Cambridge Compact for a Sustainable Future
Mission Statement
The Cambridge Compact for a Sustainable Future, through the collaboration of it
signatories, will, through research, innovation, entrepreneurship, and social
enterprise, strive to create a more healthy, livable and sustainable Cambridge
community by addressing global environmental challenges including climate
change.
Compact Leadership: Interim Steering Committee
Henrietta Davis
Richard Rossi
Lisa Peterson
Susanne Rasmussen
Heather Henriksen
Tom Lucey
Sarah Eusden Gallop
Steve Lanou
Michael Owu
Lyndsay Bennett
Mike O'Hearn
Holly Flesh
Rick Flanagan
Morgan Harriman
David Rielly
Nick Iselin
Lee Kane
Kathleen Granchelli
Joseph Maguire, Jr.
Bill Kane
Mayor, City of Cambridge
City Manager, City of Cambridge
Deputy City Manager, City of Cambridge
Director of Environmental & Transportation Planning, City of Cambridge
Director, Office for Sustainability, Harvard University
Director of Government & Community Relations, Harvard University
Co-Director Government Affairs, MIT
Deputy Director, Office of Sustainability, MIT
Director, Real Estate, MIT Investment Management Company
Akamai
Senior Property Manager, Boston Properties
Chief Operating Officer, Cambridge Innovation Center
Senior Manager of Physical Plant, Draper Laboratory
Recycling Program Coordinator, Genzyme
Global Energy Manager, Novartis
Boston Regional Partner & Sr VP of Development, Twining Properties
EcoCzar & Forager, Whole Foods
Community & Media Relations Director, Draper Laboratory
VP, Development & Asset Services, Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc.
Vice President, Leasing & Development, BioMed Realty
Compact Interim Steering Committee Goals for 2013
1. Develop governance structures that are efficient, effective, and productive, including establishing
a framework for robust working committees.
2. Oversee development of an initial programmatic work plan and road map for Compact including:
a. Collaboration
 Develop the framework to collect and analyze data to document Compact progress
 Enhance communication among institutional leads and other potential Signatories and
resources
b. Communication
 Identify sustainability success stories from Signatories and other resources
 Identify potential tools for outreach, recruitment and collaboration
o Scope a conference on a key area of collaboration and how to institutionalize it in
signatory organizations
o Identify webinars and other resources on how to reach goals in key areas of
collaboration
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3. Select and appoint the Compact Board
a. Select Initial Board – By consensus, the Interim Steering Committee shall determine the
initial iteration of the Board.
b. Identify Officers – The Board shall determine the first slate of Officers for the Compact.
4. Recruit Signatories, Resource Members
a. Identify Potential Signatories - Encourage business and property owners taking action in
key areas of collaboration to become signatory to the Compact.
b. Identify Resources - Identify and recruit potential resource members for advisory and
committee participation.
5. Consolidate Internal Committees
Compact Governance Recommendations
The governance model for the Compact should accomplish the following:
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Ensure the sustainability and health of the Compact;
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Create the structure to support growth in the form of new Signatories and collaborators;
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Advance the effective development and maintenance of areas of collaboration, initiatives, and
future projects;
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Encourage the Compact and its Signatories to achieve both their collective and individual
organizations’ goals.
The Governance Structure
The Compact’s governance structure is specifically focused on achieving broad collaboration in the
sustainability domain, and ensuring the long-term health of the Compact and its initiatives. To this end,
the governance approach supports broad engagement among Signatories and allows significant latitude
to define areas of focus and engagement that strengthen both the Compact and its Signatories by
allowing them to achieve their goals. The governance structure is also designed to allow for robust
engagement of community expertise through advisory and sub-committee roles for individuals and nonsignatory organizations who can serve by invitation in a resource capacity.
The Compact governance centers on a board (the “Board”), nominated annually by a nominating
committee and ratified at an annual meeting of the Compact. In addition, the nominating committee will
put forward a slate of officers, which shall also serve as the Compact’s Executive Committee, including a
Chairperson, two Vice Chairs, a Secretary, and a Treasurer. The Board shall be composed of two
categories of individuals - Officers and At-Large members - comprised as follows:
Each year, one member of the Board shall be designated by each of the following founding
signatories to serve a one-year term: The City of Cambridge Mayor, the City of Cambridge City
Manager, The President of Harvard University, and the MIT President.
Initially, twelve members shall be ”elected” from among the signatory organizations to serve one,
two, or three-year terms, with four members rotating off the Board each year. Subsequently,
each new class of four Board Members shall be elected to a three year term.
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Officers shall be elected to a presumptive two-year term, with the slate of Officers to be
nominated and ratified annually. To the extent possible, the Officers’ terms shall be staggered in
order to maintain continuity.
Members of the Board shall be elected/ratified annually by eligible voters as defined by agreed upon
practices.
The Responsibilities of the Board
It is the responsibility of the Board to ensure the current and future health of the Compact. The Board will
be responsible for initiating, and keeping current, a strategic plan for the Compact. This will require the
Board to annually assess the current state of the Compact and identify areas of focus. Regardless of the
changing needs of the Compact, the board shall have the following responsibilities:
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Initiate, and keep current, a strategic plan for the Compact.
Select a nominating committee charged with formulating a slate of Board Members and Officers
annually
Effectively manage financial contributions made in support of the Compact
Facilitate, from time to time, a strategic planning and governance review.
Actively engage in drawing new organizations into the Compact.
Identify and execute processes to secure needed resources including funding, staff, etc.
Act on behalf of the Compact in creating partnerships that serve its goals.
Actively participate in communications and outreach activities.
Create and abide by a Board Calendar with annual administrative, meeting, funding, and
communications milestones.
The primary focus areas of the Board may shift over time with the evolving needs of the Compact. As
such, Board members must have a strong commitment to the success of the Compact and both the
willingness and the ability to adapt to its changing needs.
The Board shall meet bi-monthly in accordance with the Board Calendar, and shall hold an Annual
Meeting in April of each year.
Committees
The work of the Compact will be conducted through committees, of which there shall be two
classifications: Standing Committees and Ad Hoc Committees. There shall be six Standing Committees
including an Executive Committee (as herein defined), a Nominating Committee, a Finance Committee, a
Membership Committee, a Communication Committee, and a Programming and Policy Committee. Each
Standing Committee shall be chaired by a member of the Board of Directors. Each Standing Committee
chair shall prepare a slate of members for ratification by the Board each year.
Ad Hoc Committees may be constituted from time to time at the election of the Board. Ad Hoc
Committees shall focus on the Areas of Collaboration identified in the Compact and may be chaired by a
member of the Board of Directors or a designee from among the Signatory organizations. Each Ad Hoc
Committee chair shall prepare a slate of members for ratification by the Board each year.
Each Committee, through its chair or a designee, shall give a report at each meeting of the Board of
Directors, or from time to time as required. It is anticipated that Committees will meet on a bi-monthly
basis, in those months in which the Board does not meet.
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Compact Membership
The Compact membership shall be comprised of a group of Signatories, meeting certain defined eligibility
criteria that the Board will determine from time-to-time, who will work together to build a coalition to
engage in sustainability programs and initiatives, including growing the number of signatories. All
Signatories are encouraged to explore ways to better connect researchers, students, entrepreneurs, and
social enterprises in the sustainability field that are seeking collaborators.
The Compact will be supported by a pool of Resource Members that allow for robust engagement of
community expertise, through advisory and sub-committee roles, for individuals and non-signatory
organizations who may serve by invitation as a resource for specific projects.
There shall be a meeting of the full Compact membership twice annually, with the Compact Annual
Meeting serving as one such meeting.
Eligibility for Signatory Membership
Signatories to the Compact should meet the following eligibility criteria:
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Be a corporate, public agency, non-profit, or institutional entity
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Have a physical presence in Cambridge
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Have operational control of significant environmental impacts
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Have established demonstrative leadership in sustainable practices and innovation
Eligibility for Resource Membership
Resource Members should meet the following eligibility criteria:
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An individual (may have organizational resources)
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Expertise in an Area of Collaboration
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Must be affiliated with, and participate in, a committee or working group
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Must have established demonstrative leadership in sustainable practices and innovation
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