Event – Net Impact’s Off Site Business Tours

Net Impact’s Off-site Business Tours will take place on Thursday, November 6th, 2014 in and around Minneapolis. These off-site business tours offer participants a unique, behind-the-scenes look at some of the Twin Cities’ most impactful organizations—big and small. These site visits are a great opportunity to explore the surrounding area while hearing from local organizations that are striving to break boundaries in their respective fields.


Tours include visits to 3M Innovation Center, Finnegans Charitable Beer Company, Fulton Brewery, Quality Bicycle Products Tour of LEED Certified Bicycle Facilities, Minneapolis Convention Center Sustainability, Target Field Sustainability, Aveda Headquarters, Stratasys 3D Printing,

The 3M Innovation Center Tour will take place from 12:30 PM – 4:00 PM at the 3M Company Headquarters. This free tour is generously sponsored by 3M.

Explore the 3M Innovation Center located at the company’s headquarters in St. Paul. The tour will include interactive displays, films, and presentations that demonstrate the capabilities of 3M products and the company’s culture of collaboration. Participants will be surrounded by 3M technology, processes, and products that they can see, hear, and touch. Knowledgeable hosts will provide an insider’s look at how 3M fosters innovation across more than 40 different business units. After the tour, participants will attend a reception with company leaders to learn more about being an employee at 3M.

The tour of Finnegans Charitable Beer Company will take place from 3:00 PM – 4:30 PM. The cost is $40.

With a mission of “turning beer into food,” Finnegans is a nonprofit that produces and sells craft beer. The organization then uses earned profits to purchase locally grown, fresh produce for area food shelves to benefit the surrounding communities. During this tour to the Finnegans head office, CEO and Co-founder Jacquie Berglund will discuss social entrepreneurship, sustainability, and “Drinking Like You Care.” Participants will enjoy a look at this unique business model, all while sampling some of Minneapolis’ local craft brews.

The tour of the Fulton Brewery Tour will take place from 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM. The cost is $40.

From home brewing in a one-car garage in 2008 to serving thousands of customers in a commercial taproom and brewery, Fulton Beer has aimed to incorporate sustainability into every step along the way. Co-founder and President Ryan Petz will lead participants on a tour of Fulton’s brand new brewery and discuss the business’ various approaches to sustainable practices over the years. Some of their efforts include community involvement activities and the Ful10 Fund, created to provide local entrepreneurs with a financial boost in order to turn their ideas into a reality. Participants will get a unique opportunity to learn more about this thriving local business and sample the beer behind it all.

The Quality Bicycle Products Tour of LEED Certified Bicycle Facilities will take place from 11:00 AM – 1:30 PM. The cost is $30.

Serving more than 5,000 independent bike dealers, Quality Bicycle Products (QBP) is widely regarded as one of the best wholesale distributors in the cycling industry. They have maintained this reputation while aiming to transform the world through their business practices. QBP will provide participants with a tour of their LEED certified facility based in West Bloomington. The campus boasts an 80 kilowatt solar panel system, solar tube lighting in the lunchroom, a paperless distribution center, waterless urinals, and great bike-storage facilities. Fittingly, QBP offers one of the best bicycle commuter programs for employees in the country; learn how this program functions and how employees are taking advantage of it to save money and reduce their environmental footprint. Participants will be responsible for their own lunch.

The Minneapolis Convention Center Sustainability Tour will take place from 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM. The cost is $10.

The Minneapolis Convention Center is a leader among convention centers in environmentally sustainable operations. The center actively manages and monitors waste, water, and energy in order to reduce the structure’s negative environmental impacts. The roof holds a 600 kilowatt solar array, the second largest in Minnesota, which provides up to 20% of the daytime energy demand for the building. This tour will give attendees a behind-the-scenes look at the solar array, new energy conserving LED lighting technology, green cleaning practices, and waste diversion programs.

The Target Field Sustainability Tour will take place from 12:30 PM – 2:30 PM. The cost is $40.

Target Field is the second LEED Silver Certified ballpark in the country. Coupled with green design and operational practices, Target Field’s purposeful design has already begun to act as a model for sustainable growth in the region and will continue to for many years to come. In addition to the ballpark tour, participants will get a closer look at Pentair’s innovative Rain Water Recycle System (RWRS). Installed in 2011 and developed in partnership with the Minnesota Twins, the Pentair system saves the city of Minneapolis nearly 2 million gallons of water per year. The first-of-its-kind RWRS captures, conserves, and reuses rain water for irrigating the playing field and washing down the stadium seats.

The Aveda Headquarters Tour will take place from 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM. The cost is $40.

In the past decade, Aveda has established itself as a leader in responsible business practices in the beauty industry. Their initiatives range from developing sustainable packaging made from plant-based material to forming partnerships with nonprofit organizations in order to encourage social and environmental progress. This tour will take participants through the Aveda headquarters and will provide them with a unique opportunity to learn about sustainable design features and technologies used within the corporate offices, manufacturing area, and distribution center. Lunch will be provided.

The Stratasys 3D Printing Tour will take place from 1:00 PM – 3:30 PM. The cost is $30

Ever wonder how concept or architectural models are made? This tour will show you how entrepreneurs and engineers can turn ideas into concrete objects in a few hours or days using 3D models. 3D printing helps businesses see their products, make changes, and re-imagine them without having to make costly changes in production. Participants will get to watch printers in action and the final steps in the manufacturing process. Every attendee will get to take home a souvenir part that was printed at the facility. Local entrepreneurs who depend on or have used 3D printing for their businesses will be there to share their stories and answer questions.

There are many exciting options to choose from, but space is limited, so sign up now to secure your spot.

Click here to register.