Sustainability Leadership

The explosion of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Sustainability into mainstream business decision-making has been fueled by a number of events, such as environmental pollution, and the increasing scarcity and competition for natural resources. It is evident that the long-term success or failure of a business depends on making the right decisions and producing a well thought out plan in mitigating environmental risks while taking advantage of new opportunities. Factoring sustainability principles and practices into decision-making has become the new imperative for business and financial success.

A new era of concern regarding the condition of the Earth's environment has generated a wave of legal, business, educational and social developments in reaction to these conditions. A general sense of urgency, and the realization that there is little time to waste, has given rise to a host of legislative and regulatory enactments. Review global and federal developments, with particular attention on developments in California. Since the signing into law of the "California Global Warming Solutions Act" (AB 32), many California public agencies and private businesses have sought advice on how to enhance community sustainability. The course will also provide an overview of the LEED system for sustainable construction; will examine traditional professional and contract liabilities and how these liabilities and associated risks may be expected to play out in the new arena of sustainability. The applicable principles of contract law and professional liability will be reviewed.

All sustainable change begins with a strategy. Strategic leadership is central to all business change initiatives designed to create positive impacts on society and the environment. Making an impact in sustainability leadership requires systems thinking and a life cycle approach that can overlay every major business decision. This type of systems thinking bridges vision and knowledge, integrates corporate profitability with responsible actions that produce social value, and requires that goals and objectives of a sustainability initiative reflect the core values of the organization. Gain the skills necessary to identify stakeholders and their interest, measure the effects of social and environmental benefits in order to advance corporate social responsibility goals in your organization and a framework for strategic problem solving. For business leaders, public policy and corporate managers integrating sustainability considerations into daily decision-making is imperative, not only in terms of corporate social responsibilities and risks - but also about corporate social opportunities.

Intended for both marketers and non-marketers, this course explores the broad marketing-related challenges that are increasingly affecting how business is conducted in an era of heightened awareness of environmental and social issues. Socio-economic, cultural and legislative pressures are creating an inevitable tide towards a future in which companies will be more socially responsible and provide cleaner and more efficient products and services that damage the planet less. Examine green marketing and consumer trends and analyze the implications for organizations, business and society at large.

Whether you are interested or involved in construction and project management, real estate development, sustainability oversight, finance and acquisition or real estate law, you must have a solid understanding of real estate finance. If you have no prior experience in accounting or real estate finance, this course will give you the fundamentals. Gain a working knowledge of topics including economic and market environments, triple bottom line finance, controls for internal operations, financial statements, property valuation, and loans and their financial sources. You will learn new methods for measuring organizational success including economic, ecological and social. You will also learn how to prepare loan packages for commercial, industrial and residential real estate.

Sustainability leadership gives today's business professionals the abilities to lead organizations in adopting and implementing sustainable practices. One key component of sustainability is the responsible use of energy as a means to avert global climate change resulting from the use of fossil fuels. Responsible use of energy means having strategies in place in your corporate structure to actively pursue emission reduction strategies to mitigate the negative environmental impact of business operations. The big challenge for business today is finding the right balance between being responsible environmental citizens and maintaining profitability so these two goals can mutually be sustained. Identify the role of energy in sustainability, develop the basic components of an effective energy management program, evaluate proven energy strategies and create a tool chest of practical energy efficiency measures that can make up an emission reduction portfolio.

Green buildings have emerged as one of the largest growth areas targeted for energy efficiency and sustainability improvement. With 38% of the total carbon emissions in the United States tied directly to buildings it is little wonder that the green building market has experienced double-digit growth in recent years. This rapid growth has more recently been spurred by energy legislation, corporate social responsibility, government incentives, innovative technologies and increased commercialization. This class will analyze best practices in green building that directly benefit both the environment and the bottom line, identify the roles of renewable solar energy and water conservation in green buildings, and apply solid business decisions to retrofit and accelerate the trend of efficient, energy-wise buildings that meet federal, state and local green standards.

Climate protection and environmental sustainability requires a systems engineering approach to develop and implement a Strategic Plan for climate protection and sustainable practices. In this course you will explore the forces driving sustainability change, the application of sustainable practices, and be guided through an analysis that will help you develop a vision and plan for implementation. Topics covered include: understanding the forces driving change, developing a Strategic Vision, identifying options and analyzing sustainability solutions, and developing and communicating a Sustainability, Climate Protection, or Impact Reduction Plan. Learn a systems approach to developing a sustainable business or community - whether to affect the bottom line for energy usage, develop new markets, or "Go Green".

What new skills and knowledge do you need to understand and apply the principles of sustainable development and green design/construction in a residential and community development project? This course gives you insight into the underlying principles of sustainable development, the practical application of green building practices, including LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) and their relevance to residential developments and communities. You will learn how to identify, assess, rate and rank green building practices and elements based on their return on investment and customer satisfaction. The U.S. Green Building Council's new LEED programs for new residential construction will be explained and their applications examined through case studies and local site visits of award winning projects. Guest speakers will provide their perspectives gained from practical experience in relevant sustainable design and construction elements. Gain the foundation of knowledge you need to integrate sustainable design practices into company structures and organization, enhance site and marketing analysis, and integrate into project planning and costing, financial considerations, construction operations, and implementing a green marketing plan. Learn the fundamentals of reducing the environmental footprint of residential buildings and developments.

The very nature of sustainability requires an intersection between public and private enterprises. California is leading the way with its legislation, and local jurisdictions are charged with implementing ever-increasingly important adaptation/mitigation measures that must be adopted. Additionally, legislators in Congress are moving quickly to enact carbon management legislation. Class assignments will lead to the eventual development of a Climate Action Plan (CAP) that bridges best practices of business, ecological and social concerns with social entrepreneurship, and propels your organization to the next level of success.

Businesses today are being asked to establish sustainability goals, identify metrics and key performance indices (KPIs), and report their progress on a regular basis using generally accepted methodologies and protocols. This course introduces students to the typical drivers and stakeholders associated with sustainability programs; some of the available reporting protocols; factors to consider when selecting KPIs and metrics; and how to establish goals and describe performance on a quantitative or qualitative basis. At the end of the course, the student will be able to justify sustainability reporting and create a milestone schedule and implementation plan.