What will it take to address the long-held assumptions and habits that have led us to compromise the long-term health of our families, our organizations, our local and global communities, and planet earth?

What will it take to recognize that the survival of a single person, or that of one's family or community, ultimately depends on the survival of life forms of every kind -- human beings and other species -- as well as the preservation of life-sustaining resources of the earth?

What will it take to initiate radical new thinking and respond effectively to the ever-increasing complexities of human existence in the 21st century?

The questions seem limitless given the daunting challenges we face. Yet there is optimism in knowing that human beings have an extraordinary capacity for expanding their consciousness and shifting behaviors needed to create a sustainable future.

There are many who have taken on the challenge. The Sustainability Leadership Institute (SLI) calls them "sustainability leaders" -- conscious individuals who demonstrate, guide and inspire actions that nurture the well-being of the planet and its people. They stay awake to the holistic interconnections - visible and invisible - in which day-to-day choices affect the intricate balance of social, environmental and economic systems.

Sustainability leaders are compelled to do something, through their work or in their everyday lives. They strive to make a difference by figuring out solutions to the countless, interrelated challenges for which there are no easy answers.

The Sustainability Leadership Institute engages leaders in the art of awareness and conscious practice to systematically create workable solutions for complex challenges in their businesses, organizations and communities. We characterize a sustainability leader as "one who chooses to co-create transformative changes aimed toward a holistic and life-sustaining future state of being." Simply put, this means a leader who:

• Gets into the game and takes responsibility by tackling and understanding complex local and global issues;
• Works with others to co-create innovative solutions;
• Consciously engages in collaborative, transformative change.

Our pursuit is to work side-by-side with people who are passionate about living and leading the way toward a sustainable future!