Alexander Van Lewen - SEA Case Story

Alexander Van Lewen, SEA Chief Marketing Officer at Scott's Automotive and Service Centers in Fort Collins, Colorado. In April 2023, ISSP talked to Alexander about his career journey.

What brought you to this moment in your career where the Sustainability Excellence Associate (SEA) made sense for you?

Partnership with ISSP for me was an opportunity to deeply invest in my career as a sustainability leader, and pursuit of the Sustainability Excellence Associate credentials provided me a pivotal challenge which could further my knowledge on how to create a better world. Developing the core principles and applications of sustainability in our world went beyond my academic disciplines, shaping me into a better systems thinker and innovative problem solver.

It made sense for me to attain the SEA credential as proof that I am genuinely invested in sustainability along diverse applications, and since its completion I've reframed my work to improve sustainability within the automotive industry.

How are you putting the knowledge, skills, and ability demonstrated in the SEA to work in your career (or work) today?

The abilities, knowledge, and skills I've mastered from earning the SEA credential are demonstrated in my work by furthering sustainability initiatives which reduce impacts from resource consumption on local communities and ecosystems. Networking within ISSP has created new connections for me which expand my comprehension for the application of sustainability for businesses. Responsible stewardship in the automotive industry is possible when firms invest in their stakeholders such as clients, employees, and suppliers to create sustainable growth with reduced impacts. Through my career in marketing, I have used my skills as a sustainability leader to create events which connect communities and invest in serving the underserved. I truly believe that the collective action and partnership of businesses among diverse industries can mitigate the negative impacts of human development, and I seek to create sustainability in many forms throughout my career.

For those starting out in the sustainability field, what advice do you have for them?

Career transitions can be messy and lead to a lot of curious discoveries, and our adaptivity to these transitions is necessary. Sustainability can be a field which comes with confusion as many people are still figuring out the applications of sustainability. My advice to those entering the field of sustainability is to embrace the adaptive qualities of sustainability leaders and study how sustainability is integrated into your community. Understanding how you can help become a proponent of change can lead you to your true passion and create tangible impact on the world around you.

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Listening, Learning, and Rebuilding Connection: Reflections from Our First ISSP Town Hall

By Elizabeth Dinschel, December 18, 2025 • December 18, 2025

Elizabeth Dinschel, MA, MBA, is the Executive Director of ISSP Earlier this month, we hosted our first global ISSP Town Hall since I stepped into the role of Executive Director. I logged off that call energized, humbled, and deeply grateful for the honesty, generosity, and care that our members brought into the space. This Town Hall was never meant to be a one-way update. It was designed as a listening session — a chance for ISSP leadership and staff to hear directly from sustainability professionals across regions, sectors, and career stages. And you delivered. What follows are a few reflections on what I heard, what we learned, and where we’re headed next together. Why We Called This Town Hall ISSP has gone through a period of transition — new leadership, new staff, and a renewed focus on modernizing how we serve a truly global membership. Change can be energizing, but it can also create moments of uncertainty and disconnection. We knew we needed to pause, gather our community, and listen with intention. The Town Hall brought together members from multiple continents, industries, and disciplines. Sustainability practitioners, consultants, engineers, communicators, policy professionals, and career-transitioners all showed up with thoughtful questions and candid feedback. One thing was immediately clear: this community cares deeply about its work, about each other, and about ISSP’s role in supporting sustainability professionals at a challenging moment for the field.

Can sustainability be saved by tackling loneliness, not just CO₂ emissions?

By Raz Godelnik, Associate Professor • November 20, 2025

Raz Godelnik is an Associate Professor of Strategic Design and Management at Parsons School of Design — The New School. He is the author of Rethinking Corporate Sustainability in the Era of Climate Crisis . You can follow him on LinkedIn . Can sustainability be saved by tackling loneliness, not just CO₂ emissions? Earlier this month, I stopped at Sunshine Coffee in Laramie, Wyoming, on our way to Yellowstone Park. What brought me there was the fact that it’s a zero-waste coffee shop, with no single-use consumer items. In other words, there are no disposable cups — not for customers dining in, and not even for those who want their coffee to go, like I did. Instead, you can either bring your own reusable cup or get your drink in a glass jar for $1, which is refunded on your next order when you return it (or you can simply keep it, as I did). At first, I was excited about the zero-waste coffee shop concept, wondering what it would take for Starbucks and other coffee chains to adopt it and eliminate the waste that has become an integral part of our coffee (and other drinks) consumption. But as I waited for my coffee, I began to notice something else — something that had little to do with waste and everything to do with people. As I looked around, I noticed their stickers. Beneath the logo, it read: Zero waste. Community space . Suddenly it clicked — this coffee shop isn’t just about eliminating waste; it’s about creating a place where people feel connected. As owner and founder of Sunshine Coffee, Megan Johnson, explained in an interview with This is Laramie : “I wanted to bring sustainable values to Wyoming as well as build a business that serves the community.” That got me thinking about how the second part — serving the community — is integral to the first. After all, in a world where loneliness — a key barrier to people’s well-being — is on the rise, shouldn’t creating spaces for connection be just as central to sustainability as going zero waste?