When we first starting tracking our operational sustainability nine years ago we thought our activities would mainly involve reducing our ecological footprint. Indeed, we initiated some pioneering efforts such as calculating our carbon emissions and purchasing carbon offsets. While these activities along with reducing, reusing and recycling materials and green procurement remain important and are now simply the way IISD operates, over time social aspects of IISD have become more prominent.

This is no surprise. Right from the beginning, the IISD team that monitors, assesses and reports on our operational sustainability has had several dedicated and motivated volunteers. And they typify the spirit of IISD people and our organizational culture.

Simply put, people associated with IISD–employees, associates, board members, senior fellows and consultants–bring vision, energy and insight, creating a vigorous, healthy organization. To better portray this dynamic our recently re-designed operational sustainability report has more to say about IISD’s organizational culture and the well-being of our people.

IISD’s operational sustainability report previously followed the Global Reporting Initiative guidelines, which monitored economic, environmental and social dimensions of our operations and was published annually as a pdf at: http://www.iisd.org/about/sdreporting/

This format has now changed. We have re-worked and expanded our indicators to provide a snapshot of how IISD invests in its people to equip them with the knowledge and tools they need; levels of fairness, equity and diversity at IISD; and whether our workplaces are healthy.

Our re-vamped operational sustainability report will be soon available in html. You will be able to see trend lines and information without having to look through numerous pdfs. It will include information on:

- Our People

- Enriching our Knowledge and Understanding

- Creating an equal, fair and diverse workplace

- Creating a healthy work environment

- Conserving resources, reducing our ecological footprint

Look for our new report on-line at http://www.iisd.org/about/sdreporting in March 2009.