Sustainability Summit: Better Practices, Better Business, Better Bottom Line

In this economic downturn, cutting costs can be crucial, now more than ever. One way to reduce costs, while impacting the greater good, is through sustainability. On May 11th, the Chamber's Economic Development Council will present the Second Annual Sustainability Summit, held at the Gwinnett Environmental & Heritage Center from 9:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., where participants can learn how sustainability through energy efficiency can make economic sense and improve companies' bottom lines.

Greater Atlanta's top sustainability experts will be speaking at the forum including Tom LaForge, director of knowledge and insights, The Coca Cola Company; Dennis Baxter, support services, Gwinnett County; Connie Wiggins, Director, Gwinnett Clean and Beautiful; Dan Loudermilk, sustainable systems engineer, GA-DNR; Bradley Griffin, VP-Operations, Russell Landscape Group Inc.; and Dennis Daniel, director of facilities and global securities, Merial. Southface Executive Director and Co-Founder, Dennis Creech will provide the keynote luncheon address.

Commenting on what participants will learn from the speakers, Lauren Salas, business development manager, Gwinnett Chamber Economic Development, said that attendees will be the first to hear about the growing Lifestyles of Health & Sustainability movement (LOHAS) and how Gwinnett County continues to take the lead on becoming more sustainable.

"Business leaders will also share how sustainability through energy efficiency, landfill avoidance and water conservation can make economic sense and improve companies' bottom line," said Salas. "Participants will leave the forum with the knowledge of how other companies have implemented successful sustainability policies as well as an understanding of how their own company can use these same best practices to become more sustainable."

For more information and to register for the Second Annual Sustainability Summit, visit www.gwinnettchamber.org/sustainability2010. Participants holding a Georgia real estate license will receive four (4) CEU credits for attending this event. Display tables are available for purchase at this event. For more information, contact Lindsay Myers at 678-957-4944 or Lindsay@gwinnettchamber.org. The event is sponsored by Platinum Sponsor: One Sugarloaf Centre and Gold BOMA-Atlanta, Jackson EMC, and California Pizza Kitchen and Silver sponsors Gwinnett Environmental & Heritage Center, Allgood Pest Solutions, Georgia Power, Swedish American Chamber of Commerce-Georgia.