VBSR Announces Free Climate Resilience Program for Small Businesses

Burlington, Vt. (July 31, 2024) – Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility (VBSR), the statewide, nonprofit business association advancing a just, thriving, and transformative economy that works for all people and the planet, has launched the second cohort of ClimateReadyVT, a free program helping small businesses in Vermont adapt to our changing climate and prepare for climate-related business disruptions. ClimateReadyVT is accepting applications for the Fall 2024 Cohort through Friday, August 23. The cohort will convene starting in early September.

A program of VBSR in partnership with the Vermont Small Business Development Center and Vermont Small Business Law Center at Vermont Law and Graduate School, ClimateReadyVT provides a 6-step framework for creating a Climate Resilience Action Plan leveraging leading-edge tools and resources and expert guidance.

Participants will also receive free technical assistance from business advisers with the Vermont Small Business Development Center and free legal guidance from attorneys and law students with the Vermont Small Business Law Center. Any business or nonprofit organization located in Vermont with 50 employees or less (FTE) is eligible to participate in this free program. Priority will be given to businesses, as well as organizations which are BIPOC, LGBTQ+, veteran, and woman-owned/managed and/or located in rural Vermont.

With nearly three decades of experience developing public policy and educational programming addressing climate mitigation, as well as a history of bringing businesses together for peer learning and collective action, VBSR brings a depth and breadth of experience to a central challenge of this moment: expeditiously and effectively responding to the impacts of climate change on Vermont’s small businesses and the broader economy in which they are a part.

“The role small businesses serve in Vermont’s economy cannot be underestimated. Recent natural disasters, climate-related public health threats, and severe weather have had a disproportionate impact on small businesses, and especially those in our rural towns,” said VBSR’s Executive Director, Roxanne Vought. “VBSR is pleased to be able to offer ClimateReadyVT for a second time free-of-charge to the small businesses in Vermont who provide critical goods, services and local jobs while bolstering the vitality of our communities. We do this to advance climate justice, support our membership – the majority of which have fewer than 50 employees – and deliver on our commitment to sustainable economic development in Vermont.”

Over six virtual sessions, small businesses will complete a climate risk assessment, identify hazard mitigation strategies, become familiar with government resources and professional services, understand how best to support their teams during businesses disruptions, learn about tools and methods for sustaining mental health and wellness, and develop a customized “Road Map to Resilience” for their business.

Reframe Lab, who co-created the program, will again facilitate ClimateReadyVT in partnership with state and national strategists and practitioners of climate adaptation and resilience. Reframe’s human-centered approach helps organizations large and small manage the complexity of change, make space for innovation, and thrive through transformation.

About VBSR

VBSR is a statewide, non-profit business association with a mission to leverage the power of business for positive social and environmental impact. VBSR’s 700 member businesses and organizations strive toward a just, thriving, and transformative economy that works for all people and the planet through shared learning, community building, and collective action. Learn more or join the cause at www.vbsr.org.