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About Sustainability Leadership
The Sustainability Leadership Program was launched in 2003 and during this time it has served nearly 750 people from over 400 organizations. Our participants come from a variety of professional backgrounds and represent a broad range of industries including government agencies, private businesses, non profit organizations, educational institutions, and other sectors.
Since the early 1990's, hundreds of private, public, and community-based sustainable development initiatives have blossomed across the globe. Executive Orders by the Governors of Oregon and Washington, and actions by local governments and an increasing number of private companies, have made sustainable development a common element of today’s regional public dialogue.
You may be familiar with The Natural Step, Eco-Effectiveness, Zero Waste and other frameworks that describe the problems with our current economic systems and the principles necessary to achieve sustainability. The education seminars offered through the Sustainability Leadership Program are built upon these frameworks by providing the understanding as well as the tools and techniques needed for putting sustainability into practice.
In most public and private organizations, the successful adoption of sustainability measures requires changes in both operations and culture. Each of these changes requires a systems perspective. Altering operations involves broadened awareness of how physical systems function as well as technical skills and knowledge in a variety of specialized fields. Transforming culture requires an understanding of the social systems of concern, exemplary leadership, improved governance, and a clear understanding of the tools and techniques of organizational diagnosis and change. These are the foundational themes of this seminar series. Each seminar will begin with an overview of basic theories and principles of sustainable development. Each seminar will then focus on specific, practical tools and methods of moving an organization toward sustainability.
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Most Current Information
Participants are presented with topics that address the latest advancements in the field of sustainable development. Class discussions promote thinking outside the box and finding new solutions.
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