Page 30 – Sustainability Academy

In today’s increasingly competitive landscape, more and more companies are realizing the innumerable benefits of sustainability and its capacity to create strong brand names and achieve long-term economic growth. Brands can play an important role in communicating the message for a more sustainable, abundant future.

The Concept of “The Good Economy”

According to Matias Kelly, Secretary of Social Economy at the Ministry of Social Development of Argentina “The Good Economy is an economy that places the person in the center and is ordered according to the common good, and where everything that is spent, bought or produced points to that common good”. Therefore, companies should adhere to the rules of “the good economy” and work towards developing benefits for people either with the product they sell or through the way they produce and distribute it.

Are Brands Going Far Enough?

Brands have this unique opportunity to foster positive consumer relations through sustainable initiatives and improve a company’s image in the minds of consumers. The role of brands is to become aware of this growing need for a good economy that creates value and benefits for the consumer instead of being solely based on profit.

If in this logic, brands have the possibility to sell while they generate positive impact in the world, the benefit is double. Overall, brands should work even harder in order to inspire, engage and equip today’s business and brand leaders to prosper for the near and long term by leading the way to a sustainable, abundant future

Redefining the Bases for a New, Better Economy

It has become evident that the hunt for ever higher production and consumption is drawing down limited supplies of natural resources, using up the capacity of ecosystems to absorb wastes, and – despite all of this – failing to improve people’s lives in wealthy nations. It is possible to build an economy that meets people’s needs without undermining the life-support systems of the planet.

Big changes are needed to achieve such an economy. For example, limits on resource use and waste emissions to ensure environmental sustainability but also limits on income inequality to improve societal health. In order to achieve these changes we all need to ask ourselves how much we care about the planet and our society. All in all, when consciousness evolves, the market evolves, because the market is all of us.

In honor of Independence Day, we can ask ourselves “What does the United States of America stand for”? The nation’s founders believed a shared and enduring purpose was of utmost importance and they put it at the top of the Constitution. The American constitution is based on a set of shared values such as protecting and promoting the general welfare for everyone and for future generations. Very often, it falls to a particular generation to choose a new strategic direction in uncharted waters in order to safeguard these shared values for a more sustainable future. Many would assert that this is one of those times.

Two meaningful words: “global unsustainability”

We can sum up the great challenge of our era in two words: “global unsustainability.” It is evident that our planet is facing grave economic, social and environmental challenges. The United States, as one of the most powerful countries in the world should view these challenges as a great opportunity to lead the world’s transition to a more sustainable order. We can sum up all the challenges of our era in two words, “global unsustainability”.

There are four (4) causal interrelated connections that in sum could be called “global unsustainability”

The speed of change in our societies that has led 3 billion people into the global economy
The disruptions of climate change
The scarcity of resources that affects directly our supply chains and infrastructure
the fact that most major economies follow a restrictive monetary policy

The need for a more sustainable future

The cause of the United States will be found in taking on the immense global challenge of our age, global unsustainability — environmental, social and economic well-being — not by turning its back on this reality. The goal is to figure out a way for a more sustainable future and lead the rest of the world in that direction. And, in the process, perhaps the USA will even earn the credibility and influence needed to lead on the global stage in the twenty-first century.

The next CSE training is in New York, September 28-29, led by Nikos Avlonas, followed by Toronto then San Diego. Visit the website for other trainings around the world or for online courses offered by the Sustainability Academy.

As the USA celebrates 241 years of independence, we can also celebrate over 200 years of sustainability! Despite many set-backs and seemingly insurmountable problems, the USA has steadily made progress to improve our environment, society and governance (ESG).

Sustainability is largely credited as a new phenomenon, a child of the late 20^th century, heralded by the 1987 publication of “Our Common Future” by the United Nations.

As for the USA, cities may have been smelly in 1776 but within 25 years, by the early 1800s there were water delivery systems in urban centers shortly followed by sanitation systems. These made significant headway against cholera and other water born illness. Now that concerns focus on fresh water use, CSE clients such as Coca-Cola and Heineken are making significant sustainability investments in water conservation.

Yellowstone Park was established and protected in perpetuity, starting in 1872. Within another 50 years, the National Parks Service was established in 1916, not to mention over 10,000 state parks to date! Even developed lands are getting the green treatment as with CSE founder Nikos Avlonas’ work with the NAR Green Designation.

Another fifty-year jump gets us to Rachel Carson’s pivotal work Silent Spring published in 1962. The ground was already set and needed the social outcry to establish the US EPA in 1970.

Not even 50 years later, we have NASA’s Next Generation Solar Energy Center, building on the hundreds of technologies developed by NASA’s Mission to Planet Earth started in 1986, led by astronaut Sally Ride. The Centre for Sustainability and Excellence (CSE) is proud to be part of this effort, having provided sustainability training for NASA employees.

Yes, let’s celebrate our history of successes. Let’s also acknowledge that we have a long way to go. CSE is only 15 years old. Our Sustainability Academy is only 2 years old. Still we hope to be a strong part of the next 50 years in US sustainability – training the practitioners of the future who will help celebrate USA’s independence, not only from tyranny but from the devastations of resource depletion, social injustice and corporate mistakes.

After several years’ hiatus, the Centre for Sustainability and Excellence (CSE) returned to San Francisco, presenting its signature Sustainability (CSR) Practitioner Program at the University of San Francisco for their Master for Nonprofit Administration.

Why does such a sustainability oriented city need CSE? The Parks Department encourages food production, and the city government requires that Farmers Markets accept EBT cards, making healthier food more affordable. San Francisco is striving to be waste-free by 2020 and is already three quarters of the way there. Much of the public transit system is comprised of zero-emission vehicles, and San Francisco defies the state average of 100 gallons of water per person with a mere 49 gallons per person per day. The list goes on!

This implementation and planning for the future necessitates an enormous influx of a sustainability-trained workforce. Whether it’s infrastructure, finance, transportation, health care or agriculture, sustainability practitioners are needed in every field and every discipline throughout the community. Trained professionals need to be in place throughout the entire system – public and private.

Nikos Avlonas, president of CSE, has been addressing urban needs for decades. He was founder and co-chair of the Chicago Chamber of Commerce Sustainability Strategy Committee; is advisory council member of SERF (Society of Environmentally Responsible buildings) Green Building; and vice president of the Corporate Responsibility Institute, a nonprofit for CSR evaluation and benchmarking (based on the Business in the Community Index).

Sustainability practitioners are needed within many varied fields whether manufacturing, financials, real estate, energy or IT. Even though University of San Francisco is training tomorrow’s business leaders and social entrepreneurs, sustainability is not only a business or management issue. Engineering, R&D and operations need an approachable means of bringing sustainability into every aspect of the corporate world.

Not everyone has the time or the money to spend four years earning a sustainability degree. Informed employees, aware students, corporate leaders who understand the fundamentals are needed immediately! CSE has trained executives from Pfizer, Janssen, BP, and many others around the world. Modules on Local Legislation, Global Standards and Future Trends provide critical foundational knowledge.

In San Francisco, CSE can speak to a major revenue source – Silicon Valley. CSE completed ground breaking research in 2016 demonstrating that Silicon Valley corporations, for all of San Francisco’s successes, lag behind the sustainability achievements of the Fortune Global 500, many of whose executives CSE has trained. The report “Sustainability Trends in Silicon Valley” identifies weakness, and the CSE Certified Sustainability Practitioner Program, Advanced Edition 2017, is part of the solution.

San Francisco isn’t CSE’s only California stop this year. CSE is collaborating with the SRI Conference Nov. 1–3, 2017, in San Diego, CA, hosting CSE’s Advanced Certified Sustainability Practitioner Program as a pre-conference training Oct. 31- Nov. 1, 2017.

The next U.S. training is in New York City, September 28-29, led by Nikos Avlonas, followed by Toronto then San Diego. Visit the website for other trainings around the world or for online courses offered by the Sustainability Academy.

The following tips will help to launch your sustainability career, and steer you in the right direction in order to excel in the field of Sustainability and Corporate Responsibility.

1. Speak the language

As you apply to different positions, adjust your CV (and interview) vocabulary so that it relates to the company’s context, values, and challenges. Sell them on how you can add value to their current priorities.

2. Focus on your skill set

There are some key skills which are absolutely necessary for a sustainability career;

Interpersonal: You will be required to work across departments and be responsible for communicating and collaborating with others. At times you will need to rely on your relationships to get things done. You have to be a visible leader and be able to motivate those around you.
Communication: Knowing how to communicate well, both verbally and written is a critical skill for a career in CSR. You are responsible for communicating everything from the business case to your impact and need to be able to tailor messages to different audiences and stakeholders.
Connecting the dots: CSR often requires partnerships with other organizations. Being able to see the ‘big picture’ and explain how your organization fits into the cause will be important.
Business Insight: Strategic thinking, research, analytics, and marketing are some of the most common skill-sets looked for in a CSR role.

3. Network

Don’t spend all your time perfecting your CV. Attend conferences and events to build your network and expand your sector connections. Jobs are often filled through connections and referrals, people like to hire people they already know or have heard good things about.

Talking to those who have the type of job you want or are working for organizations you are interested in is one of the best ways to learn more about potential opportunities. Keep your network vibrant by celebrating other people’s success. Be helpful and be useful!

4. Read More

It is absolutely crucial to stay up to date with all the latest CSR and Sustainability issues and trends in order to sound educated, and updated. Also online courses are considered a vital education resource. They only help to inform and enhance your professional career – even when you are constantly on the go!

5. Focus on impact, not outputs

What really matters – or should matter – isn’t outputs, but instead the input, or the impact you are making at a company through your work and your presence. Following these five basic steps will guarantee a bright future for everyone who is eager to start a career in the challenging and exciting field of Sustainability & CSR.

Sustainability Academy wishes you Good Luck!

Corporate leaders find the skills they need with CSE’s unique Global Training Program on Sustainability

By Nikos Avlonas, Centre for Sustainability and Excellence

The Trump withdrawal from the Paris Agreement might slow but will never stymie progress on climate change – business leaders will make sure of that!

There is an important profit motive to staying in the game. A leadership role insures market share, builds brand and reputation, attracts the best and brightest employees, protects supply chains. More than 1000 political, corporate and academic leaders signed the “We Are Still In” declaration, pledging to help meet America’s Paris Agreement emissions target. Participants include California and New York – global powerhouses with huge GDPs: California’s larger than India’s; New York’s larger than South Korea.

Evidence is in action. The Centre for Sustainability and Excellence (CSE) case studies, used to train global corporate executives from the Fortune Global 500, cross industry and government sectors. Even at the state level, CSE developed a case study focusing on carbon reduction with the Treasury Office of the State of Illinois. Under the leadership of Nikos Avlonas, award-winning author of the best-seller Practical Sustainability Strategies (Wiley, 2014), CSE has undertaken research on Silicon Valley and developed case studies covering: Sustainability and Materiality Assessment; Sustainability Strategies and Reporting; External Verification and Assurance; SROI and Stakeholder Engagement: LCA, Supply Chain and Green Buildings.

This research supports findings that major corporations have contributed to the $8.1 trillion investment in green technologies since 2007 (Ethical Markets Media), side by side with private and institutional investors, a decisive market signal that the transition to a clean economy is inevitable. The case studies demonstrate that a sustainable global economy allows businesses to:

Leverage low-carbon market opportunities;
Benefit from cross-border policy coherence, particularly in new markets;
Be recognized as leaders among stakeholders;
Increase investor confidence by managing climate risks;
Align investments to long-term policy.

More than 400 institutional investors with US $24 trillion of assets under management encourage national leaders to implement the Paris Agreement into national law. Even the corporate savvy in the Trump administration support climate change action: Rex Tillerson, formerly of Exxon; Gary Cohn of Goldman Sachs, daughter Ivanka and son-in-law Jared Kushner. Disney’s CEO Robert Iger and Tesla’s CEO Elon Musk left Trump’s economic advisory council in protest.

Corporate leaders are taking the initiative with or without government leadership. Michael Terrell confirms Google has signed contracts for over 2 Gigawatts of renewable energy, making Google “the largest corporate renewable energy purchaser in the world,” says Terrell. Google has committed over $2.5 billion of capital in investments in renewable energy projects.

Companies recognize that addressing the effects of climate change is in their best interest. Chief Sustainability Officer Steve Howard says IKEA is already feeling the effects of extreme weather events, from floods in Asia disrupting supply chains to Hurricane Sandy affecting its business by $9 million dollars. IKEA is also concerned with the social impacts on employees and their communities.

While chief executives from major US companies such as Coca-Cola, Dow Chemical, General Electric, Johnson & Johnson, Unilever and Virgin penned a letter expressing strong support for US adherence to Paris Climate Agreement, small businesses provide more than half of the jobs in the United States. Sadly, almost 40 percent never recover when hit by an extreme weather disaster. The American Sustainable Business Council represents these voices to the US government.

And even the US government isn’t completely out of the effort. At the May 2017 intersessional climate talks in Bonn, Germany, a US team-member co-facilitated with China the transparency discussion, an important topic showing significant progress and one of the building blocks of the Paris Agreement.

The CSE trainings in New York and Toronto will address these issues specifically. CSE has trained North American executives from Medline, Heineken, Under Armor, LSI, AMB, as well as from around the world.

Modules on GHG emissions and carbon footprint reduction provide foundational knowledge needed to move on climate change. The next U.S. training is in New York City, September 28-29, led by Nikos Avlonas. Visit the website for other trainings around the world or for online courses offered by the Sustainability Academy.

Centre for Sustainability and Excellence (CSE) supported DePaul University’s 2017 on May 30, 2017, that brought together corporate leaders and social entrepreneurs to share successes and lessons learned. Facilitated by CSE President, Adjunct Professor of Sustainability at DePaul Nikos Avlonas, this one-day conference split the topic of sustainability in business in two. The first session addressed “Sustainability Success Stories from Corporations”. The second was broken into workshops covering: gaining a competitive advantage, starting-up, and for-profits with a social purpose.

Corporations tackle problems reaching far beyond the boardroom. Each industry has unique challenges. As diverse as they maybe, ranging in many fields, disciplines and countries, they have the same mission and goal – leveraging the business at hand to make a better world.

United Airlines representative Aaron Robinson, Senior Manager of Environment Strategy, shed light on their Eco-Skies commitment to reduce United’s footprint in the air, on the ground and at their facilities. Marco Ugarte, Sustainability Manager, MillerCoors, discussed their focus on making a positive impact on the social, environmental and economic issues that affect business, employees and stakeholders, challenging themselves to build on their heritage. Noel Paul, Global Leader, Elanco Corporate Responsibility, addressed the integrated issues of sustainability, animal welfare and food security. Joseph Maguire, MS, SFP, President of the Society of Environmentally Responsible Facilities, highlighted the private property rights and sustainability responsibilities faced by the real estate industry. Social entrepreneur Ann Rohmber, Executive Director of Solidarity Bridge, talked on “Creating an Enterprise for Good”, and Pat Hughes, Founder & CEO, Inclusion Solutions, focused on removing barriers between government and business communities to increase accessibility for everyone.

A special workshop focused on “How to apply sustainability in a startup and gain competitive advantage,” led by Nikos Avlonas, Adjunct Professor, DePaul University, and co-author of the bestseller Practical Sustainability Strategies (Wiley, 2014). Whether start-up or corporation, it is no longer acceptable to merely pursue a single bottom line. People, profit, planet is more than mantra – it is mission. When many global corporations started, the concept of sustainability did not exist. Now, many businesses start as social enterprises led by entrepreneurs with strong imperatives to grow a business that benefits the world. The challenge is knowing what to address and how.

The conference at DePaul University was organized by the Department of Management and the Coleman Entrepreneurship Center with the support of CSE. DePaul’s generous contribution made the conference free for participants (see pictures) with this year’s focus on taking the lessons from established corporations into the realm of the start-up.

About DePaul University Coleman Entrepreneurship Center: The Center was established in 2003 with support from The Coleman Foundation to encourage the study and successful practice of entrepreneurship in its connection to a community of practicing entrepreneurs.

About the Centre for Sustainability and Excellence: The CSE Certified Sustainability (CSR) Practitioner Program includes a module on the “Role of the Sustainability Practitioner and Future Trends”, providing foundational knowledge needed by both entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs. The next U.S. training in is in New York City, September 28-29. Visit the website for other trainings around the world or for online courses offered by the Sustainability Academy.

Last week, over 300 representatives from business, government, and non-governmental organizations gathered at the European Business Summit in Brussels to discuss the Sustainable Development Goals. The main focus was on the role that businesses can play in bringing about positive societal impact while at the same time generating shared value.

An Opportunity for Sustainable & Inclusive Growth

The study that was conducted on behalf of CSR Europe demonstrates that although the SDGs have already been embraced by many business leaders, middle-management remains disconnected. While progress has been made, collaborative efforts must be reinforced in order to meet the UN 2030 Agenda. The SDGs not only provide a common language for the private and public sector to communicate, they also offer Europe an opportunity to foster sustainable and inclusive growth.

According to CSR Europe’s Director Stefan Crets, “Collaboration is fundamental to bring about the change that is needed. This is why CSR Europe recently launched the Sustainable Business Exchange, with the aim to empower companies to take action and co-create sustainable growth models”.

Implementing the SDG’s means supporting the prosperity of society, as well as ensuring the long-term viability of business. While the common denominator amongst the SDGs lies in the need for change, the opportunity to reach benefits from the SDGs rests with businesses and with their ability to go above and beyond to establish concrete multi-stakeholder partnerships and realize the goals effectively.

Getting involved in the Sustainable Business Exchange

CSR Europe will work through its network of more than 10,000 companies across Europe to promote business transformation through its Sustainable Business Exchange campaign. Companies themselves can get involved in the Sustainable Business Exchange in two different ways:

A learning network. This will help them embrace the circular economy, rethink the value chain, foster innovative partnerships and business models, as well as sustainable consumption and production.
An SDG Incubator. This will facilitate projects between companies, civil society and governments, to drive business contribution to the SDGs and tackle common challenges.

CSR Europe calls on all stakeholders, including the European Commission, to embrace the UN Sustainable Development Goals with practical action and opportunities for multi-stakeholder collaboration which is needed to spark Europe’s potential.

The 43^rd annual G7 Summit was held last week, on May 26 – 27, 2017. The location this year was Taormina in Sicily, Italy. The decision to hold the event in Sicily – and in particular in Taormina was to highlight the capacity to unite hope and hospitality in a single shared effort. The attendees of the 43rd summit included the leaders of the seven G7 member states as well as European Union representatives.

Improving the Conditions for Economic Growth Worldwide through Innovation & Sustainability

The mission of this year’s summit was ‘Building the Foundations of Renewed Trust’. The agenda was based on three fundamental pillars: 1) Citizen Safety; 2) Economic, Environmental and Social Sustainability and the Reduction of Inequalities; 3) Innovation, Skills and Labor in the Age of the next Production Revolution.

More specifically, the G7 Summit placed a great emphasis on how Innovation and Sustainability will be key drivers in shaping the future patterns of industrial development and in guiding the transition towards a digitized, innovative, low-emissions and more circular economy. The Business world should be concerned by the challenges the planet is confronted with, and should be fully committed to conciliating economic growth, job creation and environmental sustainability.

Climate Change & the future of the Paris Agreement

With respect to the crucial issue of climate change, the Group of Seven (G7) leaders have said in their final communique that they had failed to bridge differences with US President Donald Trump – and that the U.S.A. was unable to join other countries in committing to the Paris Agreement.

“The United States of America is in the process of reviewing its policies on climate change and on the Paris Agreement and thus is not in a position to join the consensus on these topics,” the communique reads. “Understanding this process, the heads of state and of government of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United Kingdom and the presidents of the European Council and of the European Commission reaffirm their strong commitment to swiftly implement the Paris Agreement,” it added.

G7 Nations Should Lead the Transition to a Low Carbon Economy

The G7 nations are responsible for 30 percent of coal-generated power worldwide – and as a result they should carry a large share of the responsibility for global greenhouse gas emissions. Talks about long-term growth are futile without taking into consideration the increasing scarcity of resources, which will push up prices and have an impact on the economy. The G7 nations ought to be a model for the necessary transition to a low-carbon economy.

To read the G7 Taormina Leaders’ Communiqué

The Centre for Sustainability and Excellence (CSE) is proud to announce its collaboration with the 28th annual SRI Conference on Sustainable, Responsible, Impact Investing (Nov. 1–3, 2017), at the Hotel del Coronado in San Diego, California.

CSE’s Certified CSR Practitioner Program, Advanced Edition 2017, is a pre-conference event, Oct. 31-Nov. 1, targeted to investment and sustainability managers alike. This challenging two-day training provides the latest practical tools and resources required to assess investment opportunities and to implement or upscale corporate sustainability. It provides the foundation knowledge in sustainability needed to generate value and create effective strategies. Executives from Fortune 500 companies such as PepsiCo, Pfizer, HSBC, Whole Foods, Under Armour and Lloyds Banking Group, the World Bank and European Investment Bank, local governments and academia have trusted CSE. They’ve participated in our advanced training to become Certified CSR Practitioners and earn a unique recognition in the Sustainability and CSR field. Click here to see the training agenda.

San Diego, SRI Conference, CSE, Sustainability, Sustainability Academy| — Responsible Investments

The SRI Conference offers attendees many opportunities to meet and learn from passionate, creative people from the responsible investment community in the United States and around the world. CSE is proud to offer our training to this community. Course topics include the principles of nature and business, the triple bottom-line approach to sustainability, incorporating the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) for 2030, new sustainability trends and regulations, calculating SROI, stakeholder engagement, cause-related marketing, sustainability ratings (DJSI, CSRHub, ET Research Index), materiality, external assurance, case studies and simulation exercises.

The CSE training at the SRI Conference provides an opportunity to network with hundreds of financial professionals and industry practitioners representing client-facing licensed investment professionals; SRI mutual fund companies, asset managers, social research organizations, and other product/service providers; and investors including nonprofit organizations, community development banks, credit unions, faith based organizations, and other groups working on social change initiatives. According to the 2016 Report on U.S. Sustainable, Responsible, and Impact Investing Trends from US SIF, $8.72 trillion is under professional management — nearly one in every five dollars of AUM in the U.S.

CSE is offering a discount to conference participants, and registrants have the opportunity to use the conference hotel rates at the Hotel del Coronado. In the collaborative environment of the CSE training and The SRI Conference, investors, managers, corporate leaders and entrepreneurs can learn and engage, building knowledge, community and prosperity.

About the Centre for Sustainability and Excellence – CSE

Certified CSR Practitioner Program, Advanced Edition 2017, Oct. 31-Nov. 1 – registration

Click here for training agenda

About the SRI Conference, Nov. 1-3 – SRI Conference home

Conference registration

Hotel del Coronado reservations

For more information, academic or group rates, contact:

Rosalinda Sanquiche

[email protected]