Seminars
The SEP Seminar Series focuses on ways that businesses and other organizations can apply and incorporate sustainability into their practices, products, services, supply chain, distribution, culture and management.
SEP to Co-Sponsor SURE 2012
In collaboration with SUNY-ESF Outreach, the SEP will present "Sustainable Use of Renewable Energy (SURE 2012): Renewing Our Knowledge of Renewable Energy," a series of monthly workshops in spring 2012. Each session will focus on a renewable energy source, its benefits and drawbacks, and associated technologies. For further information on SURE 2012, visit: www.esf.edu/outreach/sure/.
Previous Seminars
On March 2, 2011, the SEP hosted small business and not-for-profit leaders at a breakfast seminar on "Green Market Opportunities" featuring Fetner Visiting Sustainability Leader Magali Delmas. A renowned sustainable enterprise expert, Dr. Delmas is director of the UCLA Center for Corporate Environmental Performance and co-director of the UCLA Leaders in Sustainability Program. The seminar was co-sponsored by the Whitman School's Falcone Center for Entrepreneurship.
On Nov. 3-4, 2010, the SEP and SUNY-ESF Outreach presented "Sustainable Use of Renewable Energy 2010 (SURE 2010): Renewable Technologies and Carbon Cycling." SEP core faculty and leadership group members participated as presenters or panelists on topics including carbon emissions market and policy and combined heat and power (CHP) technology. For a look back at SURE 2010, visit: www.esf.edu/outreach/sure/2010/
Area small business leaders attended "Socially Responsible Entrepreneurs: Building Organizations That Deliver Financial, Social, and Environmental Results," on Feb. 18, 2010. This program featured Fetner Visiting Sustainability Leader Mike Russo and was co-sponsored by Whitman's Falcone Center for Entrepreneurship. One of the nation's leading academics on sustainability, Dr. Russo's latest book, Companies on a Mission: Entrepreneurial Strategies for Growing Sustainably, Responsibly, and Profitably, was published by Stanford University Press in April 2010.
In partnership with the Newhouse Advertising Leadership Series, the SEP sponsored a visit from Adam Werbach on Nov. 12, 2009. Werbach was the youngest ever president of the Sierra Club (inaugurated at age 23) and is now global CEO of Saatchi & Saatchi S, the largest sustainability consulting agency in the world. Werbach's firm advises companies with over $1 trillion in combined annual sales on how to organize core business towards long-term profitability. He is also author of the new Harvard Business School Press book Strategy for Sustainability: A Business Manifesto. Approximately 150 people attended the public presentation. Video is available at www.youtube.com/NewhouseSU.
On Nov. 3-4, 2009, the SEP collaborated with SUNY-ESF Outreach to present "Sustainable Use of Renewable Energy 2009: Putting Renewable Technologies to Work" (SURE 2009). This two-day program was attended by more than 150 prominent business people, entrepreneurs, non-profit professionals, architects, engineers, government officials, community leaders, educators and students interested in renewable energy technologies. Several SEP core faculty and leadership group members were involved in panels and presentations on topics including opportunities and incentives for businesses and home owners, and the evolving green supply chain. A recap of SURE 2009 is available at www.esf.edu/certificates/sure.
The SEP presented "Benefit the Planet and Your Bottom Line: Sustainability Strategies for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises" at the Whitman School on Oct. 30, 2008. Participants explored key environmental challenges and opportunities for SMEs, methods for evaluating the relevance of sustainability to their operations and activities, and short- and long-term energy and water use strategies used by SMEs to achieve cost savings in their operations. The program featured success stories, presentations from leading academics and practitioners, a facilitated breakout session, and a panel discussion.
The inaugural event for the SEP Seminar Series was held on April 25, 2008, in New York City. This event was sponsored by the Carrier Corporation, Steelcase Inc., Corning, Inc., Reliant Energy, and Comfort Systems USA.