FAQs
Some frequently asked questions about Root360
- How much does it cost to use Root360?
- What is Root360?
- What is the Benchmark Survey?
- What is the SWOT360?
- What are the Impact Calculators?
- What is the Resource Library?
- What is the Advisor Network?
- What types of businesses should use the Root360 website?
- How can Root360 help my business?
- Who will have access to my data?
- I’ve taken the Root360 Benchmark Survey and viewed my SWOT360 profile…now what?
- How do I use the Impact Calculators, and what data will I need to prepare ahead of time?
- What if I don’t have an Advisor? Do I need one?
- How can I measure my progress?
How much does it cost to use Root360?
Root360 is totally free! Your only investment is about 15 minutes of your time.
What is Root360?
Root360 is an easy-to-use online platform that gives businesses a tool for strategic decision-making. There are two main ways that your business will benefit from Root360: 1.) Operational Sustainability – we’ll help you analyze and adjust your daily practices so you can start saving money TODAY; reduce your use of resources; and minimize risks to your business, and 2.) Strategic Sustainability – we’ll look at your business’s structure and policies to ensure they promote long-term viability and give you a competitive advantage.
What is the Benchmark Survey?
This tool will help you measure the current performance of your business, by asking 49 questions that assess your social, environmental, and governance practices. You’ll get a score in each category (along with an overall score), and can retake the survey at any time to track your progress.
What is the SWOT360?
This customized sustainability profile is generated from your survey responses, and shows you what actions you can take now that you know where your business stands. This interactive tool will help you make strategic decisions by outlining your business’s internal strengths and weaknesses, along with any external opportunities and threats.
What are the Impact Calculators?
These three tools estimate the costs and environmental impacts of your business’s energy, water, and transportation use, and show you how behavior and equipment changes can save you money and lower your carbon footprint.
What is the Resource Library?
This collection of practical sustainability resources includes case studies, topic papers, web links, and more. You’ll find information on everything from water and energy use to product innovation to employee performance, and much more.
What is the Advisor Network?
Root360 maintains a list of business experts you can connect with for one-on-one counseling. These Advisors can help you understand your Root360 results and create a plan for making your business more sustainable.
What types of businesses should use the Root360 website?
The type of business that wants to save money and resources, increase profits, and establish a long-term competitive advantage! Root360 is useful for businesses of any size or type; although it was designed to be most helpful for revenue-generating businesses with at least five employees. Owners, managers, and sustainability staff are typically the best people to use the Root360 platform.
How can Root360 help my business?
Root360 will show you ways to cut costs; save resources; develop a better understanding of your business’s strengths and weaknesses; obtain tools that can inform strategic decision-making, and much more. To see how other businesses have benefited from Root360, check out our Case Studies.
Who will have access to my data?
We know the information you give in the Root360 site is private and proprietary, so we assure you that your information will be kept secure. While we will never share your name, scores, or other information specific to your business, individual survey scores, calculator results, and other summary information may be anonymously aggregated. We use encryption to protect sensitive information transmitted online, and also protect your information offline – only employees who need the information to perform a specific job are granted access to personally identifiable information.
Please see our full Privacy Policy for more information.
I’ve taken the Root360 Benchmark Survey and viewed my SWOT360 profile…now what?
If your benchmark scores are high relative to your peers, keep up the great work! You can build on your strengths and opportunities and address any threats or weaknesses on your SWOT360 profile.
If your benchmark scores are lower than you would like, Root360 can help you determine what to do now in order to improve your business’s operational and long-term sustainability. Use the Root360 Impact Calculators to learn how to reduce the costs and environmental impacts of your business’s energy, water, and transportation use. The Resource Library contains a collection of practical sustainability resources that can help increase your scores, remediate weaknesses, eliminate threats, and reduce costs and environmental impacts. You can also connect with a business expert in the Root360 Advisor Network to benefit from one-on-one counseling, to understand your Root360 results, and to create a plan for making your business more sustainable.
How do I use the Impact Calculators, and what data will I need to prepare ahead of time?
Root360 offers three calculators that individually measure the costs and environmental impacts (i.e. carbon emissions) of your business’s energy, water, and transportation use. We suggest using one calculator at a time and making an action plan based on the results, before moving on to the next calculator..
All three calculators are based on annual usage, and you’ll need to gather that info ahead of time. (If you don’t have exact data for your annual usage, you can multiply one month’s data by 12 for an average.) You will also need to know current costs in order to use the energy and water calculators, and that info can be found on your utility bill. To learn more about the data you will need for the Impact Calculators, how to determine annual resource usage and cost, how projected reductions are calculated, and more, please visit our Calculator Details page.
What if I don’t have an Advisor? Do I need one?
No, you don’t need to have an Advisor to use the Root 360 platform…but it can certainly be beneficial. An Advisor can help you understand your results, give one-on-one assistance and support, and work with you to create a plan for increasing the sustainability of your business. Additionally, Advisors and Advisees are able to freely share information with each inside the Root360 application; making it very easy for the two of you to collaborate.
Many people come to Root360 through an Advisor they’re already working with…but if that is not the case with your business, you can select an Advisor from our network. Any Advisor listed in blue is currently accepting new clients.
How can I measure my progress?
As you begin to implement initiatives designed to strengthen your business’s practices, it’s important (and fun!) to track your progress. You can come back as often as you would like to retake the survey and use the calculators. Every time you retake the survey, Root360 will calculate your new benchmark scores and SWOT profile. All the surveys you complete are saved in your profile, so you can compare to previous results and watch your efforts pay off!
Root360 is supported by the Sustainable Economies Program at Manomet.
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