Thursday, November 6, 2025
9:00 am - 12:00 pm
at Hula in Burlington
Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility You won't want to miss VBSR’s annual Legislative Breakfast! This year, we're taking a closer look at the future of Vermont’s healthcare system, and the policies shaping it.
Enjoy breakfast bites and local coffee while we explore how we can build a just, thriving, and transformative economy together.
You'll hear from guest speakers, including:
- Stephen Leffler, MD, President & Chief Operating Officer, University of Vermont Medical Center
- Robin Lunge, JD, MHCDS, Healthcare & Immigration Policy Lead, Office of U.S. Senator Peter Welch
- Christopher Pearson, Board Member, Vermont Healthcare 911
- Lisa Ventriss, MPA, Co-Chair, Vermont Healthcare 911 Leadership Council
We'll also recognize Senator Alison Hudnut Clarkson as the VBSR Legislator of the Year.
This award honors a member of the Vermont Legislature who has been a vital advocate on a key VBSR policy issue, demonstrating leadership, integrity, and a strong commitment to using business as a force for positive change in Vermont.
Connect with like-minded business advocates and policy leaders, share your input on the challenges and opportunities facing your business, and prepare for the 2026 legislative session. We hope to see you there!
Nov. 6, 9:00 am - 12:00 pm, Hula, 50 Lakeside Ave., Burlington
If you’re interested in sponsoring this event, please contact VBSR’s Membership & Development Manager, Jeremy Gerber at [email protected].
Tomorrow night! Join VBSR and the Vermont Law and Graduate School for an evening of connection and learning as we explore the important role Vermont’s higher education institutions are playing—and their untapped potential—as conveners and changemakers, especially when working alongside businesses to improve local communities. Hear from leaders including:
- Dan Bromberg, Dean, Vermont Law and Graduate School
- Patricia Coates, Leahy Institute for Rural Partnerships at UVM
- Christophe Courchesne, Environmental Advocacy Clinic
- Phillip Foy, Encore Renewable Energy
- Emiliano Void, nuwave Equity Corporation
Enjoy FREE finger foods and an open bar while you learn and network!
You can still register for ClimateReadyVT, a 1-day program helping small businesses in Vermont adapt to our changing climate and prepare for climate-related business disruptions.
Join us on Tuesday, October 21 at the beautiful Timberline Lodge at Bolton Valley Resort. ClimateReadyVT will help you create a Climate Resilience Action Plan and gain access to free business advice and legal counsel. Participation costs as little as the price of your lunch.
This program is brought to you by Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility (VBSR), Vermont Outdoor Business Alliance (VOBA), and Efficiency Vermont with support from the Vermont Small Business Law Center. Facilitated by Reframe Lab.
B Corp Buzz
B in the Know with the Vermont B Corp Collective Fall Calendar!
SAVE THE DATE: VBCC Reflections from the Consumer Impact Summit, Wednesday, November 12th from 10:00 am - 11:00 am, Virtual REGISTER NOW: VBCC Virtual Working Session: Impact Gap Analysis, Wednesday, December 10th from 10:00am - 11:00am, Virtual
Access to these events is limited to participants of the Vermont B Corp Collective (VBCC), a program of VBSR which supports Vermont B Corps with education, resources from B Lab, and opportunities to network and collaborate with fellow B Corps. Learn more at vbsr.org/vermont-b-corp-collective
Checkout the Latest Resources from B Lab
- B Lab Certification Hub
- B Lab Fair Work Impact Topic in Practice Guide
- B Lab Environmental Stewardship & Circularity Impact Topic in Practice Guide
Are you interested in learning more about the Vermont B Corp Collective?
Register: A program of Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility (VBSR), you pay a small program fee scaled to the size of your organization, and all of your employees get access to Vermont B Corp Collective programming and activities for the entire calendar year! Register here.
Subscribe: Whether a Certified B Corporation, just “B Curious”, or interested in exploring B Corp certification, we invite you to join VBCC Buzz email list.
VBSR Member News Round Up
Chroma Technology employees pitched in for The Source to Sea Cleanup along the length of the Connecticut River watershed in NH, VT, MA, & CT. Each fall, volunteers of all ages spend a few hours making the water cleaner, the riverbanks safer, and the wildlife happier.
Champion Member Ben & Jerry’s Waterbury ice cream factory will host their annual Pumpkin Giveaway and Food Drive Oct. 19. Community members are asked to donate nonperishable food items or money to support the Waterbury food shelf. In return, factory staff will hand out pumpkins, Halloween goodie bags, and pints of ice cream. Read more.
Champlain College is offering free cybersecurity risk assessments to VBSR members for a limited time. The college was given a federal grant to assess the cyber postures of Vermont organizations until December 31. Between now and the end of the year, they are hoping to complete 8-10 short assessments, each spanning 1-2 weeks. Contact Zoltan Sachs at the Leahy Center for Digital Forensics & Cybersecurity, [email protected].
Champion Member Chroma Technology collected 180 pounds of trash in just two hours during the recent Source to Sea Clean Up run by the Connecticut River Conservancy. The cleanup is an annual community event that follows the length of the 410-mile Connecticut River watershed.
Generator Makerspace has tapped two other VBSR members for their Board of Directors. Bianca Roa, accounting manager at Essex Resort & Spa; and Tim Volk, retired partner from KSV; have been elected president and vice president, respectively.
Gravel & Shea shareholder Heather R. Hammond and six of her colleagues were recently named to the 2026 list of Best Lawyers in America, the oldest peer-reviewed publication company in the legal profession.
The South End Arts and Business Association is launching a new creative hub at the former ArtsRiot Building in Burlington. Plans for the nearly 7,000-square-foot space include an art gallery, performance venue, artist vendor market, food and drink area, and tourism info center. Read more.
Champion Member Union Mutual raised over $147,000 for the Kelly Brush Foundation by participating in the 20th Annual Kelly Brush Ride in Middlebury. Union Mutual employees, their families, friends, and agency partners joined hundreds of riders for the event.
Gold Member Vermont Biz magazine recently recognized several VBSR members in its list of 40 Rising Stars under 40, including Benjamin Lozier (Champion Member Union Mutual), Emma Paradis (Common Good Vermont), Ibrahim Wilson, (Champion Member EastRise Credit Union), Jennifer Kaulius (Gold Member University of Vermont Health Network), John Mullett (Champion Member National Life Group), Kate Abdelfatah (King Street Center), Katelyn Hudson (Cushman Design Group), Kurt Naser and Alex Hango (PC Construction), Kyle Guptil (Gold Member UVM Medical Center), Logan O’Grady Snow (Planned Parenthood Vermont), Mollie Lannen (CW Creative), and Nicole Eaton (Vermont Center for Emerging Technologies). Award recipients were selected for their commitment to business growth, professional excellence, and involvement in their communities. Congrats! See the whole list here.
Champion Member Vermont Creamery earned B Corporation recertification with its highest score yet, 89 points, reflecting deepened commitment to social and environmental performance. General Manager Harrison Kahn credited employees and local partners for investments in employee wellbeing, responsible sourcing, and community support. The B Corp framework continues to guide the Creamery’s sustainability and quality-driven growth. Read more.
Are you a member with values-led news to share?
Has your organization accomplished something recently that is part of creating a just, thriving, and transformative economy that works for all people and the planet?
If so, we want to hear about it! Members are encouraged to post valued-led news at https://vbsr.org/share-member-news or share it at [email protected].
UVM SI-MBA Spotlight:
Immersive Experiences Prepare SI-MBA Students to Lead with Purpose and Creativity
UVM's Sustainable Innovation MBA students recently attended the See Change sessions hosted annually at Hula in South Burlington. They connected with business professionals from all over the world in a variety of disciplines, while focusing on five specific tracks: Whole Health, Earth Observation Data, Packaging Matters, Entrepreneurial Communities, and Extended Producer Responsibility Policy. Read more.
Your organization can be a force for good--with the UVM SI-MBA Program
Together with UVM, VBSR has created 3 different ways our members might work with SI-MBA students and alumni:
- Host a SI-MBA alumnus in a Post-Graduate Fellowship (Paid)
- Bring current SI-MBA students on as pro bono consultants through SIMPACT
- Host a current SI-MBA student for their capstone Practicum Project
VBSR Advocacy at a Glance:
VBSR Leads in Business Resilience
The State of Vermont recently released its Resilience Implementation Strategy on how the state can build resilience and adapt to climate-related hazards. It identifies ways to protect communities; help those hardest hit by disaster; and strengthen our infrastructure, economy, and natural environment. Supporting businesses as they adapt to climate change has been a leading policy issues for VBSR and we are pleased the Business Emergency Gap Assistance Program was included in the final Resilience Implementation Strategy.
You can learn more about the state’s strategy to strengthen Vermont communities in the face of increasing flooding, drought, wildfire smoke, and other hazards at a virtual event on October 23 or October 27. Hear from state leaders about the Resilience Implementation Strategy’s approach to making Vermont more resilient against climate hazards.
Virtual Event
October 23, 12-1:15 pm or October 27, 6-7:15 pm
Building Bright Futures Business Survey Opportunity!
How is Vermont’s childcare system impacting your ability to recruit and retain workers? Building Bright Futures (BBF), the organization tasked with governance and monitoring of Vermont’s childcare system, wants to know.
Throughout Summer and Fall of 2025, BBF is conducting employer interviews to help inform future governance and policy decisions about Vermont’s childcare system. BBF will publish its findings in its 2025 annual report to the legislature, state agencies, and childcare policy organizations. Employer interviews are structured as individual 1-hour sessions over Zoom, and will cover topics such workplace benefits, childcare impact on workforce, the economy, and the childcare payroll tax. Interviews can be scheduled at a time that’s convenient for you.
More information and a link to schedule an interview can be found here. Or schedule a Zoom session here.
Looking Ahead--November Event
Are you a community-minded business, employee, or entrepreneur who wants to make a positive impact—but aren’t sure where to start? Join us on November 18th for an in-person workshop designed to help you connect with peers, find direction, and gain a sense of agency as you explore how to create meaningful change in your local community. Hosted by United Way of Northwest Vermont, Hula, and Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility, this event will enlighten participants on what community engagement can look like, and offer insights into how businesses and individuals can build impactful, long-lasting partnerships with nonprofits.
Nov 18, 2025 | 9:00am - 12:00pm, Hula, 50 Lakeside Ave, Burlington
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