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By CSE research team
Seattle, consistently near the top of any list of US cities for sustainability and growth and the heart of the tech world, has some of the most progressive environmental and social mandates in the US.
To support its progressive sustainability profile, the city needs well educated professionals, equipped with the latest knowledge and practical skills to tackle the new challenges.
The Center for Sustainability and Excellence (CSE) is “returning” to Seattle to support the leaders of the future, presenting its signature program, the Certified Sustainability (ESG) Practitioner Program, Digital Version, Advanced Edition 2022, on May 12, 13 & 16.
Sustainability ESG Practitioners needed to lead the inevitable shift
Seattle’s Climate Action Plan targets a 58 percent reduction in emissions by 2030 and envisions a carbon neutral city by 2050. Renewables provide for 77 percent of Washington State’s electricity. Amazon and Microsoft are on a path to meet 100 percent of their global energy needs by entering long-term contracts for wind and solar energy. REI, Starbucks and Target secure megawatts of wind and solar energy through Puget Sound Energy’s green tariff program.
At the same time, mobility is a challenge. Cars are Seattle’s greatest source of greenhouse gas emissions. Nearly two-thirds of Seattle’s climate pollution comes from Road Transportation. Emissions from Building Energy and Waste Management make up the remaining third. The Transportation Electrification Blueprint is a comprehensive strategy to transition the transportation sector and achieve the goal of a decarbonized transportation system.
Seattle is committed to reducing climate pollution in the transportation sector and achieve a clean energy future. The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) is creating one transportation plan to rule its lesser modal plans. Before the agency gets ahead of itself, it must focus the process on safety outcomes and a long-term vision for a decarbonized city, rather than bureaucratic expedience. Cities need skilled Sustainability and ESG professionals to manage these programs!
Implementation and future planning necessitate a sustainability-trained workforce.
Whether it’s infrastructure, finance, transportation, energy and IT, health care or tech industry, Sustainability ESG practitioners are needed in every field and every discipline throughout the community. Even though schools, such as Western Washington University, are training tomorrow’s business leaders and social entrepreneurs, sustainability is not only a business or management issue. Engineering, R&D and operations need an approachable means of bringing sustainability into every aspect of the corporate world.
At a legislation level, Congress considers establishing a climate resilience workforce. The Climate Resilience Workforce Act would help develop climate change action plans, promote green jobs and focus on marginalized communities that bear the brunt of a warming planet. It is vital legislation that Congress should support.
Spearheaded by U.S. Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Seattle, the proposal seeks to create millions of climate resilience jobs through grants to state, county, city and tribal governments, as well as to labor groups and nonprofits.
Time is of the essence
Seattle enjoys a worldwide reputation for being an environmental and sustainability leader. Not everyone has the time or the money to spend four years earning a sustainability degree. Informed employees, aware students, corporate leaders who understand the fundamentals are needed immediately! Modules on Local Legislation, Global Standards and Future Trends provide critical foundational knowledge.
The Washington tech community needs access to CSE’s latest research insights! That is why training is key. CSE has developed unique training programs with leading tech companies to instill a sustainability ESG culture within those companies, starting off and finishing by making the business case for sustainability ESG. If a company cannot advance financially, they can’t help their community of stakeholders.
Employees need to understand this as well as employers do. That is why so many tech leaders send attendees to our training. We’ve worked with Google, Workday, Netgear, LG Electronics, T-Mobile, Sandia National Laboratories and other tech organizations.
Collaborations for a better future
CSE has collaborated with Western Washington University to provide sustainability practitioner training focused on regional issues. The training covers Supply Chain, Corporate Responsibility, Corporate Communications, Sustainable Development and the Circular Economy.
For more information, Early Bird and Group pricing, go to www.cse-net.org/all-trainings or reach us at [email protected]
