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Saturday, 30 April 2011

Sustainability Professionals Certification


For more information:
Richard A. Young, PhD, PE, REM
Executive Director, National Registry of Environmental Professionals
(847) 724-6631

Sustainability Professionals Certification Offered by NREP
(Chicago, IL) April 26, 2011 – Ensuring companies comply with sustainability practices is a difficult task – and one that is necessary in an environment where the task at hand and desired outcome are constantly changing.
National Registry of Environmental Professionals (NREP) is now offering workshops for individuals to attain certification as Sustainability Professionals – a certification that will work hand in hand with new and impending government regulations and company mandates. The Level I workshop for professionals will be held in June 15-16 at George Washington University in Washington, DC.
Discussion topics will range from Sustainability Considerations to Hidden Costs and Carbon Footprints to Cap and Trade and Executive Order 13514, along with at least two-dozen additional subjects. Attendees will have a say in topics discussed in day two of the workshop. A full syllabus will be forthcoming.
Level II and Level III workshops will be scheduled to dig deeper into current sustainability topics. All participants of the June workshop will be certified and granted Founder Status, as these participants will be instrumental in developing initial Level I and subsequent sustainability courses. Attendees will be accepted from the first 25 individual requests received.
Deadline for registration for the June workshop is May 15. Attendance fee of $895 must be paid at time of sign-up.  All participants will receive extensive amounts of materials prior to and during the workshop, including a flash drive containing over 200 files on sustainability practices.

A Level I workshop for managers is slated for September, certifying them as Sustainability Initiatives Managers. Upon completion of either Level I workshop, credentialed professionals can participate in an ongoing institute to share their knowledge with other industries, organizations and professionals.

NREP is committed to allowing individuals the opportunity to be at the forefront of knowledge of sustainability practices, procedures and parameters as government regulations evolve over time. The organization was created in 1987 and is accredited by the International Certification Accreditation Board.
For more information, visit www.nrep.org

Defining Environmental Management for Businesses, Governments, and Institutions

Increasingly both public and private organizations are recognizing the importance of environmental management for long-term viability, risk management, cost-effectiveness, and client relations. This increased emphasis on environmental management has led to an increase in need for professionals with a solid understanding of sustainability and environmental management systems. The green jobs market is growing rapidly, and with it the demand for highly-qualified environmental management professionals.

What is Environmental Management?

Environmental management is a method of developing standards and policies to reduce the environmental impact of an organization. An environmental management system can be either formal or informal, developed by external experts or informally using internal resources.

In general, an environmental management program will cover a wide range of environmental issues, including some if not all of the following:

·         Air pollution
·         Ecosystem, wildlife, and habitat impacts
·         Energy consumption
·         Environmental clean-up and remediation
·         Environmental performance of contractors and vendors
·         Greenhouse gas emissions
·         Hazardous waste management
·         Indoor air quality
·         Land use patterns
·         Raw materials use
·         Solid waste production and recycling
·         Toxic chemical use
·         Wastewater management
·         Water consumption (indoor, outdoor, and in manufacturing or industrial processes)
·         Water quality measurement

The issues covered by a particular organization’s environmental management program will depend greatly on the nature of the work and the desired outcomes. Generally, an environmental management system will provide the following structures:

·         Audit of current environmental activities, waste production, energy and water use, and other environmental factors
·         Development of written policies and procedures as part of a broad internal environmental policy
·         Create benchmarks to conserve energy and water, shrink emissions and pollution, conserve land and habitat, and limit waste production and chemical use
·         Provide training and awareness for employees and stakeholders
·         Measure results, which can be used for environmental certifications and compliance reporting

Benefits of Environmental Management Systems

Those businesses, nonprofits, schools, and governments that employ environmental management systems achieve a diverse range of benefits, including:

·         Reduced costs for waste disposal, chemicals, water, and energy
·         More effective use of resources resulting in lower costs
·         Greater loyalty from employees and shareholders alike
·         Improved public reputation and increased marketing opportunities
·         Reduced risk related to environmental certification and compliance
·         Protection from rising energy costs and price fluctuations

Though still a relatively innovative differentiation technique, environmental management will soon become business as usual as more executives understand the benefits and implications of sustainability.

Wednesday, 6 April 2011

Environmental Certifications: An Overview


In a society that is increasingly aware of the environmental impact of business as usual, environmental certifications are becoming ever more popular as organizations attempt to develop measures for sustainability and eco-friendliness. With over 600 environmental certifications worldwide (approximately 80 originating in the US),[1] corporations, governmental bodies, and nonprofits have an ever-expanding list of green labels from which to choose.

Types of Environmental Certifications

Given the diverse environmental issues and number of stakeholders involved in our capitalist society, it is no surprise that there are environmental certifications for every stage of the value chain and every industry and service offering. To give you an idea of the wide range of environmental certification approaches, here is a list of possibilities:

·         Resource sourcing and extraction
·         Life cycle analysis for manufacturing and industrial processes
·         Agricultural systems and geographical area certifications
·         Product and retail environmental impact assessments
·         Business policies and procedures for organizational certifications
·         Construction and building operations
·         Educational  programs and curriculum development
·         Professional designations and certifications for individuals
·         End of life disposal and recycling certifications

Of course, the number of environmental issues covered by these environmental certification approaches is just as diverse and can encompass one or several of the following concerns:

·         Air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions
·         Chemical and toxics consumption and disposal
·         Energy efficiency
·         Extraction of raw materials such as timber, metals, fossil fuels, minerals, and other organic and inorganic resources
·         Food safety
·         Habitat protection and restoration
·         Indoor air quality
·         Resource recycling and solid waste disposal
·         Water and soil pollution
·         Water efficiency

The Purpose and Benefits of Environmental Certifications

More and more, businesses, consumers, and especially governmental organizations are demanding environmental certifications as a way of measuring sustainability and being able to identify the greener products, services, businesses, and individuals. Environmental certifications serve many purposes for organizations and individuals alike:

·         Establish credibility and verifiability of environmental claims
·         Provide benchmarks which are used for making comparisons
·         Enhance differentiation and marketability
·         Increase financial viability and profitability
·         Provide a standard for assessing eligibility for financial benefits such as scholarships, rebates, and tax incentives

In the end, any environmental certification should lead to a reduction in environmental impact, which in turn will benefit the planet and we humans who depend on it.


[1]  Juliet Eilperin. (2010, May 3). Environmental certification becoming increasingly crowded and contested field. Retrieved March 29, 2011, from The Washington Post: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/02/AR2010050203005.html