We are planning the roadmap to Sustain South Carolina.
In 2021, South Carolina was among the lowest-ranked states in a U.S. Sustainable Development Report released by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network. Ranked 37th out of 50 states, Sustain SC partnered with Ernst and Young (EY) in 2022 to assess how South Carolina could improve its low position on the list.
Close to 80% of the largest employers in SC with the greatest impact on our state’s GDP measure the sustainable development goals.
As an economic development-focused organization, Sustain SC is committed to ensuring South Carolina remains competitive as we fulfill our mission of connecting the sustainability goals of business in South Carolina with local solutions for the benefit of our economy, environment, and people.
With the goal of boosting South Carolina’s ranking, Sustain SC embarked on an examination of sustainability in the state collaborating with 44 representatives who served as ambassadors and active participants.
The ambassadors honed in on several focus areas: clean water; land conservation; industry, innovation, and infrastructure; responsible production and consumption; and a changing climate.
Through this collaboration, a plan for future sustainable development reflective of the unique commerce and conservation needs of the state was created….The Roadmap to Sustain SC.
The Roadmap to Sustain South Carolina Accelerators
Strategic Partnerships
A sustainable economy should foster economic prosperity and job growth while also encouraging resilience and conservation of natural resources. Sustain SC will advance a future of collaboration among commerce and conservation partners to attract new, sustainable industries and enhance the existing industry in South Carolina.
Resilience and Conservation
After five consecutive years of flooding and storms, South Carolina’s Office of Resilience (SCOR) has created a plan to protect our state’s natural resources and buffer our communities from increased threats through nature-based solutions. Sustain SC is collaborating with SCOR, as well as businesses and organizations in the industry and conservation sectors to focus on more than just mitigating environmental issues, but shift to land and water protection. By investing in sustainable conservation initiatives throughout the state, the joint efforts will reduce risk, encourage opportunities, and protect natural and cultural heritage for future generations.
Sustainable Workforce
Demand for sustainability-related skills in the job market has increased by nearly 40% since 2015. No longer limited to traditional hard sciences, these skills now encompass other areas like project management, emissions measurement, and knowledge of laws and regulations related to sustainability and resilience. Sustain SC is modernizing the STEM initiative to ensure all learners have the knowledge and skills to promote sustainable development, enhance scientific research, upgrade technology capabilities, and encourage sustainable innovation throughout every workforce sector.
Innovation and the Sustainable Revolution
As the fastest growing region in the country, the Southeast is now considered the U.S. economic center of gravity. In an effort to establish South Carolina as the center point of sustainable economic development, Sustain SC is forging alliances between industry and conservation organizations to transition from traditional 20th-century economic practices to 21st-century industries that provide well-paying jobs and implement innovative, sustainable methods in production, supply chain management, and distribution. From 2022-2023, companies announced more than $9.7 billion in EV investments across the state.
Circular Economy
Reducing, reusing, repairing, and repurposing materials for production and consumption in South Carolina not only lowers emissions and protects our natural resources, it creates innovative solutions, reduces costs, increases profits, and saves consumers money. Industries in SC are engaged in the circular economy, re-envisioning our waste as an economic engine for our future.
Affordable, Reliable and Sustainable Energy
Sustain SC wants to support South Carolina towards an affordable, reliable and sustainable energy sector that powers the future of our industries and contributes to the resilience of our state. Through multi-stakeholder engagement with the private and public sector and conservation NGOs, we support cross-sector energy engagement to retain and attract industry in our state.
Metrics and Reporting
Approximately 80% of industries in South Carolina are actively assessing and tracking their sustainability efforts. Sustain SC is collaborating with both industry and conservation partners to establish standardized metrics and approaches for measuring sustainability that reflect the unique needs, goals, and natural resources of our state. We want to attract new sustainable industries and retain our graduates who, as studies show, prefer to work for companies engaged in planning and implementing sustainable solutions.
Sustainability Survey Ambassadors
Amazon
Atlantic Packaging
Audubon
Blue Triton
BMW
Boeing
Center for Heirs Property Preservation
Coastal Conservation League
CocaCola
Darling Fibers
DHEC
EPR
Fraunhofer
GEL Engineering
Ingevity
Lowcountry Land Trust
Michelin
Milliken
Milliken Advisors
The Nature Conservancy
Norfolk Southern
Pacolet Milliken
SCDOT
South Carolina Office of Resilience
Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina
SONOCO
South Carolina Department of Commerce
Upstate Forever
Volvo
Weyerhaeuser
Trane Technologies
ZF Group
