|
Our upcoming engagement opportunities are designed to keep you informed, connected, and ready to lead. Explore upcoming events, members-only briefings, and policy committee meetings where your voice helps drive change. Look for the 📣Take Action spotlights below for direct actions to make a difference. Whether you’re focused on advancing clean water, regenerative agriculture, or equitable local economies, there’s a place for you in this movement. |
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | The State of Sustainable Business at GBENN Date: November 12th at 11:15 am CT |
|
| | Join ASBN’s Executive Director, Camilla Taylor, as she shares the opportunities to shape and support green business. This session offers a look at the current landscape of sustainability in U.S. business. ASBN will provide a review of current and key policy priorities, as well as legislative trends, that impact business sustainability today. Learn how ASBN is mobilizing businesses to advocate for a just and regenerative economy and discover actionable opportunities for your organization to engage with national efforts to drive policy change and ensure sustainable business is here to stay. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| | Small Business Anti-Displacement Network Conference Date: November 12-14th |
|
| Hear ASBN's David Levine and Terrius Harris, along with Louis Caditz-Peck, Eryn Banton, and Vicki Lee Parker-High, discuss how advocates are helping small business leaders adapt by developing new messaging, building broad coalitions, and reframing equity and inclusion as essential to small business survival and community stability.
They'll cover: Defending small business interests in this political landscape Policy and organizing tactics that advance local, sustainable economies
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| | ASBN Conference Recap: The Business of Democracy |
|
| Last week, ASBN hosted the Business of Democracy: Business, Policy and Purpose Conference to bring together sustainable business leaders, policymakers, and advocates committed to building a just, regenerative economy.
Across three days of keynotes, interactive breakouts, and networking events, one message stood out - sustainable business has the power to strengthen democracy through collective action. |
|
|
| The conference opened with a grounding session led by Diné activist and artist Pat McCabe, followed by an inspiring keynote from Paul Rice, founder of Fair Trade USA, on how business can be a powerful force for good. Attendees explored topics including clean water policy, impactful hiring, and Tribal-business partnerships, and wrapped up the day with global insights from Martin Baxter of ISEP, followed by networking. |
|
|
|
| Dr. Michelle Chatman led a fun and mindful grounding session, followed by an engaging conversation between Jamie Ager, NC businessman and farm running for Congress, and Ahmed Baba, impactful journalist and policy commentator, on grassroots economic resilience and civic engagement. Breakouts covered green momentum in purple states, safer chemicals & circular economy, and strategies for demystifying advocacy—culminating in a closing discussion with Saru Jayaraman, President of One Fair Wage and closing networking. |
|
|
|
| The final day featured a powerhouse opening keynote featuring nine women executives from U.S. Impact Investing Alliance, B Lab U.S. & Canada, Forum for the Future, Ceres, Inc., Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP), Democracy Forward, ReSurge, and ASBN. It was a highlight of the conference for all who attended! We spent time networking and attending breakout panels on topics such as regenerative food systems, tools for community empowerment, and Indigenous-led enterprises, and closed out the conference with a keynote from travel expert, author, and business owner, Rick Steves. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Recordings will be made available next week to all attendees and ASBN members. Look for more highlights, metrics and learnings in next week’s newsletter!
Not a member? Join today.
Thank you to all our speakers, sponsors, and attendees for making this year’s conference a resounding success! |
|
|
| If you attended the conference and want to share your feedback with us, please get in touch. |
|
| | Hear From Our Team: ASBN Impact & Engagement Updates 🎥 |
|
| Wherever you are in your advocacy journey, there’s a place for you at ASBN. Watch the video to hear the latest updates from our team of topic experts. |
|
|
| Contact [email protected] for any of the links mentioned or if you have any questions |
|
| | ASBN Members-Only Meetings & Opportunities |
|
| The ASBN Exchange
Networking 🔒 Members Only | November 13th, 4 pm ET | 3 pm CT | 2 pm MT | 1 pm PT
Join our networking exchanges next month to connect and find strength in the collective! Reach out to [email protected] to get involved. |
|
| | Regenerative Agriculture - Policy Brief & Steering Committee
Steering Committee Meeting 🔒 Members Only | November 13th, 1 PM ET | 12 PM CT | 11 AM MT | 10 AM PT
Policy Brief Meeting 🔒 Members Only | December 16th, 1 PM ET | 12 PM CT | 11 AM MT | 10 AM PT
The Regenerative Agriculture Initiative is working to advocate for sustainable agriculture, environmental justice, and support for underserved and BIPOC farmers.
In September, we didn't have a policy brief, but in August’s policy briefing, we heard from Cailin at As You Sow, who presented the new “From the Ground Up” regenerative agriculture scorecard. The scorecard grades 20 major food companies across 15 indicators, giving investors a standardized way to evaluate whether corporate regenerative claims are backed by measurable outcomes. |
|
| In October, we discussed the government shutdown and what the farm bill expiration means going forward.
Previously, we discussed areas where this campaign can have the most impact, including pesticide preemption—a federal policy topic that determines whether states can set stricter rules on pesticide use than the federal baseline.
This month, ASBN joined EWG on the hill to meet with Representative Don Davis’s office about the pesticide preemption issue. We are asking ASBN members to join us in sending letters to the representatives to join this initiative. |
|
|
📣Take Action
Tell your Representative to oppose any pesticide riders in the Farm Bill
We are asking House Members of Congress to sign on to a ‘Dear Colleague’ letter, led by Representatives McGovern, Raskin, and Jayapal, opposing pesticide riders and defending local authority to protect communities.
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
📣Take Action
Protect Business: Tell Congress to Keep Government Open
Shutdowns don’t just expose weak points in government; they expose how deeply integrated the public and private sectors actually are. From transportation to agriculture to innovation financing, the federal government is a business partner, customer, regulator, lender, and safety net.
Shutdowns have real consequences for farmers, water infrastructure, and local economies. Urge Congress to keep the government open and prioritize responsible policy negotiations. |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
We also launched our USDA Tell Your Story Campaign. Has your business or someone in your supply chain depended on USDA funding? |
|
| |
|
| Want to help shape the future of our regenerative agriculture work?
Become a member today and join us for our next steering committee session! |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| | Safer Chemicals & Circular Economy
Steering Committee 🔒 Members Only |November 19th, 3 PM ET | 2 PM CT | 1 PM MT | 12 PM PT
Safer Chemicals & Circular Economy Steering Committee engages public policy initiatives for safer chemicals and sustainable materials, emphasizing restricting hazardous substances and transitioning to circular materials and systems for a regenerative economy.
October’s meeting focus: In lieu of our regular meeting, we held a session at the Business, Policy and Purpose conference on Safer Chemicals & Circular Economy
Work is continuing on the Plastics Fact Sheet, the PFAS Fact Sheet, and comments on EPA’s proposed revision of the TSCA Risk Assessment framework. |
|
| | Small Business, Social Enterprise & Local Economies
Steering Committee 🔒 Members Only | November 20th, 3 PM ET | 2 PM CT | 1 PM MT | 12 PM PT
The Small Business, Social Enterprise & Local Economies Steering Committee focuses on building a collective voice and power to advance campaigns and public policy efforts at the local, state, and national levels in support of small businesses, social enterprises, and local economies. Together, we will shape the overall goals, key priorities, and strategies we want to pursue.
October’s meeting focus: In lieu of our regular meeting, we held a session at the Business, Policy and Purpose conference titled Driving Community Empowerment: Tools for Investing in the Inclusive Economy. In September, Kimber Lanning of Local First Arizona and Rebecca Lubot of NJ Sustainable Business Network led a discussion on state business organizing, strategies for engaging in a politically divided environment, and diversified funding strategies. |
|
| | Climate & Energy
Policy Brief 🔒 Members Only | December 4th, 1 PM ET | 12 PM CT | 11 AM MT | 10 AM PT
Climate & Energy Policy Briefs present key problems, solutions, and strategies to address our planet's climate and energy crisis. Calls focus on policy updates, expert insights, and engagement opportunities.
Next meeting focus: In this meeting, we will debrief COP30. With on-the-ground attendance from members and our very own Michael Green, we’ll discuss the biggest news from the negotiations and what this means for businesses.
Last month’s meeting recap: During the last policy brief, we discussed our learnings from NY Climate Week and the Government Shutdown. |
|
| | Clean Water
Steering Committee 🔒 Members Only | December 8th, 1 PM ET | 12 PM CT | 11 AM MT | 10 AM PT
The Clean Water is Good For Business Steering Committee works with businesses to advocate for cleaner water and better water infrastructure.
December 8th Focus: We are continuing our discussion on protecting the Clean Water Act and the ways that we can leverage state business voices in that fight.
Last month’s meeting recap: The PERMIT Act remains in limbo as Congress focuses on the government shutdown. These bills would roll back vital clean water protections under the guise of being “good for business.” We also discussed priorities for State Revolving Funds (the main federal financing tool for drinking-water and wastewater upgrades). We are continuing to elevate the true business impacts of these policies. |
|
| | | |
|
|
|
| |
|
