​Purpose

The NIH Sustainability Management Team (SMT) provides oversight and direction for agency sustainability and for the NIH Environmental Management System (NEMS). The team advises the Chief Sustainability Officer on matters pertaining to the impact of NIH activities on the environment. The SMT advises and champions changes that NIH can implement to reduce our environmental impact and to encourage continuous improvements to protect and promote human health and the environment while supporting NIH science.

Sustainability has been defined as “the enduring prosperity of all living things.” By this measure, sustainability is directly linked to the health of humans, the health of the environment, and the health of economic systems that support and promote our well-being. This triple bottom line – human health, environmental health and economic health – is integral to the NIH mission. The SMT serves NIH by helping to maintain this balanced focus. The SMT is responsible for providing the direction and leadership for the NEMS by evaluating NIH programmatic needs, balancing competing priorities and incorporating initiatives from the annual HHS Strategic Sustainability Performance Plan (SSPP) within NIH plans, policies and activities. This leadership is provided within the context of NIH research priorities, agency initiatives, social considerations and the physical environment.

The SMT is comprised of senior managers representing the functional areas and Institutes across NIH to ensure that the NEMS is implemented successfully throughout the NIH Institutes and Centers (ICs), and aligns with NIH strategic objectives. The SMT is kept apprised of progress made toward the NEMS objectives by the NEMS Program Manager, the Green Team Leads Council, the Sustainable Lab Practices Working Group, and the NIH Sustainability Goal Leaders. The SMT also participates in the NEMS management review to ensure that the NEMS is successfully deployed throughout NIH.

The SMT provides advice on environmental policies, business strategies, and designs for the agency to incorporate to meet the goals set by the HHS SSPP and NIH specific environmental, health, social and economic goals.

Specific Responsibilities

• Champion the greening and sustainability initiatives at the NIH.

• Approve each year’s objectives and ensure that the NEMS has the resources and guidance to be effective.

• Facilitate cooperation among the various components of NIH to achieve the goals of the executive orders and implementation of the NEMS.

• Identify and promote the implementation of policies and practices which help ensure that NIH complies with applicable environmental requirements.

• Evaluate performance through a management review of audits. Evaluate the impacts of sustainability initiatives and actions to manage risk.

SMT Membership

Chairs

Dr. Alfred Johnson, Chief Sustainability Officer, DDM, OD
Dan Wheeland, Deputy Chief Sustainability Officer, OD, ORF
Patrick Shirdon, Director of Management, NIA

Members

Bani Bhattacharya, DEP, ORF
Amy Blackburn, DEP, ORF
John Burklow, OD, OCPL
Trisha Castranio, NIEHS
Susan Cook, ORS
William Floyd, DEP, ORF
Diane Frasier, OD, OMA
Darren Henderson, NCI
Susan Hinton, DEP, ORF
Christopher Long, NIEHS
Gene Major, NINDS
Mark Miller, DEP, ORF
Brad Moss, ORS
CAPT Edward Pfister, DEP
Susan Roberts, DFP, ORF
Tim Tosten, ORS
Anthony Trang, CIT
RADM Deborah Wilson, OD
Dr. Richard Wyatt, OD​