Press Release Two Industry Pioneers To Join ISSP’s Sustainability Hall of Fame™

Press Releases

 Two Industry Pioneers To Join ISSP’s Sustainability Hall of Fame™

3 October 2019


Portland, OR: The International Society of Sustainability Professionals (ISSP) today announced that two industry pioneers will join their Sustainability Hall of Fame™, which was established in 2011 to formally recognize individuals who have made significant contributions to the field and to the professionals who serve it. 



ISSP’s nomination process commenced in March of this year and the organization opened up the campaign to the public for the first time. Names were submitted and, after a thorough review, the latest cohort was selected by Committee. The 2019 inductees include:


  • Janine Benyus, co-founder of Biomimicry Institute and Biomimicry 3.8. She is an American biologist, innovation consultant, and author of six books, including “Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature.” Since the book's 1997 release, Janine's work as a global thought leader has evolved the practice of biomimicry from a meme to a movement, inspiring clients and innovators to look to nature to solve society’s most pressing problems. 


  • Vandana Shiva, Indian scholar, environmental activist, food sovereignty advocate, and anti-globalization author. She has authored more than 20 books and was the recipient of the Right Livelihood Award, often referred to as an “Alternative Nobel Prize.” 

An Awards Dinner at the inaugural Global Congress for Climate Change & Sustainability Professionals, which ISSP is convening with the Association of Climate Change Officers (ACCO) this December in Chicago, will honor Benyus and Shiva, both of whom will be attending the Congress. Ray Anderson, Alan AtKisson, Susan Burns, John Elkington, Gil Friend, Hazel Henderson, Jeffrey Hollender, Amory Lovins, Hunter Lovins, Joel Makower, Karl Henrik Robert, Mathis Wackernagel, and Bob Willard are among the Sustainability Hall of Fame’s™ past inductees. 


The sustainability sector has more than enough conferences; this Congress fills an industry need for interactive dialogue, shared problem-solving, and community-sourced insights. As such, it offers ISSP a unique opportunity to identify the requisite skills for the rapidly evolving sustainability field and to further hone ISSP’s industry-leading body of knowledge. 


For more information about ISSP, please visit http://www.sustainabilityprofessionals.org. For more information about the Congress agenda, the Awards Dinner, and other shoulder events, please visit http://www.accoissp.org.


About ISSP

The International Society of Sustainability Professionals is the world’s leading professional association of sustainability practitioners. A member-driven organization, ISSP moves the sustainability profession forward by empowering each other and defining professional excellence. ISSP launched the Sustainability Excellence Associate (SEA) and Sustainability Excellence Professional (SEP) credentials (formerly the ISSP Sustainability Associate and ISSP Certified Sustainability Professional credentials) in 2016 to define and recognize competency in the field of sustainability. ISSP has since partnered with GBCI, which formally acquired the credentials in 2019, to enhance, scale and promote the credentials in order to drive positive environmental, social and economic outcomes in organizations and communities worldwide.

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