THE INS AND OUTS OF INTEGRATING SUSTAINABILITY

INTO CURRICULUM

TRACS CONFERENCE 2016

Kevin WilhelmSustainable Business Consulting

@kevinatsbc

Who am I?

World-leading consultant – 110+ companies in 37 industries

Author of 3 books Taught 12 different sustainable business courses

at the graduate level Creator of over 20 sustainability-focused video

modules for the academic space

Agenda for Wednesday – Small Group

• Introductions, who’s in room (20 mins)

• Presentation (20 mins)

• Gaps/Solutions (1 hour)

• Report out (20 mins)

@KevinWilhelmSBC

Common Obstacles to Integrating Sustainability into Curriculum

DefinitionSustainability needs to be defined for each institution. Different perspectives and divergent ideas exist.

Leadership• Often No mandate from Leadership• Communications are not reinforced. Too often

initiatives/events are “one-offs”• Lack of Sustainability/Training for Admin and Faculty

@KevinWilhelmSBC

How do we think

differently?

How do we reinforce

our collective message?

Make it easy for faculty to do

so?

This is our brand.

@KevinWilhelmSBC

Obstacles Faculty Face

• Resistance to change

• Time constraints. Instructors are already maxed out and

believe they don’t have time to incorporate

• Lack of case studies

• Time constraints. Instructors already maxed out

• Already have their syllabi. Sustainability isn’t in it

• No accountability. No harm, no foul

• Lack of coordination across faculty/disciplines

@KevinWilhelmSBC

AASHE STARS Curriculum

  

@KevinWilhelmSBC

Common Obstacles for Students

• Lack of specific skills in curriculum

• They don’t know where they jobs are

• Not inlcuded in training/orientation

• Lack of interest/enthusiasm across campus

• Culture – Difference in perspectives on issues

@KevinWilhelmSBC

Where the Jobs Are

Department Things you could do

Environmental ScienceUnderstanding the science. Connecting biz and science. How to take on water, land use issues

Engineering Design. Facilities and transportation. De

Business Demonstrating biz case for CSR or sustainability

Poli-Sci, Law Environmental policy and social justice

Communications Marketing sustainability, brand differentiation

Agriculture Sustainable farming, land preservation, organics

Humanities/Social Sciences

Ask questions through entire value chains, use social sciences/research to support change

Psychology Training in behavior/org change around CSR

Accounting /Finance Tracking sustainability and financial performance

@KevinWilhelmSBC

Skills Employers are Seeking(for faculty to teach, and students to learn)

Data Analytics Metrics, measurement (financial & environmental)

Systems Thinking Correlation and relationships

Research Policy drivers, global market trends

Communications Internal/external, variety of audiences

Leadership and Facilitation Stakeholder engagement

Organizational Change Ability to influence without authority

Project Management Ability to get things done

Sourcing Fair Trade, supply chain

@KevinWilhelmSBC

Specific Sustainability-Focused Skills

1 Carbon Footprinting/GHG Inventory

2 Sustainable Procurement Policies

3 External Reporting (GRI, CDP)

4 Stakeholder Engagement

5 Communicating Sustainability

6 Sustainability Change Management

7 Employee Engagement

8 Social Return on Investment (SROI)

9 Social Enterprise & Social Justice

10 Creating Sustainability Vision/ Goals

11 Sustainable Business Planning

12 Institutionalizing Sustainability

13 How to be a Sustainability Consultant

14 Global Reporting G4 Guidelines

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Course Sustainability Topics

Arts Art and artists for social justice and environmental movements.

Environmental Sciences

Social justice: impact of disasters and climate change on society

Biology Impact of climate change on species (thrive/endangered)

Chemistry Ocean acidification, climate change

Add Sustainability to Existing Courses

Economics Environmental Economics, Ecosystem Service Valuation.

Accounting Finance, Accounting, Carbon Footprinting.

Geology Impacts from fracking.

History Major environmental laws, issues, labor movement on society – workplace, enviro and health safety laws.

Community and Global Health

Social consequences of disease changes from climate change.Environmental justice impacts from extreme weather events.

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Add Sustainability to Existing Courses

Philosophy Mill versus Kant social justice issues

Political Science Policy implications: sustainability, climate, zero waste, etc

Psychology Behavior around sustainability: Influencers and reasons to take action while others do not engage

Sociology Organizational change within a company

Dept. of Athletics Student Athletes: focus on ways to be more sustainable (Admin, Facilities, Equipment, Home Games, and Travel)

Course Sustainability Topics

Humanities Civil and Human Rights reporting globally large organizations.

Languages Major social/environmental issues within specific country – German, Spain, French, Mandarin, etc.

Legal Impacts of regulations, public policy on business and society.

Mathematics Advanced environmental modeling, carbon footprinting.

Music Songs from Civil Rights Struggle

@KevinWilhelmSBC

LETS BREAK INTO SOLUTIONS

Kevin WilhelmSustainable Business

Consulting

Education Modules at sustainablebizconsulting.com/education/

@KevinWilhelmSBC