Sustainability Leaders to Gather In Chicago May 8-10 for ISSP Conference 2013

PORTLAND, OR, April 26, 2013 /3BL Media/ – ISSP Conference 2013, to be held in Chicago May 8-10, will feature a stellar line-up of keynoters and session presenters who will address some of today's hottest topics in the sustainability profession. At the event in Chicago, the International Society of Sustainability Professionals will also induct four major figures in the sustainability profession into the ISSP Sustainability Hall of Fame (TM), which was established in 2011 to formally recognize individuals who have made significant contributions to the field of sustainability and to the professionals who serve it. Karen Weigert, sustainability director for the City of Chicago, will welcome participants to the opening day of the conference, along with Marsha Willard, executive director of ISSP.

Professional certification, integrated reporting, and corporate responses to climate adaptation and ecosystem services are just a few of the topics to be discussed by conference participants. Among the keynote speakers at the event will be:

• Bob Massie, president and CEO of the New Economics Institute, whose mission is to build a New Economy that prioritizes the well-being of people and the planet.

• Mike Wallace, director of the Global Reporting Initiative's (GRI) Focal Point USA program, who will discuss trends in sustainability reporting.

• Rob Dietz, co-author of Enough Is Enough: Building A Sustainable Economy in a World of Finite Resources, a visionary but realistic alternative to the perpetual pursuit of more.

The year's class of inductees into the ISSP Sustainability Hall of Fame ™ will be honored during the conference, to take place at the Millennium Knickerbocker hotel in downtown Chicago. They are:

• Alan AtKisson, President and CEO of AtKisson Group. Alan has helped hundreds of organizations and leaders worldwide develop sustainability strategies, design initiatives, manage complex programs, assess progress, and find better pathways to effective sustainability leadership.

• John Elkington, Founding Partner & Executive Chairman of Volans, a future-focused business working at the intersection of the sustainability, entrepreneurship and innovation movements. John is also co-founder of SustainAbility, where he remains a non-executive member of the board and of Environmental Data Services.

• Hazel Henderson, Founder of Ethical Markets Media, LLC and the creator and co-executive producer of its TV series. She is an interdisciplinary economist and political theorist and contributor to the creation of the ethical investment industry. Report, and E/The Environmental Magazine.

• L. Hunter Lovins, President and Founder of Natural Capitalism Solutions, which educates senior decision-makers in business, government and civil society to restore and enhance the natural and human capital while increasing prosperity and quality of life.

ISSP Conference 2013 is being supported by a great group of sponsors and vendors who will be exhibiting their products and services during an exposition that will be open throughout the conference. ISSP would like to thank and acknowledge the following organizations. Without their support, the event would not be possible:

• Speaker Sponsor: Ernst & Young

• Break-out and Meal Sponsors: Bard MBA in Sustainability; Bainbridge Graduate Institute; Chatham University School of Sustainability and the Environment; eco-officiency LLC; ISOS Group, LLC; Presidio Graduate School; Rick Woodward, ISSP board member

• Exhibition Vendors: Alliance of Hazardous Materials Professionals – Chicago Chapter; Emission Information, LLC; PalletWrapz; Preton Ltd.; S-CORE; Viz*Spark

• Media and In-Kind Sponsors: Sustainable Plant; Vauthier|Ferguson

ISSP is currently offering a special “Bring A Friend” incentive to everyone who registers to attend ISSP Conference 2013. Any conference participant who refers another person that registers for the conference will qualify for three free months of ISSP membership. For more details about the promotion, see http://bit.ly/ZL80FC. For more information about the conference, visit http://bit.ly/QUYATc.

The International Society of Sustainability Professionals (ISSP) is the world's leading professional association for sustainability professionals. ISSP is a member-driven association committed to moving the profession of sustainability forward through building strong networks and communities of practice. Formed in 2007, ISSP boasts more than 700 members from every continent in the world. Members share resources and best practices, and develop themselves professionally. Webinars, webchats, on-line courses, special reports, resource directories, salary surveys, and a professional competency study are just a sampling of the rich content offered to members. For more information about ISSP, its offerings and ISSP Conference 2013, please visit www.sustainabilityprofessionals.org.