PB’s Global Sustainable Development Initiative Task Force focuses primarily on training to promote advocacy of sustainable development and give you the information and tools you need to spread the word about how important embracing sustainability is to PB and to our professions. Our key strategies and related accomplishments include those listed below

• Solicit top PB support. Extensive efforts were made to elicit the endorsement of the firm’s senior managers and decision makers. As a result, the Sustainable Development Initiative received nearly unanimous support from the President, Global Management Committee, and Board of Directors, who ratified a Global Sustainable Development Policy (see sidebar). Senior management has consistently supported all of our subsequent initiatives.
• Enlist top technical-expert support. We succeeded in securing sustainable development as one of two themes of the 2003 Technical Exchange Program, sponsored by the Office of Professional Practice, and inspiring almost all of the 150 leading technical attendees to become “missionaries” in their locales and fields of practices. They have reached more than 300 people in subsequent brown-bags seminars and serve as continuing leaders/advocates.
• Institute global training. This training has been developed in three of PB’s major practice areas—highways, transit, and buildings. By fiscal year end, about 700 people will have taken our 8-hour courses. We are expanding the practice areas to include airports and marine ports in 2004 and possibly others in 2005. These courses are the linchpin and primary strategy of our initiative.
• Foster sustainable development research. Recognizing that we have much to learn, our company is fostering numerous research initiatives. The Henry Michel Fellowship initiated in 2004 focuses exclusively on sustainable development Other internal research on sustainable development is supported by the firm’s traditional research program and by the Corporate New Initiatives Program.
• Implement office greening. This program has been initiated to demonstrate our broad-reaching commitment and to inspire employees to consider incorporating greater sustainability into their work. To date, 22 PB offices (all of the UK offices, Singapore, and New York) have achieved ISO-14001 certification and a number of other offices are in the pipeline or are implementing local Environmental Management Systems.
• Encourage employees to obtain enhanced sustainable development credentials. Numerous corporate and local programs plus individual employee initiatives have produced impressive results. So far, PB has 24 LEED-accredited employees, four BREEAM-accredited people in the UK, one Green Star –accredited professional in Australia, and one CEEQUAL assessor in the UK. Suzanne Johnson Crocker has been especially helpful to people in the U.S seeking LEED accreditation.
• Promote project accomplishments. Doing excellent work for our clients is, of course, the ultimate objective of this Initiative. The numerous sustainability–related awards we have won can make us all proud. These include:
  - Corona Maintenance Shop, New York, New York, U.S: 2004 Green Building Design Competition for New York City, Honorable Mention
  - Bulimba Creek Oxbow, Queensland, Australia: 2003 Case Earth Awards for Environment, 2002 Queensland Stormwater Industry Association Award in the Design and Planning Category, and 2002 Ministers Grand prize in the Healthy Waterways Awards¹
  - TradeCoast Central Master Plan, Queensland, Australia: 2003 Stormwater Industry Association of Queensland, high commendation, ‘Major Water Sensitive Urban Design Project over $1.0 Million,²
  - PLACE3S Software, developed in our Portland, Oregon office: 2002 Sierra Club’s Excellence in Environmental Design³
  - Shatin Government Office, Hong Kong: 2002 Sustainable Design Award Scheme for Completed Projects by Architectural Services Department
  - Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong: 2002 Outstanding Green Project Award
  - Shuweihat S1 Independent Power and Water Project, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emerates, (Energy Improvements to Thermal Desalination): 2001 UK Engineering Council Award for Sustainable Engineering⁴
  - Water Reclamation and Management Scheme, Australia: 2000 Australian Water Association Award, Best Watercycle Management
  - State Route 87, Phoenix, Arizona, U. S.: 1999 Environmental Excellence Award in Wetland and Other Ecosystems, Federal Highway Administration
  - Haven of Hope Hospital, Hong Kong: 1997 Energy Efficient Building award by Energy Advisory Committee
• Achieve external recognitions. We were honored to be accepted as a charter sustainable development member of UITP, the international transit association.
• Prepare a global sustainability report. This is in development and will be issued in early 2005.
• Enlist the support of corporate communications. This group has been consistently responsive to our requests and proactive in supporting our initiative. Numerous stories about and references to our activities have been made in various corporate communications, sustainable development is emphasized on PB’s web site, and was in strong focus in PB’s Year in Review video (14 references!), Letters from the President, and much more, including contacts with outside media.