Who We Are
We’re more than just a solar company.At SunCommon, everything we do stems from our belief that business should create positive change and help solve the world’s biggest problems. We use our business platform to address the climate crisis, improve our communities, and care for our employees.
A Certified B Corp & Benefit Corporation
SunCommon is a proud Certified B Corporation (or “B Corp”) in Vermont and New York State, having passed a rigorous assessment of responsible business practices. We are also proud to be a Public Benefit Corporation, organized that way from the very beginning. That means it was our choice to be legally bound to put our employees, our communities, and the habitat that sustains us all on equal footing with making a profit.
Every year, we publish a Benefit Report that documents all the good work we do and how we’re using our business as a force for good — such as reducing our carbon footprint through installing solar, reducing our supply chain waste, transitioning our fleet to hybrid and electric vehicles, providing more and better employee benefits, planting trees, community involvement, and our ongoing commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice.
We’re Local
As the most tenured local solar company in our regions, we’re deeply committed to these beautiful communities. We take great pride in, and have benefited enormously from, being part of our vibrant local business community as well: from machining to accounting to design, we work with local shops and companies whenever possible, circulating capital in the cities and towns in which we live and work. Most of our employees live here, too — we’ve probably crossed paths with you at the grocery store, the farmers’ market, or our kids’ soccer games. We’re just as invested as you are in creating stronger, more vibrant communities together for years to come.
Advocacy & Activism
SunCommon was founded on the pillars of organizing and activism. We know it takes more than installing solar panels to address climate change, so we show up in as many ways as we can.
We partner with local groups like NY Renews, 350.org, regional and state food banks, youth organizations, sports clubs, continuing education and job training programs, and more to support them in their missions to build vibrant communities. We also attend rallies and marches, work with public interest and advocacy organizations, and lobby directly to help pass legislation that prioritizes the interests of people and our planet.
Our History
SunCommon was founded in 2012 in Waterbury, Vermont as a market solution to the climate crisis, shortly after Tropical Storm Irene brought catastrophic damage to the town. Starting with only a handful of employees, SunCommon set out to bring Vermonters into the solar movement through education, community engagement, and storytelling.
In 2018, SunCommon merged with Hudson Solar, an established Amicus Solar Cooperative member, founded by Jeff Irish in Rhinebeck, NY in 2002. For nearly two decades prior to the merger, Hudson Solar helped build the roadmap for solar in New York State, making it accessible and affordable for more people than ever before.