2021 Award Recipients
The 2021 Sustainable Business Awards are designed to recognize Wisconsin businesses for their efforts in developing sustainable products and processes and to recognize some of the amazing business leaders in the state. Each award recognizes both a large and small organization that has stood out in their specific category.
On December 15th, 2021 the WI Sustainable Business Council presented the seventh annual Sustainable Business Awards. 2021's recognition event was held at the Ingleside Hotel in Pewaukee, WI.
Many businesses play crucial roles in responding to social and environmental challenges, and WI businesses are no exception. We received fabulous and well-written applications this year, making the judges job much more difficult.
If you would like to view past winners, click here.
The 2021 winners are as follows:
Sustainable Product
Sustana Fiber--Envirolife®
De Pere
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Sustainability is in Sustana's DNA. Sustana believes in responsible manufacturing and being good stewards of the valuable resources that benefit people, drive the economy and belong to everyone. Sustana’s product and the 2021 Sustainable Product of the Year winner, EnviroLife®, reduces waste by diverting used material from landfills for use in new recycled paper products. As a premium recycled fiber, EnviroLife® uses nine times less water to manufacture than virgin pulp. Additionally, EnviroLife® reduces waste by diverting used material from landfills for use in new recycled paper products. Currently, the De Pere facility recirculates the majority of its water and is pursuing a zero water discharge goal and a zero-waste goal by 2022.
Sustainability Champion
Legacy Solar Co-op
Madison
Kurt Reinhold
Kurt Reinhold, the founder of the Legacy Solar Co-op, challenges conventional business practices and demonstrates cutting-edge environmental leadership through his innovative tax financing mechanism that has facilitated almost 40 solar projects for the Wisconsin community. Reinhold has also created a ‘solar bond’/ revolving loan program, specifically unique to Wisconsin, and has lent out more than $1M in the first 5 years from the start of the co-ops. Reinhold’s enthusiasm for clean, renewable energy is infectious, and he passionately shares his work, vision, and knowledge with others to integrate sustainability into our day-to-day lives.
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​Learn more about Legacy Solar Co-op and Kurt in this interview
Sustainable Process
Executive Leader
EZ Office Products
Madison
Rose Molz
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Rose Molz, founder of EZ Office Products, has developed an innovative, specialized delivery service for customers, companies and organizations aiming to reduce the amount of material they send to landfills. EZ Office Products has adapted their operations to include proactive solutions that help their clients limit the amount of waste they produce through ordering office supplies and their daily work. They strive to help educate customers about the wide variety of items that can be recycled and encourage them to return these items to us so they can dispose of them. EZ Office Products efforts are directly helping to keep items out of landfills – which is working to improve not only the environment locally in Wisconsin, but also the Earth as a whole.
Nature’s Path
Sussex
Jyoti Stephens
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For more than 20 years, Jyoti Stephens has been a key leader in sustainability at Nature’s Path. As VP Mission & Strategy, Stephens developed the Nature’s Path sustainability strategies: organic, carbon-neutral, zero-waste, preserve water, giveback, and educate, inspire, and engage. Stephens has led the team that achieved the corporate designation of the first zero-waste certified company with multinational sites, diverting over 90% of corporate waste from landfills. It is clear that Stephens shows outstanding commitment to sustainable business practices and acts as a model for others to learn from.
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​Learn more about Jyoti and how she leads in this interview
Thomas L. Eggert Leadership Forward Award
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2021 Winner: Mark McDermid, WMEP Senior Consultant Sustainability
Congratulations Video for Mark McDermid
2021 TLE Leadership Forward Award Winner
