wind Systems, Vodafone Group, Wipro, Yarra Valley Water, YKK Corporation, and Zurich Insurance Group, among others.

Sustainable Thinking while Hunkering Down

While you’re waiting for the business climate to return to a something resembling normalcy, business owners and entrepreneurs could take advantage of this unexpected downtime and ponder how commerce will behave going forward.

Indeed, you, business owners, have to deal with the usual, business-specific matters before you commit to opening your doors and addressing your customers’ needs and desires. You also can’t overlook your employees’ necessities.

Understandably, your patrons will purchase your goods and services tomorrow differently than they did in the past. All businesses, large and small, will be faced with the anxious situation of providing their customers with what they want. To be successful, your task will be to stand out, to be different in a marketplace where everyone is scrambling to do the same after the crisis wanes. Therefore, you should pick a unique approach and promote your exclusivity.

By choosing a sustainable or green approach to doing business, marketing your wares and making a buck, you will be satisfying several criteria for success. First of all, sustainability is good for the planet. Secondly, it is good for humanity in your neighborhood and around the world. Finally, it is good for business – yours – because people in general and your customers specifically are interested in the concept of sustainability. This has been substantiated many times.

First of all, sustainability does not necessarily mean hugging a tree. Ultimately it does but its definition and impact go far beyond that. It is a set of principles that create a constructive lifestyle and multifaceted relationships that benefit everyone while not impeding your doing business and making money. Sustainable business owners demonstrate that they are smarter than others in growing their companies.

If you haven’t yet heard of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, here’s a brief primer.

Launched by the United Nations in fall of 2015, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a roadmap for solving the world’s most pressing challenges by 2030. The conviction is that when they’re solved, almost everything will be better. The 17 goals and 169 targets include important ambitions such as ending poverty, achieving universal access to energy, and eliminating inequality in education. Along with 193 UN member countries that will use the goals to frame their public policies, the SDGs explicitly call on businesses – large corporations and small neighborhood mom-and-pop stores – to play an active role in the process.

Aligning with the SDG is about value creation. When done right, strategic alignment can bring value across the sphere of influence of any business, from customers to investors, and employees to community stakeholders. Businesses, investors, customers, markets and others are interested in the SDGs and stand to benefit from promoting them.

After all, nearly half of the U.S. employment sector is make up of small businesses and the vast majority of private sector businesses across the globe are small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). That constitutes eager consumers of sustainable products and services.

The SDGs are intended for all tiers of business, and each company will approach the goals differently according to their operations. It’s important to understand the goals, define priorities, integrate, and, finally, report and communicate the progress of their implementation.

Tracy Triggs-Matthews, associate director of University of North Carolina’s Kenan-Flagler’s Center for Sustainable Enterprise, said SMEs typically do not have the time for higher level strategic thinking on sustainability unless the enterprise started out with such a mindset.

“I think many SMEs would be surprised to see how ‘good’ their company already is and how small tweaks can make them even better,” she said. “Consumers are looking for brands that are making a big difference and being able to tell that story will only help differentiate an SME among competitors.”

Although some incentives to embrace the goals lie in the realm of contributing to the greater good and a better future, there are countless potential benefits for small businesses to consider. In other words, responsible business owners may already be sustainable without knowing it and their roles in the process can be found in their local marketplaces.

“I think the way for businesses to look at the UN’s sustainable development goals is through the lens of business opportunity,” said Tensie Whelan, director of New York University’s Center for Sustainable Business.

According to the Business and Sustainable Development Commission, sustainable business models could open economic opportunities worth $12 trillion and create 380 million jobs by 2030. That is the scope of the powerful investor and consumer attraction to sustainability.

“Putting the Sustainable Development Goals, or Global Goals, at the heart of the world’s economic strategy could unleash a step change in growth and productivity, with an investment boom in sustainable infrastructure as a critical driver,” the report said.

Regardless of size or industry, all companies can contribute to the SDGs. Some of these items may be more relevant to certain industries than others, and there are certainly many other ways that businesses can approach the goals, but any step toward sustainability is a step in the right direction.

Just pick one of more of them. For example:

1. End poverty

• Set and enforce strict non-discriminatory policies.

• Recruit, train, and employ local community members, including those living in poverty, and integrate them in your value chain.

2. Zero hunger

• Support and encourage small-scale farming, practice farm-to-table or ‘farm-to-office snacks’ sourcing from local entities whenever possible.

• Demonstrate transparency in the agricultural supply chain.

3. Good health and well-being

• Offer employee health benefits.

• Make investments in health a priority in business operations.

4. Quality education

• Create programs (e.g., internships, work-study programs, traineeships, etc.) that give students earlier access to the corporate environment.

• Provide employees with continuous opportunities to improve their (job) skills for their current and future employment.

5. Gender equality

• Pay equal remuneration, including benefits, for work of equal value.

• Support access to child and dependent care by providing services, resources, and information to both women and men.

• Establish a zero-tolerance policy towards all forms of violence at work, including verbal/ and/ or physical abuse.

6. Clean water and sanitation

• Prioritize water efficiency by installing best-practice technologies for water conservation.

• Educate employees about the importance of water efficiency.

• Prohibit the use of chemicals and materials that can be particularly detrimental to water quality if improperly disposed.

7. Affordable and clean energy

• Pursue efficient certifications, like LEED or Energy Star.

• Prioritize energy efficiency across all operations, preserve light, heating, cooling, etc. whenever possible.

8. Decent work and economic growth

• Offer apprenticeship opportunities.

• Foster entrepreneurial culture and invest in/mentor young entrepreneurs.

• Install a firm policy against unfair hiring and recruitment practices.

9. Industry, innovation and infrastructure

• Establish standards and promote regulation that ensures company projects and initiatives are sustainably managed.

• Promote innovation by giving all stakeholders the opportunity to offer creative solutions to sustainability challenges.

10. Reduced inequalities

• Invest in business-driven poverty eradication activities (e.g., develop living wage policy).

• Partner with civil society networks to provide education and entrepreneurial skills training.

11. Sustainable cities and communities

• Jointly develop and/or participate in a sustainable community that brings together relevant stakeholders through a common and neutral platform to jointly analyze, discuss, and act on urban functionality, resilience, and sustainable development.

• Support and utilize public transportation services.

12. Responsible consumption and production

• Reduce manufacturing impacts by substituting virgin raw materials in products with post-consumer materials through recycling and upcycling.

• Significantly reduce waste and ensure that any unavoidable waste is utilized to the fullest degree (e.g., organic waste as fuel or fertilizer).

13. Climate action

• Retrofit the lighting systems of the company’s facilities to energy-efficient LED lighting.

• Understand climate risk and build resilience into the company’s assets and supply chain.

• Expand sustainable forest management through responsible sourcing practices and product substitution.

14. Life below water

• Track the life cycle of products and materials to understand how they are disposed and which products could likely find their way into marine environments.

• Record and disclose information on the chemical and material usage within products, packaging, and processing systems to facilitate closing the loop.

• Prevent waste mismanagement or littering that could pollute the marine environment.

15. Life on land

• Measure, manage, and mitigate impacts on ecosystems and natural resources.

• Scale up best practices for land-use planning and management.

• Commit to and implement responsible sourcing practices beyond compliance – applying environmental and social safeguards – for all raw materials and commodities.

16. Peace, justice and strong institutions

• Comply with laws and seek to meet international standards; require and support business partners to do the same.

17. Partnerships for the goals

• Partake in SDG-related partnerships like the UN’s Make the Global Goals Local campaign, the SDG reporting initiative and locally based sustainability initiatives. Network.

Once you embark on this path, tell your marketplace, neighborhood and world about your decision. Network with your business partners, supply chain, customers, officials, and community. This will bring you marketing benefits and start a sustainable snowball. Communicate your practices to consumers regardless of how you address this responsible operation, whether it be with the SDGs, a certification or employee initiatives.

You should also inform your current and future employees of your business direction since they too will be impressed by your progressive move.

In New Jersey, you can register with the New Jersey Sustainable Business Registry, which will give you assorted door or window decals that will give you marketing traction on the street.

On a larger scale, investors are becoming more interested in companies’ sustainability risk profiles as well understanding sustainability-related business opportunities.

Finally, note that global research by PricewaterhouseCoopers found that 78% of customers are more likely to buy the goods and services of companies that had signed up to the SDGs. Something to consider while you’re waiting to open up again.

Don’t Limit Business Growth by Focusing on only Half of the World

Small business ownership and growth are complicated undertakings and require entrepreneurs to be skilled and nimble jugglers that can simultaneously manage every facet of their companies’ activities. It stands to reason that an astute business owner, in order to be successful, should assemble the most comprehensive, skilled team of managers and employees possible not only to the job well but also to disseminate positive brand and civic awareness. This group should include both skilled men and women dispersed horizontally and vertically throughout the company.

Hiring and promoting women is not only good for large and small businesses but also for the planet. Women have skills and likes that men don’t share. While this is not necessarily bad, being aware of this is a win-win-win.

This process offers your business comprehensive benefits that will illuminate its presence and successes locally and globally. Such a business plan supports UN Sustainable Development Goal #5 – Achieve Gender Equality and Empower All Women and Girls. Consequently, by hiring and promoting women, your small business declares itself to be sustainable and you should invest time and money in pursuing this endeavor. By educating and empowering girls – or at least helping to do that – will help sustainable development down the road and across calendars.

HIRE WOMEN; EDUCATE GIRLS

The case for companies to act this way is compelling. Hiring women, empowering then, and declaring your business to be sustainable contribute to your growth, drive your business and add to your bottom line. The undisputable truth is that consumers favor a sustainable company. Sustainability, you may know, involves 17 goals. In this article I’ll focus on #5.

According to a post about women and climate change by Leah Rodriguez on the Global Citizen website (www.globalcitizen.org), “Evidence shows investing in girls and women is a promising climate solution. Women can use strong ties to their communities to advocate and gain trust for renewable energy technologies, for example. And experts say educating girls, empowering women in leadership, and involving women in agricultural decisions are also hopeful routes, but they are often overlooked.”

Women in the board room exude talents that fulfill the company’s business plan. Venture capital firm First Round Capital evaluated more than 300 companies and 600 founders and found that their higher performing investments tend to have at least one female founder, and companies with a female founder performed 63% better than those with all-male founding teams.

Why does the presence of women in a company contribute to its success? One reason cites a textbook example of the differences between the sexes: Men see business barriers as obstacles, while women often see them as opportunities. Women act on the basis of opportunities. Their unique strengths include blending purpose and profit to the betterment of all and they are creating competitive advantage by incorporating cause marketing – a sustainable issue. By linking their brand and marketing to a cause, women can boost customer awareness, drive sales, polish their reputation, give back to the community, and lower marketing costs, all at the same time. Deliverables sought by all business owners.

Successful women are more likely than successful men to own a business so they can pursue a personal passion and to make a positive impact on the world – like fostering the 17 SDGs, according to 2013 U.S. Trust Insights on Wealth and Worth. Seventy percent of the women and only 62% of the men are committed to increasing the level of their sustainable activities, according to Cox Conserves, a national sustainability program run by Cox Communications and Media.

There is a lot more persuasive evidence that demonstrates that gender equity is not just politically correct window-dressing, but good business. But there are pitfalls. Companies are trying to increase the number of women in executive positions, yet many are struggling to do so because they’ve failed to adapt workplace conditions to ensure that qualified women do not drop off the corporate ladder, surveys have shown.

Rodriguez pointed this out by saying that women are often excluded from major government and decision making, but when they are empowered to participate, they bring more empathy and inclusiveness to the table. Equal leadership representation benefits both men and women.

WOMEN EXECUTIVES MAKE DIFFERENCE

She wrote that research shows that companies with more women executives on their boards are more likely to reduce carbon emissions, improve energy efficiency, and invest in renewable energy. According to one study by researchers at the University of Oregon and University of California at Davis, countries with higher female parliamentary representation are more likely to ratify international environmental treaties. And when women have secure rights and access to land, they use their resources sustainably.

Rodriguez also pointed out that for the sake of SDG #5 it’s not enough to hire women. Governments, industry groups and companies should focus on girls’ education. I thought, OK, but that’s an issue for a less-developed country. But not really. Here, in the United States, we have many so-called inner city schools that lack resources to adequately educate and train youth – including girls – to be worthwhile members of society, to contribute to their jobs and communities, to earn a decent living for themselves and their families. Perhaps even to uncover solutions to today’s problems.

“Investing in girls’ education could be a potentially powerful solution to some of the adaptation strategies and mitigation strategies that many climate actors are really invested in,” Christina Kwuak, global economy and development fellow at the Brookings Institution's Center for Universal Education, told Global Citizen.

Sadly people who are involved in climate policymaking are not broadly thinking about education because they’re overlooking girls’ education. Investing in girls’ education can ensure the next generation has the STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) and ecologically-oriented skills necessary to transition to a green economy, Kwuak explained.

For example, many climate efforts are focused on women who are in agricultural sectors, but Kwuak warns against only considering women, not girls. She elaborated saying that considering women means limiting solutions to the later years of their lives, as opposed to ensuring that they have the skills and energy to hit the ground running earlier.

The organization Mothers Out Front aims to unite mothers, grandmothers, and other caregivers to use their expertise to support the climate movement. Kim Sudderth, senior organizer at Mothers Out Front’s Virginia chapter, works to encourage women who are not used to being in leadership roles to step up for their communities. 

“Typically women and mothers are more in tune with what’s happening with our children in particular and our family as a whole,” Sudderth was quoted as saying. “Having us left out of the conversation, you lose that important perspective that should be involved in helping to shape decisions.”

“For decision-makers, folks who are in elected positions, what they can do is make a special effort to prepare women and people of color to be ready to serve on those boards and commissions to be part of the process,” she added.

Business and industry must contribute to this effort and don’t belittle such maternal-based organizations. Consider the prevalence and accomplishments of organizations that begin with “Mothers Against…”

Indeed, opening your company door to women employees and helping girls’ education may be as simple as decided to do so. However, share your views with your company. You, the business owner, may have a progressive disposition about diversity, inclusion, equal rights for women and gender equality, but your managers and staff may not. To nip possible disruptive dissension in the bud, owners must begin by openly addressing this issue with all of the senior and subordinate employees, explaining why you’re launching this program and what will be the benefits – not threats – for the company and all of the employees.

BUSINESS & GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATION

Since you support SDG #5, your task is to ensure that women fully participate and are equally represented in all levels of business as well as national leadership and decision-making in economic, political and social aspects of life. A major reason why women are still lagging behind socially and economically is because they lack political, economic, social and civil support for their plans and goals. Largely due to educational qualification barriers, women representative positions are either given to under-qualified women or even men who have little or no knowledge of what exactly the challenges faced by women are. Consequently, businesses support for girls’ education is equally valuable.

You’ve also committed to formulate and execute social reforms to grant women equal ability to access economic resources, financial services, and ownership and control of properties such as lands and homes, in accordance with respective national laws. Work with municipal governments and school boards to ensure that girls have equal access to education. Your community, marketplace and business and soon afterward the globe will benefit.

None of this means that you have to turn your company upside down. It means that you run your business in a locally and globally responsible, inclusive manner with genuinely equal opportunities for every employee.

And you will reap the benefits. As I have written before, businesses that participate in the Sustainable Development Goals stand to experience an unbelievable windfall. The SDGs hold great possibilities and have the potential to unleash innovation, economic growth and development at an unprecedented scale. Studies show it could be worth at least $12 trillion a year in market opportunities and generate up to 380 million new jobs by 2030. In today’s marketplace, the affluent demographic cohort known as Millennials is drawn to this type of business and puts its money where its beliefs are.

Scroll through my blog to read about more ways to boost your outreach.

I’d also like to invite you to visit my Thought Leadership website:

http://thoughtleadership.yolasite.com/              

If you’re looking for advice on recruiting, company handbooks and other human resources topics, I’d like to suggest to you this interesting website:

http://hrtiebreaker.yolasite.com/

Latino Americans Launch Small Businesses Faster than Others

Latino Americans are the fastest-growing group of entrepreneurs in the United States even as they battle racism that has resulted in lower incomes and loan rates, according to an article in USA Today based on statistics from Stanford University.

During the past decade, the number of Latino business owners grew 34%, compared with 1% for all business owners in the United States, according to the recent study from Stanford University. Moreover, a greater number of Latinos than ever are applying for small business loans to launch or grow their operations. 

An expert that I reached out to pointed out a few reasons for this optimistic trend. Dr. Arturo E. Osorio, professor of entrepreneurship, management and global business at the Rutgers University Business School, noted that “Latinos, as a culture, are more likely to have a need to ‘create’ something for their families and control their personal time. Thus, they are gravitating toward starting their own businesses to leave a legacy and be closer to their families.”

Osorio, a business consultant and advisor to the New Jersey Small Business Development Center (NJSBDC), believes this trend is linked to an increasing number of Latinos having higher education and learning more about the business world in the US. Additionally, Osorio said, the number of Latino business owners in the U.S. has been historically low, “so maybe they are just catching up.”

The growing success of Latino small business owners comes as Latinos are increasingly becoming an economic force to be reckoned with in the USA. The same Stanford study found Latino-owned businesses contributed about $500 billion to the economy in annual sales.

A 2019 report to Congress based on data from 2017 found almost 60 million Latinos in the country already account for $2.3 trillion in economic activity in total, which on its own would rank as the eighth-largest economy in the world. And Latinos are projected to make up 30% of the U.S. population by 2020, meaning the group’s contributions will probably grow.

Latino-owned businesses employ more than 3 million people, according to the 2019 State of Latino Entrepreneurship report by the Stanford Latino Entrepreneurship Initiative (SLEI), a Stanford University research initiative focusing on Latinos in business. Overall, Latino-owned businesses account for about 4% of U.S. business revenues and 5.5% of U.S. employment.

At the same time, it’s interesting that Latino-owned companies are smaller than white-owned firms, averaging $1.2 million in revenue compared with $2.3 million brought in by a white-owned company.

Latino business owners tend to be younger than non-Latino business owners. Roughly 33% of Latino entrepreneurs are younger than 45, compared with just 22% of non-Latino entrepreneurs. For every 100,000 Latino adults in the United States, on average 510 became entrepreneurs each month in 2018.

Osorio opined that younger Latinos “are more likely to notice career roadblock in the standard labor market.” He said the rates of Latino CEOs at the Fortune 500 have not changed much in the last 10-years.  And hinting at the racist attitudes alluded to in the study, Osorio pointed out that Latinos are noticing business opportunities that can provide them the professional progress that is not open to them.

“Entrepreneurship has become a mainstream inclusive career option. Current Federal and State policies are providing better support to everyone, regardless of their background, to start a business,” Osorio said.

With another nod to the important of local matters, according to the 2019 Stanford report, Latinos get loans from local banks at a much higher rate than they do from national banks. This underlines the vital relationship between local businesses and local financial institutions. In other words, it behooves neighborhood merchants, entrepreneurs, municipal administrations and residents to ensure that local financial institutions thrive and continue to provide their valuable service.

However, national statistics show the opposite. Local banks are disappearing across the country, potentially leaving Latinos out in the cold. According to data provided by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), as of December 31, 2001, 8,080 FDIC-insured community banks existed while by December 31, 2018, only 5,406 remained. 

Because of their neighborhood, local nature, small businesses, especially those on Main Street, help neighborhoods stay economically active and, in some cases, revitalize large and small cities experiencing decay and population declines. Small businesses help increase the local tax base and stimulate consumer spending in local economies. They also help local civic organizations, sports teams and houses of worship.

In New Jersey, Osorio elaborated, New Jersey’s Hispanic business community currently includes about 120,000 Latino-owned businesses, contributing $20 billion annually to the local economy. The largest chamber of commerce in New Jersey is the Statewide Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

“Increases in the number of Hispanic businesses in the state may only help to move forward the local economy and create larger employment opportunities for everyone. Also, good communities are defined as those that have local access to everyday amenities, products, and services. Larger numbers of entrepreneurs and local innovation can only help to increase the quality of life across the state, and the nation as people gain better access to things that can make their lives easier and enjoyable,” Osorio said.

A not-for-profit organization for nearly three decades, the chamber convenes the Annual Convention and Business Expo, which I have attended and witnessed the electricity and enthusiasm of the exhibitors and attendees. I saw that Hispanic Americans are eager to launch their own thriving companies. The message of these events is that the Hispanic American community is vibrant and eager to grow its business.

“We have a large cross-section of businesses involved and the chamber serves as the catalyst to bring these businesses together to express their services and to collaborate and provide them with opportunities to grow their businesses,” John C. Leon, member of the board of the Statewide Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey and government relations strategies chair, told me at one of the shows.

This latest conclusion goes hand-in-hand with a report released last year by the Trenton-based New Jersey Policy Perspective (NJPP) regarding national benefits of immigrant-owned businesses in general. Once in America, immigrants soon discover that contrary to rumors its streets aren’t paved with gold. Lacking English-language skills and comprehensive legal status, they were compelled to fend for themselves. As they struggled to build a better life for themselves and their families, the new settlers, as a consequence, made vast contributions to their adopted homeland.

More often than not, these immigrants open small businesses in order to make ends meet. And their successes and achievements multiplied. So much so that today small businesses that are owned by immigrants have become the cornerstone of New Jersey’s economy.

I had attended a press call about this report, at which Garden State officials and immigrant businessmen shared their experiences and observations about being entrepreneurs in a foreign country. (Read that full blog at https://boostingyouroutreach.blogspot.com/2019/03/immigrant-ownedsmall-businesses-ring-up.html

These are the key findings of the report: 

• Despite making up only 22% of the state’s population, immigrants own 47% of New Jersey's Main Street businesses 
• New Jersey immigrants own a higher share of the state’s Main Street businesses than anywhere else in the nation other than California
• New Jersey immigrants own 31% of the state's small businesses and makeup 28% of the state labor force.
• New Jersey immigrants own a majority of businesses in nine key industries (including restaurants, grocery stores, and trucking).

“This report is proof that New Jersey’s immigrants are an asset not only to our state’s rich and diverse culture, but also to the broader economy,” observed Erika Nava, NJPP policy analyst who prepared the report. “Immigrants in New Jersey own a higher share of Main Street businesses than in any other state not named California. These immigrant-owned businesses anchor local economies across the state, providing goods, services, and job opportunities in their respective communities. When immigrants come to this state, they do so not only to provide for their families, but to invest in New Jersey. Lawmakers should recognize the vital role that immigrants play in our economy and ensure state laws support them.”

It is obvious for anyone who has walked along any urban Main Street that immigrant-owned small businesses – Hispanic and not – are the lifeblood of our local economy here in New Jersey and the other 49 states. The archaic concept of the American melting pot has itself melted and been replaced by a luscious salad bowl of tastes, aromas and textures that contribute to the wholesomeness of the American multicultural banquet. Immigrant small businesses inject money into the local and national economies, help employ tens of thousands of people, and provide critical services to our communities.

Our state lawmakers must take into account the large contributions of immigrants as they author policies and laws that impact us all.

¡Buen trabajo!

Sysco, Largest Foodservice Distributor, Sets Corporate Sustainability Bar High

Sysco Corp. of Houston, the largest US foodservice distributor that I came to know very well from many angles when I was editor of ID (Institutional Distribution) several years ago, has placed its money where its bottom line is in terms of sustainability.

It has designed a wide-ranging sustainability program that covers not only the typical green issues but also lifestyle ones.

In a press release a few days ago, Sysco announced its Sustainability Bond Framework, under which it may issue Green, Social or Sustainability Bonds to advance its 2025 corporate social responsibility (CSR) goals.

The framework provides information:

• about the types of projects that are eligible for financing or refinancing with the use of any potential bond proceeds,
• how any projects would be evaluated and selected,
• how any potential proceeds would be managed,
• and how the company may provide any allocation and impact reporting.

According to its press release, Sysco’s CSR strategy focuses on three key areas: people, products and planet, setting a clear path for the future and demonstrating the company’s continued commitment to caring for people, sourcing products responsibly and protecting the planet. Clearly this broad plan covers many if not all of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

The company’s 2025 CSR goals, announced in 2018, include a comprehensive set of objectives, including sourcing 20% of its electricity from renewable sources, powering 20% of its truck fleet with alternative fuels, expanding its sustainable agriculture program to five fresh crops, and doubling the availability of Sysco Brand organic produce.

With specific nods to SDGs No. 3, No. 5 and No. 8, Sysco said it would increase its spend with women and minority-owned suppliers by 25%.

“Eligible projects have been defined as those that support Sysco’s 2025 CSR goals and relate to renewable energy, energy efficiency, clean transportation, waste reduction, sustainable water and waste management, environmentally sustainable management of living natural resources and land use and food security, aquatic biodiversity conservation and food security, and socioeconomic advancement and empowerment,” the foodservice giant said.

This laudable plan by a highly visible corporation with more than 69,000 associates, 320 distribution facilities worldwide serving more than 650,000 customer locations, and sales of more than $60 billion, demonstrates that sustainability is not merely turning off the lights and taking care of water leaks. Sustainable development that ensures a safe future for humanity and the planet requires attention as many of the SDGs as possible.

No, Plastics are not the Future Globally & Locally

Five decades ago the most lucrative career for a new college graduate was summarized in one word. Benjamin Braddock was that graduate and he heard it at a party in his honor hosted by his parents.

“One word: plastics.”

That was from the famous 1967 cult move “The Graduate.” Fast forward to 2020 and that image of a profitable life thanks to CH2=CHCl (the chemical formula for plastic) has become the bane of society.

Due to its ubiquitous nature, seemingly helping us with every chore including carrying food from the grocery store, plastics are killing us.

According to the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), plastic pollution has increased tenfold since 1980.

Here are some more statistics to shiver your timbers.

The US Environmental Protection Agency reports that total US plastic waste generation grows 3.8% per year (2015 vs 2014 growth rate from USEPA) from 34.5 million tons in 2015 to 38.5 million tons in 2018. The primary data source on the generation of plastics is the American Chemistry Council.

Furthermore, the average American person produces about 5.91 pounds of trash, with about 1.51 pounds being recycled while 4.4 pounds is the rough average daily waste per person.

Plastics are a rapidly growing segment of municipal solid waste (MSW). While plastics are found in all major MSW categories, the containers and packaging category had the most plastic tonnage at over 14 million tons in 2017. 

Don’t doubt that plastic is harmful. It can release harmful chemicals into the surrounding soil, which can then seep into groundwater or other surrounding water sources, and also the ecosystem. This can cause a range of potentially harmful effects on the species that drink the water.

Generally speaking, when plastic particles break down, they gain new physical and chemical properties, increasing the risk that they will have a toxic effect on organisms. And the larger the number of potentially affected species and ecological functions, the more likely it is that toxic effects will occur.

The UNEP says very little of the plastic we discard every day is recycled or incinerated in waste-to-energy facilities. Much of it ends up in landfills, where it may take up to 1,000 years to decompose, leaching potentially toxic substances into the soil and water.

Plastics block waterways, float along the surface of the ocean, kill marine life and wildlife, and are even found in human tissue. New research also has shown that plastics, when exposed to solar radiation, release methane (a potent greenhouse gas) and ethylene, especially as it degrades.

Since the 1950s, we have produced 8.3 billion metric tons of plastic waste — the equivalent in weight to 25,000 Empire State Buildings.

Recent years have seen a rise in awareness about the detrimental impacts of plastic pollution. So it’s no wonder that plastics have been targeted for elimination, leading many of us to carry groceries home in paper bags, homemade cloth bags or by hand.

“We need all actors to work together in the plastic pollution crises: UN Environment Program calls on all relevant businesses and governments to join the Global Commitment to fight against plastic pollution as part of the implementation plan ‘Towards a pollution-free planet,’” Inger Andersen, UNEP executive director, said.

Examples of corporate buy-in include: Unilever has announced it will reduce its use of virgin plastic in packaging by 50%; Mars Inc. said it will make reductions of 25% by 2025; and PepsiCo aims to reduce the use of virgin plastic in its beverage business by 20% by 2025. 

An everyday use of plastics can be seen in drinking straws. While we think of plastic pollution, as bottles floating in rivers and marine animals wrapped in six pack rings, single-use plastic waste also has a detrimental effect on climate change. A report by the Center for International Environmental Law said that the production and disposal of single-use plastics in 2019 caused the equivalent emissions of 189 coal plants, and by 2030 that number could rise to 295. “At present rates, these greenhouse gas emissions from the plastic lifecycle threaten the ability of the global community to meet carbon emissions targets,” the report said.

Straws seem a small part of the equation, but, for example, if each person in Asia were to use a plastic straw on a given day, it would mean 4.5 billion straws making their way into the waste system. Companies developing sustainable alternatives to single-use plastics or raising awareness on how to avoid one-time plastics can help tackle climate change.

When shopping, it’s a good idea to bring reusable bags with you to the grocery store and for retailers to remind their customers to do so.

However, this year, forgetting them at home could cost consumers. Oregon has banned single-use plastic bags at grocery stores, requiring shoppers to bring their own bags or pay a small fee for paper ones. The city of Albuquerque, NM, is also gearing up for a similar eco-friendly initiative. Single-use plastic bags, including compostable bags and plastic ones less than 2.25 millimeters thick, will be banned, according to CNN affiliate KRQE. The city plans to encourage residents to go green by passing out about 2,000 reusable bags at grocery stores and city facilities, the station reported.

Berkeley, CA, made headlines when it passed the most aggressive municipal ban on single-use plastic foodware in local restaurants and businesses in the country.

The local ordinance was designed not just to ban plastic forks, spoons, containers, and yes, straws, only to have businesses replace them with some other throwaway materials. In reality, the effort “rejects throwaway culture altogether,” explained Greenpeace’s Annie Leonard and The Ecology Center’s Martin Bourque, who developed and championed the policy, in a Los Angeles Times op-ed. The policy requires that all local businesses make compost bins available, all takeout containers be made from 100% certified compostable materials, vendors charge 25 cents for all takeout cups, and all eat-in dining be in reusable foodware. The Ecology Center and other local leaders are also championing reusable alternatives for individuals. The Center even sells stainless steel boba tea straws.

The debate is a double-edged-sword. Some environmentalists that favor banning plastics simultaneously caution against using compostable substitutes because they don’t necessarily outshine plastics when it comes to environmental benefits. This has spawned the movement to use or generate less. Furthermore, in foodservice for instance, environmentally safe substitutes for plastic clamshells must have properties that will ensure the integrity of the food.

January 1 marked the first day at least 10 towns and one county in New Jersey said farewell to plastics as new local ordinances went into effect – banning so-called single-use plastics.

“When they get into your body, because you’re ingesting them, they also bring with them organic chemicals, some of which are carcinogenic,” said State Sen. Bob Smith, D-Middlesex. “This is a public health crisis.”

Customers at the Stop-and-Shop in South Orange, NJ, are carrying their groceries out in reusable bags. The supermarket gave away more than 300 environmentally friendly totes to customers as a local ordinance banning plastic bags and charging a 5-cent fee for paper bags goes went into effect.

In Camden County single-use plastics are now banned at all county facilities and every county-sponsored event in a move approved by the Board of Freeholders last October. This includes single-use plastic bags, plastic straws, stirrers, utensils and Styrofoam products. Bottled water that comes in bottles smaller than one liter are also banned.

Other towns such as Lambertville, South Orange, Asbury Park, Bayonne, Garfield, Glen Rock, Paramus, Ridgewood, Sommers Point and Saddle Brook all imposed the new restrictions.

As for Paramus, officials spent more than a year discussing the measure, as well as gathering input from the borough's environmental commission and residents, according to Mayor Richard LaBarbiera. As one of the largest shopping destinations in the country, the mayor said he hopes Paramus can set an example for other municipalities once they see it working in the borough.

More than 80% of litter on New Jersey’s beaches is plastic. Almost 166 million pieces of microscopic plastic float in the waterways of New Jersey and New York. And scientists have found microplastics in some of the state’s most pristine rivers and creeks, including the upper Raritan and Passaic rivers.

“If the public and all these towns have the stomach for this, then the Legislature and the governor should have it too,” said Amy Goldsmith, the New Jersey director of Clean Water Action. 

A Rutgers University study showed New Jersey rivers that provide drinking water to residents are also filled with microplastics, tiny plastic particles that can’t be seen by the naked eye but are regularly ingested by animals and humans, and can increase the risk of cancer.

Businesses that violate any provision of the proposed law would be subject to a warning on first offense but fined up to $1,000 for a second offense and up to $5,000 for successive ones. Although businesses would offer paper straws under the bill, plastic straws would have to be available on request, at the urging of disability advocates.

While communities in the Garden State are proceeding with local ordinances banning plastics, the state as not followed suit. Last month New Jersey State Senate passed a plastic bag ban, but the State Assembly failed to act on the bill. The statewide ban on single-use plastic bags, paper bags, Styrofoam food containers, and plastic straws would have been one of the strictest in the country.

The plastics bill NJ S2776 (18R) / NJ A4330 (18R) stalled in the Assembly after it passed the Senate by a vote of 21-14. The Assembly’s leaders could not agree on implementation, in spite of commitments that the measure would pass this session.

“We wanted to make our position clear in the Senate,” said Senate President Steve Sweeney. “What we’re trying to do is be fair to the consumers and fair to the environment.”

The plastics bill — S-2776 — would have banned film plastic bags regardless of thickness and paper bags in an effort to get shoppers to bring their own reusable bags, like the woven plastic tote bags with handles. It would also have banned clamshell food containers, plates, cups, food trays and utensils made out of polystyrene foam.

“The Assembly should have passed this ban today, but they didn’t. Their failure to act will mean that our plastic waste problem will continue to get worse. Plastics will continue to kill whales and get into our environment and into us. Microplastics have already been found near our drinking water supply, so we could literally be drinking plastic. Plastic bags have been known to clog storm drains and fill up detention basins, affecting our water quality. Animals, especially birds, get strangled and suffocated by plastic bags,” Jeff Tittel, director of the New Jersey Sierra Club, was quoted as saying at the time.

Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin and Gov. Phil Murphy believe a ban on paper bags goes too far and would specifically hurt low-income shoppers. While Sen. Sweeney does not want to impose a fee on paper bags.

But there’s always hope.

“These issues are not going away. Whether it’s banning single-use plastics or protecting Liberty State Park, there’s tremendous grassroots support for taking action,” said Doug O’Malley, director of Environment New Jersey. “There’s a lot of unfinished business in the legislature.”

This anti-plastics trend won’t be relegated to the back burner for long so it’s a matter of time before New Jersey lawmakers get with the program. New Jersey businesses should prepare by educating themselves and their customers about plastics and their substitutes. For advice, they could turn to the New Jersey Sustainable Business Registry of the New Jersey Small Business Development Centers (NJSBDC).

The sooner this happens, the better for your business, the state and humanity.

As with all things sustainable, when you become sustainable, tell your audience and community because they want to hear about it.