Power in Partnerships: Driving Sustainability Forward Together

Let’s talk about one of the most powerful tools in the sustainability playbook: partnerships. The road to a greener, more sustainable future isn’t one we can walk alone. Collaboration is the secret sauce that helps businesses grow, innovate, and make a real impact. 🤝 Building a better tomorrow requires pooling resources, sharing knowledge, and joining forces with like-minded partners. 

At Emerald Built Environments, A Crete United Company , we’ve built our foundation on these very principles, teaming up with industry leaders, forward-thinking organizations, and eco-champions who share our mission. Partnerships are how we take a local effort and amplify it to create lasting, global change. So, let’s dive into the power of partnerships and how they help us drive our sustainability goals forward! 

Part 1: Crete and Emerald United – A Partnership for a Sustainable Future

We’re thrilled to start with a spotlight on our newest partnership with Crete United which will elevate our sustainability efforts to new heights. As a Crete United company, Emerald Built Environments is now part of an expanded network of companies that broadens the resources we can bring to our clients to help them implement the sustainable solutions our strategy, assessments, and certification work identifies.

By joining forces with Crete United, a leader in energy efficiency, HVAC, electrical, and mechanical services, we’ve positioned ourselves to deliver a broader range of services without compromising the values that define Emerald: a B Corp Certified, woman-led, business for good. Crete set bold 2040 Net Zero goals for energy, fleet, and waste. They also have a bold 2040 goal that rivals our 2030 goal: removing 6 MTCO2e through client engagements. Their Net Zero commitments and core values resonate deeply with the work we’ve always done at Emerald. This partnership is about more than just aligning business goals—it’s about coming together to foster real, sustainable progress.

Michael Cox, CEO of Crete United, emphasizes this synergy: “Partnering with Emerald provides Crete United with even more resources to support the critical sustainability goals we’re helping our customers achieve.” Together, we’re poised to push the envelope on sustainability, setting higher standards for energy efficiency, green building certifications, and net-zero strategies. 

Part 2: Partnerships in Action – Amplifying Impact Together 

But one partnership isn’t enough! While our collaboration with Crete United marks an exciting new chapter, it's only one piece of our broader strategy. Let’s explore three other vital partnerships that help Emerald advance our sustainability goals and create lasting environmental impact. 

1% for the Planet: Giving with Purpose 

One of our most meaningful partnerships is with 1% for the Planet, a global movement inspiring businesses to strategically allocate their philanthropy. As members, we’ve found this partnership to be incredibly powerful. Not only does it make our philanthropic efforts measurable and strategic, but it also ensures that every dollar we contribute directly supports causes aligned with our mission of building a sustainable future. 

By focusing our giving through 1% for the Planet , we’ve been able to support organizations that are closely tied to our work—like the 2030 Districts, Nashville’s Urban Green Lab, Let’s Go Compost, and regional chapters of the USGBC. This partnership amplifies our impact by fostering deeper relationships with groups that share our vision, creating a network of support across the U.S. for green building initiatives and sustainability education. In short, 1% for the Planet has given us the platform to ensure our giving not only meets our philanthropic goals but also strengthens the sustainability communities we touch. 

Certified B Corp: Investing in Impact 

One of the partnerships that truly reflects our values and long-term goals is our Certified B Corporation status. For us, achieving B Corp Certification was a natural step in ensuring we hold ourselves to the highest standards of social and environmental performance. While the certification process itself was relatively easy given our deep commitment to sustainability, maintaining it as we grow will require a continuous focus and dedication to improvement. 

At Emerald, we use the B Corp Assessment as a guide to drive excellence across all areas of our business — from HR policies and procedures, to purchasing, service delivery, and transparency in data reporting. This certification holds us accountable to higher performance year after year, pushing us to integrate sustainability not just in what we do but in how we operate internally. 

For example, preserving the benefits we provide to our employees and maintaining our commitment to locally-sourced services from women-owned businesses are imperatives now more than ever. These initiatives aren’t just checkmarks for certification — they’re core to who we are and how we see our role in building a sustainable future. 

As part of the global B Corp community, we’re connected to a network of like-minded companies — leaders like Patagonia, Athleta, and local Ohio brands like Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams and MadTree Brewing Company — who share our vision of balancing profit with purpose. For Emerald, B Corp certification is not just a label; it’s a framework for continuously evolving and driving impactful change in everything we do. 

USGBC: Building Stronger Networks for Sustainable Progress 

Another cornerstone partnership that plays a critical role in our sustainability efforts is with the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). Emerald is proud to be a long-standing member of the USGBC, and we are especially honored to have achieved the Proven Provider designation, a mark of distinction that recognizes our consistent delivery of high-quality LEED projects. Additionally, our own offices are LEED Silver Certified under the ID+C v4 rating system, a testament to our commitment to practicing what we preach in sustainable design. 

Our deepening relationship with the USGBC is in part due to our commitment to 1% for the Planet, which compelled us to increase financial support for the USGBC’s regional chapters — the people on the ground who help spread the word about the benefits of sustainable buildings in communities across America. And it’s not just money that we give: I serve on the Ohio MLAB, Ohio’s board of advisors, and Abby McDonald serves on the NEOLLT, the Cleveland region’s leadership teams. Matthew Setzekorn, PE, LEED AP , Abby, and Sophia Hestad, EI have all led educational sessions for USGBC in our region and nationally. 

Through our efforts, we’ve forged stronger ties with the organization’s leadership and gained greater insight into the evolution of LEED standards and the certification process. This direct access and ability to provide feedback on pending changes within the rating system enables us to stay at the forefront of green building innovation. 

For our clients, these connections provide tangible benefits. Our team’s close relationship with USGBC staff and regional leaders means we’re equipped with the latest insights and best practices, which we incorporate into our consulting services. We don’t just help clients navigate the LEED certification process; we offer informed, cutting-edge advice based on firsthand knowledge of the system’s intricacies. Whether it’s advising on upcoming shifts in the rating criteria or streamlining the certification process, our collaboration with the USGBC ensures our clients are always one step ahead in their sustainability journey. 

Conclusion: Reflecting on the Power of Partnerships 

At Emerald Built Environments, we’ve seen firsthand how meaningful partnerships can drive real change. Whether it's through our collaboration with Crete United, our commitment to 1% for the Planet, or our work with B Corp and the USGBC, these alliances have amplified our impact in ways we couldn’t achieve alone. 

Partnerships push us to think bigger, challenge our assumptions, and leverage collective strengths. By joining forces with others who share our vision, we extend our reach and deepen our ability to create lasting, sustainable solutions. It’s this shared commitment to progress that makes partnerships so powerful and essential for our sustainable future. 

I'd love to hear from you if you're interested in learning more or exploring ways we can work together. Let’s continue the conversation and see how we can drive sustainability forward — together.