Sustain SC Hires Policy Expert to Lead Sustainability Study
Columbia, SC (November 7, 2022) – Sustain SC is proud to welcome Pam Martin as a Fellow on the organization’s growing team. This new role was created specifically for Martin, who will direct collaborative efforts around sustainable development goals for businesses and organizations. As Fellow, Martin will help lead the SDG pilot study launched by Sustain SC and Ernst & Young (EY) earlier this year.
“Pam will be a huge asset for our team. I often call her a “unicorn” because she has a very unique skill set as one of the few people using the SDG framework at the global level and translating it down to the county level and she is right here in South Carolina” said Ethel Bunch, Sustain SC’s Founder and CEO. “She will play an integral role in identifying ways to improve South Carolina’s SDG ranking and providing opportunities for businesses in our state to actively commit to these sustainability goals at the local level.”
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a collection of 17 interlinked goals designed to be a blueprint and standard by which all countries and states should measure progress. South Carolina is among the lowest ranked states–37th out of 50–in the 2021 United States Sustainable Development Report. The SDG pilot study aims to identify areas where South Carolina is falling behind and the necessary steps toward improvement. With over 1,200 international companies in the Palmetto State, many of these companies are beginning to use SDGs in their sustainability reporting. This comprehensive study will be the first of its kind in the nation, tailored to sustainability goals achievable at the local level. It will provide businesses a wealth of information to leverage, ultimately retaining them in South Carolina and attracting industries with the same goals in mind.
“I’m so excited to join Sustain SC with this study. For me, it’s the culmination of what I’ve been doing my entire life,” Martin said. “Sustain SC is well positioned to create these industry initiatives that will help move our state forward. I’m proud to be a part of this journey.”
Martin brings a diverse background in sustainability and politics to the Sustain SC Fellow role. She is a Political Science Professor at Coastal Carolina University and the HTC Honors College Distinguished Faculty Fellow developing their new Sustainability and Coastal Resilience major. She also sits on the President’s Council for Sustainability and Coastal Resilience.
