IRVINE, CA — (Marketwired) — 10/23/13 — CleanTechOC, an association of companies and organizations dedicated to the economic growth of cleantech and the development of sustainability in Orange County, today announced the launch of the Orange County Sustainability Council (OCSC). This new council will seek to continue the work of CleanTech OC–s highly successful Corporate Sustainability Officer Roundtable in pushing the “sustainability envelope” in Orange County by helping businesses and organizations of all types find creative, cost effective ways of becoming more energy efficient, more resource conserving, and, ultimately, more competitive through sustainability efforts.
“Over the past few years, corporate sustainability has become a hot issue for businesses large and small, and organizations of almost every kind and size,” said Greg Trimarche, president and chairman, CleanTech OC. “Among other things, corporate America now faces a wide range of sustainability-focused inquiries, demands, risks and challenges from customers, investors, regulators, consumers, NGOs and other watchdog groups, and media organizations. Internally, the challenges can be just as great: gaining approval and –investment– in sustainability programs by management and employees is a daunting task for many corporate sustainability officers.”
“In a State environment with the strict environmental standards, sustainability will only continue to grow in its importance; especially, as companies look to maintain a competitive advantage,” said Scott Kitcher, executive director, CleanTech OC. “We anticipate that this Council will be a major driving force in the evolution of corporate sustainability in Orange County and, eventually, throughout California.”
The new Orange County Sustainability Council will focus on the above mentioned and other critical sustainability issues, including:
Sustainability measuring and tracking (and the challenge of metrics)
Sustainable sourcing and the availability of critical raw materials
The role of C-level executives (and CFOs, in particular) in sustainability
The challenge posed by regulatory uncertainty and shifting political winds
Ratings, rankings, and other public relations and marketing issues
“The CSO Roundtable has promoted sharing of experiences and meaningful dialog among its members,” said Chris Harrington, vice president of strategy and business development and chief corporate social responsibility officer, Toshiba America Information Systems. “Toshiba was a founding member of the Roundtable, and looks forward to its evolution into the OC Sustainability Council, which has the clear potential of providing even more value to its participants.”
“Participating in CleanTech OC–s CSO roundtable has been a source of sheer joy over the past two years,” said Carol Turpen, senior manager of corporate communications, Ingram Micro. “They–ve helped me build local, professional connections by creating a space where corporate sustainability leaders throughout Orange County can focus on best-practice sharing with the goal to improve corporate performance.”
CleanTech OC, a non-profit organization, is a catalyst to job creation and economic growth in the cleantech industry in Orange County and throughout California. The collaborative platform facilitates cooperation among its community including business, government and academia, and, so, helps to align goals and objectives to advance the development of renewable energy, clean transportation, energy efficiency (and other resource conservation), green building, green consumer products, and corporate sustainability. Finally, we serve to educate our community in all issues related to cleantech and sustainability.
For more information, please visit , or call (949) 585-2988.
CONTACT:
Dan Chmielewski
Madison Alexander PR for CleanTechOC
714-832-8761
949-231-2965
Scott Kitcher
Executive Director
CleanTech OC
(949) 585-2988