University of San Diego
EN-9: Staff Professional Development

The University of San Diego Human Resources provides training and professional development opportunities for all staff, which include sustainability related training through the HR Wellness Program and the USD Outdoors Adventures Program. All staff are also able to attend the training and other events hosted by various campus institutes such as the Center for Peace and Commerce and the Center for Education Excellence which organizes many sustainability and related events and educational workshops every year. HR also conducts training on workplace harassment, organizational cultural incentives (Culture of Care, Inclusion and Diversity, etc.), and financial management. Examples: USD provides several wellbeing services for employees, including information on the USD Wellness website and regular “Being Well @ USD” sessions. The Being Well @ USD website has content specifically targeting employee wellness issues. Under each Being Well component, information is provided as well as links to internal and external resources that will help in improving wellness in this area. The “Being Well @ USD” sessions are free interactive workshops with internal and external presenters discussing topics such as making healthy choices, personal fitness goals and making behavioral changes. The USD Outdoor Adventures program is open to all staff as well as students. This program has a recreation as well as a sustainability focus, with its ‘leave no trace’ ethos. It builds awareness through facilitating participants to experience and enjoy the natural environment. Participating in the Outdoor Adventures program allows staff members to connect with this network, learn about sustainability issues and participate in related activities. New staff orientation conducted by the Human Resource department includes information on sustainability initiatives and benefits such as transportation savings accounts (for use on public transport), and fresh air parking permits (a free parking permit to park 16 days on campus for staff that use alternative, sustainable transport 80% of the time or more) to promote sustainable behavior to new staff.

The Office of Sustainability has paid for sustainability-focused training for Facilities Management staff to assist them in software and other practices to more efficiently operate the buildings on campus. The Office of Sustainability has also provided funding for staff and students to attend sustainability-related conferences.

See also: http://www.sandiego.edu/facilities/facilities-services/environmental-and-health-safety/training-programs.php