Green Industries and Sustainable Business Growth Center Recognizes First Local Sustainability Champions

For the first time, local businesses will be recognized alongside international companies for their sustainable efforts at Duquesne’s sixth annual Beard Symposium.

The inaugural winner of the PA Sustainable Small Business Award, given by the University’s Center for Green Industries and Sustainable Business Growth, is ReAxis Inc., an environmentally friendly chemical manufacturer in Washington County with a strong social commitment to the community.

ReAxis produces an extensive range of products, including plastics, coatings, elastomers, adhesives, sealants, personal care products, hydrogen peroxide, oil/gas drilling additives, electronics and lubricants. The company is committed to diversity in the workplace and to the education of their clients and suppliers on the importance of being green.

The company achieved the voluntary Quality System Registrar rating, which supports the manufacture and supply of specialty chemicals, and is ISO 9000 certified, which ensures that their data is properly managed. It also is certified in REACH, the European Union international chemical regulation.

“REACH is the most difficult chemical regulation in the world for compliance, and company President Leon Perez has pointed out that their company wanted to set the highest example for all firms in their own and other industries,” said Dr. Mary McKinney, director of the Small Business Development Center, which houses the green industries center. “We also think that because they are small and have achieved all of this, they are truly committed and can be a great example that you can be small, sustainable and profitable at the same time.”

In addition to the small business award, a special Sustainability Champion Award will recognize the nonprofit Green Building Alliance for its contributions to preserving the local environment while promoting business-friendly, sustainable practices that benefit companies and communities.

The awards will be presented at the Beard Symposium, which is being held on Thursday, Nov. 1, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Power Center Ballroom. The event will celebrate 100 Years of Sustainability and features noted authors Bill McDonough, an architect and co-author of Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things, and Andrew Winston, co-author of Green to Gold, as well as a panel of industry experts.

For more information on the awards and the symposium, which is sponsored by Beard Institute, visit www.duq.edu/Beard-Symposium or call 412.396.5259.