Washington University in St. Louis
EN-9: Staff Professional Development

The Washington University School of Medicine’s Sustainability Action Team (SAT) meets quarterly to learn about and then disseminate new initiatives and publishes a monthly newsletter. Meetings feature guest speakers and are open to all staff. The SAT also coordinates sustainability efforts for several annual events at the School of Medicine, including Campus Sustainability Day, Earth Day, the Health Fair, and the Employee Appreciation Picnic.

A major accomplishment in starting in spring 2015 was the training and accreditation of approximately 45 staff members as Sustainability Facility Professionals (SFP) through the International Facility Management Association (IFMA). Staff members with a broad range of responsibilities participated in the intensive five-day training and had to pass three test modules to receive their accreditation.

In February 2016, the Office of Sustainability partnered with the the U.S. Green Building Council - MO Gateway Chapter to host two training course for nearly 40 university staff and faculty, preparing them for taking the LEED Green Associate (GA) exam. A similar exam prep course for the LEED AP: BD+C accreditation took place in January 2017.

In 2018, WashU partnered with the local USGBC chapter to host several CEC workshops, including one on Materials Transparency. In addition, a sponsorship agreement allows for 5 employees to receive membership to the local USGBC chapter, provides discounts to most CEC programming, and free participation in CEC programming that is hosted at the university. As a result, staff with LEED credentials can work towards CEC requirements and other staff has easy access to high-quality training.

In addition, the Office of Sustainability offers training and presentations in general sustainability to a wide variety of groups (custodial staff, kitchen staff, individual offices, faculty council, etc.) and specific topics, like green event planning and alternative transportation options, on a regular basis.

Hosting courses on campus addresses an important objective within the 2015-2020 Strategic Plan for Sustainable Operations: Continue to enhance staff sustainability knowledge and skills in capital projects, operations and maintenance, and custodial and grounds teams. The specific strategy is to offer opportunities to gain green credentials, including LEED GA, LEED Accredited Professional, and IFMA Sustainability Facility Professional.

Sustainability staff and facilities staff are encouraged and supported in attending external professional development, training and conferences. A delegation of 6+ WashU affiliates attend AASHE's conference annually. Many local opportunities for PD are available through industry groups, business associations, etc.