Working Together for Healthy People and Sustainable Communities: A Commentary on How the Alignment of Public Health Standards and Sustainable Communities Certification Can Lead to Improvements in Quality of Life for All

摘要

Sustainability managers and public health professionals share the same goal of improving the quality of life for all people, now and in the future. Yet local leaders often operate in departmental silos, which impacts the opportunities to leverage one another's resources and collaborate cross-agency on shared goals. In this commentary, we explore how the STAR Community Rating System is guiding local leaders to more effective, inclusive decision making, resulting in more livable, resilient, and just communities. The parallel goals of public health accreditation and sustainable communities certification—to equip local leaders with consistent national standards and strategies—are also highlighted.