Standards in the Classroom: A Vehicle for Sustainability Education

Sustainable developmentSustainable development is no longer a luxury, but a necessity. SustainabilitySustainability standards and certificationsCertification are voluntary, commonly third party assessed, agreed upon norms and values relating to environmentalEnvironmental, health, wellbeing, social, and ethical issues. From medical devices, to coffee, to fuels; sustainabilitySustainability standards have become an important cog (mechanism) to demonstrate and encourage sustainabilitySustainability leadership. Commonly these standards move beyond the traditional boundaries of manufacturing site process and site to encompass the environmentalEnvironmental, social, and economic impactsImpact of whole productionProduction chains. Bringing these ideas, modes of thinking, and understanding of the related standards to the classroomClassroom is challenging, but vital in pursuit of sustainabilitySustainability. StudentsStudent of all ages are the practitioners, managers, and experts of the future. Whether they become consultants, academics, engineersEngineer, designers, politicians, governmentGovernment employeesEmployees, or otherwise, they will shape the future of sustainabilitySustainability standards and sustainable developmentStandards and sustainable development. Therefore, an understanding of standards and certificationCertification is important to equip the next generation of global citizens to help us all make sustainable choices. To achieve this, educationEducation must equip learners with the ability to interpret, apply and use standards in practicePractice. This chapter briefly explores the role and development of standards in sustainabilitySustainability; and the challenges of bringing these concepts to the classroomClassroom. Three simulationSimulation exercises are designed to develop an understanding of both the complex challenges of sustainabilitySustainability and the role of standardsRole of standards in sustainable developmentSustainable development. The merits, opportunities, and successes of the pedagogical approached are highlighted, concluding with short reflectionsReflection based on real-worldReal-world experience in the classroomClassroom.