Environmental Business Review has named Wilmot Inc. its 2025 Sustainability Consulting Company of the Year, recognizing the Nashville-based firm’s proven ability to transform environmental initiatives into substantial cost savings for major corporations and municipalities. The national award acknowledges three decades of work that has fundamentally changed how organizations approach sustainability investments.
“As Nashville’s mayor, I’ve seen firsthand how Wilmot has helped guide us toward investments that create a fiscally and environmentally sustainable future. Their assistance in implementing projects that help us meet renewable energy, energy efficiency, and green building goals will save our city millions while making Nashville cleaner and more resilient, proving that these outcomes go hand in hand,” said Mayor Freddie O’Connell.
Tiffany Wilmot’s leadership in sustainable development was recently recognized with the 2024 TREEDC Excellence in Community Resiliency Award, acknowledging her three decades of contributions to the field. Ms. Wilmot’s early career writing for publications like Waste Age Magazine and Recycling Today helped establish her as a pioneer in the field, leading to groundbreaking projects with major corporations and governments.
Free Solar Program
The firm’s recent Nashville solar initiative exemplifies their innovative approach to financing environmental projects. When the city announced its goal to achieve 100% solar power by 2041, Wilmot designed a zero-upfront-cost solution projected to save $80 million while delivering 200 megawatts of clean energy. The model involves a third-party operator maintaining the systems and sharing revenues with the city — a framework that’s drawing attention from municipalities nationwide. This innovative financing structure demonstrates how creative solutions can make ambitious environmental goals financially viable.
“We excel at finding hidden value in sustainability initiatives,” says Tiffany Wilmot, who founded the company in 1994. “Every project we undertake is evaluated through our triple bottom line framework, examining environmental, social, and economic impacts. This comprehensive approach consistently reveals opportunities that others miss.” This methodology has proven particularly valuable for clients navigating complex regulatory requirements while seeking to maintain competitive advantages in their respective markets.
“The perception that sustainability requires financial sacrifice is outdated,” says David Adams, Chief Operating Officer at Wilmot Inc. “Our track record proves that environmental leadership and fiscal responsibility go hand in hand.” This approach has attracted an impressive client roster including General Motors, Starbucks, Warner Music Group, the FDA, and Ft. Campbell, with Wilmot now serving over 300 organizations nationwide.
The firm’s expertise in uncovering hidden value is demonstrated in a recent municipal infrastructure project scheduled for implementation in 2025: a district-wide recycling and composting program that goes beyond mere waste management. “By reimagining how the downtown district handles waste, we’re creating new frontage for restaurants and for retail businesses,” explains Adams. “Our analysis shows that businesses could increase frontage by up to 30% through expanded outdoor dining opportunities that weren’t previously available because of waste management issues.”
Unique Case Studies
At Nokian Tires’ $360 million manufacturing facility in Dayton, Tennessee, Wilmot showcased their expertise in industrial sustainability by developing a 3-megawatt solar installation that significantly reduced operational costs while meeting aggressive environmental targets. The project demonstrated how large-scale manufacturing facilities can achieve substantial energy cost reductions while maintaining production efficiency.
Every project we undertake is evaluated through our triple bottom line framework, examining environmental, social, and economic impacts. This comprehensive approach reveals opportunities that others miss
The West Park project further demonstrates Wilmot’s ability to uncover multiple layers of value in infrastructure investments. What began as a stormwater management facility evolved, under Wilmot’s guidance, into a community asset generating $21.3 million in quantifiable benefits. The project delivered $16.9 million in local economic growth while providing substantial environmental improvements, including $225,000 in water quality enhancements and increased ecosystem services valued at $47,000.
The firm’s comprehensive expertise spans green building certification, solar planning, program management, and economic analysis. Their team guides clients through various sustainability certifications, including LEED, Envision, and Living Building Challenge, while their energy specialists perform comprehensive solar and efficiency evaluations that prioritize return on investment. Managing construction debris recycling for the original Titans Stadium—saving Nashville $500,000 while overseeing what was then the world’s largest recycling program—set the standard for their future work. This project demonstrated that environmental initiatives could generate immediate cost savings while creating long-term value, a principle that continues to guide their work today.
“Wilmot is a true pioneer in sustainability consulting. This team has to be the most proficient sustainability firm I know because of their many pivots from materials reuse, economic analysis, green and high-performance building certification, and more recently strategic solar PV development and high ROI energy savings practices. Wilmot produces universal value for their clients under the ever expanding umbrella of sustainability,” said Dodd Galbreath, Director and Associate Professor, Institute of Sustainable Practice at Lipscomb University.
“What makes Wilmot stand out is their ability to build out sustainability practically, at meaningful scale, and to design it to work so that your projects deliver the true mission of sustainability; a world where our children will truly experience a better life than our generation enjoyed,” continued Galbreath.
As organizations face increasing environmental pressures and economic uncertainty, Wilmot’s approach to sustainability consulting continues to gain national recognition. “Our selection as EBR’s Sustainability Consulting Company of the Year reflects a growing recognition that environmental leadership and financial performance are interconnected,” says Adams. “The most effective sustainability initiatives don’t just protect the environment—they create lasting value for organizations and their stakeholders.”
Looking ahead, Wilmot plans to expand their reach to California, New York, and Colorado, bringing their high-impact solutions to more organizations nationwide. Their success challenges conventional wisdom about the costs of environmental initiatives, demonstrating that when properly conceived and executed, sustainability investments can deliver substantial returns while positioning organizations for long-term success in an increasingly environmentally conscious marketplace.
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