Web Sites Addressing Sustainable Business Development

Center of Excellence for Sustainable Development
This center, created by the U.S. Department of Energy, helps communities design and
implement innovative sustainable development strategies. This web site contains resources
on a variety of subjects in sustainability planning, including overview articles, slide shows,
links to other sources of information, recommended books and videos, model codes and
ordinances, and educational materials and programs.

Environmental Defense Fund (EDF)
EDF is a not-for-profit environmental advocacy group with four main goals: (1) Stabilizing
the Earth's climate, (2) Safeguarding the world's oceans, (3) Protecting human health, and
(4) Defending and restoring biodiversity. The EDF has established the Environmental
Scorecard (http://www.scorecard.org) where people across the U.S. can learn about the
quality of their local environment, including air pollutants, animal waste from factory farms,
and the level of chemical releases from manufacturing facilities.

International Institute for Sustainable Development
IISD's mission is to promote sustainable development in decision-making in businesses,
governments, communities, and concerned individuals, internationally and within Canada.
The organization contributes new knowledge and concepts, analyzes policies, identifies and
disseminates information about best practices, demonstrates how to measure progress, and
builds partnerships to amplify these messages.

International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI)
The International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI) is the international
environmental agency for local governments. Network with and learn about sustainable
community initiatives around the world.

Redefining Progress
A public policy organization addressing America's future and how to achieve our desires.
Redefining Progress seeks to shift the prevailing definition of progress, from one based
exclusively on a growing economy, to one that resonates with people's sense of the quality of
their lives.

Rocky Mountain Institute
A nonprofit research and education foundation fostering the efficient and sustainable use of
resources as a path to global security.

United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD)
The UN CSD was created in December 1992 to ensure effective follow-up on the 1992 Earth
Summit; its mission is to monitor and report on implementation of Summit agreements at the
local, national, regional and international levels. This web site contains information on national
implementations of the Rio commitments and includes a list of indicators and methodologies to
help nations measure their progress toward sustainable development. Also noteworthy are
"success stories," or brief case studies of programs designed to address various sustainable
development issues, complete with results achieved and lessons learned.

United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
UNEP's mission is to provide leadership and encourage partnerships in caring for the
environment by inspiring, informing, and enabling nations and people to improve their quality of
life without compromising that of future generations. This web site features information about
UNEP and its programs and information on various issues such as cleaner industrial production.
Of particular significance is its section on state of the environment reporting, which includes the
Global Environmental Outlook-1 (GEO-1) report. GEO-1 is a snapshot of an ongoing worldwide
environmental assessment process that describes the environmental status and trends in seven
regions, summarizes developments over time in regional policy responses, and concludes with
an exploration, based on model analysis, of what we might expect in the future for a selected
number of environmental issues if no major policy reforms are initiated.

World Resources Institute
The World Resources Institute is an independent center for policy research and technical
assistance on global environmental and development issues, dedicated to helping governments
and private organizations of all types cope with environmental, resource, and development
challenges of global significance. This web site provides information on global environmental
conditions and trends and on developments in international environmental policy.

Worldwatch Institute
Worldwatch is a nonprofit public policy research organization dedicated to informing
policymakers and the public about emerging global problems and trends and the complex links
between the world economy and its environmental support systems.

The Sustainability Network
The Sustainability Network works with Ontario environmental non-profits to make them more
effective and efficient. By improving management and leadership skills and fostering
organizational development, the Network helps to strengthen the environmental movement in
Ontario. The Network is about sustaining the organizations that work on sustainability. This site
contains information on a needs assessment that was carried out in late 1997, results of quarterly
training workshops, notes from breakfast forums and information on a bursary program which
helps non-profit leaders access other training. Extensive information on service providers that
can help Ontario ENGOs and links to Internet based information on NGO management issues
are presented as well.
www.sustain.web.net

CERES
An advocate of corporate environmental responsibility
A forum for multistakeholder dialogue
A coalition of over 60 investor, environmental, religious, labor and social justice groups
The institutional home of the CERES Principles
A network of more than 50 corporate endorsers of the CERES Principles representing a
multitude of industries and 12 Fortune 500 firms
The creator and secretariat of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI)
www.ceres.org

The Earth Council
The Earth Council is an international non-governmental organization (NGO) that was created in
September 1992 to promote and advance the implementation of the Earth Summit agreements.
It is led by a body of 18 Members, drawn from the world's political, business, scientific and
non-governmental communities. Sixteen eminent world leaders serve as Honorary Members,
and an 18 member Earth Council Institute functions as an advisory board. Three fundamental
objectives have guided the work of the Earth Council since its inception:
· to promote awareness for the needed transition to more sustainable and equitable
patterns of development
· to encourage public participation in decision-making processes at all levels of
government
· to build bridges of understanding and cooperation between important actors of civil
society and governments worldwide
http://www.ecouncil.ac.cr/

Global Vision
an international educational media campaign to promote the concept of sustainability as a
global goal. A sustainable civilization is one that meets the needs of the present generation
without compromising the right of future generations to meet their own needs.
The project is being co-produced by Global Vision Trust (a UK private limited company
expecting Registered Charity status imminently), and its American twin Global Vision
Corporation, a non-profit, Non Governmental Organization accredited to the United Nations
Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD). The CSD is a network of Governments and
NGOs collaborating to implement Agenda 21, the sustainable development action plan for the
21st century which was agreed by 110 Heads of State at the UN Earth Summit in 1992.
http://www.igc.org/glencree/index2.html

Multi-State Working Group on Environmental Management Systems has a task team focused
on metrics and reporting. Louisiana Pacific has been participating as a member of this task
team.
http://www.iwrc.org/mswg/

Sustainability Web Ring, a service of the Sustainable Development Communications Network.
This Internet tool allows users to navigate easily between Web sites that deal with the
principles, policies, and best practices for sustainable development. By following the links
through the Web ring, you will find information from around the world on how to deal with
such crucial issues as climate change, cleaner production, waste, poverty, consumerism, natural
resource management, and governance. This information is particularly suited to decisionmakers
within civil society, government, business, research and funding institutions, and
communities.
Our goal is to stimulate further debate and interest in sustainable development. Inclusion of a
site in the Sustainability Web Ring does not constitute endorsement by the SDCN or any other
member of the Web Ring.
http://sdgateway.net/webring/default.htm

U.S. Federal Level
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
The mission of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is to protect human health and to safeguard the natural
environment - air, water, and land - upon which life depends.
The Council on Environmental Quality
The Council On Environmental Quality (CEQ) is leading the Administration's effort to reinvent environment and
natural resource programs. In this effort, the Administration is cutting paperwork, saving taxpayers money and
developing new partnerships with industry, landowners and the states to provide more flexibility for the regulated
community in return for better environmental results.
U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)
An independent federal government agency that conducts foreign assistance and humanitarian aid.

U.S. States
The Council Of State Governments (CSG)
The multibranch organization of the states and U.S. territories, champions excellence in state government,
working with leaders across the nation and through its regions to put the best ideas and solutions into practice.
ECOS
The Environmental Council of the States (ECOS) is the national non-profit, non-partisan association of state and territorial environmental commissioners. The mission of ECOS is to improve the environment of the United States by providing for the exchange of ideas, views and experiences among states and territories, fostering cooperation and coordination in environmental management, and articulating state positions to Congress and the Environmental Protection Agency on environmental issues.
Minnesota Environmental Quality Board
The Environmental Quality Board at Minnesota Planning draws together five citizens and the heads of 10 state agencies that play a vital role in Minnesota's environment and development. The board develops policy, creates long-range plans and reviews proposed projects that would significantly influence Minnesota's environment. This website also links to the work of the Minnesota Round Table on Sustainable Development.
http://www.mnplan.state.mn.us/eqb
New Jersey Office of State Planning
The New Jersey Office of State Planning has the complete New Jersey State Development & Redevelopment Plan available online.
New Jersey Future
New Jersey Future is leading New Jersey toward sustainable development and smart growth, as co-creator with the State of New Jersey of the nation's first Sustainable State Project, and as the statewide advocate and watchdog for New Jersey's pioneering Development and Redevelopment Plan.
Oregon Plan for Salmon & Watersheds
The Oregon Plan represents an unprecedented undertaking on the part of the State of Oregon to restore our state's salmon and trout resources. Our goal is to restore populations and fisheries to productive and sustainable levels that will provide substantial environmental, cultural, and economic benefits.
Metro Counsel of Governments
Portland’s Metro Counsel of Governments provided its Metro Sustainability Audit Appendix D – Sustainability Metrics Framework to the peer learning group, which includes useful examples of metrics for measuring progress towards sustainability targets. Targets and metrics are grouped by the four Natural Step System Conditions.
http://www.metro-region.org/
Florida Sustainable Communities Center
The Florida Design Initiative (FDI) serves as a catalyst for promoting best practices in community and facility design and usage. The mission of FDI is to help those who design, own, and use facilities and those who plan and develop communities reorient toward new standards of practice that include the design and construction of high performance, energy-efficient, and sustainable buildings and communities. Early in 1999, FDI merged the best of its websites into one site -- The Florida Sustainable Communities Center.
Joint Center for Sustainable Communities
The Joint Center for Sustainable Communities (JCSC) fosters sustainable communities by providing local elected officials with advice, information and financial support. JCSC is sponsored by the National Association of Counties and the US Conference of Mayors. http://www.naco.org/programs/comm_dev/center/index.cfm
Joint Venture: Silicon Valley
Learn about Joint Venture: Silicon Valley (JVSV), a "non-profit incubator for Silicon Valley, working to ensure all people in our region have opportunity to succeed in the New Economy." Projects of JVSV including the Silicon Valley 2010 strategic planning initiative. The Silicon Valley Environmental Partnership (SVEP), a project of JVSV, "promotes environmentally sound business and community practices through collaboration and education. The Partnership's vision for Silicon Valley is a sustainable community with a vibrant economy and a healthy environment."
Silicon Valley Manufacturing Group
"The Silicon Valley Manufacturing Group (SVMG) is organized to involve principal officers and senior
managers of member companies in a cooperative effort with local, regional, state and federal government officials to address major public policy issues affecting the economic health and quality of life in Silicon Valley."
Sustainable Seattle
Sustainable Seattle is a volunteer network and civic forum concerned with promoting sustainable development on the local level in Seattle, Washington. Sustainable Seattle lead the way nationally and internationally with their Indicators of Sustainability, which discusses Seattle's efforts at developing ways to measure progress toward, or away from, sustainability. http://www.sustainableseattle.org/
Sustainable San Francisco
Sustainable San Francisco is a community effort to create a sustainable future for the City of San Francisco.
Nearly 350 individuals have prepared a draft plan to preserve and enhance The City's long-term environmental health and quality of life.
Smart Growth Network
To encourage development that better serves the economic, environmental and social needs of communities. The Network provides a forum for information-sharing, education, tool development and application, and
collaboration on smart growth issues.
Urban Ecology
Urban Ecology supports and participates in the development of ecologically healthy and socially vital cities and towns. It has recently developed "Blueprint for a Sustainable Bay Area", which aims to create a vision for the San Francisco Bay Area based on sustainable alternatives. http://www.urbanecology.org

Greening of Business
Business for Social Responsibility
Founded in 1992, Business for Social Responsibility (BSR) is a US-based global resource for companies seeking to sustain their commercial success in ways that demonstrate respect for ethical values, people, communities and the environment.
Global Environmental Management Initiative
The Global Environmental Management Initiative (GEMI) is a non-profit organization of leading companies dedicated to fostering environmental, health and safety excellence worldwide through the sharing of tools and information in order for business to help business achieve environmental excellence.
INFORM
A national organization that identifies practical ways of living and doing business that are environmentally
sustainable.
International Organization for Standardization (ISO)
"The mission of ISO is to promote the development of standardization and related activities in the world with a view to facilitating the international exchange of goods and services, and to developing cooperation in the spheres of intellectual, scientific, technical and economic activity." Extensive links and basic introductory information on ISO 14000, the international set of standards for environmental management.
The Natural Step
The Natural Step (TNS) is a non-profit environmental education organization working to build an ecologically and economically sustainable society. TNS offers a framework that is based on science and serves as a compass for businesses, communities, academia, government entities and individuals working to redesign their activities to become more sustainable.
Sustainable Business.com: The Center for Environmental Business on the Web
A focal point on the Web for the full range of environmental business sectors, from recycling to green building, from renewable energy to organic products, from social investing to certified forestry. We supply information and connection to accelerate momentum toward a green economy.
Tomorrow Magazine
The official website of Tomorrow magazine, with news and trends, sector-by-sector analysis of environmental policies, and a directory of leading companies.
World Business Council on Sustainable Development
The World Business Council for Sustainable Development is a coalition of 125 international companies united by a shared commitment to the environment and to the principles of economic growth and sustainable development.
This site provides information about the WBSCD and the work it does, including research into various issues involving business and sustainable development. Site highlights include an Eco-Efficiency Case Study Database (http://challenge.bi.no/cases/), which presents the case studies from the WBSCD book Eco-Efficiency: The Business Link to Sustainable Development; and a library of WBSCD members' speeches on a variety of business and sustainable development topics.