Sustainability Consulting

On Wed, Mar 18, 2009 at 9:19 AM, Dave Franchino <Dave.Franchino< at >design-concepts.com> wrote:

Greetings,

 

I have a friend who has been working on his firm’s sustainability initiatives for a couple of years and has become increasingly immersed and passionate about this topic.  He is considering exploring this as a vocation – essentially serving as a consultant to firms who are looking for advice on improving their environmental performance.  I understand his focus is primarily operations and not so much facilities or products. 

 

He asked me if there were consultants who live and work in this space that he could study and perhaps pattern a business around.  I’m not familiar with consultants in this space and was wondering if any of you could point me in the right direction.  Thanks!

 

Dave Franchino

From:

Sent: Monday, March 23, 2009 12:42 PM

To: Dave Franchino

Subject: Re: [design] Sustainability Consulting???

Here's another reply I got:

I’d be happy to talk to Mason’s friend about sustainability issues in general.  I’m not familiar with any sustainability firms per se in SF, but I know a lot of environmental organizations in the area and could point him to them for more information. 

 Feel free to pass him my email: XXXX and my cell: XXX.  I’d be happy to speak with him and brainstorm a bit.

 Talk to you soon,

XX

Good luck with all of this Dave.

-XX

From:

Sent: Thursday, March 19, 2009 2:10 AM

To: Dave Franchino

Subject: Fwd: [design] Sustainability Consulting???

Here's another reply from another friend...

---------- Forwarded message ----------

 

There are more consulting firms than I can count that specialize in operational sustainability or offer it as part of their suite of environmental service offerings (including every one I have ever worked for).  On the national scale there are 20 or more I could name off the top of my head and dozens more localized firms in each major metropolitan area. 

 

The problem is, I can't think of a single firm that would do what your friend is asking.  Since consultants don't manufacture products, we sell our expertise, what he is asking is the equivalent of training someone to compete for your work.  The process a firm uses to consult with its clients, as well as the substance of the issue they are consulting on is generally considered the firm's intellectual property and sharing intellectual property is generally a prosecutable offense.

 

So, I think that your friend will have a hard time finding a consulting firm to help him.  His only real shot is to have a friend that owns his own firm that is willing to help or get an entry level position somewhere and get some on the job training.  His best bet is to pursue the info he is looking for through an academic setting.  Academics love to teach people how to do what they do for a living.

 

XXX

From:

Sent: Wednesday, March 18, 2009 4:07 PM

To: Dave Franchino

Subject: Re: [design] Sustainability Consulting???

Here's a reply from a friend:

Tell him to enroll in Presidio School of Management!  :-)

A couple of Presdio grads started out in sustainability consulting and now have a business called EOS Climate which is not as focused on the consulting end. They are very knowledgeable on sustainability consulting and might be willing to talk to him - either Todd English or Joe Madden.  I don't know them personally, but they have made presentations in my classes.

http://eosclimate.com/team.html

From: XXX

Sent: Wednesday, March 18, 2009 3:10 PM

To: Dave Franchino

Cc: design-alumni< at >lists.Stanford.EDU

Subject: Re: [design] Sustainability Consulting???

Hi, Dave

Not quite sure what you mean by operations (vs facilities). I'd be happy to chat with him, though. I went through the PD program, worked at Apple in their environmental group (part of R&D, worked on the environmental attributes of the products), co-founded o2bayarea and o2cascadia (for designers interested in sustainability) and have been working as an environmental consultant for about 4 years. as a consultant, I have worked on the product side as well as the corporate side (in fact, I am working on a GHG inventory and CDP7 questionnaire response for a client currently.)

as jamie mentioned, some firms do carbon footprinting and corporate sustainability strategy stuff (e.g. higher level in the corporation). many companies have some environmental/sustainability component in their product development, but the extent/amount of resources varies quite a bit.

feel free to forward my email address to him. don't worry, I won't be 'selling' the company that I work for...I have had these kinds of conversations with a lot of people over the years--most find me through the o2 lists, though.

XXX

From:

Sent: Wednesday, March 18, 2009 1:18 PM

To: Dave Franchino

Subject: RE: [design] Sustainability Consulting???

Hi Dave,

There is a person in my office space that has been working for years to optimize the sustainability aspect of corporate practices.

His name is XXX You can see his website XXX and contact him at XXX

I hope this is what your friend is looking for.

XXX

From:

On Behalf Of

Sent: Wednesday, March 18, 2009 12:13 PM

To: Dave Franchino

Subject: Re: [design] Sustainability Consulting???

Hi, Dave.

  I've been a green designer for years now--consulted for a while, now working for a small startup and teaching green design back at Stanford.  (bio here: XXX .)  I'm very busy these days, but might be able to give him some tips.

   ---Jer

From: XXX

Sent: Wednesday, March 18, 2009 12:07 PM

To: Dave Franchino

Cc: XXXX

Subject: Fwd: [design] Sustainability Consulting???

Hi Dave,

I'm forwarding you to my two friends, XX and XX.  They are both consultants at frog design, but are really knowledgeable around design for sustainability.  Maybe they can connect to your friend or forward him to some initial contacts.

XXX

XXX

Mario

From: XXX

Sent: Monday, March 23, 2009 12:39 PM

To: Dave Franchino

Subject: [SPAM-KEYWORDS] - Re: [design] Sustainability Consulting??? - Found word(s) check out in the Text body

Check out this webinar in June:

http://www.greenbiz.com/resources/calendar/2008/06/03/webinar-sustainability-consulting-101

Mason

-----Original Message-----

From: XXXX

Sent: Wednesday, March 18, 2009 12:09 PM

To: Dave Franchino

Subject: [Fwd: [design] Sustainability Consulting???]

Dave

I met one last weekend, but she lives in Nantes, France.  If that's not a

problem, let me know, and I'll track down her contacts and see if she

speaks english...

XXX BS '96

From: XXX] On Behalf Of XXX

Sent: Wednesday, March 18, 2009 2:58 PM

To: Dave Franchino

Cc: design-alumni< at >lists.Stanford.EDU

Subject: Re: [design] Sustainability Consulting???

Hi Dave!

There are firms that do calculation of carbon footprint for different alternative strategies etc.  There was an IDSA talk a few months back that had a couple good speakers from this space.  I can look them up for you if that's helpful.

My company PagePD (currently run by my brother XX) has done several sustainability projects including one for Starbucks and one for Recycline (recycled material razors and toothbrushes).  I'm sure Matt would be happy to talk with your friend: XXX

-XXX