From the President's Desk
A Warm Welcome to Our Newest Board Members
By Marilyn Johnson, ISSP President and Senior Director, Corporate Sustainability at IHS, Seattle WA
I am thrilled to welcome our newest slate of ISSP Board members, who bring a wealth of expertise, experience and diverse backgrounds from around the world. The interest was overwhelming, with a number of highly qualified and enthusiastic candidates, making our selection process very difficult. As we continue to certify more and more sustainability professionals, grow our membership and enhance all of our member offerings, it is the commitment and engagement of this amazing sustainability community that is truly advancing sustainability as standard practice.
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ISSP Certification News High Participation in Second ISSP-SA Certification Beta
The enthusiastic support for the ISSP Certification continues to grow. Since the opening of the second ISSP-SA Certification Beta in mid-January, over 120 ISSP members have registered for the ISSP-SA exam, demonstrating widespread interest in sustainability professional certification across the field. The ISSP-SA certification is designed for professionals who can demonstrate basic knowledge of key sustainability concepts, and is a prerequisite for ISSP-CSP designation. Beta participants have until March 31st to complete the exam. There are still slots open for ISSP members to register for the Beta, but not many - so sign up today! These high Beta participation numbers come as ISSP Certification moves forward on other fronts. Our Education Partners program, designed to foster relationships with institutions that provide the highest quality sustainability education and training, will be launching pilot partnerships with between 5 and 10 organizations in April. The program will recognize organizations that share ISSP's mission of making sustainability standard practice around the world, and will include promotional and networking benefits for those who qualify. If your organization is interested in participating in the ISSP Education Partners pilot program, contact [email protected] for details about the application process. And for more information about ISSP Certification, including eligibility requirements for the ISSP-SA and ISSP-CSP, visit our website.
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ISSP Makes Additions to Board of Directors
Six new members from around the world have been elected to the ISSP Board of Directors. They are:
- Nicole Bradford, an Investment Manager, ESG for Cbus, an Australian pension fund based in Sydney, Australia.
- Lucinda Brown, Principal Consultant at STET Sustainability Consulting, in McLean, VA.
- Catherine Hurley, Sustainability Manager for the City of Evanston, IL.
- Sven Lundie, Principal Consultant of Sustainability Consulting at bei thinkstep AG, in Hamburg, Germany.
- Maria Dian Nurani, Independent CSR and Sustainability Consultant in Jakarta, Indonesia.
- Rosalinda Sanquiche, Executive Director & COO, Ethical Markets Media in St. Augustine, FL
Our newest board members will each serve two-year terms. Learn more about them here.
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Participate in the Sustainability Culture and Leadership (SCALAtm) Survey
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March Course: Storytelling for Sustainability
Begins Tuesday, March 8, 2016 at 12:00pm PT / 3:00pm ET
One of the basic foundations of communication is storytelling. This applies to professional communication as much as any other form, and the ability to weave a personal story into one's professional work can be a powerful tool for leaders in many industries. Sustainability professionals can gain an especially strong advantage from storytelling, as narrative and personal communication are major conduits for social and environmental change. ISSP's March course, Storytelling for Sustainability, walks participants through the process of creating and presenting their own personal digital sustainability stories. Taught by sustainability strategist, writer, and educator Jeff Leinaweaver, the workshop will provide the basic skills necessary to link digital tools, writing, and authentic communication into a first-person story.
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ISSP Chapter News ISSP Local Chapters Offer Diverse Set of Activities
ISSP members continue to form local chapters across the globe in order to meet and network with other sustainability professionals. This spring, there's a lot going on at the local chapter level. Here's a round-up of current chapter activities.
Networking Event for Sustainability Professionals
Meet other sustainability professionals on Tuesday March 15 and discuss ISSP Greater NYC's exciting Plans for its Leaders in Sustainability series and upcoming film screenings.
The chapter will raffle a copy of Michel Gelobter's Lean Startups for Social Change: The Revolutionary Path to Big Impact with proceeds going to the Environmental Defense Fund. For more details and to register, click here.
Networking Happy Hour for Sustainability Professionals
Meet fellow sustainability practitioners and learn more about the ISSP Certification exam while imbibing in your beverage of choice. The group will meet Thursday, March 23 from 6 pm-8 pm at Busboys and Poets. Feel free to bring a guest. To learn more and register, visit http://bit.ly/1RxfDXb.
Do You Have What it Takes to Be a Certified Sustainability Professional?
The ISSP Colorado Chapter invites you to a sustainability professional workshop Wednesday April 11 where you can see if you know the answers to tough sustainability questions. ISSP Executive Director Maureen Hart will be on hand to explain about the ISSP Sustainability Professional Certification - what it is, how it works, and what it will do for you. Then the fun begins as participants in small groups go through sample exam questions describing some of the common circumstances that sustainability professionals have to navigate to see if they have what it takes to be a sustainability professional. Participants will also have a chance to describe experiences they have had and get reaction from the group on ways to handle it. If you are considering taking the ISSP certification exam, this workshop is the perfect opportunity to learn more and prepare! Find out more.
State of Sustainability Conference
On April 13, Joel Makower, founder and Senior Editor of GreenBiz.com, will headline Lipscomb University's first annual "State of Sustainability Series". Co-sponsored by the ISSP Tennessee-Alabama-Mississippi Chapter, the conference will explore the future of of business, science, advocacy, academic, and faith-based environmental services. ISSP Chapter Chair Mary Singer of CRG Sustainable Solutions will provide an overview of ISSP and chapter activities. An evening professional networking session will precede a free and open to the public address by 2015 Kennedy "Profiles in Courage" award winner and former Congressman Bob Inglis (R - SC). All events will be held at Lipscomb University's Ezell Center in Nashville, TN. Early bird conference registration of $95 ends March 31. To register for the conference visit http://bit.ly/21QuV0H. Chapter Explores Certification Questions
The ISSP Chapter in Portland, Oregon met in late February to network and to review the progress of ISSP's Sustainability Professional Certification program. The group tried their skills at sample certification questions and discussed the implications of certification. Here's a sampling of comments from participants: -
"Certification adds credibility to (those participating in) organic green teams."
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"Certification helps practitioners identify gaps in their own skill sets."
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"The value of the certification program is that it gives credibility to the field."
For more information about ISSP Portland Chapter activities, contact Marsha Willard.
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Sustainability Events Around the World
- SoL North America's Foundations for Leadership Program, Facilitated by Peter Senge & Robert Hanig, March 15-17, 2016, Ashland, MA
- 2016 Macao International Environmental Co-Operation Forum & Exhibition, March 31-April 2, Macao, China
- Lipscomb University State of Sustainability Conference, April 13, Nashville, TN
- Yale Executive Program in Sustainability Leadership, April 19-22, 2016, New Haven, CT
- Responsible Business Forum on Food and Agriculture, April 27-29, Jakarta, Indonesia
- Ceres Conference 2016, May 4-5, Boston, MA
- CleanMed 2016, May 17-19, Dallas, TX
- West Coast Energy Management Congress, May 25-26, Seattle, WA
- The Responsible Business Summit 2016, June 7-8, 2016, Hilton Tower Bridge, London
- Environmental Leader 2016 Conference, June 21-23, Denver, CO
- SoL North America's Leading Sustainable Transformation Workshop with MIT Sloan's Peter Senge, June 21-23, 2016, Ashland, MA
- SRI Conference, November 9-11, Denver, CO
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