ASBN 2023 Policy Summit

Overview

ASBN 2023 Policy Summit
Creating an Economy For All

ASBN 2023 Policy Summit
Creating an Economy for All
June 13-14, 2023 | Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library, Washington, D.C.

While capitalism remains a dynamic force, challenges such as income inequality, crumbling infrastructure, market consolidation, climate change, underinvestment, and the over financialization of America’s economy pose serious threats to America’s continued global leadership and domestic stability. The American Sustainable Business Network (ASBN) is leading the business transition from prioritizing shareholders to stakeholders, with a focus on corporate culture, fair compensation, equitable ownership, disclosure, and the careful measurement of business impacts. We need transformative public policy as well as bottom-up organizational changes based on serving the needs of all stakeholders. Such is our task and challenge.

ASBN is convening a Policy Summit in Washington D.C. that will feature a full day of conference programming on topical policy issues. ASBN members will also be able to participate in a day of lobbying on Capitol Hill. We will bring together stakeholders from across our network to continue important conversations outlined in our newly revised report, Creating an Economic System that Works for All (to be released for the conference). Attendees will have the opportunity to connect with the Biden Administration leaders, network with fellow leaders in business and regenerative capital, and discuss important policy messages at a key moment on Capitol Hill.

SPEAKERS

- Jeffrey Hollender, CEO & Co-founder, ASBN

- David Levine, President & Co-founder, ASBN

- Nathan Lockwood, Executive Director, Rank the Vote

- Chris Saxman, Executive Director, Virginia FREE

- Noah Oppenheim, BCCA National Policy Coordinator

- Jack Moriarty, Founder and Executive Director, Ownership America

- Clay Colombe, CEO, Sicangu Co

- April de Simone, Managing Principal, NOMA; Associate, American Institute of Architects

And more TBA!

*ASBN Members Only*

For those who have never visited the Hill or attended meetings with policymakers, participating in a Lobby Day is a unique and rewarding experience. In these meetings, you will have the opportunity to share your knowledge and your organization’s perspective with legislators and staff that are keen to hear directly from the business and investor community. The conference will include in-person training and resources to prepare you to meet with legislators and staff on Lobby Day.

Lobby Day details will follow once we confirm the number of attendees, but please be sure to mark your policy interest(s) in visiting Capitol Hill when you register for the Policy Summit. We will do our best to create groups and coordinate meetings that align with your policy areas of interest. Groups will likely be made up of 5-7 people with the following shared policy interest(s).

- Climate + Energy

- Regenerative Agriculture

- Clean Water

- Circular Economy + Safer Chemicals

- Democracy

- Corporate Responsibility

- Inclusive Economy

- Businesses for Conservation and Climate Action (Conservation and Ocean Policy)

Together, we must act now to build a regenerative, just, and prosperous economy and we invite you to convene with us this June.


ASBN Policy Summit Agenda
 
CONFERENCE DAY – JULY 13
CHECK-IN 8:30 AM – 9:00 AM
WELCOME & PLENARY 1 – 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM
LOCATION: Auditorium
Welcome from ASBN

Speakers:
- Jeffrey Hollender, CEO & Co-founder, ASBN
- David Levine, President & Co-founder, ASBN
 
COFFEE BREAK – 10:00 AM – 10:30 AM
PLENARY 2 – 10:30 AM – 11:15 AM

LOCATION: Auditorium
PLENARY 3 – 11:15 AM – 12:00 PM

LOCATION: Auditorium
LUNCH – 12:00 PM – 1:15 PM
BREAKOUT SESSIONS – 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM
Rank Choice Voting: A Solution for Democratizing Elections
Democracy is under attack. Campaigns that reward attacking the opponent and candidates only catering to their small base of voters result in governments that are polarized and dysfunctional. We need to use election systems that encourage candidates to focus on issues and to listen to all interests so that government can work better for all constituents and the business community.

Ranked choice voting (RCV) is an election system solution that is now used by cities, counties, states, and political parties. RCV is an electoral system in which all voters have the same opportunity to rank candidates on a ballot by preference. If a candidate wins a majority of first-preference votes, he or she is declared the winner. If no candidate wins a majority of first-preference votes, the candidate with the fewest first-preference votes is eliminated. First-preference votes cast for the failed candidate are eliminated, lifting the next-preference choices indicated on those ballots. A new tally is conducted to determine whether any candidate has won a majority of the adjusted votes. The process is repeated until a candidate wins an outright majority.

This RCV system encourages candidates to appeal to more voters than simply their party base and is more democratic in that it allows all voters the opportunity to vote for every candidate. The results should be members of Congress with broader public support who are less extreme and willing to work across party lines to solve problems.

Speakers:
- Nathan Lockwood, Executive Director, Rank the Vote
- Chris Saxman, Executive Director, Virginia FREE
Businesses for Conservation and Climate Action
Businesses for Conservation and Climate Action (BCCA) is one of ASBN’s newest policy-focused initiatives. We are a coalition of Indigenous and non-Indigenous business and community leaders & a team of staff consultants with DC experience and broad networks. Together we develop, advocate, and deliver intelligent policy positions based in Indigenous experience and local knowledge to the highest positions of power. Come join us for a detailed discussion of the latest issues in US conservation policy, explore ways for the business & regenerative capital communities to become involved and share your excellent work, and plug in to the business case for Indigenous-led conservation.

Speakers:
- Noah Oppenheim, BCCA National Policy Coordinator
The 2023 Farm Bill: Advance a Regenerative and Inclusive Economy
Up for reauthorization every four to five years, the Farm Bill is the most important piece of legislation in the US shaping our food and agricultural system. The 2023 Farm Bill is on track to pass by this Fall, and ASBN, the Regenerate America Coalition, and our partners are using the opportunity to advance goals around regenerative agriculture, local and regional markets, climate change, and a just and equitable economy. Central to this work has been elevating the business case for these policies, i.e. demonstrating that supporting regenerative and just systems in the Farm Bill will not just be good for the environment, but will also build a more prosperous and resilient economy for US farmers and businesses. This panel will explore these themes in a discussion between business leaders, farmers, and policy makers.

Speakers:
- TBA
BREAK – 2:30 PM – 2:45 PM
BREAKOUT SESSIONS – 2:45 PM – 3:45 PM
Inclusive Economies and Catalyzing Community Prosperity
Join us for an exciting breakout session focused on creating an inclusive economy and fostering community prosperity! Our expert panelists will shine a light on the worker ownership movement and provide insight into proposed legislation that could transform the way we do business. We’ll delve into important topics like access to capital, restorative investing, and maximizing the potential of local economies and business owners of color. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn, network, and collaborate with like-minded individuals who are passionate about creating a better economy for all.

Speakers:
- Jack Moriarty- Founder and Executive Director, Ownership America
Breakout 2
Breakout 3
BREAK – 3:45 PM – 4:00 PM
CONCLUDING SESSION – 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM

Lobbying Training

LOCATION: Auditorium
LOBBY DAY – JULY 14
MEETINGS WITH CONGRESSIONAL OFFICES – 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Host

American Sustainable Business Network (ASBN) is a movement builder in partnership with the business and investor community. ASBN develops and advocates solutions for policymakers, business leaders, and investors that support an equitable, regenerative, and just economy that benefits all⁠—people and planet. As a multi-issue, membership organization advocating on behalf of every business sector, size, and geography, ASBN and its association members collectively represent over 250,000 businesses across our networks.

ASBN was founded through the merger of the American Sustainable Business Council and Social Venture Circle. Learn more about the history of ASBC and SVC here.

Sponsors

Principles

  1. JEDI lens: We acknowledge the historic and systemic barriers to capital and opportunity for Black, Indigenous, Latinx, Asian communities, women, and gender nonconforming as a significant barrier to our collective mission. Our work requires that we place an urgent and immediate focus on justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI).
  2. Inclusive, accessible and just economy: We believe in a fully participatory economy, that all people must be able to access the goods, services and resources supplied by the economy by way of just labor, consumer, financial and producer markets. A just and inclusive economy must be supported by strong public policy regulatory guidance and guardrails, and a strong democracy.
  3. Regenerative approach: We recognize that environmental and social stewardship is not enough and that in order to have equitable and just access to the resources we all depend on, that our solutions must prioritize regeneration for all people and the planet
  4. Just economic and social prosperity:  We advocate for regenerative, restorative and reparative solutions throughout the business and investor movement that ASBN leads. We believe that a thriving and vibrant business landscape and economic system is only durable and long-term if it prioritizes justice-informed access to resources, capital, opportunity and community for all. 
  5. Stakeholder Participation in Decision Making: All of the solutions we advocate for, from investment terms to governance to risk assessment and beyond, are best served when co-created by all stakeholder groups having full and participatory access to decision making.
  6. Transparency and accountability: We prioritize implementing and supporting transparency and accountability, both as an internal standard, and as a democratic public policy and economic imperative for policy makers, businesses and investors
  7. Systemic Change:  We believe that our economy and society are highly complex, dynamic and distributed systems, requiring both bold leadership and long term planning in order to achieve the systemic change we need to 

General Notes

If you’re not yet a member, but would like to attend the entire summit, including Lobby Day, at the member rate, you can sign up for 1 year of ASBN Membership + 1 Member Policy Summit Ticket as a bundle. That option is available when you click to Buy Tickets.(Monthly membership pricing is available. Contact shanti@asbnetwork.org to sign up for that.) Learn about our invaluable membership benefits here

Event Sponsorship

Meals

Each ticket includes all-day coffee, tea, and lunch on Programming Day, June 13th. Vegetarian, gluten-free and vegan options will be available.

Hotel Details

ASBN has arranged a discounted group rate  at two near by hotels:

1.) $259/night (+tax) at Motto by Hilton Washington DC City Center for Queen or Full bed rooms. Limited rooms at this discounted rate are available until April 28, 2023. 

Attendees can book their discounted room at Motto by Hilton here

2.) $354/night (+tax) at Renaissance Washington DC Downtown Hotel (Marriott) for King or Double rooms. Reservations for this rate must be made on or before Thursday, May 11, 2023.

Attendees can book their discounted room at Renaissance Washington DC Downtown Hotel here

We strongly encourage all attendees to reserve their rooms ASAP.

Note: The summit will begin Tuesday, June 13 and run through Wednesday, June 14. We recommend reserving a hotel room for at least two total nights, checking in June 12 , and checking out June 14.

Sustainability Commitment

ASBN is committed to hosting an event that is as close to zero waste as possible and will be working with the venue and vendors to achieve our sustainability goals. We will share more specific details as the event comes together regarding this commitment and aim to be as transparent as possible in this process to create an event that reflects the values our members and attendees hold.

Mission Alignment

ASBN believes that justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion must be at the foundation for how we conduct ourselves, our public policy advocacy, and our businesses and investment activity, as we cultivate and grow our community and programs. This commitment will be at the core of our programming.

COVID Health & Safety Policies & Protocols

The American Sustainable Network’s health and safety protocols follow the guidance of both the CDC and local and state health authorities. To create an environment that places the health and safety of all guests at the forefront of our approach, ASBN strongly encourages attendees to be up-to-date on COVID-19 vaccinations.

Following guidance from the District of Columbia, masking is optional indoors. We are following CDC guidance which dictates that “If the COVID-19 Community Level where you live is Low, wear a mask based on your personal preference, informed by your personal level of risk.” In the District of Columbia, the Community Level is currently reported as Low. We’ll continue to follow the Community Levels and respond accordingly.

Remember, if you’re not feeling well, please stay home!

Programming Day and Lobby Day meetings will take place indoors. We will have an outdoor area available during lunch to accommodate those who wish to act with an abundance of caution.

Contact Comfort

We have created a system to self-identify and be familiar with others’ comfort level with contact. At check-in, you will choose one of the following stickers to place on your attendee badge:

Red- NO CONTACT, please try to provide three feet of distance from me

Yellow- ELBOWS ONLY, still being cautious

Green- HANDSHAKES & HIGH-FIVES, frequent hand washing & sanitizing 

Given varying personal health risks, please check the badge color for everyone for consent before offering a hug, etc. even if they’re someone you’ve historically been close to.

Accessibility

ASBN is committed to fostering an inclusive and accessible environment. If you may require accommodations in order to fully participate in the summit, please contact us in advance to explore options and whether we will be able to meet your specific needs.

Can I Speak at the ASBN 2023 Policy Summit?

Thank you for your interest in the conference. We are not currently soliciting speakers for our 2023 Policy Summit but we will be for our winter conference. Email thulasi@asbnetwork.org.

Cancellation Policy

ASBN is happy to offer a 50% refund after deducting the 10% administrative fee until May 12, 2023. In the final month before the event, beginning May 13 we are not able to offer any refunds. If you need to cancel your registration, please contact thulasi@asbnetwork.org. Should the event not be able to take place due to local and federal health and safety guidelines, we will provide full refunds regardless of the date of cancellation.