Case Study

Ann Arbor Green Business Challenge

  • Sustainability

In the heart of Michigan, the city of Ann Arbor has set an ambitious goal: to achieve community-wide carbon neutrality by 2030. This vision, known as the A2ZERO initiative, is a testament to the city’s commitment to a sustainable future. A key component of this initiative is the Ann Arbor Green Business Challenge (A2 GBC), a program designed to recognize and support local businesses in their efforts to adopt environmentally friendly practices. The city of Ann Arbor hired Fresh Coast to support local businesses on their journey to green business certification.

Overview

LOCATION: Ann Arbor, Michigan
SERVICE(S): Program Design
FOCUS AREAS: Public Sector

The Challenge: Making Sustainability Accessible

The Ann Arbor Green Business Challenge is a comprehensive program with 65 criteria spanning seven areas of sustainability: energy, water, circular economy, mobility, resilience, education, and supply chain. The program offers a tiered certification system—bronze, silver, gold, and platinum—to recognize businesses for their commitment to sustainability. After rolling out the program the city started hearing from local businesses, particularly smaller ones, that they lacked the resources and expertise to pursue the certification. 

The Solution: A Partnership for Progress

Recognizing the need for a more hands-on approach, the city of Ann Arbor enlisted the help of Fresh Coast. With funding from Ann Arbor SPARK, the local economic development organization, Fresh Coast started supporting businesses in the Green Business Challenge.

Our approach was tailored to the unique needs of each business. We worked with Ann Arbor companies that were already taking various sustainability actions, helping them to get the recognition they deserved through the city’s certification program. We also worked with local businesses that were just beginning to explore sustainability, providing them with a plan of attack to effectively prioritize resources for the biggest impact.

The Process: From Interest to Implementation

Through the Green Business Challenge process, interested businesses submit a form to the city who then vets applicants to ensure they’re a good fit. For businesses that wanted extra support, we worked with them to assess the 65 criteria and develop a customized plan. This involved prioritizing a reasonable set of goals for the first year and identifying medium-term goals for years two and three.

We also provided hands-on assistance with the implementation of sustainability initiatives, such as calculating energy baselines, identifying electrification opportunities, and creating market development strategies.

The Deliverables: Tools for Success

To ensure that businesses had the tools they needed to succeed, we provided three deliverables to each of the companies we worked with:

  1. We developed a comprehensive Excel workbook that walked businesses through all 65 criteria of the Green Business Challenge. It helped them to prioritize actions, track their progress, assign responsibilities, and identify potential resources and funding opportunities. The workbook also allowed businesses to project their potential certification level for future years, giving them a clear roadmap for success.
  2. To help businesses operationalize their sustainability plans, we created a PowerPoint playbook to be used in staff meetings. This tool summarized action items, assigned responsibilities, and helped to hold team members accountable for their commitments.
  3. To help businesses share their sustainability commitments, we also created a public-facing sustainability plan. This document could be posted on their website, shared with investors, or used in grant applications. This public commitment not only helped with accountability but also allowed businesses to build a stronger brand and attract environmentally conscious customers.
The Impact: A Greener Ann Arbor

In 2025, Fresh Coast supported the sustainability planning and implementation of 17 local Ann Arbor businesses and organizations.

Our goal was to create tools that make the Ann Arbor Green Business Challenge program more accessible and to empower local businesses to take meaningful steps towards sustainability. Sustainability planning helps business save costs, reduce environmental impact, retain and attract employees and customers, connect with the local community, and build their brand. The Fresh Coast team looks forward to continuing to provide sustainability support to more businesses in 2026 and beyond.

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