Sustainability as an adjective.

While I have been interested in Corporate Social Responsibility (the s is now sustainability) for some time as a business major. I have recently noticed that sustainability is being used increasingly as an adjective in various business theories and concepts.

From sustainable communication to sustainable marketing, our foray into CSR can be eased through adapting our business practices. While I agree that CSR must become part of the corporate culture and be introduced at every level of the company/organization I am fearful that we minimize the importance of sustainability by attaching it as an adjective and using it as a type of shorthand into real and meaningful change.

EPA People, Prosperity & The Planet on the Mall

I was priviledged to be a part of the UMUC P3 team that presented this past weekend on the mall. Although my teammates and I had been working on the project with our amazing Professor Fu for over a year, it was in fact the first time many of us had met in person. Terri flew in from England, Carrissa from San Antonio and the remainder from points up and down Maryland, Virginia and DC.

UMUC is a global University and national leader in providing higher education for adults using an online environment. Our entire project had been completed through online collaboration with help from UMUC marketing and communication departments and the wonderful Professor McLaughlin.

With the acceptance and funding for Phase 1 of our project, the first ever submitted by UMUC, we have set the bar high. Although we did not receive funding for Phase II, the very fact that a group of adults juggling demanding careers, families and various other personal committments in addition to school work, could compete with traditional fulltime students is something that we should all be truly proud of.

The whole focus of our project was to spark a global conversation on how everyone, regardless of where they live, can make changes in their daily lives, that will positively impact the environment (and we don't just mean recycling!) one of many things I don't think the judges completely got! Data on our website already shows that conversation has begun, so while we are understandably disappointed we did not receive funding for Phase II, our project is already a success and I for one will be taking more time to ask my friends around the world "Hey do you wanna talk?"