Meet the SustainPHL Business Innovation nominees for 2023

This nominee is a for-profit company with a new, innovative product, solution or service.

Philadelphia’s SustainPHL Awards highlights and celebrates these community changemakers. Join us to honor them and announce the recipient at the SustainPHL Awards on October 19th at the Academy of Natural Sciences. 

Carbon Reform

Carbon Reform has rapidly evolved from a modest mission, to a transformative pioneer, revolutionizing the industry through innovative, people-centered technology. Their carbon-capture technology is the first decentralized and people-first carbon-capture solution that can help communities improve their health while reducing greenhouse gas emissions and energy bill costs. Not only does this create a better indoor and outdoor environment, but it sheds light on climate injustice for underserved communities in Philadelphia. 

Carbon Reform’s approach is non-disruptive, allowing them to improve indoor air quality and energy efficiency without the need to replace existing infrastructure. Additionally, they convert captured CO2 into carbon-negative limestone, promoting sustainability for future green buildings. As a female-founded and certified LGBT-owned business, Carbon Reform is committed to serving all members of the community with scalable, energy-efficient solutions.

ClearCOGS

ClearCOGS, founded by Matt Wampler, is an AI-driven company dedicated to reducing food waste in restaurant operations. Matt, with his background as a former restaurant operator, brings a unique perspective to sustainability in the industry. He partners with Philadelphia-based restaurants, offering proactive data solutions to help them discover, own, and prevent food waste. ClearCOGS has recently joined forces with the Sustainable Business Network of Philly in their Food Saver Challenge, providing participating restaurants with free access to their technology.

More than one-third of food in the US ends up in landfills, and ClearCOGS aims to combat this issue through machine learning and AI. Their data-driven technology has successfully reduced restaurant food waste by 53% while optimizing labor by 35%. ClearCOGS is headquartered in Philadelphia and actively collaborates with local restaurants, focusing on preventing food waste, saving money, and improving labor efficiency. This innovative approach to food waste prevention is making a significant impact in the restaurant industry.

Glitter

Glitter, established in 2021, is a pioneering Philadelphia-based initiative that brings neighbors and businesses together to crowdfund block cleaning while providing flexible, living wage jobs to individuals in need. Over the course of two years, Glitter has successfully demonstrated its model by cleaning 250 blocks, garnering 800 subscribers, and employing 15 cleaners. They employ an innovative pay-what-you-can pledging system and pay their diverse team of cleaners over $20 per hour, challenging conventional norms.

Headquartered exclusively in Philadelphia, Glitter is on a mission to redefine the city’s reputation by sustainably addressing litter and trash issues through weekly block cleaning. They prioritize hyper-local hiring, specifically employing individuals facing barriers to employment. Their approach offers flexible scheduling, the opportunity to work in one’s own neighborhood, and provides all necessary tools and supplies. Glitter aims to disrupt a long-neglected market and provide a sustainable solution that volunteers and community groups have longed for, ultimately contributing to a cleaner Philadelphia, one block at a time.

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