Innovation and the Sustainable Revolution
South Carolina is leading sustainable economic development.
As the fastest growing region in the country, the Southeast is now considered the U.S. economic center of gravity.
As South Carolina emerges as the center point of sustainable economic development, Sustain SC is forging alliances between industry and conservation organizations.
Our goal is 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 electric vehicle (EV) investments across the state.
At Sustain SC, we are actively convening our membership around economic innovation opportunities to engage our supply chains and increase the percentage of R&D spending in life sciences, energy innovation and advanced manufacturing. Sustain SC is a proud partner of the SC Department of Commerce in this work.
Sustain SC members during breakout groups at our Sustainability Toolkit Workshop held in collaboration with SC Fraunhofer USA Alliance.
Strategic Actions
TOGETHER, OUR ACCELERATOR WORKING GROUP IS ADVANCING THE FOLLOWING INITIATIVES:
Developing state-wide Sustainability Playbook with the South Carolina Manufacturing Extension Partnership
Showcasing industry best practices and innovation throughout the state in supply chain workshops
Leveraging our Economic Sustainability Analysis study to educate lawmakers and stakeholders
Hosting Technical Assistance Webinars
Case Study
Sustain SC’s Economic Impact Study
Demand for sustainable technologies is on the rise in the United States and in South Carolina. In a quest to gauge the economic impact of sustainability, Sustain SC commissioned a study led by Joseph C. Von Nessen, Ph.D., a Research Economist at the University of South Carolina [read the full study here]. The purpose of the study was to determine the specific sustainable technology needs of South Carolina businesses and then quantify the potential economic benefits for South Carolina if those needs were met.
Sustainability Toolkit Workshop
To bring businesses together to focus on driving the sustainable revolution in South Carolina, Sustain SC and the SC Competes led SC Fraunhofer USA Alliance hosted more than 50 attendees in June for a Sustainability Toolkit Workshop at the BMW Technical Training Center in Spartanburg. The workshop promoted the intersection of environmental conservation and business practices. The program included four areas that align with Sustain SC’s accelerator focus:
Sustainability Maturity Assessment Tools
Water Quality Management
Energy Efficiencies in Production Environments
Capitalizing Toward a Circular Economy
We are implementing the roadmap to Sustain South Carolina.
Learn more about the other Accelerators that drive our strategic plan.