Welcome to the course!

Whether this is your first attempt at a sustainability strategy and launching a Green Team or you've been working at for a few years and need some tips for taking it to the next level, enrolling in this course demonstrates your commitment. My goal is to reward that effort with content, challenges, and resources that help you make practical steps in the right direction.

Since it's so important to walk away from this course with results to show for it, let's start out with something you will hear me say later in the course: benchmark and track progress!

I've spoken to many managers who can list a few corporate responsibility and sustainability initiatives, such as volunteer projects or recycling programs, but if asked how many hours of volunteer work have been performed, or how many pounds of waste diverted from landfill, the manager does not have an answer.

In Module 2, you're going to learn more about making a business case for sustainability. A critical part of that is measuring results, but you don't know how far you've come if you don't know where you started.

In the discussion below, share an overview of your current sustainability efforts. What is your business doing? How long have you been engaged in these activities? What outcomes can you show for your work thus far?

It will be exciting in weeks and months to come to reflect back on your answers here and see how far you've come.

Watch the course welcome video here:

Course Navigation

If you need help understanding the basic course navigation, watch the next video below.

Toolkit Assignment

This is the first in a series of Toolkit Assignments. In each module, there will be exercises designed to prepare you for building and managing a Green Team. The assignment is usually a downloadable worksheet you can fill in. It is available in either a WORD document or PDF (note you must download the document below and open it in the free Acrobat PDF application in order to fill in the blanks - the link to download is below the document display).

Course Outline and Expectations

Unless you are using this course as part of a college course, there is no set schedule for taking this course; however, I highly recommend you set a routine and schedule for completing the course within 3 months. You can always come back and reference resources and keep working on your toolkit. Download the document below (Sustainability is a Team Sport - Course Outline and Recommended Schedule).

NOTE: If you are using this online resource as part of a college course, please refer to your instructor's syllabus for the requirements and schedule you should follow

Discussion Prompt (Optional)

In the discussion below, share an overview of your current sustainability efforts. What is your business doing? How long have you been engaged in these activities? What outcomes can you show for your work thus far?