Rhode Island General Laws 5-89-2. Legislative findings
The legislature finds that:
(1) The state of Rhode Island is committed to initiatives designed to support sustainability practices by providing a platform for manufacturers and businesses to demonstrate their corporate commitment to social responsibility and sustainability.
(2) The Rhode Island department of environmental management has a suite of voluntary green certification programs for the hospitality and tourism industry, landscapers, golf courses, and other industries.
(3) In recognition of the increasing interest from investors, customers, and employees for greater transparency in sustainability practices, this legislation provides Rhode Island businesses a means to demonstrate to their customers, investors, and employees that they are committed to sustainability that embodies business practices and systems that are designed to foster innovation and long-term profits as well as environmental and societal benefits.
(4) Rhode Island’s program shall be implemented by way of voluntary enabling legislation and applies only to those who seek to become certified as reporting entities. There is no single blueprint for best practices in sustainability among or within industries, and this legislation shall allow businesses to craft a sustainability blueprint that meets their specific needs, provided that the entity‘s governing body approves its standards and assessment measures and that they are made publicly available.
History of Section.
P.L. 2019, ch. 186, § 1; P.L. 2019, ch. 206, § 1.
Terms Used In Rhode Island General Laws 5-89-2
- Assessment measures: means with respect to any entity, the policies, procedures, or practices adopted by the entity to adduce objective factual information to assess the entity's performance in meeting its standards, including any procedures for internal or external verification of the information. See Rhode Island General Laws 5-89-3
- Entity: means any corporation (stock or nonstock), or a limited-liability company, existing under the applicable laws of this state. See Rhode Island General Laws 5-89-3
- Governing body: means the board of directors or equivalent governing body, person, or entity having the power to manage and direct the business and affairs of the entity, and shall include any duly authorized and empowered committee of the board of directors or equivalent governing body. See Rhode Island General Laws 5-89-3
- Standards: means , with respect to an entity, the principles, guidelines, or standards adopted by the entity to assess and report the impacts of its activities on society and the environment, which principles, guidelines, or standards shall be based on or derived from third-party criteria. See Rhode Island General Laws 5-89-3