Grand Rapids, Michigan — Southeastern Market, a community grocery store offering locally sourced sustainably raised meat and poultry, as well as produce grown by women and farmers of color, has been named the 2022 Western Michigan Sustainable Business of the Year.
The store, which opened in January 2021 by Alita Kelly and Khara DeWit, has won an award from the Western Michigan Sustainable Business Forum, a nonprofit that promotes sustainability. The business was recognized for its efforts to advance climate leadership and social justice and create a “circular economy.”
DeWitt said she was “honored” to be recognized.
“We achieve this vision with sustainability and equity at the heart of our mission,” she said in the release. “We are just a small player in Western Michigan’s collective vision for a sovereign and resilient local food system. .”
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The award was presented to the Southeast Market in October. 5 During the Triple Bottom Line bash at the West Michigan Sustainable Business Forum at the Peter Martin Weig Theater.
“If we reinvest properly and focus our local communities in our decisions around profitability, then there’s a lot of potential,” DeWitt said. “We hope this award will inspire more startups and show them the value of a community that works collaboratively to take risks and advance their values to achieve a sustainable future rooted in equity that allows others beyond our Generations enjoy the bounty of the earth and those around us.”
Other organizations honored during the event include:
- West Michigan Hispanic Center: The center “empowers more than 20,000 people each year to support themselves and the Hispanic community from its headquarters in the Roosevelt Park Community, the largest Latino community in the region. In addition to working to address racial inequality and supporting local immigrants, the center is a zero stormwater station. point and is committed to promoting environmental sustainability in the Hispanic community through its green team.”
- Hope Academy: The college “has been a key player in Lakeshore sustainability and has launched the city’s sustainability initiatives. Campus staff lead the state and support emerging programs at other schools. It also works through the use of reusable innovation in food service materials.”
- Major: retailer “Announced this year a three-year target to reduce carbon emissions by 50%, while making major investments to tackle plastic pollution in the region, reduce food waste through new technologies, increase the use of recycled content and eliminate PFAS in its products, Participate in supply chain sustainability and support green infrastructure. It also has the lowest refrigerant emissions in the industry and the highest percentage of electric vehicle charging stores. “
- Path number: The company is “one of the leading recycling companies in the state and country and is accelerating the circular economy through its Sustainable Cities initiative, helping to redefine recyclability for local industries. It also invested in electric vehicles for its truck fleet this year, While maintaining a strong commitment to DEI.”
- Volt Power System: The business “provides lithium-ion energy storage solutions to small and medium businesses. This young and fast-growing company has already eliminated thousands of fossil fuel generators from mobile applications.”
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