CASE STUDY
Turning Sustainability Intimidation into a Growth Opportunity
A 30-employee company's journey to an EcoVadis Silver Medal
Visions Management is a 100% women-owned corporate relocation management firm based in the San Francisco Bay Area, serving clients across the globe. Known for their detailed planning, strong communication, and seamless workplace transitions, the team specializes in managing moves for public and private sector organizations alike.
As founder Amy Garber candidly recalls, "We were simply recycling and trying not to be wasteful, but we knew we could do more. We just didn't know where to start" At that time, their efforts were limited to what every company does by default, with no strategic intent.
From the beginning, Visions viewed sustainability not just as an internal responsibility, but as an opportunity to be part of their clients’ solutions. As expectations evolved across their customer base, the team wanted to ensure they could engage thoughtfully and credibly in sustainability conversations, rather than reacting only when requirements arose.
“RyeStrategy brought the structure and expertise we needed. They became a true sustainability coach, giving us a clear roadmap, translating technical requirements into practical steps, and helping us focus on the data that mattered.”
Amy Garber, CEO & Founder, Visions Management
Taking the First Step: Carbon Footprint Baseline
The turning point came when larger companies began pushing sustainability requirements down the supply chain. In particular, being approached by Salesforce's supplier sustainability accelerator program was a wake-up call. “It wasn’t until Salesforce reached out with a program designed to help us measure our carbon emissions that we realized we were part of a much larger conversation,” Amy explains.
This external pressure transformed sustainability from a daunting checklist into a real opportunity. Partnering with RyeStrategy became Visions Management’s first meaningful step into structured sustainability, a move that gave them confidence, clarity, and support.
With RyeStrategy’s guidance, Amy and her team began calculating their carbon footprint across Scopes 1, 2, and 3. “Starting with a basic GHG inventory allowed us to see exactly where our emissions were coming from,” Amy notes. Reliable carbon accounting quickly became the foundation for everything that followed. RyeStrategy helped translate unfamiliar terminology, data requirements, and methodologies into manageable steps—giving the team structure, clarity, and a repeatable process they could trust year after year.
Beyond the Numbers
To reinforce this commitment, Visions has also established a Sustainability Committee that meets twice a month to maintain momentum and make steady progress, one day at a time. Importantly, this committee was not created by leadership mandate, it emerged organically after two employees stepped up to meet a client request. That initiative sparked curiosity, collaboration, and eventually, a companywide movement that continues to grow.
Unlocking Tangible Business Benefits
Armed with data, the team realized that sustainability wasn’t an overwhelming burden but a practical entry point to broader efforts. Today, Visions pairs its footprinting with carbon offsets to help reduce its impact, taking accountability one step further.
The process has also become a teaching moment. Each year, Visions partners with a local magnet high school focused on Environment and Leadership, working directly with a student to help complete their carbon footprint. This hands-on engagement reinforces Visions’ belief that sustainability is strengthened when many people, not just a single expert, participate in the work.
Operational milestones followed. In a recent relocation decommission project, the team repurposed or recycled 63% of materials, diverting 21 tons from landfill. This shift not only improved efficiency but also strengthened their reputation as an eco-conscious supplier.
Visions Management, 2025 Silver Sustainability Rating Badge
A snapshot of one of Visions Management’s footprints, captured along their sustainability journey
For Amy, the badge validates years of persistence. “We realized that sustainability was not an intimidating, distant requirement; it was something we could own, learn from, and ultimately use to grow our business.”
Today, Visions continues to build on that momentum, using their emissions data for marketing materials, reporting frameworks, certification efforts, and even to mentor other small businesses beginning their sustainability journey. Their Sustainability Committee has grown in participation and influence, with employees proactively generating ideas, asking questions, and integrating sustainable thinking into client conversations.
By working with RyeStrategy on data collection, target setting, and climate action strategy, Visions Management has unlocked multiple benefits.
Cost savings were one of the first. Simple changes, such as switching to LED lighting and streamlining energy use, translated into significant reductions in operating costs. At the same time, transparency strengthened client relationships. “Once we started sharing our journey, from basic recycling to active carbon accounting, we noticed new business opportunities emerging,” Amy explains. Clients increasingly want partners who align with their ESG goals, and Visions’ EcoVadis results and SBTi targets now help open conversations, strengthen RFP responses, and accelerate credibility with values-aligned clients.
Public recognition has been another benefit to the business. In 2025, Visions Management achieved the EcoVadis Silver Badge, awarded only to the top 15% of applicants globally.
Amy Garber, Visions Management
“Our employees have embraced the sustainability journey with genuine enthusiasm. They ask thoughtful questions, stay engaged with the updates we share, and often bring sustainability into conversations with clients. Overall, it’s become a shared source of pride and momentum across Visions.”
Extending Impact Across the Value Chain
Amy Garber, Visions Management
“Our sustainability efforts have definitely opened doors. Having EcoVadis validation, SBTi-approved targets, and a documented GHG process helps us align with their requirements and often strengthens our position. Clients want partners who support their sustainability commitments, and our progress allows us to demonstrate that alignment clearly and confidently.”
As Visions’ sustainability maturity grew, so did its sense of responsibility beyond internal operations. The team began engaging vendors and partners in sustainability conversations, recognizing that meaningful impact extends across the full value chain.
Visions has since referred several vendors and partners to RyeStrategy, helping them begin their own sustainability journeys. This approach has strengthened Visions’ Scope 3 decarbonization while reinforcing alignment with clients who value responsible, educated supply chains.
From Climate Compliance to Climate Confidence
And their journey is far from over. As Visions continues expanding its certifications, strengthening internal processes, and empowering employees to lead the work, the company demonstrates what’s possible when a small business embraces sustainability as an ongoing practice, not a project with an endpoint.
Vision’s Management’s journey shows that the first step is always the most accessible: measuring what you have today to build a roadmap for tomorrow. What began as a modest, exploratory entry into sustainability evolved into a strategic initiative that addressed regulatory pressures while enhancing operational efficiency and brand strength.
In Amy's words, "The earlier you begin, even with small steps, the easier and more impactful the journey becomes. Every action builds confidence and momentum. " By turning a potential compliance burden into a competitive advantage, Visions Management now stands as a testament to the power of a growth mindset and the benefits of early, focused action.
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