BSA LeaderSHIFT Forum Teaches Sustainable Leadership Practices

For more than a century, the BSA has been a leader in outdoor education and environmental stewardship. On Tuesday, October 27, Scouting shared that knowledge by hosting the LeaderSHIFT Forum at the National Geographic Society headquarters in Washington, DC.

The forum was an opportunity to help councils become leaders in the broader arena of sustainability, which seeks to balance the needs of people, prosperity, and the planet. 

To make the event more accessible to leaders, the forum was live streamed to 50 local councils, the Summit, Philmont Scout Ranch, National Supply, and the National Service Center across the United States and Europe. Building on momentum from previous Sustainability Summits, LeaderSHIFT combined presentations with local breakouts and work sessions in councils across the country.

In West Virginia, staff from the Summit Bechtel Reserve along with representatives of the Raleigh County Solid Waste Authority, Oak Hill Garbage and Winelco participated in the forum. The group discussed topics like exploring creative sustainability solutions, reducing solid waste and bolstering recycling efforts at the Summit Bechtel Reserve.

“Reducing solid waste and increasing recycling will be critical components in how we host two national jamborees and a World Scout Jamboree within a five year window,” explained Summit Group Director Dan McCarthy.

The forum joined staff, volunteers, donors, and community members for an opportunity to deepen their knowledge about sustainability and discuss local issues and solutions. Additionally, participants heard from Chief Scout Executive Mike Surbaugh and other key sustainability leaders who explained the initiatives the BSA is undertaking to ensure natural conservation and sustainability remain a top priority.

If you missed the presentation, watch it at https://livestream.com/bsa/Sustainability. For more information on the BSA’s sustainability program go to www.greentodeepgreen.org.

What do you think? If you participated in the forum or watched the link, tell us how you applied the principles in the comments below.