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VOLUME 8 NUMBER 1 JANUARY 2014
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ISSP Welcomes Maureen Hart
As New Executive Director
By Dorothy Atwood, President of ISSP Board of Directors
As Board President, I'm pleased to welcome Maureen Hart as ISSP's next Executive Director. With more than 20 years in the field, Maureen brings a wealth of experience and sustainability knowledge to her new position. She is an expert in sustainability indicators
| Dorothy Atwood |
and author of the Guide to Sustainable Community Indicators. As founder and owner of Sustainable Measures, she has assisted a wide variety of large and small for-profit and not-for-profit organizations understand and develop more sustainable practices.
I would also like to thank Marsha Willard for her inspired
leadership of ISSP, from its conception under the wings of Zero Waste Alliance to where we are today, as the premier membership organization for sustainability professionals. She has guided us to a great spot for a new executive director to pick up the reigns and take us into our next phase of development.
We had a large pool of strong candidates apply for the executive director job. The selection process consisted of reviewing written applications, conducting online interviews with members of our Board of Directors from around the world, and a final face-to-face interview with myself, Marsha, ISSP staff members and a representative of the Board of Directors. Maureen rose to the top and we are confident that she will provide the inspiration and drive that we want at the helm to take ISSP to the next level.
Welcome Maureen!!
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An Invitation to Help Make 2014 the Best Year Yet for ISSP
By Maureen Hart, ISSP Executive Director
2014 will be a very exciting year for ISSP. More local chapters are being formed, the sustainability professional certification process is underway, new on-
| Maureen Hart |
line and in person educational opportunities are being planned, and the ISSP Conference 2014 in Denver this November will be ISSP's largest face-to-face gathering to date.
Marsha Willard will be a hard act to follow as ISSP's Executive Director, but I am thrilled to have been selected to take her place and lead the organization through its next stage of development.
Our plans and projects for the new year are not something that the staff or Board members can do on our own, however. ISSP is a membership organization and achieving our goals will require that YOU, the ISSP members, help make it happen. I look forward to meeting and working with all of you. I encourage you to contact me and let me know how you want to be involved in 2014 as, together, we take sustainability to the next level and make it standard practice in all organizations.
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ISSP HALL OF FAME
Submit a Nomination for the ISSP
SUSTAINABILITY HALL OF FAME
Please consider nominating someone you admire for the Sustainability Hall of Fame. This prestigious honor is conferred on sustainability practitioners by their peers to recognize outstanding achievement in the field. Existing members of the Hall of Fame include Amory Lovins, Karl-Henik Robert, John Elkington, Bob Willard, Alan Atkisson, Hunter Lovins, Gil Friend, Ray Anderson and Hazel Henderson.
The ISSP board selects inductees from among the nominated names based on these criteria:
- Experience: has been working in the field for a number of years and has developed a reputation for expertise.
- Education: promotes sustainability through teaching and/or speaking.
- Innovation: has developed tools, models, products or processes that contribute to the adoption or implementation of sustainability.
- Reach: has impacted a significant number of individuals or organizations.
- Publications: has contributed to the body of knowledge in sustainability through the publication of books, articles and/or research.
- Service: contributes time and expertise to the advancement of profession, the development of people working in the field or the adoption of sustainability in organizations and/or communities. This is about contribution and availability.
If you would like to submit a name, please complete the Hall of Fame Nomination form as soon as possible.
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SIGN-UP FOR EARLY BIRD RATES, EXPO BOOTHS AND SPONSORSHIPS
Make Plans Now To Join Us In Denver This November
As the end of the calendar year approaches, now is a good time to allocate your educational and business development budgets for 2014. Don't miss a great opportunity to be a part of ISSP Conference 2014, to be held November 12-14 in Denver, Colorado. As in past years, the conference is being designed to be a rich learning experience to help professionals accelerate the adoption of sustainability in organizations and communities worldwide.
| ISSP Conferences offer outstanding networking opportunities. |
Reserve your place today and be rewarded with extra savings. The lowest rates to be offered between now and the start of the event are available now on our registration page.
Organizations can get information about sponsorships and sign-up to reserve a booth at the conference expo here. Join us in Denver and help shape the future of our profession!
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Call for Presentations Now Open for ISSP Conference 2014
Would you like to present to more than 300 of your peers? ISSP is currently entertaining proposals from potential presenters and panelists for 75-minute concurrent sessions at ISSP Conference 2014, to be held November 12 -14 in Denver.
Based on member feedback from the 2013 conference, we are aiming this year for a greater number of single-person, in depth sessions that permit a more thorough examination of a sustainability-related topic. However, there will still be a limited number of sessions comprising two or three panelists and a moderator designed to present a range of views and ideas on a particular topic.
ISSP conference attendees represent a broad range of sustainability professionals. The audience will once again be international and is certain to include professionals with years of experience in their fields as well as new entrants looking to expand their skills and connections.
To download a copy of our presentation proposal submission form, click here.
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New Listings Added Weekly to ISSP Sustainability Marketplace
The number of listings continues to grow weekly at the on-line ISSP Sustainability Marketplace. As a service for ISSP members and non-members alike, the Marketplace Page aggregates information about tools, publications, training providers and services from a variety of third parties that are designed to help sustainability professionals do their jobs. ISSP members and Website visitors alike can search for what they want, whenever they want it. All Marketplace listings are free and can be easily submitted here. Advertisers stand out, since their information appears on every page of the Marketplace section. Explore the Marketplace today!
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Calling On Sustainability Professionals: SASB Needs You
By Deb Martin, Stakeholder Engagement Manager, Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB)
The Sustainability Accounting Standards Board was first introduced to ISSP in last May in Chicago at ISSP Conference 2013. SASB™ is a 501(c)3 non-profit that develops accounting standards designed for the disclosure of material sustainability issues in annual filings to the SEC, such as the Form 10-K and 20-F.
SASB standards enable investors to compare company performance on the most critical dimensions of sustainability. SASB standards also provide a natural bridge between sustainability and financial professionals working in collaboration to improve performance on the sustainability issues most material to their industry.
In just over one year, SASB has made tremendous progress. Together, industry experts representing corporations, investors, and public interest groups have weighed in on 35 industry standards in five sectors. More than 1,000 people - investors representing $12 trillion assets under management and corporations representing market cap of $5 trillion - have provided feedback on the standards. SASB's first set of standards, for industries in the health care sector, have been downloaded more than 1,100 times since their issuance on July 31, 2013.
SASB has another busy year ahead in 2014, with three opportunities for immediate participation. First, enroll in our working groups for 10 industries in the Services Sector, which kick off February 12. Second, join us for the Transportation Delta Series conference on January 30. Third, provide feedback on our standards for industries in the Non-renewable Resources sector during a 90-day public comment period-the draft standards will be available for download here beginning January 30th.
SASB is looking forward to engaging the sustainability profession to help in the next generation of sustainability standards. Don't miss this opportunity to be a part of history!
For more information, contact Deb Martin at 415-830-9220 x122 or [email protected].
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MEMBER INVOLVEMENT OPPORTUNITIES
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Why Wouldn't You Do It?
Big Companies Benefit from Sustainability, and Smaller
Companies Can Too
"Why wouldn't you do it?," asked Peter Swinburn, CEO of MolsonCoors Brewing Company, at a recent luncheon presentation to the Association for Corporate Growth luncheon in Denver. Swinburn shared a long list of financial benefits his company has gained by improving the efficiency with which it uses key resources, eliminating waste and building brand loyalty by demonstrating a socially responsible approach to brewing and distributing its products. "It's just good business" he said. Click here to learn more about MolsonCoors CSR and environmental stewardship efforts.
Like MolsonCoors, most large corporations are increasingly adopting sustainable business practices as a strategic imperative, but most small and mid-sized companies (SMEs) aren't yet convinced it makes sense to do so. Sustainability4smes is conducting extensive surveys among SMEs to find out why and - more importantly - what can be done to encourage them to take advantage of what is an obvious financial opportunity.
ISSP encourages small business leaders to assist this important research by taking the survey - go to www.sustainability4smes.com. And if you are involved in sustainability in local or state government, please contact researchers Graham Russell and Martha Young directly to find out how you can help your own local business community benefit from a sustainability-based strategy.
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Check Out These New Postings
On the ISSP Job Board
ISSP posts job openings in the sustainability field on its job board site. Several new listings have come through this month. Including...
- Senior Manager of Sustainability Communications
- Sustainability Program Manager
- Director of Corporate Responsibility
- Senior Environmental Risk Analyst
- and more
ISSP Job Board
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MEMBER BENEFIT HIGHLIGHT OF THE MONTH
Interested in Discounts?!
Our members tell us that the primary reason they join ISSP is to be connected with professionals from all over the world. But did you know that being a member of ISSP also gets you discounts on dozens of publications and events? We're constantly working deals to bring you the best prices on valuable resources and relevant events.
View the list of events at the bottom of the newsletter each month for conferences and workshops that honor ISSP membership.
For a full list and description of the publications and services available to you as an ISSP member, go to the Discounts and Benefits page on the web site.
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The Storytelling Animal:
How Stories Make Us Human
By Jonathan Gottschall, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Boston, MA.
Boston, Mass. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2013
Reviewed by ISSP Co-Founder Darcy Hitchcock
Humans are storytelling creatures, spending our lives both waking and dreaming in what the author refers to as Neverland. His premise is summed up in one paragraph:
"Humans are creatures of Neverland? Neverland is our evolutionary niche, our special habitat. We are attracted to Neverland because, on the whole, it is good for us. It nourishes our imaginations; it reinforces moral behavior; it gives us safe worlds to practice inside. Story is the glue of social life--defining groups and holding the together. We live in Neverland
because we can't not live in Neverland. We are the storytelling animal." In this assertion, Gottschall does not rule out other species from having their own Neverland. He defines story as Story = Characters + Predicament + Attempt at extrication and in that, there is room for dog dreams about rabbits and cats about dogs. In this book, Gottschall explores what evolutionary benefit story gave us, what the purpose is, and how it manifests in both our waking and dreaming life. "The human mind was shaped for story, so that it could be shaped by story." As social animals, we can benefit from others' experience and explore potential outcomes of different actions. To read the complete review, click here.
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EDUCATION AND EVENTS
Experience sustainability professional development with live webinars, free resources and online discussion forums
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JANUARY WEBINAR
Measure What Matters - Made Easy: Using the B Impact Assessment (BIA) WITH PRESENTERS Hardik Savalia, David Steingard and Ryan Honeyman
Wednesday January 23 @ 11:00am Pacific Time-US
11am PST/ 12pm MST/ 1pm CST/ 2pm EST
Check for your time zone here.
How do you make it easy for businesses to baseline their impact? Get a walkthrough of the new B Impact Assessment - an online, easy to use tool used by 15,000+ to measure their impact for free. See how other consultants and universities are using this tool to introduce sustainability to businesses that are new to the "space" and find out how they provide brand value to businesses that are already advanced in their sustainability efforts.
Free: ISSP Members
Or join us for $10 USD$ For more info and to register click here.
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Discover how full economic value can be ultimately quantified and measured
Early Bird Ends JAN 27
Special Discounts:
4-week Course price: $450 USD
Early Bird SAVE $50 through JAN 27 ISSP Members save $75 off anytime
>Start February 6 - Webinars are recorded >Apply this core workshop credit towards the ISSP Certificate
Online Course with Jim Pittman
Ecosystems have economic value far beyond resources that can be extracted, liquidated, owned or sold. Examine how to assess and measure ecosystem dynamics and value generation. Participants will hone skills they can use to plan sustainability projects and develop resource management systems that efficiently and effectively support human activities while minimizing the impacts on the regenerative capacity of nature. Earn credit toward the International Society of Sustainability Professionals' online certificate. Read more here.
James Pittman is an ecological economist, professional consultant and educator with over two decades immersed in sustainability challenges and opportunities. James has served clients including the President's Council on Sustainable Development, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, the U.S. Department of Energy, the City of Washington DC, the Washington State Department of Ecology, a Fortune 50 software corporation, as well as various other agencies, corporations, non-profits and public utilities.
All Certificate courses are open to all. For more info and to register click here
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FEBRUARY WEBINAR
Comprehensive Model for Planning in Complex Systems with Paul Horton
Tuesday February 25, 2014 @ 11:00am Pacific Time-US
11am PST/ 12pm MST/ 1pm CST/ 2pm EST
Check for your time zone here.
Paul Horton will introduce community, business, non-profit, and educational leaders to the Framework for Strategic Sustainable Development (FSSD) a strategic, structured, and science-based approach to addressing the mufti-faceted complexity of the sustainability challenge. The FSSD effectively incorporates other concepts, methods, and tools that seek sustainable solutions - such as Cradle-to-Cradle, LEED, and Biomimicry - into a shared, structured overview, making better use of them.
The FSSD uses a common, scientifically valid definition of success, provided by the four Natural Step sustainability principles, that is at once comprehensive and concrete; describing the minimum conditions required for a sustainable society. In this way, the FSSD offers an upstream approach that helps organizations anticipate and avoid problems before they occur, rather than reacting to their downstream effects. Read more here.
Paul Horton is an experienced strategy and organizational change professional with 21 years of experience working with the public, private and non-profit sectors. He is currently a principal of The Athena Group, where he acts as a facilitator, guide, and coach to help public and private clients implement
collaborative approaches to large-scale change.
Free: ISSP Members
Or join us for $10 USD$
For more info and to register click here.
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Sustainability Events
Happening Around the World
- Toward Urban Sustainability, January 5-15, Stellenbosch, South Africa
- Sustainable YOU, January 27-28, Tallahassee, FL
- SASB Transportation Delta Series, January 30, San Francisco
- Beyond Sustainability, February 2-4, South Carolina
- GreenBiz Forum 2014, February 18-20, Scottsdale, Arizona
- Public Sector Reform and Transformation Forum 2014, Feb 18 - 20, Putrajaya, Malaysia
- Southface Greenprints Conference, March 12 -13, Atlanta, GA
- Globe 2014, March 26 - 28, Vancouver, BC
- CERES Conference 2014, April 30 - May 1 Boston, MA
- Sustainable Brands 2014, June 2 -5, San Diego, CA
- 2014 Net Impact Conference, Nov. 6 - 8, Minneapolis, MN
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