Our Programs
Through its years of engagement with businesses, municipalities, and nonprofits, Sustainable Pittsburgh has maintained a strong pulse on the region’s sustainability challenges and opportunities.
From air and water quality to energy efficiency, recycling and waste management, to land use and transportation, workforce development, healthy people and economic prosperity, Sustainable Pittsburgh remains at the forefront of working with organizations to integrate more sustainable development for southwestern Pennsylvania.
It is through its engagement with organizations on such sustainability issues that Sustainable Pittsburgh acknowledged and responded to their express interest in having a credible platform upon which to set and measure sustainability policies and practices and raise the bar for tracking performance.
As such, we developed performance programs tailored to southwestern PA’s unique sustainability needs and opportunities that target different sectors. They are based on market-selected practices and peer-reviewed by knowledge experts. SP’s sustainability performance programs include:
- Sustainable Pittsburgh Shop (for small retail businesses)
- SWPA Sustainable Business Compact (for mid to large businesses)
- Sustainable Pennsylvania Community Certification (for municipalities and taken statewide in partnership with the PA Municipal League)
- Sustainable Pittsburgh Restaurants (for restaurants operating in southwestern PA)
These voluntary programs provide a pathway for organizations to advance their sustainability goals and objectives, resulting in positive impacts for the organization, the local community, and for the region.
Understanding that performance programs may not be tailored to certain sustainability needs, SP also created and facilities networks such as:
- CEOs for Sustainability
- Sustainable Community Development Network
Cost savings, healthier and engaged employees, and positive recognition are just a few of the benefits participants can derive. Achievement levels are structured based on performance. In most cases the programs offer assessments that begin with a base level of achievement then advance to higher levels, indicating that sustainability is adopted more extensively within the organization.