Sustainability is one of the 21st century's biggest business opportunities,
University of Arkansas officials believe. Discovering and implementing
strategies for conservation and reuse of resources requires collaboration among
many entities. That is why the University of Arkansas has established the
Applied Sustainability Center, funded by a $1.5 million gift from the Wal-Mart
Foundation Inc.
The Applied Sustainability Center, which is an interdisciplinary initiative
of the Sam M. Walton College of Business, will work with a wide range of
partners for the rapid development of sustainable business practices and to
promote their application across the retail and consumer goods industries.
"Being a sustainable university means that as we educate new generations of
leaders, conduct research that makes our lives better and reach out to the
communities of Arkansas, we do not compromise future generations," said
Chancellor John A. White. "The new Applied Sustainability Center allows us to
maintain a commitment to the environment and also to assist others in their
goals of becoming more sustainable. I am thankful to the Wal-Mart Foundation for
their generous support of this critical initiative."
"We are very excited to be collaborating with multiple businesses,
nongovernmental organizations, universities and other interested parties on this
initiative," said Dan Worrell, dean of the Walton College. "The center basically
is an umbrella organization and a clearinghouse for ideas. We hope to help
businesses incorporate sustainability into best practices that will increase
long-term profitability and at the same time benefit society."
Jon Johnson, Walton College professor of management, has been working on the
formation of the center for the past year and is serving as the center's
executive director. The University of Arkansas Board of Trustees approved the
creation of the Applied Sustainability Center in February 2007.
"This gift from the Wal-Mart Foundation will enable us to create an
information hub and a network of experts to support the corporate community in
their efforts to become more sustainable," he said.
Johnson is a long-standing environmentalist and has been active in such
organizations as the Ozark Natural Science Center.
"Capitalizing on this opportunity is not trivial," added Johnson.
"Sustainability can only be realized when managers understand the nature of the
challenges and opportunities, and have the tools and ways to move on them."
Michele Halsell, previously an assistant dean of the Graduate School of
Business, is serving as managing director of the center. "Our mission is to make
the business case for sustainability," she said. "It is not simply good for the
environment; it is good for business. The center can also help environmentalists
working with business and industry to improve the natural environment."
In the first year, the center plans to conduct two innovation projects. One
will focus on reducing the embodied fossil fuel content of products and will
involve leading experts in carbon reduction.
The second is a sustainable food and agriculture project, in which the center
will collaborate with the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life
Sciences. This project will involve holding working sessions with leading
experts in the use and research of sustainable agriculture to identify key
sustainability factors in 21st century agriculture in the United States.
In addition, the Applied Sustainability Center will play a major role in
education through a speaker series. The objective is to expose the business
community in northwest Arkansas, students and faculty to a wide array of
national thought leaders on sustainability theory.
As part of the education process, the center also will develop pilot training
modules for Wal-Mart buyers, suppliers and other key decision makers on specific
sustainability issues. The modules will be designed to be applicable to any kind
of business and customizable to specific businesses.
"During the first year, a strategic plan will be created to position the
center as a world leader in infusing sustainability into mainstream business
practices," said Johnson. "We hope to expand the center to include additional
corporate sponsors in order to expand our capacity."
"There are many steps on the road to sustainability, but each of us can take
the first steps in our own lives and encourage the people around us to join in,"
he added. "The move toward sustainability means reducing nonrenewable energy and
natural resources such as coal, oil and gas. When people use nonrecyclable
materials in their day-to-day activities, those materials become a continuous
waste stream. Finding sustainable products and services that the world finds
useful to increasing a standard of living is the only sustainable way to address
and reduce the use of nonrenewables."
For archived stories about the University of Arkansas sustainability efforts,
go to the university's Web site at
http://sustainability.uark.edu/
CONTACT:
- Jon Johnson, executive director, Applied Sustainability Center,
Professor, management department
Sam M. Walton College of Business
(479) 575-6227, (479) 422-0060
jonjohn@walton.uark.edu
- Michele Halsell, managing director, Applied Sustainability Center
Sam M. Walton College of Business
(479) 575-3044
mhalsell@walton.uark.edu
- Danielle Povar, manager of development communications
University Relations
(479) 575-7346
dpovar@uark.edu
|
print article
