With increasing urgency to address the escalating climate crisis, the Pet Sustainability Coalition (PSC) is preparing for its second decade of transformational industry leadership. Following ten years of double-digit growth, PSC is primed to expand and scale its impact-driven programming to address the pet industry’s biggest sustainability challenges including advancing sustainable ingredients, sustainable packaging and corporate social responsibility.
“As the needs of PSC evolve, it is my great honor to transition from my role as executive director into that of senior advisor and co-founder,” announces Caitlyn Dudas, PSC’s co-founder and outgoing executive director. “I will focus my time on expanding PSC’s growth through the implementation of a new philanthropic program and supporting the search for an incredible leader for PSC’s next decade.”
Under ten years of Dudas’ leadership, the Pet Sustainability Coalition has emerged as the leading sustainability organization in the now $165B dollar pet industry. PSC’s financial growth chart demonstrates impressive annual growth for the past five years, but it is PSC’s innovative programming that has secured its impeccable reputation.
With nearly 200 member businesses representing producers, suppliers, manufacturers, brands, distributors and retailers, PSC has grown from its initial community of early adopters to now attracting the broad spectrum of industry leaders who are eager to meet the ever-increasing demand for sustainability from consumers, investors and policy makers.
Alongside Dudas’ transition to a senior advisor role, PSC has named current Deputy Director Donald Castellucci as chief operating officer. Castellucci will also provide interim executive director support to PSC’s staff and partners while PSC’s board of directors leads an executive search. With this change also comes new opportunities within PSC’s rapidly growing team including a development (fundraising) manager, a director of strategic initiatives, a senior sustainability project manager, and a new executive director. Interested parties can visit www.petsustainability.org/careers.
“While we set our sights on the future, PSC remains committed to serving its vibrant community of members with education, tools and implementation support that drives business profitability while also ensuring a better future for pets, people and the planet,” says Castellucci. “Our vision is to scale our start-up success by continuing to do what has gained us our stellar reputation, and by expanding our transformational programming so that we can solve the pet industry’s biggest planetary impacts.”
The urgency and scale by which climate action is needed requires that PSC think critically about the next decade to ensure that it can rise to the challenge. Decade two’s success will be defined by the ability to scale up and will require expanding organizational systems, technologies, processes and a talented team to support long-term programming, large teams of experts, research and data partnerships, consumer education, policy engagement and more.
“I never imagined in 2013 the scope of what PSC would become. It has been an incredible honor to lead the coalition through such powerful growth in terms of our numbers and the breadth of our impact. I am beyond grateful to the countless individuals who have worked so hard to support me and PSC's mission as we reach these important milestones," says Dudas.
For those looking to join in the celebration of PSC’s tenth anniversary milestone and Dudas’s exceptional leadership, PSC is hosting its sixth Impact Unleashed conference June 6-7 in Boulder, Colorado, where 200 of the industry’s purpose-driven professionals will access dozens of inspirational and educational sessions, panels and workshops. Visit www.petsustainability.org/impact-unleashed for more information.
