Bloomberg, Jonathan Crawford and Jennifer A. Dlouhy, March 8, 2017

President Donald Trump plans to nominate Jones Day attorney Kevin McIntyre as chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, an agency charged with overseeing the nation’s power grid and deciding on multibillion-dollar energy projects, people familiar with the situation said.

Trump also plans to name Neil Chatterjee, senior energy adviser to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, as a member of the commission, said people with knowledge of the picks, asking not to be identified because the information isn’t public. The nominations are subject to confirmation by the Senate.

A new commissioner would restore the quorum that the energy agency needs to make decisions on major energy proposals such as interstate gas pipelines and utility mergers. The commission lost that quorum in February when its former chairman Norman Bay resigned.

The White House and energy commission declined to comment. McIntyre and Chatterjee didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

Waiting for Confirmation

At Jones Day, McIntyre represents companies in cases involving energy markets, utility and oil and gas pipeline regulations, according to the firm’s website. His areas of focus include compliance and enforcement, energy trading, competition issues and energy exports, the website shows.

Chatterjee is no stranger to the energy commission. He’s served as an architect of major energy and environmental policy in the Senate, helping to coordinate attacks against Obama’s Clean Power Plan that requires electricity generators to cut carbon-dioxide emissions. Before joining McConnell’s office, he worked for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association.

Trump’s nominees may be in for a long wait before the appointment takes effect. The confirmation process could take two to three months, according to Brandon Barnes, an analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence.

A coalition of more than 130 groups vowed to oppose any nominees, accusing the commission of rubber stamping pipelines and ignoring the potential impact on the environment.

“It is imperative that all Americans voice their opposition to business as usual at FERC and oppose any Trump nominees to the agency,” Todd Larsen, executive co-director of Green America, one of the groups involved, said by email.

Before Bay’s departure last month, the commission rushed to decide on a number of projects including Williams Cos.’s $3 billion Atlantic Sunrise gas expansion project and Energy Transfer Partners LP’s $4.2 billion Rover gas pipeline, both in the Northeast. It also delegated more authority to its staff to help with day-to-day operations.

An independent agency within the U.S. Energy Department, the commission typically has five members who serve five-year terms. Acting chairman Cheryl LaFleur, a Democrat and former utility executive, has been on the commission since 2010. The only other commissioner is Colette Honorable.

Members of the Bangladesh Garment and Industrial Workers Federation protest the deadly working conditions that led to the Rana Plaza building collapse in 2013. / Photo from the International Labor Rights Forum

Label-scouting consumers will have noticed a trend in the last several years: fewer “Made in China” tags on clothes on store shelves and an increase in tags from Bangladesh. Bangladesh is now home to factories producing clothes for some of the biggest clothing labels in the world, like Gap, H&M, and Walmart. Garments now account for 80 percent of Bangladesh’s exports, and the industry employs about 4 million people, according to the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters’ Association.

But the manufacturing boom in the country comes with a heavy price for workers. Since 2006, preventable accidents have plagued garment factories in Bangladesh, according to the Clean Clothes Campaign.

The problem was brought into the international spotlight after a fire at the Tazreen Fashions factory in 2012 killed 112 people; a resulting government inquiry accused the factory’s owner of “unpardonable negligence,” which included storing large amounts of flammable materials in unsafe conditions, and reports that mid-level managers insisted that workers on some floors continue working despite alarms indicating a fire had broken out.

But the tragedy of the Tazreen fire was soon followed by an even more devastating event when the eight-story Rana Plaza building collapsed in April of 2013, killing over 1,000 people and injuring 2,500 more.

Workers had noticed dangerous cracks in the building the day before the collapse, and the building was evacuated. However, workers from the garment factories that took up the upper floors were ordered back to their posts the following day, assured by supervisors that the building was safe. Over 3,000 garment workers were in the building when it fell.

Investors around the world have a huge role to play in urging clothing retailers and brands to ensure that Rana Plaza is the last avoidable major tragedy in Bangladesh garment factories.

The Bangladesh Accord

As calls for major reforms in Bangladesh have become more urgent, investors are pressuring companies to commit to improving conditions for garment workers by signing on to the Bangladesh Accord on Fire and Building Safety.

Created in May 2013, the Accord is a legally binding agreement among Bangladeshi and international trade unions and international clothing companies. The Accord aims to address all aspects of fire and building safety during a period of five years in factories that supply garments to Accord signatories.

More than 190 apparel brands from over 20 countries have signed onto the Bangladesh Accord, along with two global trade unions and eight Bangladesh trade unions. However, the vast majority are European companies, with US businesses largely absent—only 20 US corporations have signed on, including American Eagle Outfitters and Fruit of the Loom.

Companies that sign on to the Accord agree to work with manufacturers to ensure independent safety inspections and prompt repairs and renovations, as well as to provide pay to workers if they have to stop working due to dangerous conditions. Accord-member companies commit to staying in Bangladesh for at least two years, giving them a real stake in the long-term process to improve safety in garment factories.

“The Bangladesh Accord on Fire and Building Safety is a critical initiative,” says Green America executive co-director Fran Teplitz. “No one should have to endure the suffering, loss of life, and risks that garment workers face every day in Bangladesh.”

Shareholders Support the Accord

Immediately after the Rana Plaza collapse, the Interfaith Center for Corporate Responsibility (ICCR) provided critical leadership, circulating an investor statement calling for clothing companies to sign on to the Bangladesh Accord. The ICCR Bangladesh statement is currently supported by over 200 investment companies and organizations, representing over $3.1 trillion in investor assets.

ICCR is a coalition of faith-based organizations and pension funds that use their collective shareholder power to pressure companies on social and environmental issues.

“From an investment point of view, it’s about risk analysis,” says David Schilling, senior program director at ICCR. “If companies don’t have policies and practices to address the health and safety of workers where they source products, their whole enterprise is vulnerable to reputational risk from major disasters like Rana Plaza.”

Schilling notes that the issue is attracting investors who are new to socially responsible investing. “We’re working with members of ICCR ... but have also combined forces with larger pension and asset managements firms that may not have had a long-standing interest in human rights issues,” he says. “Rana Plaza galvanized, and maybe accelerated, the movement of social analysts in firms to look more carefully at human rights criteria.”

The Accord vs. The Alliance

Rather than signing onto the Accord, 26 North American companies, including Gap, VF, and Walmart, founded the Bangladesh Alliance. While the Alliance aims to work toward improving worker safety in Bangladesh, critics say it’s much weaker than the Accord.

On the surface, the Accord and the Alliance may seem similar. The Accord conducts health and safety inspections at 1600 Bangladesh garment factories that do business with its 190 members, and the Alliance is doing the same at the more than 580 factories patronized by its 26 members (with some overlap between the two groups).

Both the Alliance and the Accord claim their standards are legally binding. Both publish data about factories, including inspection reports and remediation plans.

However, human-rights leaders are asking companies to prioritize the Accord, which they say is more comprehensive and more transparent than the Alliance, and which gives workers a much stronger stake.

Specifically, the Accord was developed by worker unions and labor rights non-governmental organizations (NGOs), in collaboration with apparel companies, says Liana Foxvog, director of organizing and communications at the International Labor Rights Forum. Bangladeshi worker unions have equal representation to brands on the Accord’s steering committee.

In contrast, the Alliance was created by retailers and has a majority of corporate managers and factory owners on its board of directors, with no worker unions.

“I think both Alliance and Accord have thorough inspections,” says Schilling. “[But the Accord] is the one with close ties with workers on the factory floor.”

The Accord is also a legally binding contract, and companies that sign it can be taken to court if they do not adhere to its provisions. While the Alliance claims to be legally binding, Theresa Haas of the Worker Rights Consortium (WRC) says most of the provisions are voluntary. “Brands and retailers can walk away at any time with little to no consequences; they are not legally obligated to follow through with many of the promises they made [after Rana Plaza],” she says.

For example, the WRC notes that the Alliance agreement contains language exempting members from being obligated to participate in key recommended programs, such as a loan program to help factories finance repairs. A similar program is mandatory for Accord signers.

“The Alliance lacks both the transparency and the avenues necessary to enable workers to have a voice for safety on the job,” says Foxvog. “It’s modeled on the same voluntary, confidential ‘corporate social responsibility’ programming that failed to prevent at least 1,138 deaths and many more injuries at Rana Plaza.”

Investors Take Action

Green America, ICCR, and allied organizations continue to put pressure on US retailers that have failed to sign on to the Accord, including Gap, VF, and Walmart. (All are Alliance members.)

While many social and environmental issues come to companies in the form of shareholder resolutions, Schilling does not expect to see demands to join the Bangladesh Accord come to companies this way.

“We’re seeing a change in approach,” he says. “Instead of making demands for third-party monitoring through shareholder resolutions, as we’ve done in the past, we are instead engaging in dialogue with companies to support the multi-stakeholder approach of the Bangladesh Accord.”

Likewise, many socially responsible investment firms have established relationships with retailers working in Bangladesh, and they are engaging in dialogue with them on worker health and safety.

“Trillium and its investor partners engaged numerous companies that contract with factories in Bangladesh to join the Bangladesh Accord,” says Susan Baker, vice-president of shareholder advocacy at Trillium Asset Management. Baker says that Trillium also urges companies that have joined the Alliance to publicly disclose their efforts to help Bangladesh workers and Rana Plaza victims, as well as their supplier factory locations.

Those efforts bore fruit in 2014, when Target became “the first general merchandise retailer to publish a full list of its registered factories,” says Baker.

“Target is responding to its customers growing interest in what is in the products they buy, as well as where they come from,” says Baker.

Supporting Rana Plaza Victims

ICCR is now mustering investors to call on garment companies doing business in Bangladesh to donate to the Rana Plaza Arrangement, a trust fund to provide compensation to Rana Plaza victims.

In 2013, Bangladeshi NGOs, unions, and the government, as well as industry representatives, created the Arrangement. Victims file claims, and a group of independent commissioners decides on the compensation they receive.

Activists are urging companies with ties to Rana Plaza, like Walmart and Benetton, to make a significant donation. Some donors are publicly disclosed.

The Arrangement currently has collected $21 million for Rana Plaza survivors, says Haas. Unfortunately, the estimated amount needed to fairly compensate all victims is $30 million, so the fund is $9 million short.

A group of institutional investors in 12 different countries have signed onto the ICCR investor statement asking garment companies to participate in the Rana Plaza trust fund, as well as to ensure worker health and safety by committing to the Bangladesh Accord’s level of transparency in inspections, remediation, and outcomes.

What You Can Do

Whether you have investments in individual companies or mutual funds, you can support the cause of making factories safer in Bangladesh and compensating Rana Plaza victims.

“Individual investors can make a difference by looking at their portfolios,” says Schilling. If a clothing company you hold stock in has not signed onto the Accord, send a letter requesting that it do so, he says. “Companies do pay attention to what they hear from individual investors.”

If you have holdings in companies that have signed on, let them know you appreciate their leadership.

In addition, says Baker, “Ask companies that are involved in the Accord or the Alliance to report publicly on the commitments they agreed to. ... And press companies to disclose registered factory lists.”

Also, investing through socially responsible investment companies ensures that your money is going toward engagement with corporations about human rights and other important issues. Along with Trillium, Calvert Investments and Domini Social Investments support the Accord and are using their economic clout to urge companies to sign on.

Right now, you can urge clothing companies to the Rana Plaza Arrangement trust fund for victims of the factory collapse. A list of publicly disclosed donors, including a handful of garment brands, is available on the site.

Update: In June 2015, several events brought some justice to Bangladeshi workers and families of and workers.

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Job Title:    Executive Assistant

Salary:             $20,000 - $22,000

Benefits:         medical, dental, sick days, holidays, vacation, flexible schedule

Type:               Part-time, 16 hours per week, Monday - Thursday

Supervisor:     Executive Co-director

To apply:        Send cover letter and resume to execassist@greenamerica.org Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.

Green America is a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating a socially just and environmentally sustainable society by harnessing economic power for positive change.  Our unique approach involves working with consumers, investors, and businesses to advance the green economy. 

This position plays a crucial role in the organization by assisting the Executive Team (the President/CEO and the two Executive Co-directors). The Executive Team is responsible for managing the organization in coordination with department directors and the board of directors.

Responsibilities:

The primary responsibility is to assist the CEO/President and Executive Co-Directors in their duties.  Tasks will vary from week to week and include the following:

• Travel: (when safe to do so). Book travel arrangements for the CEO/President, use loyalty programs and credit card points to save costs.  Travel includes – Flights, buses, trains, hotels, rental cars, taxies and directions. Register CEO/President for needed conferences, submit and follow up on reimbursements requests for travel appearances where appropriate. Change travel arrangements when weather and schedule necessitate, working to get refunds and travel credit whenever possible. Work with the Development Department to schedule meetings with local donors well in advance of the trip.
• Expenses: Collect the CEO/President’s receipts and code them each month; process reimbursements as needed.
• Reports: Help the Executive Team with the development and finalization of board reports and Operating Plan reports.  This includes collecting information from different departments and committees, doing report lay-out, and editing final drafts in Microsoft Word or Power point.
• Staff/Board Meetings: Schedule all-staff meetings and board meetings (virtual and physical, when in-person meetings are possible again); provide online access. Organize and coordinate logistics, including renting meeting rooms and planning meals as needed.
• Scheduling: Primary responsibility for managing and updating the CEO/President’s schedule. Work with external individuals (and their executive assistants) to schedule appointments for the CEO/President.  This includes keeping track of the CEO/President’s external board, travel, and personal commitments and getting the appointments on the calendar, noting time zone differences.
• Executive Communications: Answer questions about the CEO/President’s calendar and availability. Follow-up on correspondence. Rapidly flag any key issues to the executive team. Maintain CEO-related documents.
• Development: Work with the Development Team to schedule meetings between the CEO/President and major donors accordingly.
• Board: Serve as a board liaison. Work with the CEO/President and the Executive Co-directors to schedule and organize board meetings, organize board documents, prepare for all meetings, including renting space and catering as needed. Collect conflict of interest statements annually. Keep Board of Directors Contact Sheet updated. Submit reimbursement requests for board member travel expenses. Answer questions from board members.
• New Hires: Create and manage job postings for all new positions. Research job announcement platforms to ensure openings are seen by diverse applicants. Upon hiring, remove job postings. Add or remove staff credit cards as needed.
• Staff Anniversaries, Special Acknowledgements: Using online platforms, create digital acknowledgements to express thanks, or other messages as needed.
• Organizational Culture: Organize events for interns and help coordinate staff "fun" days.
• Administrative Support as Needed: Provide administrative support as needed and as approved by the executive team.
• Special Projects: Support special projects as approved by the executive team.

Responsibilities of all Green America Staff

• Participate in general staff meetings, the annual Operating Plan & Budget process.
• Serve on special teams or committees as time permits.
• Other duties as time permits.

Qualifications:

• Sound judgment and diplomatic manner and communication style
• Excellent speaking and writing skills
• Highly organized and able to keep priorities on track and meet deadlines; ability to multi-task
• Strong attention to detail
• Mastery of Microsoft office suite with experience creating presentations, spreadsheets, and professional documents
• Excellent people skills and a cooperative and collaborative mindset
• Experience with nonprofit organization a plus
• Must be able to work both collaboratively and independently
• Must be a problem solver with a strong sense of initiative and personal responsibility

Green America is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without discrimination regarding: actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, related medical conditions, breastfeeding, or reproductive health disorders), age (18 years of age or older), marital status (including domestic partnership and parenthood), personal appearance, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, family responsibilities, genetic information, disability, matriculation, political affiliation, citizenship status, credit information or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. Harassment on the basis of a protected characteristic is included as a form of discrimination and is strictly prohibited.

We certify businesses that are committed to using business as a platform for social change. Discover what makes a business green »

Green America’s Green Business Certification ensures that companies operate according to these general standards:

• They operate a “values-based” social enterprise according to principles of social justice and environmental sustainability (values statement must be featured on website);
• They are environmentally responsible in the way they run their operations and facilities (view green office/facility standards), and in how they source raw materials, manufacture products, and market them;
• They are currently selling products or services when applying for Green Business Certification (completed website with all products/services listed);

All companies seeking Green Business Certification must meet Green America’s standards for all businesses, and also meet or exceed all required standards in their industry. Explore our standards in nearly 40 industries below, or learn more about our Certification and the requirements for all businesses.

We'd love to add you to this page. See job openings here.

Thanks to our staff, interns, volunteers and consultants who participated with the website redesign June 2016 - June 2017.

Reports to: Director of Digital Products
 

Summary

The Digital Products intern works closely with the director of digital products, editorial staff, program staff, and other team members, on a variety of digital projects, supporting the Green America main website, the Green American magazine, the Green Business Network, the Green Pages, and other sub-sites and specialty projects.

The intern will conceptualize and manage the organization’s website as well as ideate, research, format and design digital products such as mailings, sub-sites, micro-sites, and/or new features on the existing platform.

This position helps to extend the resources of the organization in order to better assist and meet the needs of our members.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Support the maintenance and updating for the back-end of public website. 
• Publish approved content on the website and/or various social media platforms. 
• Work closely with the director, staff, and outside parties such as consultants, to develop content for the main digital engagement platform, our public website, electronic newsletters, and/or social media platforms. 
• Work in iterative cycles to develop our software, including: researching needs, coordinating with teammates, developing functional specifications, identifying priorities, articulating data architecture, understanding desired metrics, laying out tasks, managing the rollout schedule, and gaining feedback.
   

Qualifications

• The ideal candidate will be a team player who is willing to pitch in to support the community.
• An “all-hands-on-deck” attitude, along with excellent communication skills and the ability to think holistically about complex problems will be required.
• The intern will be an essential member of the global headquarters team.
• Candidates are placed in our Washington D.C. office. Remote work is also available.
• Passion for social & environmental justice and making real change in the world.
   

A Few of our Recent Victories

(Because we want you to be as excited about this work as we are.)

• Pushing Apple to improve worker conditions in its partner factories.
• Getting National Geographic to start transitioning to recycled paper in the paper it uses for the magazine.
• Moving Cheerios, Hershey, Hellmann’s, Similac, and Campbell’s to offer non-GMO products Getting Hershey to remove child labor out of its cocoa supply.
• Coordinating national stakeholders to identify and implement sustainable sources of gmo-free wheat 

If the above doesn’t describe you perfectly but you think you should be working at Green America, please get in touch anyway and tell us why you want to work with us. We find the most compelling candidates exist outside the resume.

Desired qualifications

• Knowledge of HTML or other digital coding.
• Effective communicator – both written and oral.
• Ability to work independently as well as in partnership with a team.
• Ability to define and work to deadlines.
• Be self-directed and willing to take initiative, and detail-oriented.
• Respect and maintain confidentiality of organization staff, volunteers, donors, and members.
• Enthusiasm for the mission of the organization.
   

Additional qualifications (optional)

• Knowledge of git or SFTP.
• Proficiency in technical web development tools (Drupal, WordPress, XHTML, CSS, JavaScript, etc.) and firm grasp of the back-end and digital space.
• Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite, InDesign, Photoshop, or other visualization tools.
• Proficiency in in Microsoft Office.
• Proficiency on social media platforms.
   

Training & Supervision

Training and supervision conducted by: director of digital products, including weekly checkin and shared work plan.

Time Commitment

• 10-20 hours/week (can be spread over multiple days of the workweek)
• Preference will be given to those who can commit to a minimum of 10 weeks of service (200 hours)
• Green America is open four days a week, Monday-Thursday, 9:00am-5:00pm. Work may be completed in office and/or remotely.
   

Benefits

• Build your portfolio of work
• Flexible scheduling
• Help meet an important social need in an organization with an national reach
• $65 travel stipend
   

How to Apply

• Upload your resume and cover letter and online portfolio to a Google Doc, your own website, strikingly, wix, weebly, LinkedIn, gitlab, github, or some other shareable link.
   
• Apply here: https://www.greenamerica.org/form/intern-application

Green America is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without discrimination regarding: actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, related medical conditions, breastfeeding, or reproductive health disorders), age (18 years of age or older), marital status (including domestic partnership and parenthood), personal appearance, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, family responsibilities, genetic information, disability, matriculation, political affiliation, or credit information. Harassment on the basis of a protected characteristic is included as a form of discrimination.

• Sample Project plan: This is a sample project plan. Duplicate this and use as a base for your own plan. http://bit.ly/plandrupalinternship

This is the list of skills that the digital products associate will focus on:

Skills List for Digital Product Associates

Documents

• Google Drive http://drive.google.com

  • Google Docs http://docs.google.com

  • Google Sheets http://sheets.google.com

  • Google Analytics http://analytics.google.com

  • Google Maps http://maps.google.com

  • Google Forms http://forms.google.com

  • Google Hangouts http://hangouts.google.com

Project Management

• Trello http://www.trello.com

Communications

• Slack http://slack.com (messaging)

• Skype http://skype.com (phone and video calls)

Design

• Prezi.com http://prezi.com (Slideshows)

• Slideshare http://www.slideshare.net (Powerpoint/PDF upload)

• Infogr.am https://infogr.am (infographics)

• LucidChart http://www.lucidchart.com (charts)

• Balsamiq https://balsamiq.com (visualization)

Coding

• HTML/CSS http://www.w3schools.com/html/

• Bootstrap http://getbootstrap.com/

• FileZilla https://filezilla-project.org/

• Sublime https://www.sublimetext.com/

Content Management System

• Drupal http://drupal.org

• WordPress http://www.wordpress.org

Professional Development

• LinkedIn.com Profile http://www.linkedin.com

• Portfolio/Professional Website (e.g. strikingly.com or weebly.com)

• GitHub account http://github.com or GitLab account http://gitlab.com

• Payment processing, e.g. http://paypal.com or http://stripe.com

Bags/ Baskets

Historian Gregg Smith writes that fermented beverages have been nourishing body and enlivening spirit since the very dawn of civilization, dating at least as far back as when the ancient Mesopotamians began storing away “liquid bread” for later use. If you already consume alcoholic drinks, consider buying organic beer or wine for your social engagements and celebrations. Not only are organic beer and wine better for your body, but you may find they taste better than their non-organic counterparts, too.

Why Go Organic?

Choosing organic beverages means that the

• Grapes, barley, hops, apples, and other ingredients used to make your fermented refreshment are spared the application of toxic insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, and fertilizers.
  These unhealthy chemical inputs pollute our water, air, and soil. Researchers at Cornell University estimate that at least 67 million birds die each year from pesticides sprayed on US fields. The number of fish killed is conservatively estimated at six to 14 million. And, many pesticides are toxic to humans.
• Chemically intensive farming devastates ecosystems and harm human populations, and it also contributes to the crisis in family-owned farms. The US lost an estimated 650,000 family farms in the last decade. Organic farming, on the other hand, is proving to be small-farmer friendly-most organic farms are less than 100 acres.
• Chemical-free organic drinks often taste better, too. Just ask Andrew Myers, dining room manager at Washington, DC’s Restaurant Nora, America’s first certified organic restaurant. “I recommend organic wines and beers to our customers because of their excellent quality, not just because it’s the right thing to do,” says Myers.

The Logic of Buying Local

Purchasing from locally based vintners and brewers helps support small, family-owned businesses that make our communities diverse and unique. On most days, when visiting a local craft beer or wine producer, you’ll get to meet a brewer or vinter and witness part of the fermentation process. Many small vineyards or brewing facilities host tastings and other events, too.

Buying local helps keep profits circulating in your community, instead of heading up the food-stream to the coffers of remote corporations.

In addition, even when they are not certified organic, small-scale brewing and wine-making is good for the environment, because:

• In most cases, these “micros” are consumed locally, reducing the negative environmental effects caused by long-distance transportation.
• Many microbreweries also use large, refillable containers called “growlers.” Customers pop
  into the brewpub facility and get a quick fill-up, thereby reducing unnecessary packaging-and they get a break on the price as well.
• The glass bottles and cardboard packages conventionally used to store craft beers or local wines are easily recyclable in most areas.

Expanding Selections

Another advantage to being an eco-minded imbiber is that you’ll enjoy an ever-widening array of sophisticated and tasty beers and wines to try.

In the past three decades, the brewing industry has grown exponentially-- there are were 2,768 microbreweries in the country as of 2013, according to the Beer Institute. This increase in “beer-o-diversity” means is that you, the consumer, have a vastly growing selection of beer styles to suit your tastes.

The same goes for wine-making as well-the more small vintners in existence, the more varieties of wine you have to choose from. Best of all, whether you buy local beer or wine, you’ll have even more opportunities to support local, eco-minded, community-oriented businesses.

Brews to Choose and Wines to Find (Spirits too)

Here’s a selection of breweries and vintners that don’t fizzle when it comes to caring for people and the planet. All have products that are nationally available in stores and taverns near you.

• Beers
  • American Homebrewer's Association: While not a retailer, this features a “brewpub locator” to help you find your local small-scale beer producer.
  • The Chicory Stout, crafted by the Delaware-based Dogfish Head Brewing Co., features organic coffee beans, adding to its robust and satisfying taste profile.
  • Golden Promise
  • Bison Brewery
  • Eel River Brewing Co.
  • and many more!
• Wines
  • One of the best-known organic wine-makers is Frey Vineyards in Redwood Valley, CA. Their list covers the gamut of styles, from a dry Chardonnay to a hearty Merlot. In 1996, this winery became the first producer of certified biodynamic wines.
  • Chartrand Imports
  • Organic Vintages
  • The Organic Wine Co.
  • Silver Thread Vineyard
•  
• Spirits
  • Square One Organic Vodka
  • Crop Vodka
  • Farmers Botanical Gin
  • 4 Copas Blanco Tequila
  • and more!

For Teetotalers

For those looking for a softer alternative, natural sodas and non-alcoholic ciders are popular at many local establishments. Microbreweries like Dominion Brewing Company in VA offers organic root beer. Other microbreweries, like the Sprecher Brewery in Glendale, WI, feature a line of natural sodas. Meanwhile, wineries like Australia’s Robinvale Wineries offer non-alcoholic sparkling grape drinks.

Make Your Own

If commercially available drinks over-tap your pocket-book, why not try making some at home? It’s safe, legal, drastically reduces transportation impacts, and can be much cheaper. Home beer- and wine-making gives you the freedom to concoct a beverage tailored to your personal palate, allows you to reuse glass bottles over and over again, and often requires very little in start-up costs.

A good number of small companies supply this consumer market, including a number that offer organic ingredients, like the Seven Bridges Cooperative. For more on making your own beer and wine, Storey Books publishes excellent books on the subject, including The Homebrewer’s Garden, by Joe and Dennis Fisher, and The Home Winemaker’s Companion, by Gene Spaziani and Ed Halloran.

Title: Member Services Administration Assistant
Supervisors: Member Services, Operations and Database Director & Senior Manager, Marketing and Communications for the Green Business Network
Salary: $51,000-$56,000
Start Date: Immediately
Location: Hybrid (2 days per week in our Washington, DC office)
Position: 32 hours per week (4 day workweek Monday-Thursday)

Green America is a non-profit organization dedicated to creating a just and sustainable society by harnessing economic power for positive change. Our unique approach involves working with consumers, investors and businesses on both the supply and demand sides of the market to build an economy that prioritizes the well-being of people and our planet. Our workplace reflects our goal of creating a more cooperative, environmentally sound economy. We have a participatory decision-making process, which aims to build consensus within the departments and teams.

This is a dynamic position in an exciting organization. The Member Services Administration Assistant is a key liaison with our members—both our individual members and our business members. This is a hybrid position requiring half-time (2 days per week) in our Washington, DC office.

Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Individual Membership Liaison

• Provide answers and process requests via email and phone within one business day. Work with internal staff as necessary.
• Mail members thank you notes and special requests like additional publications (weekly).
• Manage and update the Members Services Handbook.

2. Green Business Network (GBN)

• Respond to all business member inquiries (email and phone calls).
• Execute welcome process for new business members, including a personalized welcome email and follow-ups on Green America’s Green Business Certification and GreenPages.org Member Profile creation.
• Assist with direct mail and fulfillment.
• Assist with all communications work as needed, including assisting with web/e-newsletter content and engaging with members-only Facebook and LinkedIn Groups.
• Enter all member payments into membership database (Salesforce) and report on financials to GBN team and Accounting.
• Make all database updates as needed, including new records, returned mail, and GreenPages.org Member Profiles.
• Conduct targeted outreach via phone and text to lapsed members to re-engage them and/or mark as cancelled or out of business.
• Assist with lead generation and outreach to potential new business members.

3. Correspondence with our Recurring Donors

• Call and/or email recurring donors when their account information needs updating.
• Persuade recurring donors to reduce their gift instead of canceling membership.
• Send out thank you gifts to recurring donors as needed.

4. Data Entry, Operations, and Analysis

• Sorting all incoming mail and distributing it to the proper people in a timely manner in the format agreed to by each member of the Coordinating Team. Process returned mail.
• Manage inventory of office supplies and department premiums, reordering when needed.
• Sorting returns from caging company and making sure that member preferences are entered into the membership database (Raiser’s Edge). Follow up with specific member questions.
• Enter/process information in membership database (Raiser’s Edge), including address changes and workplace gifts.
• Provide back-up to process batches from data entry company to assist Operations department, as needed.
• Code incoming mail for data entry and accounts receivable
• Prepare, coordinate, and approve mailings with vendors for renewal reminders (bimonthly)
• Coordinate mailings with vendors for:
  1. Welcome Kits and letters (bimonthly)
  2. Thank you letters for renewal payments (bimonthly)
  3. Thank you letters for special gifts payments (bimonthly)
  4. Sustainer bad credit card letters (monthly)
  5. Yearly tax mailing
• Fulfill thank you gifts and online shopping cart orders within three business days.
• Document and update CRM processes.
• Maintain “Do not mail” list.

5. Participation in Green America Cross Departmental Teams
   • The success of our work and the strength of our organization depend on the voluntary participation of staff from all levels of the organization in various cross departmental teams, in addition of the core responsibilities of each staff position. While staff are not required to participate in a voluntary team ever year, we do depend on volunteers throughout the year for teams such as: Space Team; Operating Plan & Budget Team; Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) Team; Pulse Survey Team; and the Fun Days Team.
6. Other duties as assigned.

Qualified candidates should have:

Note: Experience doesn't always look the same. Skills are transferable, and passion is important. Please tell us how your experience can lead to success in this position.

• Pleasant, helpful, respectful, and approachable personality.
• Ability to multi-task, prioritize, work independently, meet deadlines, and remain focused and calm.
• Openness to constructive feedback and willingness to learn best practices from teammates.
• The desire to understand how and why processes are in place, and the curiosity to find the cause when a process breaks down.
• The motivation to improve processes, speak up in meetings, and make recommendations.
• Strong attention to detail and efficient organizational skills.
• Strong writing skills with an emphasis on professional yet warm letter- and email-writing.
• Proficiency in Microsoft 365.
• Aptitude to enter and change data in our membership database. We currently use Raiser’s Edge, Salsa Labs, Salesforce, and Charity Engine.

To Apply:

Send resume and cover letter to memberservicesjob@greenamerica.org with the subject line “Member Services Administration Assistant”

Benefits include:

• Being part of a dynamic, innovative team to build the green economy for all people
• Competitive salary and salary transparency
• Participatory workplace in which staff have a voice in key organizational issues
• Four-day workweeks, Monday-Thursday
• Socially & environmental responsible retirement plan options
• Pre-tax Metro benefit card (savings on local DC transportation)
• Medical, dental, disability insurance, Flex Spending Account (FSA)
• Paid vacation, sick and dependent care leave
• Paid parental and long-term care-giver leave

Reports to: Executive Co-Director for Culture, Planning, & Green Business Development
Salary range: $100,000 to $120,000 
Benefits: Excellent benefits including health care, dental care, support for working virtually, generous leave policy, and flexible 32-hour work week 
Location: District/Maryland/Virginia (DMV) area preferred, but open to remote candidates  

Founded in 1982, Green America is a national nonprofit dedicated to creating a just and sustainable society by harnessing economic power. Our unique approach focuses on economic action and marketplace strategies, working with consumers and investors.

We seek a Finance Director who will have overall responsibility for our organization’s accounting, finance, budget and reporting functions. The Finance Director will ensure that the systems, processes, procedures and policies are in place for effective management of the organization, clean audits, compliance with applicable laws/regulations, and efficient operations of their department.

Green America is a highly collaborative, vibrant workplace. We have a participatory decision-making process among staff members that aims to build consensus within departments and teams on how we carry out our work. Goals to advance Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion are woven into all of our work. 

Responsibilities Include: 

• Final responsibility for the accuracy and quality of all financial data, reporting, and audit coordination for either a division or significant program area; meticulous attention to detail and a commitment to quality. 

• Lead the presentation of financial reports/results to staff and the Board. Present financial and budget information to the organization’s board in a manner that allows individuals who do not have a finance or accounting background to understand the financial condition of the organization.
• Supervise the Accountant’s work on Accounts Payable, Payroll and other accounting tasks. 

• Manage the organization’s: 
  • Payroll 
  • Expense reimbursements 
  • Account receivables, billing and aging reports 
  • Accounts payable and payments: check and other electronic 
  • Member loan program administration 
  • Credit card activity recording and PayPal processing/payments 
  • Bank/investment accounts and reporting, including the Endowment 
  • Monthly reconciliations and closings, and issuance of financial reports 
  • Cash balance and cash flow management and reporting 
  • State agency filings via outside counsel, as required  
  • Sponsored program reporting  
  • Maintenance of fixed asset schedule 
  • Filing of 1099 reports to the IRS and qualified vendors 
  • Manage line of credit 
  • Manage contract files with outside contractors or vendors in conjunction with relevant staff 
  • Insurance coverage and renewals (with the HR director) 
• Oversee and lead annual planning and budgeting process in conjunction with the Executive Team and Coordinating Team (CT); review and provide input on plans and budgets; and provide analytical support and budget/reporting tools to managers as needed.  
• Proactively keep Executive Team and CT abreast of the organization’s financial status and trajectory.  
• Coordinate and lead the annual audit and 990 process. Work with Green America’s external auditors to ensure that our annual audit and tax return are completed in a successful and timely fashion. 
• Ensure compliance with external financially oriented reporting requirements; generate filings and/or manage others in the generation of filings; and ensure accuracy, quality and timeliness of financial filings.  
• Review the organization’s internal controls and make changes as appropriate.  
• Ensure strict compliance with all applicable laws/requirements as they relate to accounting.  
• Review organizational contracts, consulting with outside counsel as needed, and retain documents related to agreements with vendors and other third parties. 
• Work with the HR and IT Directors to ensure proper documentation of organizational practices and systems. 
• Maintain/revise the organization’s chart of accounts and accounting/reporting dimensions based on nonprofit best practice and the management/reporting needs of the organization.  
• Work with the technology team to achieve efficiencies by automating manual processes and integrating accounting/finance systems/processes with other systems/processes when such integration results in net efficiencies for the organization. 
• The success of our work and the strength of our organization depend on the voluntary participation of staff from all levels of the organization in various cross-departmental teams, in addition to the core responsibilities of each staff position. While staff members are not required to participate in a voluntary team every year, we do depend on volunteers throughout the year for teams such as: Operating Plan & Budget Team; Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) Team; Pulse Survey Team; and the Fun Days Team. 

Skills Required: 

Experience doesn't always look the same – skills are transferable, and passion is important. Please tell us how your experience can lead to success in this position. 

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting and at least 3-5 years of relevant experience as a senior accountant and/or auditor; highly motivated to take on greater responsibility and an increasingly strategic role across the next several years. CPA licensure is a plus. 
• Strong track record of progressively increasing responsibility in managing accounting, coordinating/leading audits, managing financial reporting and analysis, and budgeting. 
• Technologically savvy with advanced knowledge of accounting, financial reporting and Intacct accounting software. 
• Proven ability to work collaboratively in support of line managers; exemplary communications skills, interpersonal skills, and professionalism.  
• Strong analytical skills, with ability to derive actionable insight from data, and ability to organize/present data in a way that is incisive and useful by others. 
• Entrepreneurial, results-oriented focus, with demonstrated ability to work and solve problems independently in order to move initiatives from inception to completion; strong project management and organizational skills with ability to meet tight deadlines.  
• Demonstrated ability to effectively lead a team.  
• Commitment to our organization’s mission and values. 

To Apply: 

Please send your resume and a cover letter, noting where you learned of this position, to executivehire@greenamerica.org by November 26, 2023. 

********************************************************************************** 

Green America is an equal opportunity employer. Women, people of color, LGBTQ individuals, people with disabilities, and veterans are encouraged to apply. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without discrimination regarding: actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, related medical conditions, breastfeeding, or reproductive health disorders), age (18 years of age or older), marital status (including domestic partnership and parenthood), personal appearance, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, family responsibilities, genetic information, disability, matriculation, political affiliation, citizenship status, credit information or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. Harassment on the basis of a protected characteristic is included as a form of discrimination and is strictly prohibited. 

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