| About Us |
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To support Oregon’s economy and quality of life, ODOT is embracing the concept of sustainability. By demonstrating sustainable business practices, ODOT is helping meet the needs of the current generation while ensuring that future generations can meet their needs. ODOT’s Sustainability Program assists staff in carefully managing activities and assets so that we can sustain access to essential goods and services, economic opportunities, transportation choices, livable communities and healthy natural resources for all Oregonians.
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| ODOT Sustainability Program |
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ODOT formalized its sustainability activities in March 2004 with the adoption of ODOT’s original Sustainability Plan, but sustainability activities had been occurring in the agency for many years – just without the name “sustainability” being applied to them. Early activities as part of the Clean Water Act and Endangered Species Act, the creation of the Routine Road Maintenance Guide to provide best management practices for water quality and habitat, the establishment of the Fish Passage program, and Motor Carrier Division’s Greenlight program – to name but a few – all contributed to improved livability in the state well before the Sustainability Program came into existence.
Since the adoption of ODOT’s original Sustainability Plan in 2004, the agency has made good progress working on the three high level goals identified in the plan. Sustainability concepts have been integrated into the update of the Oregon Transportation Plan and into the OTIA III State Bridge Repair Program, and an environmental management system has been developed to better manage the storage, use, and disposal of materials in our maintenance yards.
ODOT is now building on those early sustainability activities and developing a comprehensive Sustainability Program that institutionalizes the concept of sustainability and creates a structured framework in which sustainability initiatives are carried out. This program will ensure that ODOT continues to address the challenges of sustainability in a strategic and targeted manner. ODOT is working with Good Company, a sustainability consulting firm located in Eugene, Oregon, to help build the program and make sure that efforts are focused and effective.
Current program development activities are focusing on updating ODOT’s 2004 Sustainability Plan. This updated document, to be renamed the Sustainability Strategic Plan, will include long- and short-term goals, strategies, and performance indicators to track progress towards sustainability. Once complete, it will be the agency’s overarching plan for incorporating sustainability into the organization, providing the overall rationale and vision for the work of the Sustainability Program.
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| Management and Governance |
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Day-to-day management of the Sustainability Program is provided by the Sustainability Program Manager. This position was created in May 2005. The Sustainability Program Manager position is part of ODOT’s Director’s Office and is a direct report to the Chief of Staff. The position has a broad authority to analyze all aspects of the agency’s internal and external operations to identify opportunities and recommend integration strategies to embed sustainability principles into agency decision making.
Governance and oversight of ODOT’s Sustainability Program is provided by the Sustainability Council. The group provides high-level direction for the program, approves and monitors sustainability work items, and recommends policy and practice changes to ODOT’s Director. The Sustainability Council is supported by and supports the work of ODOT’s Sustainability Program Manager, and is comprised of mid- to senior-level managers representing a variety of functional and geographic backgrounds.
The Sustainability Council is the formal conduit for integration of sustainability into the organization. Members are expected to be cognizant of the benefits of sustainability, to positively represent the Sustainability Program, and to share information about the Sustainability Program with their constituents. Members strive to offer a balance of vision (envisioning an improved future state and being open to change) and pragmatism (identifying current barriers and obstacles to moving forward)
Conservation and Alternative Resource Teams
Conservation and Alternative Resource Teams (CART’s) act as office “green teams” for the agency, supporting the overall Sustainability Program by implementing on-the-ground initiatives in ODOT facilities. CART’s educate employees about work-related conservation efforts and promote voluntary participation in those efforts to create a culture of resource conservation awareness. A typical CART may work on initiatives such as:
- Promoting participation in work-related conservation activities
- Encouraging commute options
- Increasing opportunities to reduce, reuse and recycle materials
- Reducing energy use by promoting energy conservation practices
Currently, two formal CART’s are in operation with more planned for remaining ODOT offices in the future.
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| Organization Chart |
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Organizational chart for the Sustainability Program (pdf)
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