| Overall Rating | Gold - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 67.88 |
| Liaison | Krista Bailey |
| Submission Date | Sept. 14, 2017 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Pennsylvania State University
EN-9: Staff Professional Development
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
1.25 / 2.00 |
Does the institution make available professional development and training opportunities in sustainability to all staff at least once per year?:
Does the institution wish to pursue Part 2 of this credit (the rate of employee participation in sustainability professional development and training)?:
Estimated percentage of regular staff (full-time and part-time) that participates annually in sustainability professional development and training that is either provided or supported by the institution (0, 1-24%, 25-49%, 50-74%, 75% or more):
A brief description of any internal sustainability professional development and training opportunities that the institution makes available to staff:
On an ongoing basis, the Sustainability Institute offers workshops and presentations on the following:
- How to form Green Teams
- How to adopt the Green Paws Program to have an office "green" certified
- The Recycling Roadshow
These workshops are available to all staff and faculty.
Faculty and staff can also learn sustainability concepts through participation in the Green Teams program which includes lunches and webinars with speakers on topics, such as "green" purchasing, recycling, energy conservation, and wellness.
The Sustainability Institute is developing a new online module explaining sustainability and its application at Penn State for use in New Employee Orientation.
In Spring 2017 there was a webinar reaching out to employees across all Penn State campuses discussing how to incorporate sustainability into Penn State's strategic goals. We aim to have 60% of the units in Penn State's strategic plan include sustainability related content.
Through 2014, the annual Staff Professional Development Review process included sustainability, thus providing an incentive for staff to learn about sustainability and practice these concepts in their work. Although changes in the staff review process in 2015 eliminated sustainability as a required component, it is still an optional one. Training on how to incorporate sustainability into staff professional goals is offered online through a recorded webinar, and a downloadable goal setting worksheet.
Every year, an Environmental Colloquium is held to educate Penn Staters and the community about sustainability topics. The speakers have included Bill McKibben, Amory Lovins, David Suzuki, Peter Diamandis and other national leaders.
In Spring 2017 the Sustainability Institute hosted an outside speaker to present an informational session on Life Cycle Assessment to members of the Sustainable Operations Council.
In Summer 2016 and again in 2017, the Sustainability Institute offered several workshops to staff on how to integrate sustainability into their professional development plan.
A calendar of sustainability-related events - many of which are educational in nature - is available on Penn State's main sustainability website: http://sustainability.psu.edu/calendar/list?tid=780 This compilation makes it easy for staff and others to discover opportunities to learn more about sustainability-related topics through lectures, symposia, films, and other events.
A brief description of any external professional development and training opportunities in sustainability that are supported by the institution(e.g. through payment, reimbursement, or subsidy):
In 2016 the Sustainability Institute provided funding for two senior purchasing agents and one SI staff member to attend the Sustainable Purchasing Leadership Council Summit in Washington, DC in May. Upon their return they shared what they learned with both SI and Purchasing staff.
Sustainability Institute staff routinely attend professional conferences and take advantage of webinars and other online educational opportunities; any cost is reimbursed by the institution.
Estimated percentage of regular staff (full-time and part-time) for which sustainability is included in performance reviews (0, 1-24%, 25-49%, 50-74%, 75% or more) :
The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.