Change Maker: IceStone

Change Maker:  IceStoneThe Change: 
Co-founders Miranda Magagnini and Peter Strugatz set out to create a business that integrated sustainable practices from process to product, and to provide a high design solution that would address a real problem—transforming waste glass into something beautiful.

The Story:
Founded in 2003, IceStone is a leading producer of sustainable durable countertops and tables.   Available nationwide, each IceStone slab is made from recycled glass, non-toxic pigments and cement and is cast in the historic Brooklyn Navy Yard, a site that was hit hard by Hurricane Sandy.

According to an article in the New York Times, “Every last motor in the building, all 70, had been under five feet of water. Some 5,000 electrical relays were ruined. Much of the equipment had come from European sources, and even if anything could be salvaged, the parts were on the other side of the Atlantic.” After his early survey of the damage, Dal LaMagna, who took over operations in 2011, estimated that it would cost as much as $3 million dollars to replace everything.

But thanks to the efforts of employees—each owns 10 percent of company stock—IceStone was able to rebuild for less than a million and is now back in full production. “Since the storm we’ve hired new employees, invested in facility upgrades and new equipment, and debuted new products. It’s a testament to the dedication of the employees, and the support of our community.”

The Commitment:
IceStone is a triple bottom line company. Environmental stewardship and social responsibility are as important to company stakeholders as a profitable bottom line. Creating high performance products that are healthy and safe for people and for the environment is at the core of everything they do.

  • Healthy products for healthy people: IceStone’s core ingredients are the simplest on the market: recycled glass, portland cement, and non-toxic pigments. It’s free of plasticizers and resins, and therefore won’t emit any carcinogenic fumes or other endocrine disrupters in your home or office.
  • Cradle to CradleCertification: IceStone is certified at the Silver level of the Cradle to Cradleprogram, a framework that assesses material health, material reutilization, renewable energy and carbon management, water stewardship, and social fairness.
  • Green facility: Their day-lit factory is a repurposed 19th century warehouse and production is powered with a water recycling system and electric forklifts. In 2012, 97% of waste generated at the IceStone facility was recycled.
  • Made in the USA: IceStone is entirely sourced in the USA and every slab is cast in the historic Brooklyn Navy Yard, New York City’s premier site for innovation and industry. We believe in empowering all employees, and full time workers receive a living wage, health care, and on-site job training.
  • B Corporation: IceStone is a founding member of B Corp, a group of companies dedicated to improving social and environmental problems through smart, sustainable business practices.

 

Strategies You Should Steal:

Treat Employees Like Partners
It was the employees of IceStone that made it possible for the company to rebuild after Hurricane Sandy.  Even if you cannot afford to give employees part ownership of your company, offer them partner perks such as progressive health care, job training and professional development classes (IceStone actually offers ESL classes).  Empowering employees—both professionally and personally—goes a long way towards building a team that shares your passion and supports your corporate mission.

Become a B Corporation
If you are a socially responsible company like IceStone and GreenHouse Eco-Cleaning, you might want to consider becoming a B Corporation.   A “Benefit Corporation” (B Corp) is a company that engages in socially beneficial practices and considers how their business decisions will impact their employees, suppliers, community, consumers and the environment. We believe a company doesn’t have to be exclusively a nonprofit or a for-profit and a B Corp is the perfect hybrid of the two–a company structured to make a profit while also providing social benefits. Click here for more information.

The Details:
IceStone
Brooklyn Navy Yard
63 Flushing Avenue, Unit 283, Building 12
Brooklyn, NY 11205
718-624-4900
www.icestoneusa.com
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