Presentation at 9th Massachusetts Green Careers Conference on October 5, 2017

1. Do You Have All It Takes to
Be an Effective Sustainability
Professional?
Maureen Hart, ISSP Executive Director

2. Why certification is needed
1. Bring cohesion and definition to the emerging field of
sustainability
2. Provide practitioners in the field evidence of competency,
furthering their credibility, influence and career advancement
opportunities
3. Provide organizations hiring employees and consultants assurance
of a standard level of competency
4. Provide clear guidance and direction to educators & trainers
www.sustainabilityprofessionals.org

3. What are we certifying?
Sustainability Practitioner:
A professional who spends more than
25% of his/her work time planning,
implementing, managing and reporting
sustainability efforts for organizations
and communities.
www.sustainabilityprofessionals.org
This includes internal practitioners who may hold a title like
“sustainability director” as well as the external consultants who
help organizations implement sustainable practices.
A true sustainability professional can go into ANY organization
(public or private) to assess sustainability risks and opportunities.

4. 2010: Competency Study
www.sustainabilityprofessionals.org
• Nine Month Study – Survey of 385 professionals
• Key Challenges:
• Promoting understanding of Sustainability
• Dealing with climate change and related energy needs
• Gaining support of management & customers
• Proving fiscal viability and getting funding
• Change management
• ‘Hard’ Skills Needed
• Strategic Planning
• Systems Thinking
• Project Management
• ‘Soft’ Skills Needed
• Communication with stakeholders
• Problem solving
• Inspiring and motivating
http://www.sustainabilityprofessionals.
org/sustainability‐professional‐2010‐
competency‐survey‐report

5. Job Task Categories
1. Core Sustainability Concepts
2. Stakeholder Engagement
3. Plan Sustainability Strategies
4. Implement Sustainability Strategies
5. Evaluate Sustainability Efforts
6. Adjust Plans
http://www.sustainabilityprofessionals.org/sites/default/fil
es/Sust%20Practitioner%20BoK-%20Rev%203%20-
%2012-10-13_0.pdf

6. www.sustainabilityprofessionals.org
ISSP Sustainability Professional Certification
Two levels – both requiring on-going professional development to
maintain the credential
•ISSP Sustainability Associate (ISSP-SA)
• Code of Ethics Declaration
• Pass ISSP-SA Certification Exam (Topic 1 in Job Task Analysis)
•ISSP Certified Sustainability Professional
• Meet ISSP-SA requirement
• Pass ISSP-CSP Certification Exam (Topics 2-6 in JTA)
• Educational qualifications
• Work experience
Certification Maintenance – Renewal every two years, demonstrate continuous
learning through activities such as. . .ISSP membership, educational and professional
activities, work experience, publications, etc.

7. www.sustainabilityprofessionals.org
Listen to the recording of the June 2015 Certification
Update Webinar for more details on the history and
background of the process
2010
Competency
Study
2013
Body of
Knowledge
2014
Board Commits
2015
Beta Launch
2016
First Cohort
Certified
ISSP Professional Certification Process
Progress to Date

8. ISSP‐SAs
382
www.sustainabilityprofessionals.org
33%
31%
15%
21%
YEARS OF EXPERIENCE
<5
5 - 10
10 - 15
>15
5%
78%
9%
6%
2%
GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION
Africa (excl N.
Africa)
Americas
Asia-Pacific
Europe &
Central Asia
Mid East &
North Africa
10%
7%
9%
18%
35%
5%
9%
7%
INDUSTRY
Government
Non-Profit
Manufacturing
Education
Consultant
Student
Services
Other

9. ISSP‐CSPs
60
www.sustainabilityprofessionals.org
13%
46%9%
32%
YEARS OF EXPERIENCE
<5
5 - 10
10 - 15
>15
2%
78%
16%
4%
GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION
Africa (excl N.
Africa)
Americas
Asia-Pacific
Europe &
Central Asia
4%
11%
4%
26%
35%
4%
16%
INDUSTRY
Government
Non-Profit
Manufacturing
Education
Consultant
Student
Services
Other

10. Some Partners and Supporters
of ISSP Certification

11. www.sustainabilityprofessionals.org
Do You Have All It Takes To Be an
Effective Sustainability Professional?
Scenario Questions

12. www.sustainabilityprofessionals.org
Do You Have All It Takes To Be an
Effective Sustainability Professional?
You work for an organization that is a major retailer with stores all over the globe.
It is a financially successful organization but has recently been called to account
for its labor practices as well as the environmental impact of some of the products
it routinely carries in its stores. A major NGO has mounted a campaign to boycott
the store and it is beginning to impact sales. Which of the following would be your
first recommendation to this organization to remedy this situation?
1. Have the legal department send a cease and desist letter to the NGO to get
them to back off of their campaign.
2. Publish a report that provides evidence of your community philanthropy and the
features of those product in your product line that are sustainable.
3. Invite the NGO as well as representative consumers to a meeting to discuss
their concerns and enlist their help
4. Counter the NGO campaign with one of your own that advertises the virtues of
your organization, like your energy savings and supplier scorecard effort.

13. www.sustainabilityprofessionals.org
Do You Have All It Takes To Be an
Effective Sustainability Professional?
You work for an organization that is a major retailer with stores all over the globe.
It is a financially successful organization but has recently been called to account
for its labor practices as well as the environmental impact of some of the products
it routinely carries in its stores. A major NGO has mounted a campaign to boycott
the store and it is beginning to impact sales. Describe a process or approach you
would propose to this organization to remedy this situation.
1. Ask your legal department to send a cease and desist letter to the NGO to get
them to back off of their campaign.
2. Publish a report that provides evidence of your community philanthropy and the
features of those product in your product line that are sustainable.
3. Invite the NGO as well as representative consumers to a meeting to discuss
their concerns and enlist their help
4. Counter the NGO campaign with one of your own that advertises the virtues of
your organization, like your energy savings and supplier scorecard effort.

14. www.sustainabilityprofessionals.org
Do You Have All It Takes To Be an
Effective Sustainability Professional?
You are the sustainability manager leading a team that includes an influential and vocal
critic of the sustainability plan. Which of the following is the best way to handle this
situation?
1. Continue to present information to him/her on the value of sustainability.
2. Use her/him to identify implementation barriers.
3. Ask for her/him to be removed from the team.
4. Assign him/her to a solo project.

15. www.sustainabilityprofessionals.org
Do You Have All It Takes To Be an
Effective Sustainability Professional?
•You are the sustainability manager leading a team that includes an influential and vocal
critic of the sustainability plan. Which of the following is the best way to handle this
situation?
1. Continue to present information to him/her on the value of sustainability.
2. Use her/him to identify implementation barriers.
3. Ask for her/him to be removed from the team.
4. Assign him/her to a solo project.

16. www.sustainabilityprofessionals.org
Do You Have All It Takes To Be an
Effective Sustainability Professional?
What scenarios can you
share about challenges
experienced by sustainability
professionals?

17. Have questions about ISSP’s Certifications?
• Check out ISSP Certification webpage
– https://www.sustainabilityprofessionals.org/sustainability-professional-certification
• Download the free Candidate Handbook
– https://www.sustainabilityprofessionals.org/sites/default/files/ISSP%20Certification%20Candidate
%20Handbook%2003-27-2017.pdf
• Read the answers to Frequently Asked Questions
– https://www.sustainabilityprofessionals.org/certification-faq
• Still have questions? Send an email to
Certification@sustainabilityprofessionals.org