The Opportunity

After operating from a sustainability platform for a number of years, Santropol Roulant, a non-profit in the Plateau neighbourhood of Montreal, questioned their sustainability impacts and decided to look into further actions that would help reduce their ecological footprint.

The Response

In 2006 and 2007, The Natural Step helped Santropol Roulant execute a vision and action plan for sustainability which proved to have strong social, environmental and financial payoffs.

Many of the questions we are asked about sustainability strategy focus on implementation: “Yes, we have goals now, but what do we actually DO? How do we change the way people think and help people who are not Green Team members to apply a sustainability lens??”

This is the challenge of moving from the strategic to the operational and building tactical support for everyday work. So how does that happen?

One of the ways we’ve seen this work is through the development of tools that help people to apply a sustainability lens to their work. Here’s how it works:

Recently, I spoke on an online dialogue about corporate social responsibility (CSR) in Canada and had an audience member asked me about how business’ CSR investments will be affected by the economic downturn.  This great question is one that numerous professionals are concerned with as they move into budget season.

Some recent studies, such as GreenBiz’s State of Green Business Report, show an increased investment in business sustainability initiatives over the past couple of years, in spite of the economic downturn. This flies in the face of conventional (old) thinking that sustainability / CSR initiatives get cut when budgets are tight. However, at the same time, I have talked to some professionals leading sustainability efforts who have seen their available resources decline; so why are there different stories here?

The kiwi may be a flightless and endangered species of bird – so thank goodness for the silver wings of Air New Zealand.  

Sitting on the plane from Vancouver back to Auckland has finally allowed some time to reflect on my whistle-stop and highly enjoyable trip to the Land Of The Red Maple Leaf.  The busy TNS Canada team in Ottawa extended a very warm welcome to their kiwi visitor, for which I am so grateful.  Despite the numerous Skype calls and telephone meetings over recent times, one quickly realises the intimate benefit of meeting in person.  It was a real pleasure to meet the TNS Canada team, and to be received so warmly.

Thank you to Katja Macura, our volunteer storyteller, for capturing this story and photos during the IMPACT! Sustainability Champions Training program in Vancouver.

“…young people aren’t just the leaders of tomorrow, they’re the leaders of today. Their voices matter…the things they do now can have a tremendous impact to change the world, right now.” (Justin Trudeau, Globe and Mail, September 26, 2012)

These words were shared by Josh Snider, Manager of Communications at The Natural Step Canada and one of the facilitators of the IMPACT! Sustainability Champions Training Program held in Vancouver, BC, on September 28-29, 2012

At The Natural Step Canada, we are increasingly hearing calls for "more innovation" and "more collaboration" to facilitate progress on sustainability challenges. Many organizations – including many of our own clients and partners – have recognized that there is only so much that they can achieve on their own, and that there are plenty of obstacles to overcome in partnership with suppliers, customers, regulators, and yes, even their competitors.

We create and re-create our neighbourhoods constantly. What do we need from our neighbourhoods? What do our neighbourhoods need from us? What do YOU declare possible?

Our cities are made by us. Most parts of cities are left to us by earlier generations, but they are still made by us. We believe that working at the neighbourhood scale is where we can make cities what we need them to be. It is at this scale where we experience the city and all it has to offer.

It’s time to name the impossible awesome dream. It’s time to experiment and find our way there. It’s time to name what the dream is for our city and our neighbourhoods.

It’s time to make the impossible possible. 

Join us for an experiment…

The Opportunity

In the fall of 2009, Williams Lake, B.C.  launched Imagine Our Future, an initiative to develop a long-term vision of a sustainable Williams Lake.  Needing support to create something bold and highly engaging of citizens, they sought out organizations to help them develop the plan.

The Response

The Natural Step, Whistler’s Sustainability Center, and Smart Growth B.C. impressed Williams Lake with a proposal which highlighted an innovative engagement strategy and a scientific, rigorous approach to implementing an ICSP. Through this partnership, an award-winning ICSP was developed in co-operation with the Town of Williams Lake.

The Natural Step International (TNSI) is delighted to announce that we are currently recruiting for one position to complete the foundation of our new organization - a TNS International Secretariat Director. Having just completed a comprehensive organizational restructuring, TNSI is restaffing its new international office, which is based in London, UK. Scott Perret (MSLS 2012) has been hired as the Director of FSSD Diffusion and Network Relations, and April Knudsen (formerly of TNS-US) is our new TNSI Coordinator. The Secretariat Director will be responsible for leading the new strategic direction of The Natural Step International and mobilizing the global network of Natural Step offices and individuals to achieve collective impact in pursuit of our shared mission to accelerate change toward sustainability.

Understanding of Sustainability in practice and theory

This book combines the academic and practical experience from a collection of authors. The content has been used, tested and refined over many iterations, and now serves as a primary resource for academic courses and programmes around the world. Any student or practitioner looking for more clarity on how to strategically plan and act towards sustainability in a structured, scientific, and collaborative manner will find value inside.

Because of the generic nature of the Framework for Strategic Sustainable Development, it can be useful for any discipline, from engineering, to product-service innovation, to business management, to urban and regional planning, and beyond.