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Class of 2017, Postgraduate Diploma in Corporate Sustainability<\/p><\/div>\n
Jane Arrington, Greenville Water
\nMark Borgsteede, Greenville Technical College
\nWalter Bridgham, WestPoint Home LLC
\nLinda Clark, Southern Weaving
\nRobyn Knox, Southern Weaving
\nKeith Lang, WestPoint Home LLC
\nEddie Lanier, WestPoint Home LLC
\nRebecca McKinney, Bon Secours St. Francis Health System
\nKelly Mezzapelle, City of Myrtle Beach
\nLydia Palumbo, Post-baccalaureate Fellow, Furman University
\nPeter Ramirez, Michelin North America
\nChad Russell, Cox Recovery
\nShawn Skonieczny, BMW Manufacturing Co., LLC
\nJames Sommese, ScanSource Inc.
\nStephanie Stolze, BMW Manufacturing Co., LLC
\nMichael Wade, Greenville Technical College<\/p>\n
\u201cCorporate sustainability is being embraced across the country, not only because it\u2019s the right thing to do, but because it makes business sense,\u201d said Brad Bechtold, executive director of Continuing Education at Furman. \u201cIt lowers business costs, improves productivity and enhances reputation.\u00a0 Our corporate sustainability program provides the tools, techniques and strategic thinking business leaders need to build a coherent sustainability strategy. These outstanding graduates are now armed with the knowledge, skills and ability to make a difference in their organizations and the community.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bechtold said the course offers a broad overview of sustainability as well as a detailed review of major practices in sustainability. It also identifies the sustainable business strategies that offer the most effective return on investment and demonstrate how sustainability can become an ongoing strategic business practice.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur postgraduate diploma in corporate sustainability is aimed at business people in charge of defining and implementing sustainability initiatives for their organizations,\u201d Bechtold said. \u201cThere are many sustainability type educational programs across the country, but none are as comprehensive and business focused as Furman\u2019s program, which will be offered again in the spring of 2018.\u201d<\/p>\n
Keith Lang, vice president of WestPoint Home LLC and 2017 graduate of the program said, \u201cIn today\u2019s competitive business environment, customers and stakeholders are increasingly demanding that sustainability be a core component of a company\u2019s operations. Companies that fail to recognize this fact risk being left behind. The Postgraduate Diploma in Corporate Sustainability provided us with the tools to organize and build on our current sustainability initiatives and effectively communicate these to all of our audiences.\u201d<\/p>\n
Peter Ramirez, progress specialist with Michelin NA, said, \u201cThe program covered all dimensions of sustainability, exposed us to current best practices and challenges facing businesses and our community, and featured industry-recognized leaders as presenters. In addition to what I now know, I left the program equipped with a network of practitioners and a library of over 1,200 articles and research topics. Whether you are responsible for starting a program or simply sustaining one, I believe this is the best way to start.\u201d<\/p>\n