Sustainable Quality Award Winners
Presented in alphabetical order. Click on a letter below for a listing of winners.
Waldorf Early Childhood Center
Excellence Awards in Stewardship of the Natural Environment and Sustainable Economic Development, 2006
Using a "zero waste" mindset, teachers prepare homemade snacks for children using ceramic plates, silverware and cloth napkins. Teachers and children pick produce from the school garden for lunches and snacks. Left over scraps are composted. They recently completed renovations to meet the increasing enrollment demand and will provide additional jobs in Santa Monica which helps sustain the local economy.
Excellence in Stewardship of the Environment, 2017
The Water Garden, a Commercial Office Real Estate comprising of 1.3 million SF on a 17-acre campus, is LEED Gold and Energy Star Certified. Many meaningful solutions to reduce the carbon footprint of the property and conserve limited natural resources in the last 5 years includes a redesign of Lake Water Feature (600,000 gallon lake feature reduced to a 43,000 gallon river - projected annual savings of 136,240 kWh / 465,032 kBtu). They reduced their turf area from 200,000 SF to 21,780 SF and switched to drought-tolerant plant species. Smart controllers manage resourceful irrigation systems. Water usage reduced by 3,100,000 gallons/year.
Water Garden also performed extensive LED lighting retrofits throughout the property and installed 12 electric vehicle charging stations. They are a member of the Sustainable Purchasing Leadership Council and under the management of CBRE to purchase products with low environmental impact.
Honorable Mention, 1996
No additional information at this time
Excellence in Social Responsibility and Stewardship of the Natural Environment, 2010
West LA Print is Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified and a Certified Sustainable Green Printer. By installing a new chemical free printing plate processor, costing over $150,000, they reduced their volatile organic compounds from 300ppm to less than 30ppm. Since installation of the new printing plate, their water usage reduced 25% - saving 1,200 gallons of water over four years. Toxic pressroom additives are replaced with eco-friendly alternatives. They also performed an energy efficient lighting retrofit. West LA Print provides internship opportunities to colleges and high schools via internships with Wildwood School. Staff can take advantage of flex-time schedules and monthly reimbursement for commuting on public transportation. They pay 75% of each employee’s medical, dental and life insurance which is a more generous benefits package than generally offered by a small printing company.
SQA Grand Prize, 2009
Whole Foods Market strives to sell the finest natural, local and organic foods available, while maintaining strict quality standards. A strong commitment to sustainable agriculture, supporting local communities and natural environment is included in the companies' core values. Whole Foods procures Fair Trade priced products such as coffee, jewelry, arts and crafts from individuals living in third world countries. In addition to specialized staff training, they also offer College tuition reimbursement and CGS (California Grocers Association) and Scholarship Programs. Employee pay levels and benefits such as Medical, free Wellness Programs, gift certificates, and prize raffles for exceptional customer service, far exceed minimum standards. In 2008, Whole Foods Market banned the use of plastic bags nation-wide. By recycling cans, plastic, glass, mixed paper, food waste, and construction waste, they boast 80% waste diversion from landfill. Instead of traditional advertising, Whole Foods practices social responsibility by donating 5% of store revenue to a chosen local non-profit organization.
Wild Oats Natural Marketplace
Honorable Mention 1999 & 2004
Wild Oats Natural Market, inherently addresses environmental issues just by the products they choose to promote on their shelves. They have a thorough "buy recycled" policy for in-house materials ranging from 100% recycled content deli paper to business cards. Even their deli food containers are derived from corn, which reduces fossil fuel usage by up to 50 percent.
Excellence in Social Responsibility, 2016
Willow Spa is a natural wellness and beauty resource that offers quality products and services at the best price in the most sustainable and organic way. The spa also offers education and expert advice on health and well-being. Willow implements an in-house Rewards Program for staff where they can earn spa bucks for every hour worked and by competing in staff contests. The accumulation of spa bucks can then be redeemed for Willow spa services and products. Willow Spa demonstrates a creative approach to support charities and programs throughout Santa Monica and LA County focusing on Women's needs, supporting schools and student programs. Willow Spa has partnered with Downtown LA Women's Shelter and actively participated in various Santa Monica Health fairs and Earth Day events.
SQA Grand Prize, 2007
Wilshire’s menu revolves around the seasonal, locally grown produce available at the Santa Monica farmers markets. Buying at the market saves energy, supports family farms, and delivers flavors unmatched by conventionally grown produce. They also go to great lengths to find sustainable harvested and organic meats. Wilshire strives toward sustainability in everything they do. The restaurant was renovated with eco-friendly materials, including a deck made from recycled plastic lumber. They preserved the mature trees in the outdoor dining area during renovations.
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