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1. What is a sustainability plan?

A sustainability plan is a framework to guide efforts toward achieving common goals. It lays out strategies, implementation steps and measures of success for optimizing resources.

2. Who needs a sustainability plan?

Organizations that seek to thrive, not just survive, need sustainability plans. Communities that strive to develop their potential now and for generations to come. Businesses that understand that success is built on community partnerships and sharing common goals need them as well.

3. What does a sustainability plan cover?

Plans vary depending on specific challenges and needs, but a basic framework includes:

• Measurement for success


• Recognition of key issues


• Short and long term goals


• Strategies for meeting goals

4. How do we develop a sustainability plan?

Explore the links in the Sustainability Plans section. Decide which items are relevant to your organization and adopt the steps to take.

5. How do we implement a sustainability plan?

To implement a sustainability plan, you need to:

• Build Partnerships.


• Communicate your goals and strategies.


• Define issues in relatable ways.


• Present opportunities.


• Review similar organization's plans to glean best practices from success stories.

6. How do we measure sustainability plan success?

We measure success by gathering baseline information, setting goals, documenting action toward achieving those goals then evaluating and reporting results.

Some resources, like Energy Star partnerships, offer free tools for gathering and analyzing data. View the Energy Star website.