Building a competency model for sustainability

Multiple drivers have transformed sustainability from concept to an institutional imperative. Environmental and sustainability knowledge and skills are increasingly valued competencies by many organizations. These emerging attributes help define qualifications for green jobs and organizational performance [1, 2]. The purpose of this paper is to review a sustainability competency model (SCM) that is being applied to an online Masters level Sustainable Systems Engineering degree (SSE) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The model will be of interest to companies and organizations that wish to develop institutional and individual capabilities to meet the needs of their customers and stakeholders. The paper reflects knowledge, skills and mindsets developed through behavioural interviews with sustainability experts from business, government and academia. Many of the businesses involved develop and use electronics devices.