Professional Practice for Sustainable Development, or
PP4SD as it is usually called, originated out a seminar
held by the Council for Environmental Education and
the Environment Agency in 1998. The purpose of the
day was to find out if there was support for training
for professionals, which would enable them to be more
confident and competent in integrating sustainable
development principles into their working practice.
There was unanimous support for the idea and a working
group comprising CEE, the Environment Agency, the Institution
of Environmental Sciences and the Natural Step developed
a proposal for inter-professional learning. The proposal
was submitted to the Environmental Action Fund for grant
aid and was successful.
When the project began in 1999, the first task was to
agree expectations, outcomes and outputs for the first
three years. The idea of producing a Foundation Course
in sustainable development emerged as the path the group
wished to follow. The concept of systems thinking would
underpin the training. Developing the Foundation Course
was a real inter-professional learning process. The process
started with the group producing a Framework that would
be used to guide activities. The process also generated
two documents, one on the business case for CPD in sustainable
development and a second on guidance in developing cross
professional learning opportunities and tools. These
are both available on the Downloads page of this website.
Now in phase two, the original group has changed and
expanded. But the goal remains the same: the integration
of sustainable development principles into professional
training. PP4SD is extending the professional sectors
in which it works and continues to organise cross-professional
events. It has also established a strategic link with
the Sustainability Alliance which is a powerful lobbying
body, representing professional institutions, on issues
of sustainability.
The current partners on the project
management group are:
The Environment Agency
The Institution of
Environmental Sciences
Society for the Environment
The Royal Society for the Protection
of Birds
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