Greening for Profit Case Studies

Case Studies

The City of San Rafael partnered with the San Rafael and San Anselmo Chambers of Commerce and Dominican University’s Green MBA program with a grant from Marin Community Foundation to present “Greening for Profit” a series of workshops designed to increase sustainability and deliver significant bottom line results. Workshops were conducted by Natural Capitalism Solutions, the internationally renowned business sustainability consultant group, founded by Hunter Lovins.

Participating businesses received assistance from expert coaches to help create a customized Sustainability Action Plan. We have highlighted participant case studies to help other business identify opportunities for sustainability, and we have gathered sustainability tips, which can be found on the Strategies for Sustainability page.

Case Studies in Sustainability

Smith Ranch Homes is a 30 acre retirement community 15 miles north of the Golden Gate Bridge. They offer a unique concept of independent senior living with programs and services that support an active lifestyle. Their business has 306 residents, 80 employees, and 20 contract staff. During the Greening for Profit program Smith Ranch Homes developed a Sustainability Action Plan that delivered great results. Below is a video presentation of the Smith Ranch Homes Sustainability Action Plan.  

United Markets, a local grocer serving Marin County since 1955, supports local vendors and offers a fund raising program to benefit local schools. The following link is a video presentation of United Markets' Sustainability Action Plan. 

Ready to create your Sustainability Action Plan?

The City of San Rafael has also developed the following presentation which provides step by step instructions on creating a Sustainability Action Plan. It also provides actual examples from Harney Construction, a past program participant. In the video, a Sustainability Action Plan maps out the company’s sustainability vision and helps it set goals to achieve more sustainable operations.