The Intuit Small Business Blog

Local Hero Challenge – Sustainability Assessment for Small Businesses

by Gretchen Harding - April 9, 2010

June 15, 2010 Update:

New! Taking the Local Hero Challenge is now the first step toward winning an Intuit Green Grant. The grants support small business owners who want to try new ways to make their business more sustainable. They include $500 and Sustainability 101, an interactive online course offered by the Kaplan EduNeering/Seventh Generation Sustainability Institute.  Learn more about how to apply.

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Intuit’s LoveALocalBusiness.com grant competition rewards businesses who are loved by their community.  But, What does it mean to be a local business?  Take the Local Hero Challenge to help answer that question.

Small businesses owners often are recognized as leaders in their community, but we expect many of you will learn that you’re much more important – you’re Local Heroes.  The Local Hero Challenge starts with a brief, 10-question survey.  Your answers are used to assess the positive impact your business has on your community, and to provide a way to promote the good your business does. 

As GreenBiz.com explains:
 

The assessment isn’t comprehensive, but it does give small businesses access to sustainability with criteria they can use to evaluate their performance and inform their business decisions, while also sharing the results with their customers and communities. As we’ve seen on many occasions, once businesses see the benefits and economic perks of making their operations greener firsthand, they rarely abandon the path.

Those businesses who score highest earn the designation of Local Hero.  Based on your score, you’ll get a badge that you can add to your Website or blog to promote your business by showing that you care about doing good while growing your business.  Click here to take the Local Hero Challenge now and find out which of these badges you’ll earn:

Scout – Businesses like this are headed in the right direction.  If they keep up the good work they’ll move up the ranks to earn a new badge in the Local Hero Challenge and set a good example for others to follow. Score 0-2.

Booster – Businesses like this obviously believe doing good is good for business. If they keep up the types of good work identified in the Local Hero Challenge, they’ll further amplify the impact their business has on their community. Score 2.1-4.

Mentor – Businesses like this are role models. If they keep up the types of good work identified in the Local Hero Challenge, they’ll multiply their impact by motivating and inspiring others to strive for improvement too. Score 4.1-6.

Pioneer – Businesses like this are leaders among peers. If they keep up the great work and focus on one final attribute within the Local Hero Challenge, they’ll break new ground, helping establish new expectations for what it means to be a business leader.  Score 6.1-8.

Local Hero – Businesses like this are modern-day super heroes. Their courage and determination in mastering all attributes within the Local Hero Challenge are truly admirable. Their sustainable business practices help us all reach new heights.  Score 8.1-10.

The Local Hero Challenge was developed in partnership with B Lab, a non-profit that certifies and supports a new type of company, called B Corporations, which use the power of business to solve social and environmental issues.  It looks at five attributes important to B Corporations – environment, consumers, community, employees and accountability.

If you liked reading this you may also enjoy:

1. New Intuit Green Grants for Small Businesses
2. Jeffrey Hollender Judges the Love a Local Business Grant Competition
3. Taking Your Business Green and Beyond