Making Sustainability Standard Practice
Vol. 12       No. 9      September 2018 
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TopFrom the President's Desk
Leveraging ISSP in Your Upwardly Mobile Workplace
By Jeff Yorzyk, ISSP-CSP, Associate Director of Sustainability, HelloFresh

Many organizations encourage employees to reassess their career goals in the fourth quarter and to set new ones for the upcoming year.  It's a time to celebrate all you've accomplished, but to also be honest about what targets you didn't hit and why.  In the case of the latter... What more could you have done?  How else could you be supported? What other skills do you need to advance? The sustainability profession is no exception to this annual analysis.   Each fall, we hear from members like you having these types of conversations and searching for better answers in the coming year.   (Con't.) 


Solid Activity Across ISSP's New RLNs & Greater Chicago Group Highlight

Photos Courtesy of Amit Shukla

As sustainability professionals, we all understand the value of building community and having a diverse range of opportunities to learn from and share with one another.  A year ago, we kicked off our Regional Learning Network (RLN) virtual program to complement our Local Chapters to do just that and it appears to be working. We've been able to successfully launch 17 local and regional groups with your help.  And just this past quarter, we increased the number of groups by 15%, with several more in planning stages.

The Greater Chicago RLN is a prime example of how ISSP members are connecting both virtually and in-person.  In between online meetings in which participants from a five state area engage in case study discussions related to their work topics of interest, a group of Chicago area professionals convened to tour North Central College and check out sustainability initiatives in action.  These actions included solar PV and thermal; organic campus garden and food scrap composting; and rain gardens and permeable pavers. Together, ISSP members learned that these sustainable actions not only enhance the North Central experience for current generations, but they prepare students for a world that increasingly relies on resilient decision making.  It's an inspiring example for all!

Want to join the ISSP member activity in your area?  Please reach out to info@sustainabilityprofessionals.org to learn more.

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Profile: Ruthie Redmond, ISSP-SA
This month, we spoke to the Water Resources Program Manager at the Sierra Club's Lone Star Chapter, Ruthie Redmond. Ruthie first developed an interest in sustainability by watching nature shows on PBS as a kid. "From then on, I wanted to know more about this natural resource that provided for our human evolution," she told us.

As a veteran sustainability professional, Ruthie has seen firsthand that people of color and of low-income are often excluded from the sustainability field. "Without centering social equity in our work, we as a community do a great disservice to the earth and each other," she said. "If the sustainability community continues to move forward in this way, leaving out whole communities of people, I don't see us living up to the definition of what we say we are."

Read more about what drives Ruthie's sustainability work on our  ISSP Member Profiles page .  For more information on the professionals who hold an ISSP credential, be sure check out our credential holder directory.

Here's How Sustainability Professionals Are Leveraging Their ISSP Credentials!
Since January, we've been proud to host four webinar panels of ISSP credential holders working in the higher education, local government, and consulting fields. Despite representing a diverse array of industries, organizations, and job titles, these sustainability leaders found they had a lot in common in terms of how their credentials and involvement in the ISSP community continue to bring value to their careers.

As the panelists told their stories, we heard similar refrains: ISSP credentials helped to unify the sustainability knowledge they've collected over the years; the credentials gave them more confidence in interacting with colleagues, clients, students, and bosses; the sustainability field is taking a much-needed step towards cohesion and standardization; and much more!

You can hear directly from these credential holders in the free panel recordings posted on our website. As the fourth quarter approaches, now is a great time to take the next step for your own career and earn an ISSP credential!


September 27th @ 10am PT / 1pm ET

In this webinar, we'll introduce various channels through which people communicate and learn. We'll also look at how to engage people's right brain (intuition, holistic thinking) as a way to communicate effectively on sustainability-related topics. We'll also offer some free tools that everybody can use such as short animation videos, illustrations, etc. Finally, we'll look at how to tell stories that inspire people to act and share in today's overcrowded media marketplace. More info/register today!

NOTE: A recording of the session will be made available to all registrants.

Course: Sustainability Management Systems (SMS)
On Tuesdays, October 2, 9, 16 & 23 @ 4pm PT / 7pm ET

Management systems are the key to ongoing progress and embedding best practices. An SMS allows for systematic internal review, monitoring and corrective actions for continual improvement.   ISSP's course will walk you through the creation of such a system to fit your needs.  You don't need a third-party certified ISO 14001 management system to benefit from the Plan-Do-Check-Act framework. You'll learn what level of sophistication works best for you and what elements to add as your system matures. You'll complete the course having learned practical methods to solidify and advance sustainability efforts by applying proven management system tools, practices and competencies.    More info/register today!

Upcoming ISSP Chapter &
Regional Learning Network (RLN) Events
ISSP Chapters and RLNs bring together local communities of practice to network, share resources, and provide professional support.  Get involved in your local ISSP community with these upcoming events.

9/13 1pm CEST European RLN -  We welcome UK Members ( reverse Brexit? ) to share with and learn from each other in a discussion related to current and future perspectives of the very interesting and challenging building energy performance market.  Free for ISSP Members !  

9/17 12pm ET - New England RLN -  Are you curious how utility scale solar GHG emissions compare to natural gas?  Join fellow NE members to learn the differences in life cycle GHG creation and appreciate the complex nature of decision making for regulators.  Mark your calendars - this RLN meets bi-monthly on the 3rd Monday at Noon ET. Free for ISSP Members !  

9/22 12pm AEST - Australia & New Zealand* RLN -  Join us for a presentation on climate change adaptation in Tonga by ISSP Board VP* Fabian Sack.     Mark your calendars - this RLN meets monthly on the 3rd Wednesday at noon AEST.   * Even though we are calling it the Aus/NZ RLN for now, everyone in the Asia-Pacific region is invited.   Free for ISSP Members!

9/25 3:45pm CT - Greater St. Louis Chapter: Motivations & Examples from the European Energy Efficiency Transition  - We continue our monthly discussions in September to learn about the main drivers and concrete actions being taken by small businesses in Europe, with a focus on how businesses in STL can follow suit followed by OneSTL's Sustainability Lab's special event.  Mark your calendars - this chapter meets monthly on the 4th Tuesday. Free for ISSP Members!

9/23-27 -  ISSP Colorado Chapter: Sustainability Retreat Beyond Sustainability  - Come and experience new tools to elevate your work, the power of sharing a common experience with colleagues, an experienced and engaging faculty, and the reinvigorating connection to the very heart of why you do the work you do.  Significant discount for ISSP members!

10/3 6pm ET - Greater NYC Chapter: Congestion Pricing in NYC - You're cordially invited to join transportation experts and sustainability leaders for a lively discussion about our New York City transportation crisis, above and below ground.  Discount for ISSP Members!


Regional Learning Networks are growing - don't miss the opportunity to connect with other ISSP members in your area!  If you're interested in having a RLN meeting in your region, fill out 
this survey form and consider volunteering to co-lead RLN connections.


ISSP Out & About
ISSP board members and associates can be found sharing their kno wledge, sharpening their skills and networking at sustainability gatherings around the world.  Reach out and introduce yourself to the ISSP members listed below if you too are planning to travel to one of the many sustainability conferences going on this spring through fall.  Let us know where you're headed by dropping a note to  execdir@sustainabilityprofessionals.org .


September 23-26 Baltimore, MD.

September 26 NYC.

October 23-26 San Francisco, CA. BOD Member Marsha Willard is presenting.

February 6
London, UK. BOD Member Beth Knight is judging.

The International Society of Sustainability Professionals (ISSP) is the world's leading professional association for sustainability professionals. ISSP is a member-driven association committed to moving the profession of sustainability forward through building strong networks and communities of practice.