Worker ownership, progressive business practices, building science, high performance building, affordable housing, renewable energy, and carbon footprints – we think seriously about these topics and others, and share our findings as widely as possible.
As a business, we have always been committed to staying small and local, but to make a greater difference in our world, we communicate what we are learning to a larger constituency. We do this in many ways: by writing, speaking, teaching, consulting, participating in peer group networks, and consistently providing internships for students and young emerging professionals.
Writing
In 2005, Chelsea Green Publishing released SMCo CEO and Founder John Abrams’ book THE COMPANY WE KEEP: Reinventing Small Business for People, Community, and Place. In 2008, a significantly revised second edition was released, re-named COMPANIES WE KEEP: Employee Ownership and the Business of Community and Place. The book found a following. Dr. John Todd, ecologist and University of Vermont professor, calls it “a sleeper. It’s a Pilgrim’s Progress of ecological and economic explorations, woven together with a deep-rooted sense of place.”
We also publish a regular series of newsletters and blog posts chronicling the ins and outs of this model at South Mountain. You can follow along by subscribing here.
Speaking
Several members of our staff are regularly contacted for speaking engagements: John often headlines on the topics of worker ownership, progressive business practices, and affordable housing: Director of Energy Technology Rob Meyers is a leading voice in New England’s energy arena; and Director of Production Newell Isbell Shinn has become an influential public face as president of the Martha’s Vineyard Builders’ Association which we helped to form in 2012.
Consulting
We also consult, on a regular basis, with companies transitioning to worker ownership.
Please email John at jabrams@southmountain.com to inquire about SMCo consulting, speaking, writing, and teaching.