Equitable Business Frankfurt/Chicago

I did my research on equitable business in Chicago and Frankfurt. The two cities are very different but have a few similarities.

Frankfurt happens to be the #1 most economically sustainable city in the world.

International financial institutions play an important role in promoting investments in energy efficiency, renewable energy, and other environmental-friendly measures via special credit lines and direct funding. Our Sustainable Energy Finance Competence Centre therefore supports and advises banks in building up successful business segments to finance energy efficiency and renewable energy investments. We offer assistance during the entire investment cycle: from project identification, appraisal and implementation through operation and monitoring, to evaluation of investment measures and financial impact.
Our expertise is as wide as it is strong - we cover projects and investments of all varieties and sizes. Our fields of activity range from renewable energy and energy efficiency finance to carbon finance and REDD. We offer support services during all phases of project design and implementation. Besides market and feasibility studies, we support financial institutions in strategy and loan product development, capacity building, marketing, as well as adaptation of procedures, systems and reporting tools. Furthermore, we provide solutions for energy savings calculations and advise investors in sustainable energy investment measures.
Frankfurt, which calls itself “Green City Frankfurt,” took the leading spot for a number of factors. It has reduced its CO2 emissions by 15 percent since 1990 and it has the largest German city forest (one-third of the city) and extensive green belt. Frankfurt is also working towards 100 percent renewable energy sources by 2050. What’s more, 15 percent of commuters in Frankfurt travel to work on a bike, and the city is very compact and walking-friendly. On the “Profit” front Frankfurt has been able to achieve all of this while increasing its economic power and office space within the city at the same time.

Chicago Cleanweb Challenge hackathon series connected residents and programmers to compete in creating data driven solutions for sustainability

Greencorps Chicago Youth Program provides high school students summer learning and workforce training in horticulture and bicycling

Chicago Goals: The Chicago Innovation Exchange, the innovation campus at the University of Chicago, was launched. Housing a business incubator, a $20 million seed investment fund, and programming for entrepreneurs, the CIE will work to commercialize research ideas and support entrepreneurship on the South Side. Additionally, the CIE will partner with the Chicago Department of Public Health on a program aimed at finding innovative approaches to public health challenges using interdisciplinary teams of University researchers and students and non-health data from CDPH. Looking ahead, the CIE will launch a shared office space that includes the Argonne National Laboratory, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, and Marine Biological Laboratory, creating the first ever location for these research institutions in Chicago to be together under one roof.

Sources I used;

http://www.cityofchicago.org/city/en/progs/env/sustainable_chicago2015.html

http://www.gcb.de/en/article/newsroom/press-releases/press-releases-from-the-gcb/frankfurt-named-1-and-berlin-6-in-sustainable-cities-index-from-arcadis

http://www.frankfurt-school.de/content/en/consulting/ias/competence_centres/sustainable_energy_finance.html