---
title: "Membership Hack: Sustainability Pledge"
id: "47318"
type: "post"
slug: "membership-hack-sustainability-pledge"
published_at: "2019-07-19T20:37:23+00:00"
modified_at: "2019-07-19T20:37:23+00:00"
url: "https://associationsnow.com/2019/07/19/membership-hack-sustainability-pledge/"
markdown_url: "https://associationsnow.com/2019/07/19/membership-hack-sustainability-pledge.md"
excerpt: "The American Public Transit Association challenges members to take a pledge that they will operate sustainably, creating support for a key policy issue and building community within the organization."
taxonomy_category:
  - "Membership"
taxonomy_post_tag:
  - "AssociationsNow"
  - "Environment and Sustainability"
  - "green transit"
  - "Membership"
taxonomy_content_format:
  - "Article"
taxonomy_role:
  - "Association CEO / Executive Director"
  - "C-Level"
  - "Executive Team"
taxonomy_persona:
  - "Association Professionals"
---

[Home](https://associationsnow.com/)
 » [Articles](https://associationsnow.com/format/article/)
 » Membership Hack: Sustainability Pledge

**How to hack it?**Sustainability is a key issue for the American Public Transportation Association, and it encourages members to develop greener transit systems and operations by taking a [sustainability pledge (opens in a new tab)](https://www.apta.com/research-technical-resources/sustainability/)
.

Here’s how it works: Members [sign on to take the pledge (opens in a new tab)](https://www.apta.com/research-technical-resources/sustainability/apta-sustainability-commitment/signatories-apta-sustainability-commitment/)
, then work toward continuous improvements on social, economic, and environmental sustainability, including effective ways to limit greenhouse gas emissions

**Why does it work?** There are no set requirements for members to support the sustainability pledge, but APTA provides incentives to act by awarding top performers with [a special designation (opens in a new tab)](https://www.apta.com/research-technical-resources/sustainability/apta-sustainability-commitment/signatories-apta-sustainability-commitment/)
 of bronze, silver, gold, or platinum. Members can work at their own pace to reach new goals over several months or years.

**What’s the bonus?**The pledge has provided a way for APTA to build a community around the sustainability issue and engage members at a deeper level. Those that take the pledge can attend an annual sustainability workshop and access a private online community where members share best practices.

(Agaten/iStock/Getty Images Plus)

[Tim Ebner](https://associationsnow.com/author/tim-ebner/)

Tim Ebner is communications director and press secretary at the American Forest & Paper Association in Washington, DC. He is a member of ASAE’s Communication Professionals Advisory Council and a former Associations Now senior editor.

[More articles by this author](https://associationsnow.com/author/tim-ebner/)

Tags: [#Environment and Sustainability](https://associationsnow.com/tag/environment-and-sustainability/)
 [#green transit](https://associationsnow.com/tag/green-transit/)
 [#Membership](https://associationsnow.com/tag/membership/)

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