West Michigan Sustainable Business Forum Seeking Candidates for Board of Directors

West Michigan Sustainable Business Forum is now seeking candidates for nomination to its Board of Directors. WMSBF (dba Michigan Sustainable Business Forum) promotes business practices that advance climate leadership, social justice and the creation of a circular economy.

Through its membership program, the Forum is Michigan’s leading organization for beyond-compliance sustainability practitioners, serving its most recognizable brands, largest employers and most innovative entrepreneurs, advocates and educators. Through its campaigns and advocacy, it serves partners and diverse stakeholders as a boundary organization committed to the development of practices, policies and partnerships that improve community resilience and equity.

The organization is governed by a board of directors pursuant to Article II of its Bylaws, to be elected for terms of three (3) years, inclusive and representative of the communities served by the organization, with an appropriate diversity of industry, expertise, geography and demographic identity.

The Board of Directors establishes policies for the care and conduct of the organization, including those that promote sound planning and fiscal responsibility. It also works to ensure that the organization has adequate resources to fulfill its mission.

• Establish policies for administering programs and services that are in harmony with the mission of the organization. Refrain from becoming involved in operational or administrative detail.
• Employ and evaluate the WMSBF Executive Director, developing and supporting strategies for development, retention, succession and as required, improvement or replacement, ensuring the organization is a competitive and preferred employer.
• Assure leadership of fund development efforts. Be a meaningful financial supporter of the organization at the appropriate level.
• Provide leadership, advice and other support to WMSBF leadership and staff to advance strategic initiatives, appropriate to expertise, capacity and position.
• Mobilize volunteer and staff resources for active participation in projects and fundraising.
• Monitor the financial affairs of the organization to assure that they are conducted on a responsible basis in accordance with established policy.
• Ensure that practices we promote are aligned with principles of diversity, inclusion and social equity.

The board will meet in-person four times each year at locations hosted by its members, twice in West Michigan (including the annual meeting), once in Southwest Michigan, and once in the Capitol Area or Southeast Michigan.

A full job description and annual operational plan for the board are available upon request by contacting Executive Director Daniel Schoonmaker at dschoonmaker@wmsbf.org. Members of the nominating committee are also available to answer questions from prospective candidates.

The application form can be found here. Applications due by April 28.