Carrier Corp. offers leadership support to Sustainable Enterprise Partnership

Carrier Corp. offers leadership support to Sustainable Enterprise PartnershipJune 16, 2009SU News ServicesSUnews@syr.edu

The Sustainable Enterprise Partnership (SEP) has received a second $35,000 gift from Carrier Corp. in support of the cutting-edge program, which provides world-class education and research on sustainable enterprise by leveraging the academic, public and private sector resources of Central New York and beyond to address this significant and growing area of concern for businesses and other organizations through the development of curricula, outreach and collaborative research. This second gift brings Carrier’s total support of the SEP to $70,000.

SEP is a collaboration among the Whitman School of Management at Syracuse University, the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY-ESF), and the Syracuse Center of Excellence (Syracuse CoE). Aimed at professionals and executives at small to mid-sized businesses, the SEP engages in outreach and supports research on sustainable enterprise through the SEP Seminar Series and mini-grants for up to $5,000 to allow businesses and other organizations to apply and incorporate sustainability into their practices, products, services, supply chain, distribution, culture and management.

“Carrier congratulates SU for the creation of a specific program dedicated to sustainability,” says John Mandyck ’89, G’92, vice president of sustainability and environmental strategies for Carrier Corp. “Solutions to today’s environmental challenges require new thinking that the University can uniquely deliver to students through sustainability partnerships like those with Carrier.”

On Nov. 13–14, the SEP will present “Sustainable Use of Renewable Energy 2009 (SURE 2009): Putting Renewable Technologies to Work” as part of the SEP Seminar Series. Previous SEP Seminar Series events include “Business and Sustainability: Purpose? Profitable? Possible!” and “Benefit the Planet and Your Bottom Line: Sustainability Strategies for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises,” both in 2008. For more information on the SEP Seminar Series, visit http://partnersforsustainability.org/index.php.

“On behalf of the SEP, we are grateful to Carrier for their continued and generous support,” says Elet Callahan, faculty director of the SEP and professor of law and public policy at the Whitman School. “Carrier’s involvement in the SEP affirms the importance of our efforts to integrate business, science, policy and practice.”

Also geared toward college students, the SEP piloted the first graduate-level course in sustainable enterprise for SU and SUNY-ESF students in 2008, “Managing Sustainability: Purpose, Principles and Practice,” which examined the science and policy aspects of sustainability and their application to business and other organizations; academic and industry experts from Syracuse to Washington, D.C., participated as guest lecturers. Additionally, the SEP added an undergraduate elective, “Sustainable Enterprise in the 21st Century,” which explores various aspects of sustainability and examines how businesses and other enterprises can incorporate sustainable practices into daily and long-term operations.

Carrier’s Sustainability Initiatives

As the global leader in air conditioning, heating and refrigeration systems, Carrier is dedicated to providing sustainable solutions. Carrier believes that companies of the future must have measured sustainability in products, people, production and practices. For products, Carrier has developed technologies that eliminate ozone depletion and increase energy efficiency. For people, Carrier has invested $139 million since 1996 to help employees earn 5,355 college degrees to advance a sustainability workforce. For production, Carrier has lowered greenhouse gas emissions by 18 percent since 2006. For practices to advance a sustainable enterprise, Carrier has incorporated LEED green building requirements for its own buildings, developed the highest standards for ethics and safety, and created a culture of community involvement. Carrier is also dedicated to transforming building practices as the only company in the world to be a founding member of the U.S., India and China green building councils.

SEP Mini-grants

To promote research in sustainable enterprise, the SEP makes available mini-grants for up to $5,000. All professors and researchers from SU, SUNY-ESF and the Syracuse CoE with interest and expertise in sustainable business concepts, practices, metrics and assessments are eligible. In keeping with the SEP’s emphasis on transdisciplinary collaboration and integration, investigators from at least two disciplines are required for each proposal.

The Campaign for Syracuse University

Carrier’s support of SEP is counted in The Campaign for Syracuse University totals. With a goal of $1 billion, the campaign is the most ambitious fundraising effort in SU’s history. By supporting faculty excellence, student access, interdisciplinary programs, capital projects and other institutional priorities, the campaign is continuing to drive Scholarship in Action, the University’s vision to provide students, faculty and communities with the insights needed to incite positive and lasting change in the world. More information is available online at http://campaign.syr.edu.

For more information about SEP, visit http://partnersforsustainability.org/index.php.