Page 16 – Sustainability Academy

For the 6th consecutive year, Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) are organizing Green Week, an overarching umbrella for key environmental activities and events in the region. Green Week features programs and initiatives to raise awareness about the environment and sustainability and the need to follow a sustainable lifestyle. It also informs younger generations about the importance of rationalization of electricity and water and the conservation of natural resources; motivating them to innovate new solutions that support the transformation towards a green economy.

Under its umbrella, the 6th Green Week will host the 21st Water, Energy, Technology and Environment Exhibition. The Green Week also features the 4th Dubai Solar Show, the region’s largest solar power technology event; the 6th World Green Economy Summit; the International Desalination Association World Congress, the premier global event on desalination and advanced water treatment solutions; and the Gas and Oil Technology Showcase and Conference 2019.

The Green Week is based on a vision to promote a culture of sustainability in society, while also instilling a culture of creativity and innovation among the younger generations, who are considered by the UAE’s wise leadership as vital for anticipating and shaping the future. Green Week also focuses on developing young talents that will help shape a sustainable future for the energy sector, thereby supporting the national efforts to establish Dubai’s and the UAE’s leadership in the field of sustainable development.

The event will launch a ‘Centre of Excellence,’ which will target universities, students and the academia, welcoming more than 150 students.

Sustainability practitioners bring strong skills and out-of-the-box way of thinking to deal with the challenges ahead. After its sold out events in NYC, Houston, San Francisco, Seattle and Toronto CSE is holding its next Certified Sustainability (CSR) Practitioner Program in Dubai, November 17-18, 2019.

This ambitious project aims to slash carbon emissions by 3,243 metric tons. Dubai International Airport made a smart and eco-friendly move with the installation of 15,000 solar panels on its premises that will reduce its carbon emissions and save millions annually in electric bills.

Dubai Airports, the operator of the world’s busiest international airport, and Etihad Energy Services Company, a leading energy service company announced the completion of its project to install photovoltaic panels at Terminal 2 – the largest at any airport in the region.

The solar project has a capacity of 5 megawatts that will generate 7,483,500 kWh energy annually for Dubai Airports. The project will reduce existing Terminal 2 load by approximately 29%. It will also slash annual carbon dioxide emissions.

The project is part of Dubai’s smart initiative that aims to promote the use of clean renewable energy sources by installing solar panels on usable rooftops in Dubai. It aims for individual villa and building owners to generate electricity from solar power.

Energy Services Company will provide maintenance services for Dubai Airports for a period of seven years from completion. These include the use of energy efficient fittings, the optimization of cooling systems, the installation of energy efficient LED bulbs and many others.

Energy Services Company aims to retrofit 30,000 buildings by 2030. It is currently preparing to implement a number of projects, expanding beyond building retrofits to include industrial retrofits and solar projects.

Sustainability practitioners bring strong and creative thinking to achieve goals and deal with the challenges and new projects that come ahead. CSE is holding its next Certified Sustainability (CSR) Practitioner Program in Dubai, November 17-18, 2019.

UAE Maritime Week has reached its fifth edition of success for the maritime sector, not only in the UAE but throughout the region and the world. Over the past four editions, the UAE has further strengthened its position in the global maritime sector as an important player in bringing together leading maritime experts, transport and shipping.

Among the key issues are the changing trends and the continuous engagement of all stakeholders to enhance the sector towards a more sustainable future. This year, the initiatives by some of the world’s best-in-class infrastructure and logistics facilities, highly innovative services and pioneering developments in marine arbitration.

At the same time, UAE Maritime Week has remained to become an important and open venue for debate and constructive dialogue on many local, regional and international issues. This has proved highly beneficial for all stakeholders in plotting the path of the future of the maritime industry following the unprecedented global and environmental changes around us. There is conscious effort within the sector to explore research and development, as well as innovation and technology to find sustainable solutions to today’s challenges.

Dubai’s achievements in the trade and maritime field have been phenomenal and it continues to lead the region in shaping the trends when it comes to developing a world-class maritime capital. There is a determined commitment to make the emirate the best sustainable maritime center in the world.

The upcoming maritime event is a reflection of Dubai’s continued prominence as a preferred global destination for leading maritime events that has significantly contributed and sustained the local, regional and international interest on maritime issues and trends, as well as opened many opportunities and addressed challenges. This latest edition aims to bring out even stronger commitments from maritime industry leaders to strengthen linkages and partnerships that will continue to advance the maritime industry towards a path of steady growth and sustainability.

Sustainability practitioners bring strong skills and creative thinking to achieve goals and deal with the challenges ahead. CSE is holding its next Certified Sustainability (CSR) Practitioner Program in Dubai, November 17-18, 2019.

What happens when you bring together students, young people, activists, and allies rallying to prevent climate change? Throughout Canada and the US, young people, their parents, employers, colleges and universities are holding strikes to illuminate the looming climate crisis.

Through Climate Strike Canada and Climate Strike sponsored by 350.org in the US, participants are united to empower, train, and equip participants to create climate justice in their communities. The effort is non-partisan and inclusive. Its most recognizable actions are school strikes. Other climate actions include lawsuits, education and wellness discussions, and calling for the declaration of climate emergencies in towns and cities.

For example, San Francisco’s Climate Strike community is confronting the crisis by representing youth throughout the region. Climate justice is about more than greenhouse gas emissions. It addresses the same considerations found under the Sustainability umbrella: workers’ rights and economic justice, the rights of Indigenous peoples and migrants, anti-racism and social justice. Sustainability practitioners must understand how to address each issue in a unified manner.

Employees at multinational corporations are as involved as their daughters and sons. For the first time in Amazon’s 25-year history, workers at Amazon headquarters plan to strike. Over 900 Amazon employees signed an internal petition pledging to walk out over their employer’s lack of action on climate change. The move will highlight the United Nations Climate Action Summit on September 23. Demands range from ending donations to politicians who deny Anthropocene climate change to achieving zero carbon emissions by 2030.

Tech workers have walked out to protest specific issues such as Google employees on sexual harassment issues and Wayfair staff on immigration. Can Amazon employees get the company to stop using fossil fuels entirely? Transportation logistics aside, Amazon is known for being ambitious and can certainly address climate change in a meaningful way.

With a company as large as Amazon, even a fraction of the workforce on strike can drive Amazon to greater efforts. The key is leadership from a trusted brand. Fortunately, the very effort of a sustainability strategy affects customers, peers, supply chain and the next generation. Google and Apple claim to power their operations with 100 percent clean energy, and Facebook has set the same goal.

The technology world is one of many sectors with an important role to play, whether San Francisco’s Silicon Valley, Microsoft up the coast in Redmond, Washington, companies with a large presence in Canada (Shopify, SAP, Telus) and Canada’s own Silicon Valley in the Ketchener-Waterloo, Ontario area.

An important CSE strategy is to meet corporations where they are. CSE has developed meaningful relationships with both SMEs and large international corporations. We’ve provided education on Sustainability to leading companies throughout North America.

We have added San Francisco, October 15, 2019, and Seattle to our rotation of trainings. Others include Houston, New York, Atlanta and Toronto. Senior managers and VPs from more than 90% of the FORTUNE 500 have attended our programs. They join over 1500 Certified Sustainability Practitioners from over 50 countries all over the world.

The UAE imports 80 per cent of its food, which is a major challenge for the country’s food security.

Vertical farming, a practice of growing local fruits and vegetables with minimal resources, is currently making waves helping the country build a sustainable future. To address the situation, steps are being taken to restructure the food supply chain.

“Vertical farming is the future of sustainable agriculture in the UAE. We import a huge amount of goods, and need to find ways of being not only more sustainable but more self-sustaining as well, meeting local demand through local production,” said Mustafa Moiz, managing director of Uns Farms.

Agrotech Company VeggiTech, on the other hand, focuses on addressing the key challenges of traditional farming – soil, temperature and water – through its design of “protected hydroponics” and “grow-light-assisted hydroponics”.

Radical measures like harvesting water with alternative energy sources have also yielded positive results. Circular agriculture is a new priority in The Netherlands which is willing to assist the UAE in implementing this concept.

Aside from promoting sustainability, the UAE’s food security strategy also aims to ensure access to safe and nutritious food. This is why organic farming – a method that doesn’t rely on synthetic fertilizers – has also been gaining traction.

The availability of local crops has also encouraged more residents to adopt healthier lifestyles. It may be surprising to hear, but one crop that is showing a lot of promise in the UAE is quinoa, according to scientists. The number of farmers cultivating quinoa in the UAE has been steadily increasing since 2016.

Different organizations based in the UAE, are supporting the great initiative for the sustainable food production in the region with innovative technologies like growing crops that need less water or can thrive with the brackish water or producing nutritious food (like quinoa and millet) from marginal lands with poor quality water.

The UAE has appointed a Minister of State for Food Security to strategically address food security and nutrition challenges. The country ranks fourth in food affordability, but 50th in availability; hence a large amount of the food security is based on the import of food products.

Sustainability practitioners bring strong skills and out-of-the-box way of thinking to deal with the challenges ahead. CSE is holding its next Certified Sustainability (CSR) Practitioner Program in Dubai, November 17-18, 2019.

Many start-ups and companies focused on sustainability call San Francisco home. Now the rest have to catch up! For new sustainability practitioners, this is good news. There are ground floor opportunities. For established practitioners – also good news. Leadership, management and executive roles are expanding.

Trainings

CSE offers advanced certified education on Sustainability and Corporate Responsibility, Sustainable Development and Circular Economy for professionals. Trainings maximize a company’s impact and help professionals become qualified in the field. They provide the latest practical tools and resources to implement or upscale corporate sustainability and ESG ratings to drive initiatives, generate value and create effective strategies.

We have added San Francisco, October 15, 2019, to our rotation of trainings. Senior managers and VPs from more than 90% of the FORTUNE 500 have attended our programs. They join over 1500 Certified Sustainability Practitioners from over 50 countries all over the world.

Research

CSE has completed its second exploration of sustainability strategies and reporting in Silicon Valley (report forthcoming in September). CSE’s 2016 report uncovered the disturbing news that Silicon Valley companies lag other sectors in sustainability practices. The 2019 research indicates significant improvements. Still, there is plenty of room to raise standards and increase ESG Ratings relied upon by investors. The same year Google won the Silicon Valley Community Foundation award for its corporate social responsibility (CSR), CSE president Nikos Avlonas received their CSR Practitioner of the Year award.

West Coast issues include Climate Change and sea-level rise, water resources, city growth and management and applying ESG (environment, social, governance) principles to the region. An important CSE strategy is to meet corporations where they are. From construction to Silicon Valley (Workday, Netgear), CSE has developed meaningful relationships with both SMEs and large international corporations. We’ve provided education on Sustainability to leading companies such as Google, T-Mobile, Sandia National Laboratories and other companies based in California and Washington.

Because of its leadership in sustainability, San Francisco is an ideal location for our Certified CSR-P Training, Oct. 15-16, 2019. Other upcoming trainings include Toronto, Oct. 31-Nov.1, 2019 and Miami, Jan. 16-17, 2020.

Online learning is continuously growing among employees and employers alike. So Employers Gravitate to Online Learning? An increasing number of employers develop their own online courses in collaboration with noted authorities. While an employer may be subject matter expert designing courses for widget production, sales and distribution, they are less likely to be experts in sustainability.

The Center for Sustainability and Excellence has developed the Sustainability Academy to assist employers in adding sustainability to their training offerings. A series of courses move participants from fundamental concepts to specialized topics.

A study by City Square Associates demonstrates the value of online education. The big surprise: The career and personal benefits reported by students mirror and, in some cases, exceed those commonly reported for far more expensive and time-consuming degree programs.

The same benefits which accrue to individuals taking online courses independently bring value to employers who offer courses in-house.

Relevant coursework helps employees stand out with demonstrable, unique skills which inspire confidence. Companies can create an elite sustainability team.

New skills are relevant to the company. Having employees who can speak and act confidently about corporate social responsibility is a win all around, creating a competitive advantage.

Commitment to learning identifies good character. Employees who successfully complete employer-driven online courses, especially courses which measure performance, demonstrate personal drive and discipline, intellectual maturity and curiosity.

Online courses save resources – time and money. Online courses are measured in hours rather than weeks or months. They are a fraction of the cost of sending an employee off-site, often to another city, requiring cost of travel and accommodations.

Online courses are convenient. Rather than employees taking days off, they can learn around their work, scheduling an hour or two at a time (even working from home) to avoid interrupting ongoing projects and commitments.

Key to the value-added is the authority and certification of the party offering the online course. New Edition Courses offered by the Sustainability Academy, are certified by CMI (Chartered Management Institute). CSE is accredited by the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), Green America and AA1000.

The Silicon Valley Community Foundation recognized Nikos Avlonas and the Sustainability Academy with its Practitioner of the Year Award for the individual and company who sets the gold-standard example for efforts in Corporate Responsibility. Under his direction, the Sustainability Academy is pioneer and leader in online sustainability training.

CSE has designed corporate online training to companies and organizations around the world including Elanco, Dematic, PepsiCo, Timberland, Workday and the United Nations. For corporate, group and individual pricing or to learn how we can customize your program, contact [email protected].

CHICAGO, Sep. 03 /CSRwire/ – The Center for Sustainability and Excellence is expanding Sustainability Training and Consulting Services to the West Coast. We have long offered our consulting services to select clients west of the Rockies. We are now amplifying our activities.

West Coast issues reaching beyond the tech industry include Climate Change and sea-level rise, water resources, city growth and management and applying ESG (environment, social, governance) principles to the region. An important CSE strategy is to meet corporations where they are. From construction to Silicon Valley (Workday, Netgear), CSE has developed meaningful relationships with both SMEs and large international corporations. We’ve provided education on Sustainability to leading companies such as Google, T-Mobile, Sandia National Laboratories and other companies based in California and Washington.

Trainings

Collaborations

CSE has collaborated with Western Washington University to provide sustainability practitioner training focused on regional issues. The training covers Supply Chain, Corporate Responsibility, Corporate Communications, Sustainable Development and the Circular Economy.

Research

To learn more about in-house trainings or CSE consulting services, contact [email protected].

The famous Noodle House has announced a ban on single use plastics and implemented bio-degradable delivery packaging. Restaurants will increasingly be forced to adopt sustainable practices or run the risk of disappointing customers, according to Sarood Hospitality general manager Spencer Ayers.

“There will be a move towards rejecting brands that aren’t conscious about sustainability in the future,” Ayers said in an interview with Arabian Business. Following a similar move by Freedom Pizza in January 2018, other brands in the UAE immediately followed by banning the use of plastic straws, cutlery, cocktail sticks and stirrers across all its outlets. The initiative was then rolled out across other branches of hospitality by the second quarter of the year.

The goal for Hospitality businesses in Dubai and the UAE is to be single-use plastic free by the beginning of 2020.

Acting on the changing habits of tourists and locals in the UAE, restaurants are also increasingly being forced to use technology to “appease the needs” of the consumer.

Many restaurants will likely begin implementing technology that helps ease the process of ordering food, booking tables and paying. This will limit the use of paper thus contributing to the encasement of sustainability in the UAE area.

Sustainability practitioners bring strong skills and an umbrella way of thinking to deal with the challenges ahead. CSE is holding its next Certified Sustainability (CSR) Practitioner Program in Dubai, November 17-18, 2019.

San Francisco, the heart of the tech world, has some of the most progressive environmental and social mandates in the US. One would think Silicon Valley corporations in Palo Alto, Menlo Park, Redwood City, Cupertino, Santa Clara, Mountain View, and Sunnyvale would be equally sensitive to sustainability issues.

To answer this query, CSE has undertaken a series of research examining leader corporations in Silicon Valley. CSE’s 2016 research found Silicon Valley lagging on sustainability indicators compared to other sectors and even the FT 500. Key sustainability factors include Community, Environment, Ethics, Employees, Supply Chain and Philanthropy. At the time, only 21 of 100 companies in the study had a sustainability strategy that included all six concerns.

CSE is revisiting the research in 2019. Highlights from the report will be debuted at CSE’s Certified Sustainability Practitioner Program (Advanced Edition 2019), Oct. 15-16 in San Francisco. Spoiler alert: the tech world is doing better – but not good enough!

That is why training is key. CSE has developed unique training with leading Silicon Valley companies to instill a sustainability culture within those companies. CSE trainings start and finish by making the business case for sustainability. If a company cannot advance financially, they can’t help their community of stakeholders. With Silicon Valley’s entrepreneurial spirit, investor relations are key!

Employees need to understand this as well as employers do. That is why so many tech leaders send attendees to our training. We’ve worked with Google, Workday, Netgear, LG Electronics, T-Mobile, Sandia National Laboratories and other tech organizations.

The same year Google won the Silicon Valley Community Foundation award for its corporate social responsibility (CSR), CSE president Nikos Avlonas received their CSR Practitioner of the Year award.

Coupled with its leadership in sustainability and having the pulse of the tech world, San Francisco is an ideal location for CSE’s Certified CSR-P Training, Oct. 15-16, 2019. Other upcoming trainings include Toronto, Oct. 31-Nov.1, 2019 and Miami, Jan. 16-17, 2020.

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