Working Toward Sustainability

A complete guide to sustainability policy at the federal, state, and local levels Sustainability Policy: Hastening the Transition to a Cleaner Economy is a fundamental guide for public sector professionals new to sustainability policy development, implementation, strategy, and practice. Featuring detailed cases highlighting innovative sustainability initiatives, this book explores the elements that constitute effective policy, and the factors that can help or hinder implementation and adoption. Readers gain insight into policies in effect at the federal, state, and local levels, in the areas of water, energy, material use, and waste management, and the reasons why local policies are often the most innovative and successful. Discussion surrounding monitoring and measurement addresses the lack of standardization, as well as the government's critical role in leading the field toward generally accepted sustainability metrics, while outlining the reasons why certain policies are more feasible than others. This book is an introductory resource, written in non-technical language, and organized in a coherent manner that establishes foundational knowledge before introducing more complex issues. Even readers with little background in sustainability will gain insight into the current state of the field and the issues at hand. Understand sustainability in public and private enterprises, including the role of government and public policy Learn the current standing federal, state, and local policies surrounding sustainability Discover what makes an effective sustainability policy, including measurement and evaluation metrics Explore the politics and future of sustainability, and the barriers to change Sustainability is a hot topic in both the public and private sector, with vocal advocates on both sides of every issue, so developing effective policy is crucial. For public sector professionals entering the sustainability field, Introduction to Sustainability Policy & Management is a valuable resource.

Praise for NONPROFIT SUSTAINABILITY «This is much more than a financial how-to book. It's a nonprofit's guide to empowerment. It demystifies mission impact and financial viability using The Matrix Map to provide strategic options for any organization. A must-read for every nonprofit CEO, CFO, and board member.» —Julia A. McClendon, chief executive officer, YWCA Elgin, Illinois «This book should stay within easy reaching distance and end up completely dog-eared because it walks the reader through a practical but sometimes revelatory process of choosing the right mix of programs for mission impact and financial sustainability. Its use is a practice in which every nonprofit should engage its board once a year.» —Ruth McCambridge, editor in chief, The Nonprofit Quarterly «Up until a few years ago, funding and managing a nonprofit was a bit like undertaking an ocean voyage. Now, it's akin to windsurfing—you must be nimble, prepared to maximize even the slightest breeze, and open to modifying your course at a moment's notice. Innovative executive directors or bold board members who want their organization to be able to ride the big waves of the new American economy must read this book.» —Robert L. E. Egger, president, DC Central Kitchen/Campus Kitchens Project/V3 Campaign «Most nonprofits struggle to find a long-term sustainable business model that will enable them to deliver impact on their mission. Thanks to Jeanne Bell, Jan Masaoka, and Steve Zimmerman help is now in sight. This book offers practical, concrete steps you can take to develop your own unique path to sustainability without compromising your mission.» —Heather McLeod Grant, consultant, Monitor Institute, and author, Forces for Good: The Six Practices of High-Impact Nonprofits «At last! An urgently needed framework to prepare leaders to meet head-on the persistent twin challenges of impact and sustainability. This is a practical tool based on good business principles that can bring boards and staff members together to lead their organizations to sustainable futures.» —Nora Silver, adjunct professor and director, Center for Nonprofit and Public Leadership, Haas School of Business, University of California, Berkeley «Together, Jeanne Bell, Jan Masaoka, and Steve Zimmerman equal wisdom, experience, and know-how on sustainability and lots of other things. Buy, read, and learn from this terrific book!» —Clara Miller, president and CEO, Nonprofit Finance Fund «Wisdom, experience, and know-how. Buy, read, and learn from this terrific book!» —Clara Miller, president and CEO, Nonprofit Finance Fund

The Matrix Map—a powerful tool for nonprofit strategic decision-making Nonprofit sustainability lies at the intersection of exceptional impact and financial viability. The Sustainability Mindset offers nonprofit professionals and board members a step-by-step guide to move your organization towards this intersection. As outlined in the bestselling book Nonprofit Sustainability, «The Matrix Map» is an accessible framework that combines financial and programmatic goals into an integrated strategy. In this next-step resource, the authors detail a rigorous process to develop a meaningful Matrix Map and engage leadership in setting an organization's strategy. Nonprofits that thrive in today's environment are adaptable with a clear understanding of their impact and business model. This book offers nonprofit boards and staff a framework to do so. Drawing on their in-depth experience, the authors provide an easy-to-follow process complete with tools and templates to help organizations visualize their business model and engage in strategic inquiry. The book provides a variety of illustrative examples to show how the Matrix Map works for all types of organizations. Nonprofit executives and board member are sure to benefit from The Matrix Map analysis. Offers step-by-step guidance for creating a Matrix-Map, a visual representation of an organization's business model Helps organizations assess how each of their programs contributes toward their desired impact and their financial bottom-line. Filled with compelling examples of how The Matrix Map helps nonprofits with strategic decision-making Written by the coauthors of the groundbreaking book Nonprofit Sustainability This comprehensive resource will give any nonprofit the framework they need to make decisions for sustainability and the templates and tools to implement it and help leaders address the challenges inherent in balancing mission impact with financial viability.

The guide to sustainable strategies and tools to improve competitive business advantage, updated with practical case studies and supporting teaching material The revised and updated second edition of Practical Sustainability Strategies is filled with proven strategies and tools for organizations to integrate sustainability into their business models. Drawing on the authors’ research and years of hands-on experience, the book defines strategies that organizations can put in place to develop, extend, or maintain competitive advantage without harming the environment. Additionally, the authors provide tools for measuring and reporting progress and present illustrative case studies that clearly demonstrate the importance of implementing sustainability. Since the first edition was published in 2013, new strategies, measurements, and certifications have been developed. The book, which is used by several business schools around the globe, has been updated to include these new and effective strategies, including circular economy, the sharing economy, adaptation, resiliency, and strategies to fight climate change. This new edition also highlights the UN Sustainable Development Goals that have been adopted worldwide. This updated second edition: Covers new strategies, measuring systems, GRI, STARS and B-Lab certifications Offers teaching slides and questions for use in the classroom Explores the principles and importance of sustainability Examines more than 10 different sustainability strategies Presents the economic justification for sustainability with illustrative examples Written for sustainability managers, ESG professionals, engineers, process designers, policy makers, CEOs, business schools, and others, the second edition of Practical Sustainability Strategies offers an updated guide to the most recent strategies and tools that can be put into place to improve competitive advantage, while also providing a positive impact to the community and workplace.

Survey’s the issues typically raised in discussions of sustainability and plastics Discusses current issues not covered in detail previously such as ocean litter, migration of additives into food products and the recovery of plastics Covers post-consumer fate of plastics on land and in the oceans, highlighting the environmental impacts of disposal methods Details toxicity of plastics, particularly as it applies to human health Presents a clear analysis of the key plastic-related issues including numerous citations of the research base that supports and contradicts the popularly held notions

A practitioner-focused guide featuring tools, models, and experience from the front lines of sustainability management on major projects With the growing need for sustainability management on large resource, infrastructure and power projects, this book provides project teams and sustainability practitioners with the practical advice, tools, and resources they need to create better projects. It offers extensive guidance for integrating sustainability into project design, planning and delivery. In each chapter, the authors provide invaluable sustainability management strategies and sample tools for project execution plans, engineering decision-making, stakeholder engagement tracking, logging commitments and follow-up actions, permit tracking, and construction management.  Integrating Sustainability into Major Projects: Best Practices and Tools for Project Teams begins by introducing readers to the topic, as well as the common terminology. It then offers readers an overview of major projects, covering types of projects and project structures, the key players, and how to understand and manage different perspectives of time and space. Next, it looks at standards and guidelines, followed by chapters on: Project Management; Managing Risk and Opportunity; Sustainability Management Tools; Approvals and Permits; Design; Procurement; Construction Management; Commissioning; and more. This book:  Provides analysis tools and resources that practitioners and project teams can use to successfully integrate and manage sustainability into major project design and delivery including industrial, resource, power, and infrastructure projects; Guides readers on how to work with local communities, engage with stakeholders and develop sustainability programs that support project financing; Includes case studies, lessons learned and expertise from a wide range of actual major projects and the authors' professional experiences with integrating sustainability; Leads practitioners through the major project types and their typical components, structure, and timelines, and demonstrates how sustainability can be effectively integrated into each type of major project. Integrating Sustainability into Major Projects provides the tools project teams need to successfully integrate sustainability into project design and management, making it an ideal tool for project teams and sustainability practitioners working on major resource, power, or infrastructure projects. It will also benefit project owners, organizational leaders, project finance professionals, government regulators and graduate students in engineering, project management, sustainability management, or environmental design and architecture.

Practical solutions for sustainability In this timely guide, one of the world's leaders in advanced building technology implementation shows architects and engineers proven and practical methods for implementing these technologies in sustainably-designed buildings. Because of the very limited time architects are given from being awarded a project to concept design, this book offers clear and workable solutions for implementing solar energy, radiant heating and cooling floors, displacement ventilation, net zero, and more. It provides helpful tips and suggestions for architects and engineers to work together on implementing these technologies, along with many innovative possibilities for developing a truly integrated design. This book also explores and explains the many benefits of advanced technologies, including reduced greenhouse gas emissions, lower operating costs, noise reduction, improved indoor air quality, and more. In addition, Advanced Building Technologies for Sustainability: Offers detailed coverage of solar energy systems, thermal energy storage, geothermal systems, high-performance envelopes, chilled beams, under-floor air distribution, displacement induction units, and much more Provides case studies of projects using advanced technologies and demonstrates their implementation in a variety of contexts and building types Covers the implementation of advanced technologies in office towers, large residential buildings, hospitals, schools, dormitories, theaters, colleges, and more Complete with a clear and insightful explanation of the requirements for and benefits of acquiring the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED certification, Advanced Building Technologies for Sustainability is an important resource for architects, engineers, developers, and contractors involved in sustainable projects using advanced technologies.

Urban Sustainability and River Restoration: Green and Blue Infrastructure considers the integration of green and blue infrastructure in cities as a strategy useful for acting on causes and effects of environmental and ecological issues. River restoration projects are unique opportunities for sustainable development and smart growth of communities, providing multiple environmental, economic, and social benefits.This book analyzes initiatives and actions carried out and developed to improve environmental conditions in cities and better understand the environmental impact of (and in) dense urban areas in the United States and in Europe.

Through a series of case studies of low-status interactive and embodied servicing work, Working Bodies examines the theoretical and empirical nature of the shift to embodied work in service-dominated economies. Defines ‘body work’ to include the work by service sector employees on their own bodies and on the bodies of others Sets UK case studies in the context of global patterns of economic change Explores the consequences of growing polarization in the service sector Draws on geography, sociology, anthropology, labour market studies, and feminist scholarship

Invaluable guidance for complete integration of sustainability into reporting and performance management systems Global businesses are under close scrutiny from lawmakers, regulators, and their diverse stakeholders to focus on sustainability and accept responsibility for their multiple bottom line performance. Business Sustainability and Accountability examines business sustainability and accountability reporting and their integration into strategy, governance, risk assessment, performance management and the reporting process. This book also highlights how people, business and resources collaborate in a business sustainability and accountability model. Looks at business sustainability and accountability reporting and assurance and their incorporation into the reporting process Focuses on how the business sustainability and accountability model are impacted by the collaboration of people, business, and resources Presents laws, rules, regulations, standards and best practices relevant to business sustainability performance, reporting and assurance Organizations worldwide recognize the importance of all five EGSEE dimensions of sustainability performance and accountability reporting. However, how to actually assess sustainability risk, implement sustainability reporting, and obtain sustainability assurance remain a major challenge and best practices are evolving. Straightforward and comprehensive Business Sustainability and Accountability hits on all of the hottest topics around sustainability including multiple bottom line (EGSEE) performance and reporting, related financial and non-financial key performance indicators (KPIs), business social responsibility and environmental reporting.