Labor Department hosts sustainability workshop

In partnership with the State Energy Sector Partnership and the Workforce Development Council, the Hawaii Department of Labor and Industrial Relations is sponsoring a series of workshops across the state that will help Hawaii business leaders tackle some of their toughest strategic challenges as consumer mindsets and the broader economy shift to an era of sustainable development.

These one day, highly interactive workshops are primarily for managers, human resource professionals and business owners. They will be led by Scott Cooney, adjunct professor of sustainability in the MBA program at the University of Hawaii at Manoa’s Shidler College of Business, and Shanah Trevenna, president of the Sustainability Association of Hawaii.

“Using a sustainability mindset to set your company’s strategic direction can lead to real breakthroughs,” said Cooney. “It can save your company money, sure, but it can also create whole new product and service lines, generate tremendous goodwill, and create real competitive advantage. In addition, consumers and employees are increasingly demanding it.”

The workshop will include four sessions: “Sustainability 101 for Business,” “Communications for Sustainability,” “Opportunities for Sustainability” and “Engaging the Green Workforce.”

This full-day workshop includes locally sourced coffee, tea, snacks and lunch. Cost is $29. The Big Island workshop will be held Wednesday, Aug. 1, at the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii near Kailua-Kona. For further information and to register, please visit www.sesphawaii.com/workshop.