Sustainability Accelerator:

Did you know that 98% of S&P 500 companies published a sustainability report in 2023? Sustainability is more than meeting corporate expectations. It’s also good for business, and a key priority for corporate partners. The truth is that if your customers haven’t already asked for sustainability metrics, they will soon!

That’s why WBEC Metro NY and Greater DMV created the Sustainability Accelerator Program, a unique opportunity designed specifically for women business owners. Led by sustainability expert, Mary Fehlig, President of The Fehlig Group, who has over 30 years of experience in this field, the program offers a series of interactive sessions and optional drop-in clinics to provide expert advice on the unique needs of your business as you embed sustainability and environmental, social and governance (ESG) into its operation.

“The biggest lesson for me was that ESG isn’t a rigid destination. It’s a continuous process, and the key is taking that first step.”

Comparable to sustainability and corporate social responsibility (CSR), ESG refers to measurable environmental, social, and governance factors that impact business decisions. But implementing ESG doesn’t necessarily have to mean a complete overhaul of your business – many participants are pleasantly surprised to find they’re already practicing key elements:

“We are practicing much of what is required for developing policies, it’s just a matter of putting it in a document!”

In the spirit of creating a community of learning, past participants of Sustainability Accelerator are encouraged to attend, as well as WBEs new to sustainability or those more advanced in their sustainability journey. This community of learning presents important opportunities to learn from each other and create accountability partners – benefits that often extend beyond the scheduled program.

And so, as the 2025 program kicks off, we spoke to last year’s cohort to gain more insight on what this program entails and what participating WBEs can get out of it. From the sense of community you gain, just like with any of our programs –

“The learning environment is empowering, connecting businesses with shared values and goals.”

– to the Sustainability Accelerator-specific involvement of ESG experts from some of the world’s biggest companies means you get real-world examples of what this looks like in practice:

“I thought the flow of the program was perfect—I especially appreciated hearing from the corporate members sponsoring this program.”

We are thrilled to announce that on April 8th, during the kickoff event, representatives from AstraZeneca and Paramount will set the stage for what will be nine months of interactive learning and ongoing information to unpack the important aspects of sustainability as they relate to your own business, providing clear direction for the steps needed to create and articulate a sustainability plan.

So, does this sound like the program for you? Sustainability Accelerator is targeted towards small to mid-size Certified WBEs throughout the WBEC Metro NY and Greater DMV RPOs, who have been in business for 2 – 5 years with specified mission, vision and values, and basic business processes in place for operations, personnel and business administration.

But overall, the Sustainability Accelerator is designed to propel WBEs looking to weave their environmental, social, and governance values into everything they do. It’s sure to be an eye-opening journey where you can not only strengthen your business's integrity, but make many new meaningful connections, both with like-minded women entrepreneurs, and with ESG champions from some of the business world’s biggest names. Some final words from last year’s cohort:

“I loved it, as well as being a part of this great group of business owners and facilitators. I’ll be back for future sessions to continue my education in ESG.”

We can’t wait to meet our new cohort and kick off!