ISSP Newsletter - July 2013
Latest News From International Society of Sustainability Professionals
Featured Articles in This Month's Newsletter
New Officers Elected As Strategic Planning Process for 2014 Gets Underway
ISSP is entering a new phase in its development. We've grown significantly since our inception in 2008: we have more members, more activities and projects and a broader reach around the world. To help manage our success, the ISSP board recently restructured and has elected a slate of officers that will take a much more active role in leading the organization. Congratulations to the new ISSP leadership team:
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President - Dorothy Atwood, Atwood Consulting
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Vice President - Julian Crawford, Eco-Steps
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Secretary - Laurel Sukup, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
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Treasurer - Rick Woodward, Coastwide Laboratories
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Development Director - Stephan Levitsky, ASR Group Inc.
I'm very much looking forward to working with this stellar team of sustainability professionals. First on the team's agenda will be a strategic planning session to determine our long and short term strategies. We'd love to have member input into that session and so invite you to complete the ISSP member survey by July 15.
Click here to take the member survey.
Later this summer, watch for more news about our plans for the coming year.
Sincerely,
Marsha Willard
ISSP Executive Director
Professional Certification Update: Draft Body of Knowledge Ready for Comment
With input from our conference participants, an invited group of seasoned sustainability professionals created the first draft of the sustainability "Body of Knowledge" which defines our profession. This work will form the basis of any future professional certification as well as inform training and education programs preparing professionals for our field all over the world.
Because of the impact it is destined to have, we are eager that it be reviewed and vetted by as many professionals as possible. ISSP is making this document available to its members as well as distributing it to targeted organizations and individuals around the world for review.
If you would like to review and possibly comment on this important work, visit the ISSP web site and follow the instructions provided there. We are hoping to synthesize the feedback later this summer, so please submit your comments by July 31.
ISSP Orientation Sessions Offered Every Month: Sign Up for One Today
Each month ISSP offers a free, member orientation session fornew, renewing and prospective members. We've recently added these sessions to our event list and scheduled them out for the rest of the year. We'd love to have you all attend one and learn to be a "power user" of our website - accessing materials, contributing resources, searching for other members, starting discussion forums. These orientations, offered via our webinar platform, also give you a chance to meet other members. Come join us for one!
Click here to register for an orientation to ISSP
Join ISSP's Virtual Book Club and Discuss a Sustainable Economy with Book Authors and International Colleagues
Want to learn more about the economic system of the future and discuss the key issues? Join ISSP members, book authors, and others from around the world on-line as we read and discuss the book, Enough is Enough, Building A Sustainable Economy In A World of Finite Resources, by Rob Dietz and Dan O'Neill. The book explores how to move from our current "required" growth economic model to a steady state economy.
The group will read one to three chapters a week over a 10 week period from July 8 to September 15. You can start your own local face-to-face group that can then weigh into the larger on-line group discussion forum with resources that and guidelines that ISSP will provide. Each week a new on-line forum question will start the discussion and sharing of ideas.
As an extra special treat authors, two one-hour webinars have been scheduled to discuss the book with the authors, Rob Dietz and Dan O'Neill. The dates are WednesdayJuly 24 at 5pm Pacific-US and Wednesday September 11 at 1pm Pacific-US. (To convert to your time zone, click here: Time Zone Converter). The two webinars meet online at the ISSP Webinar platform.
The book group is free for ISSP members and $25 for non-ISSP members. Price does not include the book. To join, link to the registration page below. All registered participants will have access to the ISSP Learning Resource Center where we will host the private book club. Participants will introduce themselves to the group with an on-line profiles; the platform will host the forum for questions and a collection of additional resources. If you are interested in joining the group register here.
Wednesday July 24 at 5pm Pacific-US and
Wednesday Sept 11 at 1pm Pacific-US
Price: $25 includes book group and 2 webinars
Member Price: Free
REGISTER FOR BOOK CLUB DISCUSSION HERE
September 2013 Webinar
Branding Redefined: How Sustainability is Changing the Way We Do Business with James Cerruti, Senior Partner of Strategy and Research – Brandlogic
Thursday September 19 @ 11:00am Pacific Time-US
11am PDT/ 12pm MDT/ 1pm CDT/ 2pm EDT
Check for your time zone HERE
James' presentation will focus on the research and data featured in Brandlogic's 2012 Sustainability Leadership Report.Specifically, he will speak about the intersection between branding and sustainability and how companies are being perceived in this realm. Any company's ultimate brand power and success is correlated to how it can communicate its sustainability efforts. He will report on the characteristics that define the leaders, challengers, promoters and laggards in this area. He'll also discuss the important nuances and trends related to the multifaceted "ESG" (environmental issues, social issues and governance practices) of business sustainability. Join us to learn:
• How can sustainability transform a brand's image and boost business?
• What if companies are not actively pursuing sustainability practices?
James will discuss the consequences of inaction. It's clear that this research is opening new doors and broadening our definition of sustainability. He will report on how this research effort came about and the impetus behind making this report an annual publication. Now in its second year, Brandlogic's Sustainability Leadership Report is championing a new research effort, looking at top global brands and examining how those businesses are faring in terms of real versus perceived sustainability. This project, which involves input from investment professionals, purchasing managers and graduating university students, looks at corporate performance from an environmental, social and governance angle. The results of this year's report are uniquely tabulated in a Sustainability IQ matrix, which is quickly becoming a meaningful framework for organizations as they strive to achieve sustainability leadership.
Presenter
James Cerruti is Senior Partner of Strategy and Research - Brandlogic. His expertise lies in explaining how sustainability is integral to business strategy, brand and customer value propositions. He is the author behind the Sustainability Leadership Report and his inspiring ideas are supported by meaningful qualitative and comparative data that analyze the world's top global brands. To download the latest Sustainability Leadership Report, visit: http://www.sustainabilityleadershipreport.com/.
Thursday September 19 at 11am Pacific-US
Price: $10
Member Price: Free
Sponsor This E-Newsletter and Be Seen by Thousands of Sustainability Pros
Sponsoring an issue of the ISSP Insight e-newsletter is a great way to be seen by thousands of sustainability professionals worldwide. It's also a terrific way to show your support of ISSP, just as Chatham University has done by sponsoring this issue. Thank you to Chatham University and everyone involved with their Executive Master In Sustainable Leadership program! For more information about the benefits of ISSP Insight e-newsletter sponsorship, visit http://bit.ly/10EF596.
Members, Send Us Your News !!!
Have you or your organization done something interesting lately? Did you recently publish an article, win an award or make a presentation to a large group? Let us know what you've been up to so we may share it with your fellow members here in our newsletter.
Send your news items to info@sustainabilityprofessionals.org with the phrase Newsletter Item in the subject line.
See you on-line!
Sept-Oct Workshop
Sustainable Event Training with Meegan Jones
Seeking to achieve improved sustainability performance for your events? Learn how to articulate the right questions and make the informed decisions before you design and deliver sustainability management strategies.
Over 500 event professionals have taken this course face-to-face. Now it is offered as an online ISSP workshop taught by an experienced sector specialist/instructor from GreenShoot Pacific. The Sustainable Event Training workshop is delivered online via ISSP's dynamic, interactive eLearning experience: meeting online once a week for 5 weeks for a live webinar plus interacting 24/7 at the ISSP Learning Resource Center.
Gain an in-depth understanding of sustainable development principles and how to put them into practical action in event planning and delivery. Meegan will cover these topics: Sustainable development principles; Identifying sustainability issues; Destination, Venue & Accommodation; Biodiversity, Community, Society; Sustainable sourcing/procurement; Implementing ISO 20121; GRI Event Organizer's Supplement; Legacy & Leadership; Managing transport impacts; Waste reduction/resource recovery; Water supply and management; Energy management; Reducing GHG emissions; Produce a sustainability policy; and more HERE.
Instructor:
Meegan Jones is an event professional (20 years) who provides sustainable solutions for live events and productions. She is Director of GreenShoot Pacific (GSP), training and consulting on sustainability for the events, screen and music touring industries. Meegan is author of Sustainable Event Management: A Practical Guide, published by Earthscan/Stylus in 2012. She was recently on the working group for the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) events organizer sector supplement and is also on the international working group for the development of ISO 20121 Events Sustainability Management Systems. Meegan is President of the Sustainable Event Alliance, an industry body working towards increased sustainability performance in the event industry.
Price: $550 (5-week workshop)
Member Price: $325*
*Early Bird Discount available to ALL and ends 08/28/13 $50 off
Self-Study Workshop: Sustainability 101
Instructor: Darcy Hitchcock, co-founder of ISSP and co-founder of Axis Performance Advisors
Are you well-versed on all the essential sustainability concepts? To be a credible sustainability professional, there are certain key concepts you should know. Use this self-study workshop to test your knowledge and fill in any gaps. The course has four modules (read more HERE).
The prerecorded webinars are taught by ISSP co-founder and sustainability consultant/author, Darcy Hitchcock.
Dates: Open Enrollment. Register at any time.
Take up to 8 weeks to complete.
2013 - 2014 Certificate Workshops
Sustainability 101 + 5 CORE + 3 ELECTIVE+ 4 WEBINARS
= 1 ISSP Sustainability Professionals Certificate
Purchase the entire certificate program for $2600 and receive the prerequisite Sustainability 101 for free, a $250 value
2013
• JUL Biomimicry, Learning from Nature - Mary Hansel
• SEP SPaRK Sustainability Planning - Marsha Willard
• SEP-OCT Sustainable Event Training - Meegan Jones
• OCT Sustaining Sustainability - Dorothy Atwood
• NOV Leadership Skills - Bob Willard
2014
• JAN Stakeholder Engagement - Susanne Croft
• FEB Ecosystem Valuations - Jim Pittman
• APR Storytelling for Sustainability - Jeff Leinaweaver
• MAY Strategy Tools for Sustainability Transformations - Alan AtKisson
More info on the ISSP Certificate program HERE
Sustainability Conferences And Events Around The World
See details about these events on the Other Sustainability Events page of the ISSP Website.
• 3rd International Exergy, Life Cycle Assessment, and Sustainability Workshop & Symposium, July 7-9, Nisyros, Greece
• Unlocking Local Wealth II, July 12, Lake District, UK
• Wellbeing Research Conference, July 24, Lake District, UK
• EV Roadmap 6, July 30-31, Portland, Oregon
• CIIS 2013 International Congress of Innovation and Sustainability, August 29-30, Sao Paulo, Brazil
• Greening the Heartland/Building Chicago Conference, September 9-11, Chicago, IL
• Environmental Evaluators Network 2013 Pacific Forum, September 22-24, Corbett, Oregon
• The New Metrics of Sustainable Business Conference, September 24-25 Philadelphia, PA
• 3S Awards in Sustainable & Socially Responsible Sourcing, October, Location TBD
• SXSW Eco, October 7-9, Austin, Texas
• Corporate Sustainability Forum, October 10-11, Redondo Beach, CA
• Green Industry Conference, October 23-25, Louisville, KY
• Local Renewables Freiberg 2013, October 24-25, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
• 2013 Net Impact Conference, October 24-26, Silicon Valley, California
• Sustainable Brands London Conference, November 18-19, London, UK
• Corporate Sustainability and Eco-Innovations, November 18-19, Warsaw, Poland
• Carbon Professional Path, various dates, Canada
Sustainability Workshop and Networking Series, various dates, Perrysburg, Ohio
