About Us
The International Sustainability Council (ISC) is a not-for-profit organization that was created to provide a portal for the growing library of information that is available on the expanding topics related to sustainable community management and development. As the list of various certification programs being offered expands, there is concern that the public will become increasingly confused about the value and scope of the various programs in the market place. By bringing together people and organizations with expertise in various aspects of sustainability on an international basis, but with experience in implementation on a local basis, the ISC will play an increasingly valuable role in helping make sustainable actions happen.
The ISC is organized around the Köppen climate
classification approach, which is based on the concept
that native vegetation is the best expression of
climate; thus, climate zone boundaries have been
selected with vegetation distribution in mind. It
combines average annual and monthly temperatures and
precipitation, and the seasonality of precipitation.
Through this climatic classification the ISC has
identified four broad climatic zones (Tropical, Dry,
Temperate, and Cold). Through strategic partnerships in
these climatic zones the ISC has developed and operates
from a set of principles, and will use these principles
to establish an ISC Ratings System of valuing the
various certification approaches now in existence and
that will certainly be created in the future.
Mission Statement
To serve as a clearing house of information and to
develop a Sustainability Rating System that will level
the playing field among all existing and to be developed
certification programs so that the public and the market
place in general will not be confused concerning which
certification programs are truly leading towards a more
sustainable society.
Vision Statement
We visualize a more coordinated approach to gaining access to science based information connected to sustainability that will foster the implementation of the environmental, social and economic aspects of sustainability.