Vision

We see an interconnected group of healthy, compact, livable urban centers across the Central Puget Sound region, where people work together to restore and improve the vitality of communities, the economy, and the environment.

Mission

Sustainable Seattle advances an integrated vision of urban sustainability by measuring progress, building diverse coalitions, and undertaking key initiatives.

Strategy

We convene local and regional governments, businesses and the public to create a civic agenda that unites the region around long-term sustainability goals, actions and indicators;

We partner with urban centers and neighborhoods throughout the region to advance urban sustainability, share knowledge and create an interconnected sustainability network;

We develop indicators, provide original research, and serve as a clearinghouse of cutting-edge information and tools;

We provide the facilitation, resources and education for community development through participatory action research or grassroots activism.

Founded in 1991, Sustainable Seattle is a non-profit organization that promotes sustainability in the Central Puget Sound, nationally, and internationally. We create cutting edge products, processes and leadership that propel people and communities forward in reaching sustainability - locally and globally.

Purpose
Sustainable Seattle's purpose is as it always has been: Contribute to achieving the goal of a sustainable future. We strive to create healthy communities, economies, and ecosystems by serving as an incubator for emerging people, projects, and ideas, as a convener of diverse citizens and practitioners, and as a catalyst for turning indicators into action.

Definition of Sustainability
Sustainable Seattle follows the United Nation’s Brundtland Commission’s definition of sustainability as ‘meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to met their own needs. Our Common Future, 1987.  In practice, we seek to balance concerns for social equity, ecological integrity, and economic vitality – to create a livable community today while ensuring a healthy and fulfilling legacy for our children’s children.   Our definition of sustainability for our region is encapsulated by the sustainability indicators, goals, data and actions that are a product of participatory action research fundamental to Sustainable Seattle. You can see our forth iteration of sustainability indicators for our region by clicking here.

Core Competencies
Sustainable Seattle's core competencies are participatory action research and regional sustainability indicator development. Through the participatory action research process, Sustainable Seattle brought together community members from all facets of city life to define and research regional sustainability indicators so as to define sustainability for our region, to measure our region’s real progress, drive social change, inform policy makers to guide behavior changes that will steer our community to a more sustainable future. The indicators, goals, data and actions are intended to leverage further action, to spur creative and critical thinking, to inspire thoughtfulness around values and priorities, and to create the next iteration of sustainability indicator relevant to our region.

Impact

In the 1990s Sustainable Seattle was at the forefront of defining sustainability with its groundbreaking work on city and regional indicators and systems thinking. The original founders of Sustainable Seattle had a clear vision of what kind of information was needed to move the city and region forward towards a more sustainable future and that it would require systems thinking and planning to act on that information. Their creativity, energy, and innovative ideas are still referenced today as a formative spark in the sustainability movement. Many cities around the world continue to look to Sustainable Seattle as a resource and mentor as they develop their own indicators and efforts toward sustainability.

Sustainable Seattle is acknowledged as a worldwide leader in sustainability indicators based on citizens’ values and goals for their communities.  Redefining Progress, surveyed over 170 sustainability projects around the country and found that over 90 of them used Sustainable Seattle as a model for their own initiatives.

In 1996, the Sustainable Seattle Indicators were recognized by the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements with an “Excellence in Indicators Best Performance” Award. Sustainable Seattle has also received many other awards over our almost 20 year history. Sustainable Seattle is held to be the first "Sustainable Community" organization. Today, there are over 50 "Sustainability Community" organizations in Washington and hundreds nation wide.

Founders
Alan AtKisson          Karla Berkendall          Nea Caroll
Richard Conlin         Jan Drago                    Susan Hall
Steve Nickolas          Vicki Robin                 David Smukowski

Walking the Talk

At Sustainable Seattle, we integrate sustainability in our work, programs and lives. In 2009, we began to develop indicators to demonstrate transparency and accountability towards our mission through collaboration and social justice. To view our draft outline, please click here. We welcome your comments and feedback at info@sustainableseattle.org.

 In celebration of our 15th year anniversary, we issued our first Sustainability Report. Download Sustainable Seattle's 2006 Sustainability Report (Part 1 - Part 2).