Filed Under Training

Are you ready to innovate for a sustainable future?

Neil McCallum — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 16:22:13 -0500

Blekinge Institute of Technology (BTH) in Karlskrona, Sweden is looking for prospective students for a Master’s degree in Sustainable Product-Service System Innovation (MSPI). Do you know an engineer, designer or product innovator looking to enhance their skills and expertise?

As our world becomes increasingly complex and the need for more sustainable products and services becomes essential, designers and engineers on the cutting edge of sustainable innovative practices are increasing in demand. Industry needs people who understand what the world wants: innovative products and services delivered in the most sustainable way possible.

At BTH, we believe that combining an overarching approach to socio-ecological sustainability with a disciplined focus on meeting market and human needs through product-service systems is the way of the future, and we are doing our part to show the way. By closely collaborating with our industrial partners (to see our industrial partners click here), we are preparing people to be the next generation of innovators. They will be bringing together engineering, innovation, and sustainability competence through this unique master's programme.

The MSPI programme supports the sustainable development of global economy and society. Check out our programme design here.

The design of the MSPI programme has been done in response to the industrial demand for graduates who can combine engineering competence with sustainability knowledge to help deliver new product-service systems. Therefore this programme is in tight and on-going connection with industries. It is necessary to have a structured overview of the system "society in the biosphere" - and this is exactly what we will share with you in this programme.

More specifically, the academic goals of participating students are to be able to:

Analyze sustainability challenges for an organization in a scientific manner.
Introduce a strategic perspective of sustainability to a product innovation process in a company.
Use new methods and tools, and former engineering specialty, to work with sustainable product and service innovation in industry.
Support a transition towards a more service-oriented economy.

Student Life and Experience

The Master's Programme in Sustainable Product-Service System Innovation (MSPI) is hosted at Campus Gräsvik, in the city of Karlskrona, the capital of Region Blekinge in the south of Sweden. The city is situated on an archipelago and has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to its unique naval heritage. The programme is designed in a cohort. Check out the current international cohort of 15 students from 9 countries here. If you are ready to innovate and design in a sustainable way, join us in Sweden for an amazing experience academically, professionally and personally. For more information on student life, click here.

Applicants can contact Tamara Connell (tamara(at)kitesh.org) of Kitesh Leadership Development www.kitesh.org for assistance with your application and scholarship information.

To see more about the programme, please visit the website: http://www.bth.se/mspi.

Youth Leaders have IMPACT! right now.

Youth Storyteller — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 09:55:09 -0400

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. He read them at an evening networking event where eager program participants were able to meet local social entrepreneurs and community leaders. Justin Trudeau’s timely words on youth leadership describe the reason this program is so important, and were exemplified in person by the attendees of this workshop.

The IMPACT! Sustainability Champions Training workshops are put on across Canada by The Co-operators, The Natural Step Canada, and generous local supporters. The training is available to students aged 19-25 years old and is focused on developing individual leadership potential, as well as tangible sustainability projects in the community. Based on the participants I met in Vancouver, the project is meeting its goals. The energetic and thoughtful participation of these youth leaders (and make no mistake, they are all passionate leaders!) culminated in clear next steps for each participant.

Workshop facilitators, Josh Snider, Tamara Connell, and Sarah Brooks guided participants through two days of training that included sustainability education and the importance of a systems-based approach; the potential of co-operative business models; and practical lessons in developing a project that included tips on funding and budgeting, all the way through to engagement and project management. In addition to learning about practical ways to move sustainability projects forward, the participants I talked to really appreciated the opportunity to connect with one another, as well as with experienced change agents and business people.

Collectively, participants reflected on the need to demonstrate individual leadership; ways to engage, connect, and collaborate to create an atmosphere for action; the importance of the human side of sustainability; and their personal ability to make an impact by starting anywhere. As the designated storyteller for this event, I witnessed thoughtful dialogue and spontaneous collaboration between participants. This included everything from sharing resources and ideas, to the potential for cross-campus collaboration for greater project impact. These inspiring leaders were putting their learning into action on the spot.

The end result was best summed up by the participants themselves, who identified the traits of a good change agent: persistence, strategic thinking, dedication, talent, passion, and a commitment to collaboration. These are traits all the Vancouver IMPACT! Champions exhibited in the 2-days I spent with them. It was truly inspiring to meet these youth leaders and I look forward to seeing the positive impacts they will make in our world—starting right now.

Learn more about the IMPACT! Sustainability Champions Training program, including our upcoming sessions across Canada, or contact us at emergingleaders(at)naturalstep.ca or 613.748.3001 x236 to get involved.

Canada

"I am here for my children": A participant's story about the Sustainability for Leaders - Level 1 course, Vancouver, BC

Youth Storyteller — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 10:50:34 -0500

Thanks to Michiah Prull for sharing his experience with The Natural Step Canada's Sustainability for Leaders - Level 1: Foundations.

For pictures from the Sustainability for Leaders course - level 1 : Foundations, please click here.

***

On November 9th and 10th , a large group of professionals gathered in Vancouver to begin a process of becoming sustainability leaders. The participants represented a wide variety of disciplines including professional consulting groups, architectural firms, educational institutions, business associations and various levels of government. Also present were several individuals with no professional connection to sustainability issues, but who wished to learn more and become involved in future efforts.

As the course began, each participant shared their expectations and feelings coming into the course, and it became obvious that this diverse group of individuals was drawn to the same cause for very similar reasons. Almost every participant expressed a profound urgency mixed with a sense of opportunity, and above all a commitment to future generations. As one university professor concluded, “I am here because I see the dark decline of our society if we do not change direction, but also because I see a staggeringly bright opportunity if we skillfully navigate a new course. Above all, I am here for my children.”

With a new familiarly and shared purpose, the course instructors Pong Leung and Alex Magnin led us through the basic principles of sustainability and the associated challenges and opportunities and concluded with an illuminating case study. After an immensely satisfying organic lunch provided by Happy Planet Catering, the afternoon was spent exploring hands-on approaches to sustainability issues. The second day picked up from here with a review of the basic sustainability principles and practices, followed by a step-by-step exercise in strategic sustainability planning.

Throughout both days, the instructors used an exciting and effective mixture of activities and methods that kept everyone engaged and learning through the actual application of the new principles and practices. Ample time was allowed for networking and meeting fellow sustainability professionals. The entire workshop was designed to provide the bare minimum of lecture with the greatest amount of time set aside for group work, creative exercises, and the hands-on application of sustainability principles. This mixture provided the most effective learning environment and also allowed each of us to demonstrate and practice the skills we will need as sustainability leaders in the future.

After two days in this rich environment, we began to see a shift in our own perspectives at a profound level. While reflecting on the previous two days, one participant remarked:

So many of these things seem like a no-brainer once you have done them. It’s like low-flush toilets; it would seem stupid not to install them now. Or littering: no one throws trash in the street without thinking. It seems like the whole challenge here is how we make that transition to seamlessly integrate these solutions that just make sense.

In many ways, that is the challenge this course has prepared us for. We learned of the many obstacles facing our present society, but also the multitude of opportunities. More importantly, we now have a proven framework to put our aspiration into action and make change a reality. As our instructor Alex Magnin remarked, “At the end of the day, it just takes courage and honesty.”

Canada

A Sustainable Society: Reframing How We Satisfy Our Human Needs (Webinar)

Kimberley Larocque — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 09:05:15 -0400

Start: Nov 17 2010 - 1:30pm

End: Nov 17 2010 - 2:30pm

Timezone: Canada/Eastern

Delve deeper into the social aspects of sustainability by examining the foundations of Sustainability Principle 4 and exploring Max-Neef’s 9 Human Needs and Satisfiers framework.

Sustainability Practitioners Series
This event is part of The Natural Step Canada’s monthly webinars for sustainability practitioners that explore various aspects of The Natural Step Framework. Presented by The Natural Step Canada’s experienced Sustainability Advisors and special guests.

Cost:

$30 for the public
FREE for all Members of The Natural Step Exchange (Join the Exchange now)

Canada

A video by Dr. Karl-Henrik Robèrt – The Big Picture and the Role of Business

Josefin Nyström — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 10:04:21 -0500

In this video, created in cooperation with our friends at DeLaval, Dr. Karl-Henrik Robèrt, Founder of The Natural Step, touches upon the challenges we as humanity face today and the role businesses can play. To enable seeing the big picture of the sustainability challenge and turning this into opportunities. He gives examples and methods of how this journey is possible and encourages all to start designing the future by identifying boundary conditions for a sustainable future.

The Big Picture and the Role of Business With Dr. Karl-Henrik Robèrt: long version	The Big Picture and the Role of Business With Dr. Karl-Henrik Robèrt: short version

ABCD... & E? Evaluating Your Sustainability Efforts (Webinar)

Saralyn Hodgkin — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 09:08:01 -0400

Start: Oct 20 2011 - 1:30pm

End: Oct 20 2011 - 2:30pm

Timezone: Canada/Eastern

Explore how to evaluate the effectiveness of your sustainability program. What indicators and evaluation techniques can help you demonstrate the environmental, social, and economic benefits to your stakeholders and the community at large.

Cost:

$30 for the public
FREE for all Members of The Natural Step Exchange (Join the Exchange now)

Canada

Accelerating Profit with Sustainable Practice

Simon Harvey — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 05:24:29 -0400

Start: Apr 12 2013 - 8:30am

End: Apr 12 2013 - 10:00am

Timezone: NZ

In this thought leadership seminar, Simon Harvey will explain why so many businesses self-impose sustainability as a cost rather than an opportunity; and provide stimulating insights about how businesses can respond proactively and profitably to social and environmental drivers of change. Drawing on his considerable experience working with a diverse range of businesses he will highlight the possibilities within grasp for:

Driving new ideas and inspiring continual innovation
Enhancing the business story and brand value
Reducing risks and costs whilst targeting new market opportunities
UnUderstanding material impacts, drivers of change, and how to see round corners

This event will also launch the Adding Sustainable Value Programme, New Zealand’s leading performance improvement programme for businesses serious about sustainability.

Cost: Complimentary

Registrations: Please RSVP by email.

New Zealand

Alberta Sustainability Champions Gear up for Success

Brendan Seale — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 15:06:02 -0400

On October 13 and 14, nineteen professionals gathered in Edmonton to build their capacity as sustainability practitioners by participating in The Natural Step Canada’s Sustainability for Leaders Course - Level 1: Foundations (join us at the next session coming up in Vancouver).

Participants included professionals from Enermodal Engineering, Worley Parsons, Edmonton Airports, Stantec, Bullfrog Power, AIMCO, Landmark Group of Builders, EIDOS Consultants, Servus Credit Union and Earth Legacy, municipal leaders from the City of Red Deer and the Town of Stony Plain, and educators from Bow Valley College, Grant McEwan University, and NAIT. I had the pleasure of facilitating the course with my colleagues Sarah Brooks and Colin Baril.

The University of Alberta’s downtown location Enterprise Square offered a central location that was easy for participants to reach using city and regional transit options. Fantasia Caffé, housed in the facility, provided delicious, locally sourced catering with no packaging or waste destined for landfill.

Our two days together began with a discussion of what motivates each of us to work for sustainability, a recap of the core concepts of sustainability that were covered in the e-learning pre-work, and some concrete examples of how The Natural Step has worked with its clients. A key component of the discussion explored the fundamental difference between incremental improvement and working towards a vision of achieving sustainability. Many in the room were touched by a video about the late Ray Anderson, who led Interface - the company he founded - on its journey up “Mount Sustainability”.

From this point on, participants applied the Framework for Strategic Sustainable Development to a case study of a mountain resort. Working in small groups, we began by identifying key sustainability challenges and drafting strategic goals. Noting the internal and external forces that would help or hinder sustainability progress, we then developed action plans for selected strategic goals. “It made me realize there is a lot of planning involved in sustainability and it needs to be very well thought-out in order to be successfully implemented”, observed Laryssa Warne of Bullfrog Power.

Over the two days, we often returned to the question: “In service of what?” This question helped us maintain our focus on achieving success – sustainability. We select “key performance indicators” in service of measuring progress toward our short and mid-term targets. Those targets are established in service of moving us toward the achievement of our strategic goals. And finally, our strategic goals together describe an outcome that aligns with principles for sustainability.

Participants also delivered a presentation about the core concepts of sustainability to a small group, reinforcing the learning by communicating the material to others.

“The benefits of a system of thought around sustainability in business were top drawer”, said Trevor McIvor of Bow Valley College. “Also, the networking opportunities were so relevant to going concerns in my own work.”

The course concluded with participants discussing the challenges of leading change toward sustainability, and sharing how they can deploy what they’ve learned in their organizations. All agreed that path to sustainability is undoubtedly both long and complex, and a commitment to ongoing learning and innovation is required.

Want to advance your sustainability learning, too? Join us for our next Sustainability for Leaders Course - Level 1: Foundations in Vancouver from December 8-9. Register by November 21 to take advantage of our early bird discount.

Visit The Natural Step's sustainability learning opportunities for more information on our sustainability courses, workshops, webinars, eLearning courses, and free resources.

Canada

Alcan: Clean solutions for today and tomorrow

Kirstin Piirtoniemi — Mon, 26 Nov 2012 11:15:05 -0500

(DISCLAIMER: The work portrayed in this document was undertaken with the former Alcan, prior to its acquisition by Rio Tinto in 2007. Rio Tinto Alcan remains committed to sustainable development. As such, the work begun with The Natural Step as described below was folded into larger efforts centrally directed by Rio Tinto in London, UK. The specific partnership between The Natural Step and the former Alcan’s Bauxite & Alumina division was halted in 2007 within the above-mentioned context.)

The Opportunity

Committed to sustainability and increasingly reliant on projects based in lesser-industrialized countries, Alcan’s Bauxite & Alumina (B&A) division saw an opportunity to develop a sustainability vision that brought social and environmental concerns even more into focus for the business.

The Response

In 2007, The Natural Step principles and process were put into action at Alcan’s B&A sites in the Pacific Region to help reduce risks and increase the company’s competitive advantage in alignment with their sustainability vision.

The Process

In 2007, The Natural Step Canada advisors Chad Park and Joe Herbertson held a workshop with the Alcan management team in Montreal, Canada. The workshop had two main goals:

To develop a sustainability vision that would guide Alcan’s B&A sustainability strategy moving forward.
To align the management team with a shared definition and understanding of sustainability, and to build buy-in for the sustainability vision.

Early in the workshop, participants identified Alcan’s top sustainability challenges, two of which were viewed as critical: meeting company growth expectations and addressing the issue of emissions associated with bauxite mining and alumina production. To address these challenges, the participants proceeded to develop a sustainability vision facilitated by The Natural Step’s science-based approach to sustainability and developed through backcasting from sustainability principles.

After the success of the Montreal workshop, a second session was held in Brisbane, Australia, not only to create the space for a cross-functional sustainability conversation, but more pragmatically to operationalize the vision in Alcan’s largest bauxite mining and alumina refining operation in Nhulunbuy on the Gove Peninsula in the Northern Territory of Australia.

With Gove in mind, workshop participants were asked to brainstorm potential social, environmental, and management innovations that might lead them toward their envisioned future. Ideas were then discussed and divided into prospective long-term and short-term measures, some of which led to outcomes. These included: the use of sustainability metrics in monthly and quarterly reporting, research and development explicitly using sustainability to guide innovation, the integration of sustainability objectives and approaches within greenfield projects, and a cross-functional working group quantifying the business value of Alcan’s sustainability investments.

Although the specific work described in this case was halted, sustainability principles remain embedded in Rio Tinto Alcan’s current business systems and processes, ensuring that economic, social, and environmental considerations are considered in its day-to-day operations as it drives toward its vision of a sustainable future.

The Feedback

“The Natural Step Framework for Strategic Sustainable Development is useful because it provides a shared mental model and vocabulary. Sustainability doesn’t seem overwhelming and incomprehensible any more—everybody gets it!”

-Kariann Aarup, Alcan B&A Social Sustainability Team

View full case study

Learn more about The Natural Step Canada’s Service Path for Sustainable Business and how we can help your business develop a bold sustainability vision, strategy, and action plan. Please contact us to discuss your unique needs or join our next FREE Introduction to Strategic Sustainability for Business in Canada webinar.

Written by Talithea McInnis

Canada

Applications Open - Leading Change for a Sustainable Chemical Industry 2012

Richard Blume — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 08:13:18 -0500

Blekinge Institute of Technology (BTH) and The Natural Step (TNS) are once again running a unique 10-month customized industry course for business leaders and working professionals in the chemical sector and related value chains.

Commencing April 2012 and now entering its third year, the Leading Change for a Sustainable Chemical Industry course combines theory with implementation of projects in the participating organizations or with customers and suppliers. The schedule and course content is specifically designed for professionals working in the industry to apply sustainability concepts in their day to day work.

Past participants have come from a range of leading companies in various parts of the chemical sector such as Beckers, Dow, Omya, Chemson, BASF, Hydro Polymers, Akzo Nobel, Tarkett and Baerlocher. In the 2012 course we will be seeking to encourage participation and collaboration from companies tackling sustainability at various positions in a value chain.

Help us spread the word!

Schedule: The next course will run from April to December 2012. Course participants should allow 8-10 days for webinars with experts and three industry workshops in Europe, plus time for project work with coaching from a Sustainability Advisor.

Apply: Register interest at www.thenaturalstep.org/lcsci or by contacting Richard Blume at The Natural Step (richard.blume@thenaturalstep.org, +46 768 32196). The deadline for application is 24 February 2012.

Learn more: visit the course website at www.bth.se/lcsci.

Sweden

Applying The Natural Step Framework

Chas Martin — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 19:53:50 -0400

Are you the next sustainability leader?

Anouk Bertner — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 17:48:05 -0500

Online applications for the Master’s in Strategic Leadership towards Sustainability (MSLS) and Master’s in Sustainable Product-Service System Innovation (MSPI) at Blekinge Institute of Technology in Karlskrona, Sweden, will be open until January 15th. Both these leading-edge international master’s programmes are based around The Natural Step Framework, and integrate practical, applied course work to empower and enable graduates to make positive change in the world.

This year’s MSLS class consists of 67 students from 21 different countries. Will you join us in the next class?

The MSPI masters will have its inaugural intake in 2010. It builds off BTH’s strong reputation in education for sustainable development, and will incorporate the cutting-edge research conducted at BTH within Sustainable Product-Service System Innovation.

To apply, you will need to complete the online application form at www.studera.nu, and then mail your supporting documents by Feb. 15th, 2010. Spaces in both programmes are limited and successful candidates can receive their decisions in May, with a starting date of classes in late August 2010.

BTH looks forward to receiving your application…

Sweden

Are you the next sustainability leader?

Kelly Hawke Baxter — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 10:20:34 -0400

Swedish Masters in Strategic Leadership for Sustainability accepting applicants as of December 1st

The Blekinge Institute of Technology’s Sustainability Masters program is taking applications for the 2012 year starting December 1. Located in Karlskrona, a beautiful town on the south eastern coast of Sweden, BTH’s Strategic Leadership towards Sustainability (MSLS) one-year Masters program teaches future leaders using innovative learning and leadership practices combined with the Framework for Strategic Sustainable Development (developed by The Natural Step).

This groundbreaking program recognizes that the global challenge of achieving a sustainable society requires cooperation across borders and disciplines and through its students brings together a rich diversity of perspectives and experiences to explore in the stimulating environment.

The program is organized around two main themes:

Strategic Sustainable Development- a science based, strategic approach toward planning for sustainability; and
Organizational Learning and Leadership-practicing leadership to effectively create change needed for sustainability.

To date more than 300 students, conversant in more than 30 languages and representing over 50 countries have graduated from the 1 year program which is taught in English.

"I am amazed at the depth of learning I experienced, especially around the theories and practices of strategic leadership. Such a rich environment to create your own learning journey and accelerate your skills in guiding clients through the change process toward sustainability. I don't know where in the 'outside world' I could have had access to the top practitioners in the fields of sustainability, leadership and organizational change than those offered through MSLS. My clients will certainly benefit from this deeper level of understanding, consciousness and knowledge I can now bring to our shared work." -Tracy Meisterheim, Blue Heron Sustainability Associates

The feedback from students illustrates not only the strength of the programme, it also reinforces another important element that of co-creation, co-learning and the sharing of experiences. Many people say their year in Sweden changed their lives, providing a valuable learning environment where strong and lasting friendships are created where there is space to explore the beautiful surroundings and conversations to explore what we can positively do to help build a more sustainable world.

Using a solid scientific foundation, the program begins by assessing and understanding society’s current sustainability challenges. Building on this foundation, the curriculum introduces complementary skills in strategic management, organizational learning and change, economics, engineering, and effective collaboration. Through both their internal expertise and partnerships with external organizations, the MSLS program draws on the latest research and expertise from world-leading sustainability practitioners and guest lecturers, including Natural Step Founder Dr. Karl-Henrik Robert and Canadian sustainability expert Bob Willard.

This program is exceptional and a once in a lifetime opportunity. To find out more visit the website at www.bth.se/MSLS and download the brochure. Applications open December 1, 2011 and close January 15th, 2012.

If you’d like to talk to an alumni about the program, please feel free to contact Dana Pearlman (Class of 2011) at danapearlman@gmail.com.

Ashforth Pacific, Inc., Portland, Oregon, USA

Chas Martin — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 14:07:31 -0400

A Natural Step Network Case Study

Overview
Ashforth Pacific, Inc. (API), is an investor, owner, and operator providing third-party property management, construction, and parking management services in West-Coast markets. An affiliate of The Ashforth Company, a Connecticut-based firm, API was established in Portland, Oregon, in 1995 and currently has 55 employees. The Ashforth Company presently owns and manages upwards of 15 million square feet of office space, of which 1.5 million square feet is in Portland. In May 1999, API launched an environmental initiative based on its newly created environmental statement and the four system conditions of The Natural Step.

Background
The Ashforth Company was founded as a family owned real estate company in New York in 1896. Throughout the next century, it expanded its services and coverage areas. The creation of the API office extended The Ashforth Company’s services beyond the Northeast to include the rapidly growing Northwest real estate market.

The company strives to bring social and economic benefits to the communities in which it operates. The opening page of its centennial celebration book states, “We owe it to our ancestors to preserve entire the rights they have delivered to us; we owe it to our posterity not to suffer their dearest inheritance to be destroyed.”

Ashforth is dedicated to serving its customers by adhering to its four operating principles: Commitment—to create enduring business relationships that will enhance the value of the company, Quality— to be dedicated to providing the highest level of service with speed and professionalism, People—to foster teamwork, personal growth, creativity and leadership and to encourage respect for the individual, communication, optimism, and a sense of humor, and Practices—to act with integrity and fairness to customers, employees, and community.

Introduction to The Natural Step: the Passion of a CEO
Hank Ashforth, CEO of API and the great-grandson of The Ashforth Company’s founder, learned about The Natural Step (TNS) through his involvement with the environmental community in Portland. Convinced that the business community must be part of the solution of pressing environmental issues, he attended an Oregon Natural Step Network breakfast meeting and quickly saw a good match between API’s principles and the framework TNS provided. In March 1999, he invited Duke Castle to give a briefing for members of the API executive team in charge of property management, construction, leasing, and finance.

The executive team met with Castle again to conduct a visioning exercise and brainstorm potential ideas. The team came up with a list of “low hanging fruit” and sent several employees to the National TNS conference in Portland in April 1999. Its purpose was to gain insight on ways to implement TNS framework, recruit a summer intern to focus on environmental issues, and train employees.

Launching the Environmental Initiative
In May 1999, the executive team hired Wendy Faubert as an intern and worked with her on a strategy for implementing an environmental initiative. They developed an approach that was both top-down and grassroots oriented. This strategy was designed to take advantage of the strong support of the executive team, the small and personal nature of the company, and the existing interest and passion of some employees.

The primary function of the grassroots approach was to develop awareness and interest among office employees in a fun and non-threatening manner. Meanwhile, the top-down strategy involved the executive team formulating an environmental policy statement and the formation of two sustainability teams. The teams’ mandate was to focus on ways that office operations and building-management practices could support the environmental initiative. The two groups, OSCAR (Office, Sustainability, Conservation, and Recycling) and BEAT (Buildings Environmental Action Team), would each be staffed by six employees handpicked by the CEO.

In July 1999, API officially launched its Environmental Initiative at an all-hands meeting—a debriefing meeting attended by all members of the office. The initiative was based on the company’s new environmental statement, “We will be stewards of our environment by taking responsible actions within our business and our communities,” and the four system conditions of The Natural Step. During the meeting, Duke Castle presented TNS framework, Hank Ashforth spoke, and a brainstorming activity allowed employees to write down their ideas for practices that could be implemented within the company.

By the fall it was apparent the Faubert was needed fulltime, and she accepted the job of sustainability coordinator.

Building Employee Support for the Environmental Initiative
From the beginning, building employee interest, awareness, and support for the Environmental Initiative was a top priority. The initial strategy was to keep the activities voluntary and fun. Several different methods were used to educate employees about sustainability and concepts surrounding TNS framework.

A brown bag lunch series served as the primary means of engaging employees. Employees learned about other environmentally conscious businesses organizations such as The Collins Companies, the Sustainable Chef’s Collaborative, Nike, PGE, The Rebuilding Center, and Carsharing Portland.

Other education methods included field trips and a bulletin board displaying relevant articles and information on sustainability and TNS framework. Office games and activities for each system condition kept the initiative and the concept of environmental responsibility in front of employees in a fun and interactive way. One popular activity was the “cookies-for-trash-cans” trade where employees voluntarily gave up their individual trash can and agreed to throw away all of their garbage in a central area. This activity was easy for employees to participate in, succeeded in raising employee awareness about what they were throwing away, and saved API 9,000 plastic trash can liners a year.

Finally, each API office employee attended a two-and-one-half-hour TNS framework training. The sustainability coordinator, office manager, and assistant controller conducted the training in groups of six to ten people during August and September 2000. All office employees attended the training as well as several outside vendors and other organizations interested in The Natural Step. The training focused on understanding the four system conditions through a combination of games, videos, visual aids, and discussions exploring how our actions and purchases affect the environment. The employees also completed a questionnaire that polled their perceptions related to the initiative and their interest in participating in other environmental events.

Results, Results, Results
API’s Environmental Initiative is a vision shared by the entire company, but it is rooted in producing results, results that can be measured and managed. Hank Ashforth has emphasized quantifiable results, believing that “if we know where we are, it is easier to go where we want to.”

Energy. Many of API’s initial projects focused on energy conservation measures. Between 1997 and 2001, the company reduced energy consumption by 18% through lighting and heating/cooling changes in the four commercial properties it owns, saving $654,000 over five years. T-8 lights, compact fluorescents, and LED lights replaced less efficient products; and automatic controls sweep all lights off during evenings and weekends. Thermostats were adjusted by two degrees. As a conservation incentive, sub-meters were installed so that tenants pay for any extra use of electricity above a standard amount. In addition, API has invested 6% of total electricity usage in wind power through Pacific Power’s Blue Sky program. The company is one of Pacific Power’s largest supporters of Blue Sky.

Water. API reduced water consumption in its portfolio properties by 6% by not using air conditioning after hours and not watering lawn areas, saving $43,000 annually. To handle storm water on site, the Liberty Center Parking Garage was retro-fitted with bioswales that filter the runoff and allow it to seep into the ground.

Waste. Through electronic communication and double-sided copying, API reduced paper purchases by 39% between 1998 and 2001. As a further commitment to saving trees, the company switched to 100% post-consumer recycled copy paper and 100% (40% post-consumer) recycled, chlorine-free toilet paper, saving over $15,000 annually. In 1999, when PacifiCorp’s office space was renovated, API’s construction arm made an extraordinary effort to recycle not only metal and wood, but also ceiling tile, window glass, drywall, and carpet. The company is now working to expand recycling options available to tenants to include batteries and packing peanuts and to create a better mechanism for tracking waste and recycling outputs. The centralized trash collection system for the office is on its way to becoming standard operating procedure for all tenant spaces.

Toxics. The company worked with ABM Janitorial Services (ABM) to switch to non-toxic cleaning products in the maintenance of its buildings. First testing the citrus-based Bi-O-Kleen on an outside curtain wall and finding it effective, ABM found it could replace over 20 standard cleaners, from scouring powder to carpet spotter, degreaser to disinfectant, with the same solution in different concentrations. As a result, 25 hazardous chemicals have been eliminated. ABM now promotes Bi-O-Kleen with its other commercial clients.

To reduce landscaping impacts, chemical herbicides, pesticides, and fertilizers are now prohibited in API’s maintenance specifications. Gasoline-powered maintenance equipment has been replaced by propane, electric, or manual equipment wherever possible, and the most polluting two-stroke engines are no longer allowed. Leaf blowers, because of their air and noise pollution, are allowed only at the height of fall season.

Transportation. Not only does API provide free transit passes to all employees, but it also actively supports alternative transportation throughout the Lloyd District. For example, it played an instrumental role in the expansion of Tri-Met’s Fareless Square to the District. That means that workers can travel from downtown to the Lloyd District free of charge. For those who don’t drive to work, API has loaned two parking spaces and purchased a membership in Flexcar, a service that makes a car available when needed during the workday. To encourage bicycle commuting, it provides 34 bicycle lockers in addition to racks and included showers in its newest building. To further encourage employees to use alternatives to single-occupant auto commutes, it offers a special benefit on a trial basis. Those who use alternative transportation 80 percent of the time each month get a half-day of personal time.

Green building. When API remodeled its office space, it installed Interface carpet tiles, allowing worn tiles in high-traffic areas to be sent back to the company without replacing the entire carpet. Low VOC paints were specified for the walls. Environ Biocomposite, a particle board manufactured from agricultural wastes, was chosen for desk surfaces.

Operating from the belief that people want to do their best, API has been pleased by employee ideas that have been generated through the Environmental Initiative. In fact, many of the projects API has worked on or is currently working on came from employees’ suggestions. A sampling of other employee ideas include double-siding fax cover sheets; using glasses, plates and silverware in the office instead of disposables; using envelopes provided by vendors in their invoices instead of API envelopes; and standardizing office supplies with choices based on TNS principles along with efficiency and cost.

Lessons Learned
• Invest time in training workers so they are knowledgeable and excited about the company’s new direction.
• Take small steps. The challenges, changes, and ideas can be overwhelming at times. Look for the easy things to do first, as accomplishments breed success.
• Encourage workers to come up with ideas to support the initiative.
• Set up a structure to make employees’ ideas a reality.
• Communicate environmental goals and policies to vendors to help expand your company’s impact.

API feels that the most important element in launching an initiative is enlisting the support of people working in the company. As Wendy Faubert, API’s first sustainability coordinator put it, “I strongly believe that having taken the time to get people on board, to make it fun, to increase the energy around the initiative before we start [more] projects. . . is going to pay dividends in the long run.” According to the office manager and assistant controller, benefits of involving employees in the Environmental Initiative include improving the cohesiveness of the company, challenging employees to think of new ways to improve existing processes, and better communications among departments.

Challenges
API spent the first 18 months of its environmental initiative pursuing “low-hanging fruit,” primarily in the property management division. The projects were fairly easy to accomplish because they did not radically change business operations (e.g., shifting to a more environmentally friendly cleaner) and demonstrated short-term economic justification (e.g., the energy savings). The company’s next challenge will be changes that alter fundamental practices and are harder to justify economically. Greener construction, for example, often requires a large investment in materials and, initially, more employee involvement and time. In the “time-is-money” world of construction, such challenges can seem daunting. However, API is quick to point out that while construction will be more challenging, there is ample opportunity for significant environmental benefits.

Beginning September 2001, API was selected as property manager for the Vollum Natural Capital Center, a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) gold-rated green building located in Portland’s Pearl District. Involvement with this high-profile project has raised the bar for API to continue to develop innovative and environmentally friendly approaches to property management.

In 2002 API accepted a new challenge—participation in a pilot project of the U.S. Green Building Council to test its new LEED-EB (Existing Buildings) rating system. To date, the Council’s LEED certification system for green buildings has applied largely to new construction. Over the course of the coming year, Ashforth Pacific staff will document Liberty Center’s performance and policies in the areas of cleaning and maintenance, indoor air quality, energy efficiency, recycling and facilities, and landscape maintenance. Where necessary, building systems may be upgraded to bring the building into compliance with LEED criteria.

The Future
The company is now developing a more in-depth approach to sustainability involving all office staff. Smaller teams will focus on revising specific areas of corporate and building operations and working to balance sustainability goals with the needs of tenants, profit expectations, and the constraints of the company’s existing buildings. Each group will conduct a thorough analysis of its area of operations, identify and implement necessary improvements, and track indicators that will help the company measure environmental performance. The four system conditions of the Natural Step will serve as a compass for these groups as they redefine organizational processes and operations.

Many organizations and individuals have contributed knowledge and inspiration to the company’s sustainability efforts. As the work of the Environmental Initiative further unfolds, API will strive to share information and lessons learned with clients, suppliers, and the community at large. While recognizing that much work lies ahead in the company’s quest for
sustainability, Ashforth Pacific intends to continue stepping forward to increase service to clients while improving the environmental and economic bottom line.

Sources
1. Interview with Wendy Faubert, Sustainability Coordinator, Ashforth Pacific, Inc., December 15, 2000
2. Master Recycler News, October 2000, “Profile: Sustainability in Real Estate Management,” Mendola, Kathleen Finn
3. The BEAT Bulletin, November 2000, March 2000, October 1999

This case study was prepared in April 2001 by Vanessa Margolis for The Natural Step Network and updated in October 2002 by the Network.

Axiom News: Natural Step Bootcamp Trains MBA Students to be Sustainability Leaders

Josh Snider — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 15:43:22 -0400

30 MBA Students from across Canada convene for 5-day experiential learning

On the fourth day of a five-day Sustainability Leadership bootcamp hosted by The Natural Step Canada, some of the 30 MBA students attending were asking for more homework and longer days.

According to The Natural Step principal adviser Pong Leung, this is one example of how the organization that helps companies embed sustainability into their operations was able to achieve its goal of engaging a critical stakeholder group — future leaders of tomorrow.

“The passion and the energy of the students I think were really amazing,” says Pong, adding it was one of the reasons The Natural Step wanted to engage business students who are already interested in sustainability practices.

Held in Calgary, the first-ever Sustainability Leadership Bootcamp took place Feb. 22-26 and saw business students from across the country convene to learn from The Natural Step about how to become sustainability champions in their future workplaces.

The bootcamp used a teaching approach called dialogue education, which recognizes people learn best when they’re engaged in the material they are trying to understand. Students were both participants and educators, learning through dialogue, visuals, touch and group work.

“We find it very powerful to honour the knowledge in the room,” says Pong, adding the learning approach also gets away from traditional PowerPoints.

Students would learn theory and then be asked to apply the knowledge to real-world challenges.

The event was sponsored by three of Canada’s largest energy companies Suncor, Cenovus and ENMAX, who participated by sharing the sustainability challenges they were grappling with.

For Ashley Hilkewich, who is an MBA Student at Schulich School of Business, the opportunity to sit down with a company’s leaders to co-create sustainability action plans was valuable.

“We’re all finishing up MBAs so sometimes it can get really academic and this was a really practical look at how you take these concepts about sustainable and responsible business and actually put them into practice,” says Ashley.

“It’s not very often you get to sit down with the VP and see how they are trying to tackle (a sustainability challenge).”

Ashley says the experience helped prepare her to view sustainability as a long dialogue as opposed to something she can jump into and change right away.

“It’s really more about being a change agent more so than anything and we we’re given a lot of good insights and training on how to start those conversations and make that happen,” she says.

Bob Willard, a board member at The Natural Step Canada and author of Sustainability Champions, presented on the final day of the bootcamp. Bob, who was named a leading thinker on corporate responsibility by The Globe and Mail, shared what can derail sustainability initiatives, as well as tools to gain organizational buy-in.

For Houston Peschl, who is an operations manager at DIRTT Environmental Solutions, hearing Bob’s experience was “phenomenal” and taught him new approaches he can use in his work.

While DIRTT is already a progressive organization, Houston says its clients, which include Facebook, Google and Bank of America, are demanding increasingly high-levels of sustainability and proof of the practices.

“Bob’s ability to start moving some of these processes was very valuable and he presented it in a very simple non-complex format,” says Houston, adding business must embrace its role in leading sustainability.

"Business has to be a leader in this, and businesses that don’t are going to go the way of the dodo bird."

The Natural Step plans to run future Sustainability Leadership bootcamps in Toronto and Montreal later this year.

Written by Camille Jensen for Axiom News.

Canada

Benchmarking our Progress Toward Sustainability (Webinar)

Kimberley Larocque — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 09:18:38 -0400

Start: Feb 3 2011 - 1:30pm

End: Feb 3 2011 - 2:30pm

Timezone: Canada/Eastern

Discover ways to document the progress that you are making in implementing your Sustainability Plan, to communicate your successes, and to support continuous learning.

Cost:

$30 for the public
FREE for all Members of The Natural Step Exchange (Join the Exchange now)

Canada

Building Toward Sustainability, Literally

Jennifer Reid — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 15:18:53 -0400

The Landmark Group of Builders is a residential construction company further comprised of seven individual companies with offices in Edmonton, Red Deer, and Calgary. In the fall of 2008, in collaboration with The Natural Step, Landmark embarked on a journey to identify their key sustainability challenges, key innovation goals to overcome those challenges, and to develop a road map for embedding sustainability into their business. TNS advisor Sarah Brooks commends Landmark for “taking a long term perspective in their strategic planning for sustainability.” She points out that by “benchmarking progress from full sustainability rather than compliance regulations, [The Landmark Group] are taking an approach that is rigorous enough to answer the question “how will we know when we’ve arrived there [at sustainability]?””

To date, TNS has been involved in facilitating the Awareness, Baseline, and Visioning phases of TNS ABCD process. This has been accomplished through a series of workshops and webinars held with various members of senior management and members of Landmark’s Green Team. With support from TNS advisors, Landmark Group of Builders has prepared a baseline analysis of their company. This baseline analysis, along with a governance report drafted by TNS representatives, provided a means for the critical review of the company’s business practices which is integral for strategic planning. In preparation for sustainable action, a draft of a sustainability vision has been created by the company’s internal “Green Team”.

This partnership with TNS is only one of many initiatives making Landmark a strong corporate leader in Alberta. Dave Nasseri, the director and coordinator of the “Landmark Sustainability Initiative”, along with a group of dedicated visionaries, have a number of systems and assets in place from which to build. These programs, such as Landmark’s culture of learning, have greatly contributed to the progress made with TNS.

“Landmark is setting a solid foundation to move towards sustainability in a robust, efficient, and comprehensive way while staying viable in the market”, commented Sarah Brooks; “This is a foundation that will help to shed light on the sustainability journey and provide ‘proof of possibility’ for other construction companies interested in taking a similar path.”

Canada

Calgary Level One Pilot Takes Off

Sarah Brooks — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 16:04:56 -0500

www.flickr.com

Last week, I, along with my colleague Pong Leung, had the privilege of joining 24 people in Calgary, Alberta, to spend two days unpacking and playing with application of The Natural Step Framework.This was the first of our Level 1 Learning Programs and as such, really the pilot of our pilot program.

Participants came from a range of backgrounds both public and private and included people experienced in using the Framework and also some that were brand new to it. There were participants who had excellent working knowledge of building and delivering sustainability initiatives, but who were not familiar with the Framework, and there were those that were new to sustainability in general. We had representatives from municipalities, small business and large corporations... Fertile ground in which to play! Click here to see the photos.

As facilitators, the challenge was to make the content relevant for a diverse audience, something that is always interesting, both as facilitator and participant-observer. What was clear, however, particularly once we dove into application of the content, was that the generic nature of the Framework – its ‘scalability’ over place and space appropriate to context – really shone. We had an opportunity to explore how the sustainability challenge and concurrent opportunities may impact organizations – everything from an energy company, to a café, to a small municipality. We explored how to use fundamental principles of sustainability to create innovation goals (a desired future) for an organization or community; confirm these goals against key sustainability challenges (identified through analysis by the sustainability principles); and how to translate that into day-to-day actions over the short- and medium- term so that the goals become operational in practice. The goal of the workshop was to add value to the great work that participants are already doing or considering doing, and to provide tools, techniques, lessons learned and advice to enable use of the Framework in their own context.

There was some excellent output from the session, and we are looking forward to seeing how participants put the Framework to use for themselves and the organizations that they represent. We’re also anticipating our upcoming sessions in Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal and Ottawa. Stay tuned!

Canada

Canadian Business for Social Responsibility :: 7th Annual Summit on CSR, Toronto, ON

Anouk Bertner — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 13:23:31 -0400

Start: Nov 5 2009 - 12:00am

End: Nov 5 2009 - 11:59pm

Timezone: Etc/GMT-4

Transformational CSR: The Next Wave of Business Leadership, Innovation and Performance
November 5, 2009 – Toronto

This year’s Summit will focus on new and creative ways for businesses to take a transformational approach to CSR – by embedding environmental, social and governance excellence and linking these principles to effective business strategy and bottom line performance. We will highlight current strategies, practical case studies and cutting edge trends that are advancing business practice. Featured speakers include: Dr. John Ruggie, United Nations Special Representative on Business and Human Rights, Ray Anderson, Founder and Chairman of Interface Inc. and Jeffrey Hollender, Chair and Chief Inspired Protagonist of Seventh Generation. Pre- and post-Summit workshops will take place on November 4 & 6. To learn more and register visit their website.

Canada

Centretown Citizens Ottawa Corporation (CCOC)

Jennifer Reid — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 13:32:48 -0500

Centretown Citizens Ottawa Corporation (CCOC) is a private non-profit housing organization that owns and operates 48 buildings around Ottawa providing over 2,000 residents with affordable housing. Their mission is to create, maintain and promote housing for low and moderate income people. In 2008, CCOC received a grant to undertake an education campaign on behaviour change to promote sustainability and achieve measurable greenhouse gas emissions reductions. As a tenant and volunteer led organization it was natural for CCOC to include the day-to-day decisions their tenants were making into their overall sustainability efforts.

PACE Consulting, EnviroEconomics and The Natural Step were all enlisted to help CCOC in creating a more holistic approach through the Go Green Initiative. EnviroEconomics delivered a detailed quantitative and qualitative footprint survey for tenants, and PACE Consulting used the results to develop targeted behaviour change strategies through contests, events and promotions.

In order to ensure that staff and tenants had a clear and common understanding of sustainability and the ways in which current practices are unsustainable, The Natural Step was contracted to conduct introductory workshops with several groups of tenants. Additionally, all CCOC staff partook in two days of training in The Natural Step Framework. By engaging tenants and staff directly, The Natural Step empowered participants to understand and respond to sustainability challenges, to take personal action and to develop capacity to change organizational practices.

“As an organization focused on the social sector, CCOC is in an exemplary position to build the capacity of their organization and tenants to respond to the challenges and opportunities presented by sustainability in an accessible, results-oriented way. Their Go Green Initiative did exactly this”, said Senior Natural Step Advisor Sarah Brooks.

In 2009, CCOC signed up as one of the 25 organizations that participated in the pilot project for TNS’s “Greening Ottawa’s NGOs” project. Through this initiative they gained a valuable network of companions with which they were able to problem-solve, learn, and engage to discuss the trials and tribulations of going-green/sustainable.

Congratulations are extended to CCOC who, in November, was awarded the Ontario Non-Profit Housing Association’s “Going Green award”, for their “Go Green” initiative. On the ONPHA website, this award is described as an honour to be bestowed on “a non-profit housing provider who has taken innovative steps to reduce their impact on the environment” – an award for which CCOC is certainly deserving.

Canada

Championing Sustainability in your Organization, with Special Guest Bob Willard (Webinar)

Franco Varriano — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 08:37:15 -0400

Start: Apr 14 2011 - 1:30pm

End: Apr 14 2011 - 2:30pm

Timezone: Canada/Eastern

Bob Willard, author of The Sustainability Advantage and other books, will explain how you can champion sustainability in your organization. Learn how to be credible and stay credible, and to advance transformational and lasting change.

Sustainability Practitioners Series
This event is part of The Natural Step Canada’s monthly webinars for sustainability practitioners that explore various aspects of The Natural Step Framework for Strategic Sustainable Development. Presented by The Natural Step Canada’s experienced Sustainability Advisors and special guests.

Cost:

$30 for the public
FREE for all Members of The Natural Step Exchange (Join the Exchange now)

Canada

Change@INGDirect with The Natural Step

Franco Varriano — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 11:08:11 -0400

Start: Nov 2 2010 - 5:00pm

End: Nov 2 2010 - 7:00pm

Timezone: Canada/Pacific

Join The Natural Step Canada’s Senior Advisor, Sarah Brooks, for a presentation on how to bring transformational change to into your organization while maximizing short term and long term economic sustainability, presented by Board of Change.

"An Economically Prosperous Approach for Enabling Transformational Change toward Sustainability into your Organization".

Long-term value creation requires both satisfying short-term economic profit needs and laying the foundations for future success. Sustainability challenges – including climate change, resource shortages and the world’s rapidly growing population – are driving the business constraints in which companies have to create value. Sustainability challenges are already affecting short-term financial performance.

Successful companies can see beyond these challenges and recognize a leadership opportunity. They actively lay the foundations for a sustainable business by aligning the drivers of business success with the needs of society and our changing planet. In this way they can create more ‘win-wins’ where sustainability and profitability go hand in hand.

Learn how these principles apply to your business and dialogue with Sarah about the realities of making transformational change in a real life business situation.

To learn more about the event, or to resgister, please click here or visit Board of Change by clicking here.

***

Sarah Brooks
Senior Advisor & Senior Manager, Sustainable Business

As a senior advisor with The Natural Step Canada, Sarah supports communities, businesses and other organizations with integrated sustainability planning and education and delivers hundreds of presentations and training workshops on The Natural Step Framework. In her role as Senior Manager, Sustainable Business, she is responsible for developing The Natural Step’s service offering for business and managing the team of Natural Step advisors who work with businesses across Canada.

To read more about Sarah Brooks, please click here.

Canada

Chemical Industry Challenged to Step Up

Richard Blume — Fri, 22 May 2009 17:27:46 -0400

Last week our Founder, Dr Karl-Henrik Robèrt, and CEO David Cook spoke at the Vinyl 2010 industry summit in Berlin, Germany where the next steps in the industry's voluntary commitment to sustainability were discussed.

Since we released the 2000 report on PVC and Sustainability in partnership with the UK Environment Agency, The Natural Step has engaged with many leading companies in the industry helping to bring a systems and vision-oriented approach to tackle the challenge of sustainable production and management of man-made materials, such as PVC.

At the event Karl-Henrik gave an overview of The Natural Step Framework. In 20 years of dialogue between the scientific community and engagement with industry TNS has developed a robust and proven approach that has rewarded industry pioneers with unparalleled pay-back – the result of strategic choices informed by a systems perspective of sustainability.

David Cook challenged the industry to step up: “Innovation for un-sustainable products is a complete waste of time, and a tragedy”, he said. He highlighted the need to focus on sustainable satisfaction of needs, end-use, a broader ‘plastics’ industry perspective, a global outlook to any new industry initiatives and rigorous assessment using sustainability principles, as critical to the industry’s next step.

Deep industry transformation through collaboration and a much broader commitment to sustainability education within the sector were also key points to follow-up on the great progress made by Vinyl 2010.

In line with this challenge The Natural Step, in partnership with Blekinge Institute of Technology, is pleased to invite chemistry industry professionals to join the second intake of an innovative distance learning programme. The course will bring together individuals and organizations committed to the creation of sustainable value chains as a means of competitive advantage.

You can read more about the course Leading Change for a Sustainable Chemical Industry on our website and you can contact me for the course brochure and further enquiries.

The Vinyl2010 Webcast is available at the following links:

Vinyl2010 Webcast - http://www.vinyl2010berlin2009.org/ - select the Chapters tab to go to the TNS presentation “Creating a strategic framework for sustainable development that can meet industry’s needs”
TNS Slide Presentation - Karl-Henrik Robert / David Cook

City of Santa Monica, California, USA

Chas Martin — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 21:18:42 -0400

A Natural Step Network Case Study

Overview
The City of Santa Monica is located on the western edge of the Los Angeles Basin in southern California. It is a small city of 88,000 people within 8.3 square miles that faces Santa Monica Bay and the Pacific Ocean to the west and is surrounded by other urban areas to the north, east, and south.

The City is defined largely by its relationship to the beach and ocean. Not surprisingly, it was degradation of Santa Monica Bay in the early 1980s that first galvanized action on behalf of the environment by citizens and community leaders.

Santa Monica has generally affluent citizens, high property values, and a strong economy based on high technology, entertainment, tourism, and retail. These factors mean that City government has a strong tax base with which to design and implement programs. The City government has approximately 1800 permanent employees in 13 different departments and an annual budget of $365,000,000.

Background on Santa Monica’s Sustainable City Program
Santa Monica’s Sustainable City Program (SCP) grew out of a Task Force on the Environment appointed by the City Council in 1991 to review the city’s environmental policies and programs. Seeing the concept of sustainability as a unifying theme, the Task Force recommended a program to define what sustainability means for the city, develop a plan to get there, and then implement the plan. After substantial public involvement, City Council adopted the SCP in 1994.

The Role of The Natural Step in Santa Monica’s Sustainable City Program
As part of the general land-use planning process required under California state law, Santa Monica began a review and revision of the conservation element of its general plan in 1998. The conservation element is one of seven state-required general plan elements. The city used this update as an opportunity to incorporate the systems-oriented, holistic approach of the SCP and to codify the SCP into the conservation element. This strategy would strengthen the environmental components of the City’s general plan because all elements of the plan are required by state law to be internally consistent with each other.

The company hired to help re-write the conservation element, Rincon Consulting, proposed using The Natural Step’s (TNS) system conditions as a unifying framework for the document. This was accomplished by developing four core objectives for the conservation element modeled after the TNS system conditions. Each objective is followed by a set of policies, which were taken from the SCP. The objectives in the conservation element read as follows:
Objective 1: Strive for the sustainable use of nonrenewable and limited resources such as fossil fuels, metals, minerals, and water. Related policy topics include energy, water, and others.

Objective 2: Minimize the accumulation of human-made substances in the water, air, and earth. Related policy topics include water, air, waste, and others.

Objective 3: Preserve the productivity and diversity of nature. Related policy topics include Santa Monica Bay, habitat, and others.

Objective 4: Seek to provide for the range of human needs in a fair and efficient manner, with a priority on meeting basic human needs. Related policy topics include environmental health risks to disadvantaged communities, promoting mixed use development, affordable housing, and others.

Attachment 1 is a sample page of the conservation element; showing objective 1 and specific energy policies. Finally, the conservation element charges the SCP with translating these policies into action.

During the revision of Santa Monica’s conservation element, both the City’s Planning Commission and its Task Force on the Environment received presentations about The Natural Step and discussed using it as the unifying framework. Both bodies enthusiastically approved this approach. City staff have not received any specific training in TNS framework, although the City co-sponsored, with the local Chamber of Commerce, a workshop open to the general public; several city staff attended.

TNS framework itself did not play a role in the city’s sustainability effort until after the latter was well underway. The primary role of TNS has been to provide a conceptual framework that gives clarity, elegance, and unity to what was once a complicated SCP. TNS framework is mentioned only as a footnote in the written conservation element, and there are no references to the framework per se in any SCP communications and marketing materials.

The Sustainable City Program Today
As stated above, the SCP is responsible for implementing the policies of the conservation element of the City’s general plan. It includes the following key elements:
1. Guiding principles (adopted in 1994):
    A. The concept of sustainability guides city policy.
    B. Protection, preservation, and restoration of the natural environment is a high priority for the City.
    C. Environmental quality and economic health are mutually dependent.
    D. All decisions have environmental implications.
    E. Community awareness, responsibility, involvement, and education are key
elements of successful programs/policies.
    F. Santa Monica recognizes its linkages with the regional, national, and global
community.
    G. Those environmental issues most important to the community should be
addressed first, and the most cost-effective program and policies should be selected.
    H. The City is committed to procurement decisions which minimize negative environmental and social impacts.
2. Goals in four main areas: resource conservation, transportation, pollution prevention and public health protection, and community and economic development.
3. Targets and indicators for each goal area. Eighteen targets and indicators spread among the four goal areas allow the City to measure progress. Attachment 2 is a copy of the resource conservation indicators and targets.
4. Periodic review to determine program effectiveness. A bi-annual review identifies accomplishments to-date and obstacles to future success.

Results
The SCP has achieved some impressive results:
Resource conservation
• Waste diverted from the landfill increased from 13.8% in 1990 to 55% in 2000.
• Citywide water use decreased 6.3% from 1990 to 2000.
• Greenhouse gas emissions decreased 5.2% citywide from 1990 to 2000.
• Santa Monica now purchases 100% of its energy from renewable sources, and all facilities have been retrofitted to improve energy efficiency and reduce costs.

Transportation
• Annual ridership on the City’s Big Blue Bus increased 17% from 1990 to 2000. Big Blue was ranked the number one urban transit system in the US in 1997, 1998, 1999, and 2000 (based on a comparative study by the University of North Carolina’s Center of Interdisciplinary Transportation Studies).
• The percentage of City fleet vehicles operating on reduced emissions (natural gas and electricity) increased from 10% in 1993 to 70% in 2000.

Pollution Prevention and Public Health Protection
• Untreated, dry-weather urban runoff entering Santa Monica Bay from City outfalls decreased by approximately 95% from 1990 to 2000.
• Citywide wastewater flows have been reduced more than 14% between 1990 and 1999.
• The City’s Urban Runoff Reclamation Facility (SMURRF) came on-line in 2001. It treats up to 500,000 gallons per day of urban runoff that can be reused for landscape irrigation and indoor toilet flushing at various sites around the City.

Community and Economic Development
• The number of publicly assisted affordable housing units in the City increased by 47% between 1990 and 1998.
• The total amount of open space in the City increased by 10% between 1990 and 2000.
• The number of trees in public spaces increased 8% between 1995 and 2000.

Lessons Learned
• Bring TNS into the discussion as early as possible. Had TNS framework been around when the SCP was developed, it would have helped Santa Monica’s sustainability effort achieve a clarity of purpose and a simpler, more coherent organizing framework sooner. Because the framework is simple and easy to understand, it helps build consensus on the vision of where a sustainability effort is trying to go. It helps people understand the problem and defines a shared goal.

• Start small. The SCP did not try to solve every problem immediately. Instead, it focused on the obvious problems and the low-hanging fruit to demonstrate early success and then used those successes to help sell the next steps. Also, the SCP often took a pilot project approach to an issue that began with a limited scope and resources. If successful, the pilot was then replicated on a larger scale, incorporating lessons learned from the pilot.

Example: Toxics-Use Reduction Program. Santa Monica began its Toxics-Use Reduction Program as part of its effort to reduce its use of hazardous materials. It targeted custodial cleaning supplies because there was a clear risk to both employee health and public health as well as the environment. The process relied heavily on involvement of custodial staff and testing the effectiveness of alternative products. The project resulted in 1) replacement of 15 of 17 cleaning product categories with less-toxic but equally effective alternatives; 2) reduced hazardous materials use by approximately 3200 pounds per year and saved approximately 5% in costs; 3) a set of procurement specifications for custodial cleaning products; and 4) improved morale of custodial staff. Equally important, the custodian pilot served as a successful model that has now been replicated in fleet maintenance, public facilities maintenance (painting, plumbing, and woodworking), printing, and pest management.

• Start where the issues and conflicts are in your community. Don’t try to force people to pay attention to things that are not on their radar screen, especially in the beginning. This is especially true if there is a local environmental “crisis” of some sort: use the issue at the heart of the crisis to begin the process towards sustainability.

• Set specific targets. SCP staff believes that specific targets drove policy change and accelerated action. Targets make the effort more compelling to the public and elected officials. If elected officials adopt the targets, they feel responsible for achieving them. Also, targets demand periodic performance reviews and set in motion continuous improvement.

Example: Bus ridership. The initial target was to increase ridership by 10% between 1990 and 2000. By 1995, however, ridership had dropped by almost 8%. The City Council said this was not acceptable and tasked the Transportation Department to develop a strategy to meet the target. The department started a service improvement program that included hiring a technical consulting firm to review operations and survey riders on what they liked and disliked. This led to improved safety en route and at bus stops, route changes, smaller and larger buses on specific routes, and schedule changes. These changes were implemented in 1997, and ridership started increasing shortly thereafter. By 2000, the City had surpassed its target, with ridership 17% greater than in 1990, and it had been voted the number one urban transit service in the US four years in a row.

• Support from the top matters. SM received support from the top elected and appointed officials early on. The city manager incorporated meeting SCP goals into performance criteria for department heads. This level of support gets all players on board, especially those who may resist the concept of sustainability or change in general.

• Respond to the public’s specific needs. Whenever possible, talk to public audiences about specific problems and the actions needed to fix those problems. People can relate to a polluted bay and the specific actions needed to clean it up; they cannot relate to vague terms like sustainability or The Natural Step.

The Future
City staff do not see any direct threat to the SCP because it has strong support among city leadership, and the city has a strong economic base. Also, the program only has one staff person who coordinates activities with staff in other departments. This keeps program overhead low. Finally, the staff has developed a variety of partnerships with other cities and the business community in support of the program and several other general public outreach tools. The business partnerships include annual Sustainable Quality Awards for businesses that meet certain criteria as well as a Sustainable Works program that provides free technical assistance to local businesses. General public outreach tools include an environmental directory for all city residents; a “Green Map,” which includes, not only parks and green spaces, but also electric vehicle stations, green buildings, green retailers, and other environmental resources; educational programs in schools taught by local nonprofits; a web site; and publicity around is bi-annual progress reports.

The SCP faces three challenges in the future:
1. Resource use in the City is increasing, both generally and on a per capita basis, despite the success of the SCP. This is the result of a strong local economy and a high day-time occupancy rate, which is due to the strong tourism component to the economy and the large number of people who work but do not live in the City (often because they cannot afford to do so). The high day-time occupancy rate also leads to greater regional traffic congestion and pollution.

2. Affordable housing is declining. Teachers, service sector employees, and other middle income earners often cannot afford to live in the City due to high property values and high rental rates. Also, the State of California recently passed a vacancy decontrol regulation that hampers the ability of local governments to control rent.

3. Social equity and economic development concerns should be included in the SCP.
The initial focus of the SCP was on environmental concerns; the program is just now expanding to include social and economic concerns. The City has been doing significant work related to homelessness, seniors, and children and spends more per capita in these areas than neighboring cities. But it is just now starting to formally and explicitly include these areas in the SCP by educating city staff who work on social and economic issues about their role in sustainability and involving them in development of new indicators and targets.

Attachment 1

Source
Interviews with Dean Kubani, Sustainable City Program Coordinator, City of Santa Monica, in November and December 2001.

This case study was prepared by Mike Riley of Conservation for Central Oregon (dba The Recycling Team), Bend, Oregon, for the Oregon Natural Step Network. You can reach Dean Kubani at (310)458-2227 or dean-kubani@ci.santa-monica.ca.us. The Web site for the Sustainable City Program is http://pen.ci.santa-monica.ca.us/environment/policy/. Copyright 2002 Oregon Natural Step Network City of Santa Monica
Attachment 1
Copyright 2002 Oregon Natural Step Network City of Santa Monica

Clearing the Air in Leeds

Anouk Bertner — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 16:58:14 -0400

Leeds City Council (UK) is leaving other municipalities in the dust by using a clearer, more strategic approach to reducing their air pollution.

The Natural Step in the UK (under the banner of Forum for the Future), in collaboration with consultants from the London-based engineering firm of Arup, recently delivered workshops to study the City’s new Air Quality Action Plan. While national regulations only require cities to reduce local levels of 7 common types of air pollution, this review presented a huge opportunity to broaden the conversation and take a more comprehensive approach.

The workshop brought together stakeholders from Council departments such as Transport and Spatial Planning, as well as the Environment Agency, Leeds University, two major supermarkets, and a local campaign group representing Stop Climate Chaos. The day was structured around how air quality can be addressed using each of the five levels of The Natural Step Framework.

Participants first mapped the pollutants, causes of pollutants, pathways and receptors in society and ecosystems, stakeholders, regulations, and so forth. The single biggest problem was identified as Nitrous Oxide (NOx) emissions from transport, although many other substances and sources were found to contribute to the City’s poor air quality. The workshop leaders also helped to highlight how the City’s air emissions affect soils in surrounding national parks and the international health implications of air pollution.

This more holistic view of air pollution enabled participants to develop a vision of success that was far more comprehensive than simply the regulation of seven particular substances. “Workshop participants developed a vision for future success that would go beyond transport and NOx and beyond the idea of ‘safe limits’ or acceptable levels of air pollution,” noted Tom Chambers of Forum for the Future.

“Overall the workshop was a success,” said Chambers. “Whilst national standards remain important, they can become part of a more holistic vision of working towards clean air in, and beyond, the city.” For more on Forum’s work, visit their website at http://www.forumforthefuture.org/.

Commitment to Sustainability Drives Rapid Change at ISL

Jennifer Reid — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 14:27:10 -0400

ISL Engineering and Land Services (ISL) roared into 2010 like a lion. In January of this year, the organization partnered with The Natural Step Canada to complete an organizational readiness assessment and develop a draft vision for a ‘Sustainable ISL’. This was coupled with the development of a road map to engage internal and external stakeholders to develop and implement strategies to reach the vision. Three months later, the work is complete and tentative targets have been set. This rapid action is driven by a corporate desire to take a leadership role in sustainability and enable clients of ISL to take significant steps toward sustainability.
The Natural Step Canada advisors Pong Leung and Sarah Brooks were brought on board to help the organization build in-house ‘sustainability capacity’ and facilitate the development of the vision and roadmap. In early January, 43 senior-level decision-makers, including the company’s Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, and Chief Operating Officer, took part in a 2-day workshop that focused on: building a shared understanding of sustainability among participants, articulating strategic objectives that describe a ‘sustainable ISL,’ and accumulating information important for building a road map.
“We covered a lot of ground and set a course for continued success along our sustainability journey” explained President and CEO Rodney Peacock in reference to the workshop. “As we noted during the wrap up [of the workshop], we have built up considerable steam and are charged with keeping the momentum going.”
Information accumulated over the two-day session was used to draft a sustainability roadmap, outlining suggested steps to be taken by ISL over the next 24 months. This was based on workshop output, best practices in sustainability planning, and informed by The Natural Step Framework.
“With this roadmap the organization will have a process for operationalizing their corporate level commitment to sustainability,” said Sarah.
“ISL’s commitment to sustainability will be formalized externally by visibly integrating our sustainability journey into our brand,” says Terry Myles, Senior Urban Designer and Sustainability Coordinator at ISL. “Our client research tells us clients care about sustainability innovation in their projects and see value in looking at current practices with sustainability in mind. By sharing our place on the journey with clients and partners, we hope to create an environment of inclusiveness and innovation—one where learning and practices are shared, and new ideas are always considered.”
In March, ISL launched its sustainability thrust. Nearly all 260 employees completed The Natural Step’s Sustainability 101 eLearning course and attended a half-day workshop focused on The Natural Step Framework and ISL’s sustainability road map. The event included an opportunity for all staff to provide feedback and explore their role in the process.
Looking forward, ISL plans continued engagement with The Natural Step Canada in the second phase of its sustainability journey. The organization will be building localized strategies to integrate sustainable practices, informed by The Natural Step sustainability principles, at the both the operational and service-sector level. The Natural Step Canada congratulates ISL on its commitment and progress to date. Watch our website for more developments from ISL!

Canada

Community Based Social Marketing with Dr. Doug McKenzie-Mohr (Webinar)

Franco Varriano — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 09:43:04 -0400

Start: Sep 24 2010 - 1:00pm

End: Sep 24 2010 - 2:30pm

Timezone: Etc/GMT-4

Media advertising can be effective in creating public awareness and understanding of issues related to sustainability, but are limited in their ability to foster behaviour change. In this webinar, Dr. Doug McKenzie-Mohr will explore how community-based social marketing, an approach to promoting behavioural change at the community level, can foster action-oriented, community-led outcomes, and how it is being applied throughout the world to foster sustainable behaviour. He will introduce the five steps of commu¬nity-based social marketing: selecting behaviours, identifying barriers & benefits, developing strategies, conducting a pilot, and broad scale implementation.

Dr. Doug McKenzie-Mohr, is the Founder of community-based social marketing and author of the best-selling book Fostering Sustainable Behaviour.

Peer-to-Peer Sustainability Champions Dialogues

This event is part of The Natural Step Exchange’s Peer-to-Peer Sustainability Dialogue series—exclusive dialogues with leading guest sustainability experts on topics chosen by members of The Natural Step Exchange.

Cost:

EXCLUSIVE to Premium Members of The Natural Step Exchange (Join the Exchange now)

Canada

Community Sustainability Planning Course in Toronto, Ontario

Youth Storyteller — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 09:46:28 -0500

Submitted by Laur Fisher

www.flickr.com

As you walked into the Hilton Garden Inn conference room on December 8th, you could hear the energy pulsing around the room. In fact, it was difficult to quiet it. Here, council members, NGO and government staff, students, independent consultants, and unofficial-yet-passionate community leaders were sharing experiences from their communities. >See pictures here.

The first person I met was Barb Ryan, who had flown in from Fox Creek, Alberta, her town of 2,200 a couple hours north of Edmonton. A reporter by profession but activist by necessity, she is her community’s self-proclaimed director of sustainability. And in this mission, she’s alone. “People in my town just don’t get it. They’re in denial,” she said, exasperated. “I don’t know what to do. I’ve hit a wall.” This is why she is here today – “this is my challenge.”

Dayle Eshelby was invigorated. Fourteen months ago she was appointed the Sustainability Coordinator for her island town of Lockport, Nova Scotia. A small community of only 650, she had to start from scratch, as Lockport had no official stance on sustainability and climate change before. “I only wish I knew about The Natural Step fourteen months ago!” she laughed, “I now have somewhere to begin. How can I bring the four TNS principles down to a language that my community will understand? How can I turn this into a community plan?”

This is why they, among twenty-five others, enrolled in the Community Sustainability Planning Course, a five-month online program hosted by The Natural Step. The goal of the course is to guide community leaders through the creation and activation of their own Integrated Community Sustainability Plan (ICSP). This was the first of two in-person workshops; the rest of the course is conducted through file sharing sessions and webinars held once a month. So while the participants had known each other since October, this was the first time many of them were able to meet each other face-to-face. And there was much to discuss:

How do we understand the complexity of a community’s unsustainability? What are the traits of a successful society? And how do we get gain town-wide consensus to move toward a collective vision?

The purpose of the workshop was to address this “sustainability gap” – the space that lies between where we are today and where we want to be in a successful, sustainable future. Throughout the day, they dissected issues such as how to choose between engagement approaches, turn “emotional” into “creative” tension, define current sustainability challenges, and create a progressive vision for the future that everyone in the community can support. Personally, my favorite part was a fun, though challenging, backcasting exercise which guided us through the process of closing the sustainability gap:

First, we described the community systems – what do they look like now? And how are they failing us? We broke into teams and scribbled our ideas on post-it notes, sticking them on the wall, discussing, debating, returning back to the four system conditions for guidance. The more we brainstormed, the more our community’s main challenges and problem areas became obvious to us.

Then we imagined what these systems would look like if they were flourishing, and more post-it notes went up on the wall. Through this exercise, we were able to, even for a moment, speak as though we were living in this successful, sustainable world. It suddenly became tangible, possible. We then created system objectives to capture and symbolize this image.

Last, there was the step we had all been waiting for. We knew what the challenges facing our communities were, we know the kind of world we want to create – now we could brainstorm how to get there. This is where we let creativity loose. A flurry of post-its celebrated the power of possibility -- all that we can do as citizens and members of our community to create this world that we have envisioned.

It was a small group of 25 attending this workshop. But as Margaret Mead once said, “never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” I saw the energy and empowerment in the room that day. Barb and Dayle might have their work cut out for them, but they are now equipped with tools to use to move forward. Stay tuned, because while politicians stall in Parliament and in Copenhagen, these thoughtful, committed citizens are the ones already taking action to change the world.

Canada

Community Sustainability Planning Course, Canada

Kim Mackrael — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 11:03:20 -0400

Start: Oct 6 2009 - 12:00am

End: Feb 21 2010 - 11:59pm

Timezone: Canada/Eastern

This 5-month course is designed around the lessons and experiences of The Natural Step and its partner organizations in community sustainability planning. Via a mixture of online seminars, in-person workshops and applied project work, it is designed to provide community leaders, and those supporting them, with the practical knowledge, skills and tools to lead long-term, participatory planning efforts towards sustainability. These are often referred to as “integrated community sustainability plans” (ICSPs).

For more information, a course brochure and preliminary course outline, visit The Natural Step Learning Programs page and / or contact Pong Leung (pleung@naturalstep.ca)

Canada

Conducting a Baseline Assessment: Where is your Business or Community at Today? (Webinar)

Franco Varriano — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 08:47:42 -0400

Start: Jun 16 2011 - 1:30pm

End: Jun 16 2011 - 2:30pm

Timezone: Canada/Eastern

Learn some valuable pro-tips from our advisors on how to assess the current sustainability of your business or community.

Cost:

$30 for the public
FREE for all Members of The Natural Step Exchange (Join the Exchange now)

Canada