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Call to Service: Teaching Sustainability at Business Schools

September 10, 2012 Add Comment Edit

Business schools have a critical role to play in helping students to see why and how they must reign in GHGs and scrutinize business activities with sustainability in mind. Ideally business people should come out of business school with a sense of their emerging societal and environmental responsibilities.

In a February 9, 2012, message, Business School Lausanne (BSL) Dean-Katrin Muff makes the point that we need a radically new vision of business schools that can best be described as a "call to service: To educate citizens to act responsibly for the world."

Here is a review of the major definitions in Dean Katrin Muff's conception of how business schools can communicate the call of service to their students:

A call to service = a clear purpose beyond and above keeping our institutions alive, enriched by the understanding that education stands on equal footing on external knowledge and internal wisdom.
To educate = an issue-centred education complemented by subject or domain knowledge focused on the big issues of this world, replacing teaching with a powerful and safe learning environment.
Learning embedded in action-learning platforms of collaborative laboratories (collaboratories).
Research supporting global issues by involving stakeholders in the definition of research topics and delivering results to them in appropriate formats.
Citizens = you and me, business professionals, artists, activists, consultants, coaches, women in emerging countries, micro entrepreneurs, collaborative networks, seniors, everybody with a desire to make a positive contribution to this world.
To act = empowered learning to enable action, facilitating participants to wake up to what is inside of them, embracing the adventure ahead, becoming eco-literate and fluent in divergent thinking and courageous action, learning to act as a result of being.
Responsibly = creating a space to reflect on action and choices, to connect with true purpose and inner values, embracing the choices and consequences for society and planet in the long-term.
For = rather than against, rethinking strategic product & service needs, complementing competition with collaboration and understanding that we are all part of the same larger Unit.
Sustainability is the obvious and essential guiding principle of life, business and anybody with a desire to act. Example: waste-free closed-loop cycle inspired by nature.
The world = beyond the current paradigm of capitalism: serving society and the planet.

Event: Complimentary SMILE Resource Exchange

February 26, 2012 Add Comment Edit

SMILE Resource Exchange event takes place on Thursday 1st March 2012 from 8.45am to 1.00pm in the Castlemartyr Resort, Ladysbridge Rd, Castlemartyr, Co. Cork. This is a free business event that encourages the sharing and exchanging of resources in order to reduce costs and help the environment. Based on the concept that "one's waste could be another's resource," you will have opportunities to identify potential partnerships at this event and through our online exchange facility.

Agenda

8.45am - 9.15am: Registration - Tea/Coffee and Scones. N.B It is essential participants register on arrival and on time if they want to partake in the networking

9.15am - 9.25am: Welcome & Opening Address by Sean O Sullivan, CEO, South Cork Enterprise Board and Andrew Phelan, General Manager, Castlemartyr Resort(Members of SMILE Resource Exchange)

9.25am - 9.40am: About SMILE Resource Exchange by Michelle Green, Project Manager, SMILE Resource Exchange

9.40am – 10.05am: An International Perspective – National Industrial Symbiosis Programme. Liam McNally, Practitioner, International Synergies Ltd - Northern Ireland

10.05am – 10.15am: Business Case Studies by Tracy Holt, Manager, Dunmanway Resource Centre and Will Holden, Logistics Manager, Agility Logistics Ltd.

10.15am - 10.25am: Facilitated Networking Sessions - How it works?

10.25am – 10.45am: Networking Break - Tea/Coffee

10.45am - 12.30pm: Facilitated Networking Sessions

12.30pm - 12.45pm: National Waste Prevention Programme by Jonathon Derham, Senior Manager, Environmental Protection Agency

12.45pm - 12.50pm: Close (Followed by lunch)

For more information click here.

To register click here.

© 2012, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

2012 Power Up Energy Expo in Pensacola Beach

February 26, 2012 Add Comment Edit

Power Up Energy Expo will be held March 19-21 at Pensacola Beach, Florida. Hosted by Gulf Coast Energy Network, this is the largest annual international conference along the Gulf Coast. The event welcomes vendors from all corners of the globe. In its fourth year, Power Up Energy Expo provides an unmatched opportunity to connect with other energy industry experts, influential business leaders,policy makers, conservationists, and green building enthusiast, as they share innovative techniques to address energy and sustainability issues.

2011 Power Up Energy Expo was a huge success with hundreds attendees representing every sector of the energy industry. With more technical sessions and major sponsors and organizations on board, 2012 Power Up Energy Expo will be even bigger and better.

2012 Power Up Energy Expo will connect energy professionals and exhibitors for three days of networking to foster the exchange of important ideas and information impacting the renewable energy industry. Participants can develop new contacts in the exciting world of emerging energy technologies.

Having an Exhibit booth at 2012 Power Up Energy Expo is an excellent way to showcase your organization and establish contacts with your industry peers. The program schedule is designed with ample breaks to offer plenty of interaction with the attendees. In addition, there will be a day when the vendor hall exhibit is open to the general public at no charge. This event presents great exposure and a fantastic return for your investment. This is a powerful way to communicate your message to our attendees.

Who will be at 2012 Power Up Energy Expo?

Energy Managers
Engineers
Facility Managers
Energy Raters
Environmental Consultants
Policy Experts
Green Power Advocates
Ecologists
Attorneys
Accountants
Venture Capitalists
Project Developers
Elected Officials
Local/State/Federal Government
Architects
Real Estate Agents
Academia
Product Manufacturers
Land Use Planners
Property Managers
Builders and Developers
Home and Business Owners
Students in Related Disciplines

Full Conference Registration Includes:

Conference Delegate Pass to All Technical Workshops on March 19 & 20.
Welcome Address, Opening, and Closing Remarks
All Networking Events
Breakfast and lunch (March 19 & 20)
Welcome Reception, Poolside at the Hilton (Sunday afternoon, March 18)
Admission to the Power Up Expo Hall

REGISTER BEFORE FEBRUARY 29th AND SAVE

For additional information about promotional opportunities, being a sponsor or an exhibitor contact Anna Covington
AnnaC@GulfCoastEnergyNetwork.org or (850)855-9850

To register click here.

© 2012, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

Certified Sustainability Training in Chicago

February 26, 2012 1 Comment Edit

The Centre for Sustainability and Excellence [CSE] is conducting an IEMA-certified CSR training workshop on March 8-9 in Chicago, IL. CSE has certified more than 250 CSR Practitioners from 5 continents and 25 countries. Upon completion of the course, participants are able to effectively develop Sustainability strategies, implement CSR programs, and communicate performances through Sustainability/CSR Reports.

CSE North America is based in Chicago with global headquarters in Europe. CSE is a global advisory and training organization that provides Sustainability Solutions to the public and private sector. As an international network of specialists and consultants, CSE provides organizations, governments, and institutions unique and advanced services to achieve Stakeholder Value across Operational and Organizational frameworks.

The Certified Sustainability (CSR) Practitioner training entails a global perspective on Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability enabling professionals to gain an international professional certification as CSR Practitioners and lead their organizations, teams and projects towards Sustainability and Excellence.

As an Approved Training Provider under the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment, CSE offers intensive learning opportunities for professionals across sectors and industries on Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability - strategy, design, management, communication.

Topics Covered

Definition of Sustainability (CSR)
Local and International Trends & Legislation in CSR & Climate Change
Stakeholder Approach & Triple Bottom Line
Design of a Sustainability Strategy
Creation of a Carbon Footprint Strategy & LCA
Green & Cause Related Marketing
Sustainability Reporting & Verification (GRI guidelines)
Carbon Disclosure Project
Global Standards, Guidelines
Tools for Integration (GRI, CDP, ISO 26000, UN Global Compact)
The Role of Sustainability (CSR) Manager

Fields that Benefit

Marketing
Public Relations
Communications
General Management
Human Resources
Sustainability / CSR
Environmental Management
Professional Benefits

Professionals gain advanced knowledge and acquire comprehensive skills for bringing added value and authenticity to their organizations at the strategic and operational level. Successful Sustainability (CSR) Practitioners ensure that the commitment to Sustainability is deployed through the effective design and implementation of strategies and programs across organizations. By maintaining high levels of confidence among stakeholders and adopting business transparency organizations achieve excellence and actively promote social responsibility across the Triple Bottom Line.

For more information contact sustainability@cse-net.org. Seats are limited to ensure engagement, discussion, and active participation register now.

To register for the Chicago sustainability training event click here.

© 2012, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

GLOBE 2012 Sustainability Conference

February 26, 2012 Add Comment Edit

GLOBE 2012 is one of the most important sustainability conferences of the year. Be Part of the discussion and the solution by attending GLOBE 2012. The event will take place March 14-16 at the Vancouver Convention Center in Vancouver Canada. There are many reasons why delegates from around the world converge at the GLOBE Business & Sustainability Conference in Vancouver every two years. Here’s some key reasons for you to consider:

The Program addresses complex issues that matter: The development of Canada’s energy and how it is transported; the challenges business faces in implementing operational improvements to protect the environment; how countries and businesses put in place effective process to reduce CO2 emissions in a time of regulatory uncertainty; and most importantly of all, how to finance the changes necessary to create a cleaner economy.

GLOBE conferences attract the C-Suite. Of the 150+ expert presenters confirmed to date for GLOBE 2012, 45 are Company Presidents and CEOs.

GLOBE’s format brings together perspectives from across industries, market sectors, and organizational teams because sustainability is integral to virtually every industry, company, and department within today’s companies.

GLOBE delegates can socialize with senior corporate executives, sustainability experts, and high-level government representatives through our new GLOBE Connectors program and numerous networking events.

Register by February 28 and Save $300 off regular conference pricing.

To register or to find out more about GLOBE 2012's program, agenda, speakers, plenaries, dialogues and roundtables click here.

© 2012, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

Life Cycle Assessment Course in Toronto

February 26, 2012 Add Comment Edit

What do Cascades, the Dalai Lama and Levis have in common? They are all learning about and using life cycle assessment (LCA). If you want to know more about LCA, check out this course. This two day course will take place on March 28th and March 29th at Humber College, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

LCA has become the major tool of businesses and governments in improving the sustainability of products, processes and services. Businesses like 3M, Alcan, HP, Procter & Gamble, Unilever and others are using LCA to reduce product costs, increase market share and mitigate climate and energy risk. It is also embedded within the Sustainable Manufacturing Indicator Repository (SMIR).

As a LCA Project Manager or Sustainability Consultant - you need to have a broad understanding of LCA concepts, inventory, impact assessment, data quality management, post impact calculations, modeling, software, statistics and the ISO 14040 and ISO 14044 standards.

LCA is one of today's fastest growing professional fields with certification from the American Centre for Life Cycle Assessment through an exam process.

Essentially, LCA can help companies gain legitimate entry into the burgeoning "green marketplace" through eco-labels and declarations. Over 18% of companies are using LCA to support business strategy and R&D. In excess of 11% of companies are using LCA for branding products through labeling or product declarations to address a green market that will double from $1.37 trillion a year in 2010 to $2.74 trillion by 2020.

Governments are applying LCA as a basis for policy and regulatory development. Current applications include: 1) helping to prioitize programs based on life cycle information, 2) making policies consistent among consumers, producers material suppliers, retailers, and waste managers and also among different policy instruments, 3) reducing the impact that government operations have on the environment, and 4) promoting pricing products and services to accurately reflect "true" costs.

In this program you will:
•Gain the knowledge and skills to manage a LCA project for your product, process or service.
•Learn about LCA Software.
•Access important LCA Resources.
•Acquire knowledge applicable to the American Centre for Life Cycle Assessment Certification Exam.

This program is offered by the Interuniversity Centre for the Life Cycle of Products, Processes and Services & only occurs 2 times per year. Don't miss this offering. Limited space available. Register early to hold your space.

The LCA course early Registration Discount Ends Feb. 29, 2012. With this discount participants can save $250. Register now and receive a complimentary copy of "The Hitchhiker's Guide to Life Cycle Assessement" by Henrikke Baumann and Anne-Marie Tillman. You can also gain Access to the Sustainability Learning Centre's Community of Practice, a depository of course materials, connections and learning Forums.

For more information or to register click here.

© 2012, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

Green Team GAP ASSESSMENT Workshop

January 22, 2012 Add Comment Edit

This four hour workshop is designed to help green teams audit their energy, waste, water, transportation and health. The goal is to understand their "gap" and develop a plan to "green up" their facility.

Course Content

Course content includes a discussion of best practices for employee engagement for sustainability. The course includes a Green Action Plan. Learn about technologies that can save your company money while reducing your environmental footprint.

Greening your office is a triple bottom line initiative – it saves money, creates a healthier and more productive work environment and is good for the planet. Even better, the financial payback can be significant. Studies show that a Green Team can reduce operating costs of an average office building with 50,000 square feet of office space, by as much as $ 40,000 per year through no-cost and low-cost energy, waste and water reduction actions.

Learning Objectives and Modules

Using examples, case studies, best practices, hands-on activities and participation through the on-line Community of Practice and "Peer to Peer" dialogue, you will:

• Explore strategies for understanding your office energy, water and waste baseline.
• Complete a Green Action Plan checklist and examine energy, water, waste, transportation and healthy office opportunities within your facility.
• Create an individual company "green office" sustainability policy
• Examine best practices for implementation of "green office" programs.
• Understand low cost technologies for "greening" your office.
• Explore resources such as paper calculators for measuring, monitoring and celebrating your "green office" accomplishments.
• Receive resources on steps to negotiating a "green lease" with your landlord, templates and checklists.
• Gain tips and best practices through our On-Line "Green Office" Community of Practice.

Course Details

Course Code: SC 128
Duration: 1 hour per week for four weeks (February 2, 8, 16, & 23 2012)
Cost: $424 early registration 525 for late registration (one price applies for your entire team)
Start and end times: 12:00 - 1:00 pm EST
Location: Online

For more information or to register click here.

© 2012, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.