PRINCETON, NJ and BURLINGTON, VT--(Marketwire - December 1, 2009) - Kaplan EduNeering, a
leading provider of compliance and knowledge management solutions, and
Seventh Generation, a pioneer and leader in sustainability, announced the
launch of their new Sustainability Institute. The Kaplan
EduNeering/Seventh Generation Sustainability Institute
(
www.InstituteSustainability.com) will provide business and governmental
managers, employees, subcontractors and supply chain partners with best
practices and specialized training in the development and implementation of
sustainability initiatives.
"Sustainability is a holistic, systems-based learning approach to living
well today by employing business practices that enable future generations
to live better tomorrow," said Lisa Clune, President of Kaplan EduNeering.
"The Kaplan EduNeering/Seventh Generation Sustainability Institute provides
practical guidance and training for business practices that are responsive
to the principles of sustainability and to the financial expectations of
stakeholders."
"There is now compelling evidence that sustainable companies enjoy a
competitive advantage over organizations that continue to embrace an
exclusive focus on short term profits," said Jeffrey Hollender, Executive
Chairman of Seventh Generation. "That business paradigm is now seen as
counterproductive, not only for society and the natural world but also for
company stakeholders. Organizations are beginning to understand that
responsible corporate behavior has become a business imperative and that it
will only become increasingly more important in the future."
Although recent studies confirm the belief among business professionals
that environmental, social and governance activities create shareholder
value and increase consumer loyalty, a study by MIT Sloan Management Review
and Boston Consulting Group reports that only 30% of firms are implementing
sustainability practices.
The Kaplan EduNeering/Seventh Generation Sustainability Institute provides:
-- An online library of courses, including "Sustainability 101,"
"Sustainable Supply Chain" and "Greenhouse Gas Management." Each of these
modules addresses one of the essential business practices in an effective
sustainability program. The Sustainability Institute courses are also a
good primer for companies seeking distribution with Wal-Mart and that must
adhere to Wal-Mart's Sustainability Index. Kaplan EduNeering is a pioneer
in online learning and has developed more than 4,000 custom courses and
learning exercises for its clients and a library of 550 standardized
compliance and regulatory courses.
-- Ten video modules for ongoing sustainability learning, with topics
ranging from "Developing a Sustainability Mindset" to "Be Transparent."
The video series includes five modules centered on sustainable business
practices. Each of these modules addresses one of the essential business
practices in an effective sustainability program. The videos feature
Jeffrey Hollender, Seventh Generation's co-founder and current Executive
Chairman. As the company's Inspired Protagonist, Jeffrey has advised
Fortune 500 companies and authored best-selling books including "How to
Make the World a Better Place: A Guide for Doing Good" and "What Matters
Most - How a small group of pioneers are teaching social responsibility to
big business - and why big business is listening." Jeffrey's newest book,
"The Responsibility Revolution," is scheduled for publication in March
2010.
-- An online toolkit called the Sustainability Communication Coach(SM)
(SCC), which includes articles, brochures, mini-training modules, case
studies and other resources to develop and sustain an ongoing, enterprise-
wide sustainability communications program. The SCC is modeled after Kaplan
EduNeering's widely used Ethics Communication Coach(SM), which now includes
2,000 tools and celebrates its ten-year anniversary in 2009.
-- Optional services, including sustainability consulting, through
Seventh Generation's professional staff and an exam prep package for the
LEEDv3 (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design). A Green Associate
certificate awarded by the Green Building Council can be provided by Kaplan
AE Education.
"The gap between 'recognizing' the value of sustainability and 'achieving'
that value is costing businesses around the world billions of dollars in
lost profits," said Lisa Clune. "The Kaplan EduNeering/Seventh Generation
Sustainability Institute provides the broad resources to help companies
understand and achieve the tangible benefits of sustainable business
practices."
About Kaplan EduNeering
Kaplan EduNeering (
www.kaplaneduneering.com) is part of Kaplan, Inc., a
leading global provider of educational services to individuals, schools and
businesses. Kaplan is a subsidiary of The Washington Post Company (
NYSE:
WPO). Kaplan EduNeering develops technology-enabled knowledge solutions for
assuring regulatory compliance and improving business performance. Kaplan
EduNeering is headquartered in Princeton, NJ, and has offices in Houston,
TX, Bloomsburg, PA, and London, UK.
About Seventh Generation
Seventh Generation is a leader in corporate responsibility and sustainable
business practices and is committed to being the most trusted brand of
household and personal-care products for your living home. It derives its
name from the Iroquois belief that "In our every deliberation, we must
consider the impact of our decisions on the next seven generations."
For information on Seventh Generation cleaning, paper, baby and feminine
personal care products, to find store locations, and explore the company's
website visit
www.seventhgeneration.com. To read more about Seventh
Generation's corporate responsibility, visit the Corporate Consciousness
Report at:
www.seventhgeneration.com/corporate-responsibility/2008.
Contact Information: FOR INFORMATION:
Ellen Leinfuss
Kaplan EduNeering
609 627 5390
ellen.leinfuss@kaplan.com
Meghan Butler
Seventh Generation
802-658-3773 x 519
meb@seventhgeneration.com