Filed Under Workshops

IMPACT! Youth Conference for Sustainability Leadership: APPLICATION DEADLINE FEB. 4, 2011!

Franco Varriano — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 11:35:49 -0500

What is IMPACT! The Co-operators Youth Program for Sustainability Leadership?

This one-of-a-kind program focuses on empowering university and college students to be real and effective agents for change in their communities, organizations and businesses. Its national scope inspires a diverse range of students with a passion for sustainability and provides a unique blend of talents and skills.

If, in September 2011, you are between the ages of 19 & 25; attending a Canadian university or college in any discipline; and are passionate about sustainability; this unique bilingual program is for you.

Be inspired by key-note speakers including Dr. David Suzuki, work on tangible sustainability solutions with business and academic leaders; and build lasting networks.

All conference, transportation, accommodation and meal expenses are fully covered. Your contribution is one of time and commitment - time to prepare and collaborate prior to the conference and the commitment to stay networked to other outstanding Canadian student leaders and to initiate change in your community.

When: September 15-18, 2011

Where: University of Guelph, ON

Who: 165 university & college students from across Canada

All conference related expenses covered

Application deadline: February 4, 2011

For more information, please click here.

Canada

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

1-day training in The Natural Step for MBA students at HEC (Montreal, QC)

Josh Snider — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 18:20:28 -0500

Start: Mar 26 2011 - 9:00am

End: Mar 26 2011 - 5:00pm

Timezone: Canada/Eastern

Please note the revised date for this event.

The Natural Step Canada's Anouk Bertner, the Manager of our Emerging Leaders Program, will be delivering a 1-day training session on March 26 at HEC Montreal, an international business school. The training will explain The Natural Step Framework for Strategic Sustainable Development, analyze a case study where The Framework has been applied successfully, and lead students through our sustainability visioning process.

There are still a few spots available. Please contact Sarthak Mittal, Net Impact HEC Director, if you are interested in attending.

About HEC Montreal

HEC Montréal is an international business school whose exceptional teaching and research, combined with its relevance and drive for innovation, have allowed it to stand out from the pack since 1907.

With an openness to globalization, HEC Montréal is dedicated to fostering ongoing leadership in teaching, research, technology and multilingualism in order to prepare students for their future roles as managers and management experts, and, ultimately, to help them become active contributors to society.An appreciation of the world’s cultures, ethical behaviour, academic excellence, leadership and an enterprising spirit are just a few of the qualities that HEC Montréal tries to instil in its students.

Learn more about HEC Montreal...

Canada

Achieving Sustainability Through Collaboration

simonharvey — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 18:31:46 -0400

Start: Oct 21 2008 - 9:00am

End: Oct 21 2008 - 5:00pm

Timezone: Etc/GMT

This one-day symposium will be moderated by Rod Oram. The event has been developed in collaboration with the University of Auckland Business School, and will allow you to develop a clear vision of sustainability, and a plan to implement it. You’ll be able to identify specific changes that will need to take place over the next 50 years, to ensure business practices are transformed from “Business as Usual” to “Business as Sustainable” Are you currently risking the survival of humanity itself, by placing short term profits above long term sustainability? Is this a future you’re proud to pass on to future generations?

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

Applying The Natural Step Framework

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

Auckland Masterclass - Sustainability for Leaders

Simon Harvey — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 04:42:29 -0400

Start: May 30 2012 - 9:00am

End: May 31 2012 - 4:30pm

Timezone: NZ

TNSNZ is hosting a two day sustainability Masterclass on 30th and 31st May 2012 - Sustainability for Leaders.

This powerful two day learning event will explode your understanding of sustainability and enable you to adopt a smarter, strategic, step by step approach to integrating sustainable practices into your organisation.

You'll learn 5 powerful tools and 4 fundamental design principles that enable a truly strategic approach to sustainability, and that will deliver ongoing benefits to your organisation.

Our sought after training courses are a perfect opportunity to learn about the Natural Step's internationally renowned framework for strategic sustainable development, and to commence your pathway towards becoming an accredited advisor for the world's most recognised sustainability framework. Places are limited to 15 people on a first come, first served basis.

Download the programme below, and for further details contact us at tnsnz@thenaturalstep.org or call Simon Harvey on 021 808 300.

New Zealand

Australian Alpine Resorts Sustainability Conference

Scott Grierson — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 01:37:55 -0500

Scott Grierson from The Natural Step in Australia was recently invited to participate in a challenging 'hypothetical', chaired by Rob Gel, at the Alpine Resorts Sustainability Forum 2008. Issues considered included the plight of the endangered Pygmy Possum, the future of snow cover in Australian resorts and the likelihood of an expansion of existing infrastructure and human population.

The 2008 Sustainability Forum brought together 130 of the key players involved in alpine resorts from across Australia. The theme this year was "Creating Sustainable Alpine Communities". The Forum was again held at the Olympic Room at the Melbourne Cricket Ground which proved convenient to those coming from various parts of regional Victoria and interstate. The delegates again included a strong contingent from alpine resort land managers and lift companies, but also attracted delegates from a number of the smaller on-mountain businesses and a range of umbrella groups and organisations.

> Read more about the event here

Australia

Awesome neighbourhoods for a sustainable city: What do you declare possible?

Pong Leung — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 09:55:18 -0400

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

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

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

It’s time to make the impossible possible.

Join us for an experiment…

As part of its Sustainability Transition Lab program and with the support of the Alberta Real Estate Foundation, The Natural Step Canada is hosting an experiment in Edmonton this fall.

Earlier this year, we hosted a Dialogue for a Sustainable and Prosperous Edmonton among leading citizens. At this gathering we heard that now is a key time to engage all generations in imagining a new future for our neighbourhoods.

Workshop I: Youth declare the impossibly awesome neighbourhood possible

Are you aged 18-30 (give or take) and working (paid or unpaid) to make your neighbourhood and city better?

This is an invitation to young people in the Edmonton area to declare what the “impossibly awesome” neighbourhood looks and feels like. What is it for? Who does it serve? How does it operate? What are the characteristics of a neighbourhood that meets the needs of today and tomorrow? What will our social, energy, economic, ecological, cultural, and government systems look like?

System change requires the participation of a wide range of perspectives and values. Join us to share yours and declare Edmonton’s future.

DATE: Wednesday, October 24, 2012, 9:00am-4:00pm (coffee & lunch provided)

LOCATION: The Older Timers’ Cabin, 9430 Scona Road, Edmonton, AB (map)

Registration Deadline: October 22

REGISTRATION CLOSED

Workshop II: Pool the intelligence of the whole city to advance the youth’s awesome declaration

Are you aged 18 – 88 (give or take)? Are you open to being influenced by the dreams of youth and accept the challenge to be responsible for the consequences of today’s actions?

It will take a whole city to respond to the youth declaration of the impossibly awesome neighbourhood. You share this dream and you believe the impossible is possible. You believe that young and old must work together to make it happen. You believe that people of various walks of life and perspectives can work together.

Join us to take action with the wisdom of our varied perspectives and multiple generations.

DATE: Thursday, November 22, 2012, 9:00am-4:00pm (coffee & lunch provided)

LOCATION: Prince of Wales Armouries, Jefferson Room, 10440 - 108 Avenue NW, Edmonton, AB (map)

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Who should attend?

For both workshops, we are inviting those who value:
**Generating new ideas for our neighbourhoods and communities**
**Getting to know Edmonton’s innovative and passionate leaders**
**Creating networks of diverse people who share your passion for this city**

Professionals, artists, activists, city staff, city builders, trades, contractors, teachers, students, educational institutions… anyone who is interested in making neighbourhoods that serve our needs now and into the future is welcome to join us for this experiment.

What to bring

Willingness to share your wisdom and networks
Commitment to support the dreams of youth
Desire to work with people of various perspectives
Comfort in creating a new path together

Our team

In this experiment, you will be hosted by two experienced sustainability practitioners:

Pong Leung, The Natural Step Canada

Pong has over a decade of experience supporting sustainability driven change processes, including in many communities across Canada. Recently, Pong was on the expert panel of Edmonton’s sustainability plan, The Way We Green.

Beth Sanders, POPULUS Community Planning Inc.

Beth works with organizations who seek to create cities that serve citizens well, and citizens that serve cities well. Beth is co-designer and co-host of the Integral City Collective’s international City 2.0 Conference.

Questions?

Please contact Kirsti Piirtoniemi at kpiirtoniemi(at)naturalstep.ca or 613.748.3001 x228.

The Natural Step Canada is a national charitable organization with a mission to accelerate the shift toward a sustainable society, where human beings live within the capacity of the Earth to sustain us. We are an entrepreneurial charity that delivers projects and programs based on our expertise in the social processes of sustainability driven innovation. Our programs build leadership capacity and develop role models for sustainable communities and businesses. Our approach is based on seeing systems, collaborating across boundaries, and creating desired futures. Learn more at www.thenaturalstep.org/canada.

View invitation as a PDF.

Canada

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

Building CSR Commitment Through Stakeholder Engagement Panels (Webinar)

Neil McCallum — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 09:31:09 -0400

Start: Sep 22 2011 - 1:00pm

End: Sep 22 2011 - 2:00pm

Timezone: Canada/Eastern

External CSR Advisory Council or Stakeholder Engagement Panel can be a vital business strategy component. These groups can help companies identify new opportunities, promote innovation, and mitigate risks. Join CBSR for a look at some leading practises in optimizing your use of Stakeholder Engagement Panels.

Participants will:

Hear how Stakeholder Engagement Panels can further a company's CSR commitment
Learn about the type and functions of Stakeholder Engagement Panels
Understand the benefits and challenges of Stakeholder Engagement Panels for project planning and operations
Gain some strategies companies have used to build trust and foster better relationships with their stakeholders
Learn what to include when determining terms of reference and the logistics to manage an Stakeholder Engagement Panel

Who should attend this webinar?

CSR practioners
Communications Managers
Stakeholder Relations Directors

Speakers:

Marie Jurcevic, CSR Advisor, CBSR
Chad Park, Director Programs and Strategies, The Natural Step
Jayne Russell, CRMP, Manager, Public Relations, The Co-operators Group

This webinar is free for CBSR members. Non members may join for $75.

Registration Closes: Sep 22, 2011 01:15 PM

Canada

Building Engagement from Within, with Chris Jarvis from Realized Worth (Sustainability Dialogue)

Josh Snider — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 13:28:05 -0500

Start: Feb 18 2011 - 1:00pm

End: Feb 18 2011 - 2:00pm

Timezone: Canada/Eastern

An organization's sustainability journey is propelled by the unwavering commitment and coordinated efforts of its employees. But without the entire team on board, how can meaningful sustainable progress be made? What practices and practical steps can foster employee engagement in the sustainability journey?

In this Sustainability Dialogue, Chris Jarvis, Co-Founder and Owner of Realized Worth, will present insights into how to motivate employees to embrace and champion your organization’s sustainability actions while drawing on his experiences designing and implementing sustainability-inspired employee volunteer programs.

During this Dialogue you will:

Be introduced to the concepts of: '3 Stages of Engagement,' Missional Organizations, and 'Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic Motivation.'
Learn how to design a program utilizing the '4 Conditions of Sustainable Participation' that will foster buy-in among your staff.
Have the opportunity to discuss how to implement these practices in your organizations.

Our Sustainability Dialogues are exclusive to Premium Members of The Natural Step Exchange. For information about The Natural Step Exchange and how you or your organization can join, please check out our Membership Package or contact us today!

About Chris Jarvis:

Chris Jarvis is the Co-Founder and Senior Consultant for Realized Worth, a leading employee volunteering and CSR consulting firm. Chris provides training and hands-on involvement in the design and implementation of outstanding and sustainable employee volunteer programs for businesses interested in leveraging their CSR programs and differentiating their corporate culture. Learn more...

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

Bullfrog Power sustainability training: What motivates you to work for sustainability?

Kara Stonehouse — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 09:53:19 -0400

As an Intern at The Natural Step Canada, I was thrilled to get the learning opportunity to attend the Bullfrog Power sustainability training. I really appreciate the dedication we have to learning and mentorship at The Natural Step. On the train ride to Toronoto, I read “The 5th Discipline” by Peter Senge and he says a commitment to learning is a leverage point for organizational success. So it all makes sense!

The workshop for Bullfrog was the first time we offered the sustainability learning course to an organization team all together. This was a great fit for our mission of helping organizations transition to sustainable operations and governance. When the whole team understands sustainability together, it’s easier to move forward.

I really enjoyed the workshop for two main reasons. For one, I got to see a master at work. Chad Park, the workshop facilitator from The Natural Step, was very attuned to the group, confident in his delivery and made just the right changes on the fly to make the workshop poignant for the group. For example, He noticed the group was comfortable in the open area, finishing their breakfast in the beautiful Brassaii restaurant, so he started the first learning activity there rather than at the tables and chairs in the meeting room. It was perfect because the first activity was to talk to the people around you to and discuss “What motivates you to work for sustainability?”

The second reason I really enjoyed the workshop was because of the answers to that first question. I was really impressed with the caliber of the team at Bullfrog power. They each had their own perspective to why sustainability is important from business, social good and environmental reasons.

We challenged them to really look at their value creation for their clients from a sustainability planning perspective and asked them to evaluate how a company would judge their service offering in light of three prioritizing questions:

Does this move us in the right direction, towards our goal?
Is this flexible platform moving forward in terms of technology and financial investment? Can we build on it in the future to reach our goal?
Does this initiative offer a return on investment that works for our business? This can include the social return on reputation and brand value as well as a financial return. It can also include your investment of time and the value you get back from it.

I definitely saw some (low energy consumption) light bulbs springing on over people’s heads as we looked at their offering from a fresh perspective. There were “Ah ha!” Moments as well as “Aw, that’s a downer!” realizations as we challenged assumptions about sustainability. We also shared laughs of understanding and learning. I got to facilitate one of the activities and I was the graphic scribe for others. I learned about the whole process and saw how good a learning course can be! The Bullfrog employees got a lot out of the training and now they are more unified in their understanding and values around sustainability. Watch for the Bullfrog as we leap into the sustainable future!

To learn more about how The Natural Step can help equip your team with the knowledge, skills, and tools to embed sustainability throughout your organization, visit one-day strategic sustainability training.

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

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

City Shifters - How on earth should we begin greening our metropolises?

Anouk Bertner — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 10:23:05 -0400

How on earth should we begin greening our metropolises?
By asking the right questions, says The Natural Step.

Dave Cieslewicz, the Mayor of Madison, state capital of Wisconsin, US, has a favourite ‘nuts and bolts’ story about sustainability. We could start by asking the right questions.

“We have this huge converted factory, where we store all our 240 buses overnight,” he explains. “There’s a small part of the building where we fuel them up – and, for the comfort of our employees, we’d been keeping that warm.”

What the council hadn’t registered was that they were unnecessarily heating the bus storage area as well. So in 2007 they bought a door – which cost $70,000, but would pay for
itself, through energy savings, in two years.

Like many green solutions, the Madison bus garage door seems so obvious – but, according to Cieslewicz, it didn’t come about by chance. “It was such a simple answer,” he says. “But you don’t get the right answers unless you ask the right questions.”

What got Madison asking those questions in the first place was its engagement with The Natural Step (TNS) in a radical ‘change process’ to guide it towards the goal of ‘sustainability’ – and help it become one of the first Eco-Municipalities in North America.

TNS’s ‘municipal sustainability planning’ is different from your average city-level strategic plan, explains John Purkis of TNS Canada, in that it doesn’t only involve municipal officials. > download the article below to learn more.

This feature was written by Green Futures - a partntner of The Natural Step. Sign up for free online updates from Green Futures.

Green Futures is the leading source of information, opinion and debate on progress towards sustainable development. It is published online and in print for senior decision makers in business, the public sector, environmental organisations and the media. In Green Futures, positive visions of a low-carbon, opportunity-rich future sit alongside a practical 'can-do' approach that is grounded in today's business reality.

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/.

College Campuses Become Climate Neutral Learning-Laboratories

Jennifer Reid — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 13:37:55 -0400

Georges Dyer, Senior Fellow, Second Nature, and Michelle Dyer, Vice President, Second Nature.

“We may only have 3% of the carbon footprint, but we have 100% of the education footprint.” These are the words of Michael Crow, Presidents of Arizona State University and co-chair of the steering committee of the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment (ACUPCC). Over 650 schools, which educate more than 5.5 million students, have made a pledge to integrate sustainability into the educational experience of all students, and eliminate net greenhouse gas emissions from campus operations.

On September 15th, nearly 100 of the participating institutions submitted plans detailing how they intend to achieve the goals of the ACUPCC. To review any of the hundreds of greenhouse gas inventories and climate action plans publicly reported by ACUPCC institutions, visit the ACUPCC Online Reporting System for examples of campuses investing $70 million in comprehensive energy efficiency retrofits, installing solar arrays over all buildings and parking lots, and launching a School of Sustainability (Arizona State University), reducing energy demand 50% and generating 20% of their energy onsite from renewable sources (Portland Community College), and developing mid-western wind power (University of Minnesota, Morris).

The ACUPCC network held its annual Climate Leadership Summit in college Chicago in August, where presidents and other senior leaders heard from Former President Bill Clinton about the urgent need to ramp up efforts on energy efficiency in our building stock. Other speakers included Janine Benyus of the Biomimcry Institute, Peter Senge of the Society for Organizational Learning, and Rick Fedrizzi, President of the US Green Building Council.

The ACUPCC is supported by Second Nature, a non-profit based in Boston that works with colleges and universities to promote education for sustainability. Second Nature has strong ties to The Natural Step, as its Founder and President, Tony Cortese, helped bring TNS to the US. Three staff members - Michelle Dyer, Georges Dyer, and Stephen Muzzy - are graduates of the Master’s in Strategic Leadership towards Sustainability Program, a close TNS partner, and Barbara Koneval, a former staffer for the TNS Oregon Network runs their education and training programs.

To stay updated on the progress of the ACUPCC, sign-up for its free monthly newsletter and follow ACUPCC on Twitter.

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 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

Convince your boss that taking The Natural Step Canada’s Sustainability Learning Courses is a wise investment

Josh Snider — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 15:52:53 -0400

Having trouble making the case to your boss for you to take our courses? Here’s some help…

The Natural Step Canada’s highly regarded in-person sustainability courses are intended to inspire and empower sustainability leadership in Canada. As a non-profit organization, The Natural Step Canada has designed this course to support champions in communities, businesses, NGOs, and educational institutions to be effective sustainability change agents and leaders. It is based on a strategic, science-based systems approach to sustainability: The Natural Step Framework for Strategic Sustainable Development.

“But why should I invest in my staff in this way?”

Because you want your employees to drive sustainability innovation to find opportunity and potential for your organization’s vision and growth. To do this, they need to enhance their competence in sustainability.

This workshop enhances staff performance by inviting them to:

Articulate the value proposition and business case for sustainability.
Strategically analyze sustainability situations using a compelling framework.
Change the way they think about sustainability to see the systemic issues of our day and learn how to see systemic sustainability opportunities in their work.
Influence sustainability-related change processes in your organization.
Capture value, enable innovation, and drive strategy.
Make better decisions by asking different questions.
Apply a sustainability lens to the way they think and work to drive sustainability innovation.
Re-energize, think about their work in a new way, and challenge them to reflect on the relevance of sustainability to their context.
Connect and network with national peers to further learning.

“Why else should I invest in sustainability training?”

Profit and opportunity are possible as your people build their competence in sustainability and lead in their work, creating opportunities and innovations you haven’t thought of.
Capture the sustainability value proposition by investing in your employees’ sustainability competence as part of a broader sustainability strategy.
Interpret emerging industry trends by ensuring your employees receive leading edge sustainability training in a widely used, rigorous, and well-respected sustainability framework.
Invest in your people with sustainability training to enable them to reach their full potential through a professionally-designed course delivered by sustainability advisors who have extensive experience working with hundreds of organizations and communities around the world.
Retain your staff by providing them with opportunities to bring their sustainability passion to their productivity.
Command a leadership role in sustainability by employing staff who understand and apply it on the job.
Maintain a healthy professional development budget due to the excellent value for money of this opportunity.

Canada

CREB.com - Sustainable Neighbourhoods: Event to discuss Alberta's thoughts on sustainable living

Neil McCallum — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 09:20:10 -0400

The Natural Step Canada teamed up with the Alberta Real Estate Foundation (AREF) to launch a forum to engage Albertan's in a discussion around what makes a sustainable neighbourhood? The initiative was recently featured in an article from CREB.com.

***

What makes a sustainable neighbourhood?

That will be the main question on the table at the Re-Imagining our Neighbourhoods forum taking place at the Calgary Telus Convention Centre Telus 111 room Oct.19.

Re-Imagining our Neighbourhoods is an initiative of The Natural Step Canada and the Alberta Real Estate Foundation (AREF) as part of AREF’s 20th Anniversary Thought Leader series.

The results of an online forum with the input of hundreds of Albertans and conversations with sustainability leaders across the country will be presented at the event.

“Members from throughout the province of Alberta have shared their thoughts and ideas,” said John Purkis, senior sustainability advisor and senior manager of The Natural Step Canada’s Sustainable Communities Program who will be speaking at the event. “So some of the things we’re seeing emerge from that include things such as increasing, for example, the density of neighbourhoods.

“Albertans indicated (density) is one thing they believe is required if we’re going to transition and move towards a more sustainable future” he added.

Purkis explained another theme resulting from the forum was the relationship between young people who live in a neighbourhood.

“There’s a need for a different type of relationship between (people living in a neighbourhood) and what I mean by that is that, we get into the routine of our daily lives and don’t often know who is living next door or a few doors down,” he said.

Walkability, or neighbourhood businesses within walking distance was also important to people who participated in the forum.

“Many communities are designed around the car so in order to go out shopping, or to see your dentist, or to meet someone at a café you need to jump in your car in order to do that,” Purkis explained. “So in part, the density issue also helps to address the walkability of a neighbourhood.”

As well as the results of the online forum, Purkis will also be touching on the new Living Building Challenge guide created by Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED).

“The Living Building Challenge is a philosophy, advocacy tool and certification program that addresses development at all scales,” says the challenges website https://ilbi.org. “It is comprised of seven performance areas: site, water, energy, health, materials, equity and beauty.”

“It’s a very honest presentation of the types of communities, neighbourhoods and buildings that we need to start creating so it’s a wonderful resource,” Purkis said.

The event runs from 11:30 to 1:30 with lunch provided. Purkis said there are still some seats available. Contact Dora Bundfaard at dorab@aref.ab.ca to RSVP or with any questions.

Canada

Développement Durable pour les Leaders - Niveau 1 (Montréal, QC)

Saralyn Hodgkin — Sat, 10 Sep 2011 08:00:41 -0400

Start: Oct 11 2011 - 8:30am

End: Oct 12 2011 - 5:00pm

Timezone: Canada/Eastern

Découvrez et appliquez les concepts de base du développement durable en vous inscrivant pour les cours « Développement durable pour les leaders – niveau 1 : fondations » offert par The Natural Step Canada. Inscription ferme : 7 octobre 2011!

Ce cours interactif de deux jours ce base sur vingt ans d’expérience pratique et de résultats obtenus par des leaders en développement durable. Les gradués de ce cours seront capable d’expliquer et d’appliquer la démarche The Natural Step au bénéfice de leur commerce, communauté, ou même organisation et seront également capables de prendre un rôle de leadership sur le chemin de développement durable.

Pour en savoir plus :

Quels sont les dates clés?
Ce cours s'applique à qui?
Existe t-il des pré-requis?
Quelle est la durée du cours?
Quels sont les objectifs d’apprentissage?
Quel est le coût?
Lieu
Qu’est-ce que vous allez obtenir?
Notre approche envers l’apprentissage
Prochaine étape?
Questions?
Inscription

Quels sont les dates clés?

Dates du cours : 11-12 octobre 2011
Inscription ferme : 7 octobre 2011

Ce cours s'applique à qui?

Ce cours vise les individus intéressés par le développement durable existant autant qu’émergeant qui veulent accroître leurs connaissances, capacités et outils pour pouvoir entreprendre une approche stratégique, systématique envers la communication, la planification et la gestion de leurs initiatives durables.

Existe t-il des pré-requis?
Non.

Quelle est la durée du cours?

Deux jours d’apprentissage en groupe (agenda exemplaire)
Une heure d’apprentissage en-ligne

Quels sont les objectifs d’apprentissage?

Dans ce cours vous allez :

Décrire les opportunités et les risques de développement durable existant pour les entreprises, les communautés et les organisations
Écouter des histoires et des études de cas provenant des leaders d’organisations déjà sur le trajet de développement durable
Appliquer les étapes clés de la méthodologie ABCD de The Natural Step pour la planification du développement durable en utilisant une étude de cas
Présenter les concepts centraux du cadre The Natural Step par une courte présentation et recevez des commentaires rétroactifs de vos pairs
Développer une stratégie pour promouvoir d’une manière efficace le développement durable auprès de votre commerce, communauté, ou organisation
Réfléchir sur la manière dont le cadre The Natural Step peux vous aider à prendre un rôle de leader sur le trajet envers le développement durable

Quel est le coût?

Prix normal : 750 $ + taxes
Prix pour les membres du réseau The Natural Step Exchange et partenaires : 600 $ + taxes

Un rabais supplémentaire de 10 % est applicable pour les organisations qui inscrivent 3 participants ou plus (ce rabais s’applique directement lors de votre inscription en ligne).

Lieu

Maison du développement durable, 50 rue Ste-Catherine Ouest, Montréal , QC (Carte)

Qu’est-ce que vous allez obtenir?

Les frais incluent :

Un atelier de deux jours personnalisé, facilité par nos conseillers de développement durable (inclus le dîner, collations, breuvages et tous les matériaux du cours)
Une licence d’un an pour notre cours d’apprentissage virtuel reconnu-Sustainability101
Un abonnement avec The Natural Step Exchange, notre réseau exclusif national de professionnels en développement durable

Notre approche envers l’apprentissage

Les programmes d’apprentissage en développement durable The Natural Step sont crés en utilisant une approche d’éducation basée sur le dialogue pour faciliter l’apprentissage. Vous allez avoir la chance de participer activement dans votre apprentissage, ce qui vous permettra de l’appliquer dans des cas réels, de transférer vos connaissances envers votre commerce, votre communauté, ou votre organisation. Les présentations sont courtes et au point et vous permettent l’opportunité de réfléchir au sujet du contenu que vous apprenez.

Prochaine étape?

Développement durable pour les leaders – niveau deux : praticiens.

Questions?

Veuillez contactez Alexandre Magnin par courriel amagnin(at)naturalstep.ca ou composez le 613.748.3001 x233.

Pour plus d’information au sujet de ce cours ou pour vous inscrire...

The Natural Step Canada uses the services of GiftTool to handle our secure online registrations and donations. Learn more about their privacy policy and security policy.

Canada

Développement Durable pour les Leaders - Niveau 1 (Montréal, QC)

Marieke — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 10:00:04 -0400

Start: Nov 2 2010 - 8:30am

End: Nov 3 2010 - 5:00pm

Timezone: Etc/GMT-4

« Veuillez noter que les dates de ce cours ont été modifiées. Les dates indiquées sont à jour. »

Pour en savoir plus :

Quels sont les dates clés?
Ce cours s'applique à qui?
Existe t-il des pré-requis?
Quelle est la durée du cours?
Quels sont les objectifs d’apprentissage?
Quel est le coût?
Qu’est-ce que vous allez obtenir?
Notre approche envers l’apprentissage
Invitez des amis et économisez!
Prochaine étape?
Questions?
Inscription

Quels sont les dates clés?

Dates du cours: 2-3 novembre, 2010
Inscription hâtive fini: 15 octobre, 2010
Inscription ferme: 29 octobre, 2010

Ce cours s'applique à qui?

Existe t-il des pré-requis?
Non

Quelle est la durée du cours?

Deux jours d’apprentissage en groupe (agenda exemplaire)
Une heure d’apprentissage en-ligne
Webinar de suivit (optionnel)

Quels sont les objectifs d’apprentissage?

Dans ce cours vous allez:

Décrire les opportunités et les risques de développement durable existant pour les entreprises, les communautés et les organisations
Écouter des histoires et des études de cas provenant des leaders d’organisations déjà sur le trajet de développement durable
Appliquer les étapes clés de la méthodologie ABCD de The Natural Step pour la planification du développement durable en utilisant une étude de cas
Présenter les concepts centraux du cadre The Natural Step par une courte présentation et recevez des commentaires rétroactifs de vos pairs
Développer une stratégie pour promouvoir d’une manière efficace le développement durable auprès de votre commerce, communauté, ou organisation
Réfléchir sur la manière dont le cadre The Natural Step peux vous aider à prendre un rôle de leader sur le trajet envers le développement durable

Quel est le coût?

Inscription hâtive : $775 CDN + taxe
Prix régulier : $850 CDN + taxe

Prix de groupes sont disponibles pour des organisations qui inscrivent 3 participants ou plus (veuillez nous contactez pour plus de détails)

Qu’est-ce que vous allez obtenir?

Les frais incluent :

Un atelier de deux jours personnalisé, facilité par nos conseillers de développement durable (inclus le dîner, collations, breuvages et tous les matériaux du cours)
Une licence d’un an pour notre cours d’apprentissage virtuel reconnu-Sustainability101
Un webinar de suivit avec Bob Willard, auteur du livre Sustainability Champions Guidebook
Un abonnement d’un an avec The Natural Step Exchange, notre réseau exclusif national de professionnels en développement durable

Notre approche envers l’apprentissage

Les programmes d’apprentissage en développement durable The Natural Step sont crés en utilisant une approche d’éducation basée sur le dialogue pour faciliter l’apprentissage.
Vous allez avoir la chance de participer activement dans votre apprentissage, ce qui vous permettra de l’appliquer dans des cas réels, de transférer vos connaissances envers votre commerce, votre communauté, ou votre organisation. Les présentations sont courtes et au point et vous permettent l’opportunité de réfléchir au sujet du contenu que vous apprenez.

Invitez des amis et économisez!

Téléchargez et partagez notre pamphlet avec vous collègues qui sont intéressés à devenir des leaders de développement durable et au travers de votre réseau. anglais | français.

Des escomptes pour vos références sont disponibles! Veuillez nous contacter.

Prochaine étape?

Développement durable pour les leaders – niveau deux : praticiens.

Questions?

Veuillez contactez nous par courriel info(at)naturalstep.ca ou composez le 613.748.3001.

Pour plus d’information au sujet de ce cours ou pour vous inscrire...

The Natural Step Canada aimerait sincèrement remercier Pratt & Whitney Canada pour leur support généreux du cours Développement Durable pour les Leaders – Niveau 1 à Montréal.

The Natural Step Canada uses the services of GiftTool to handle our secure online registrations and donations. Learn more about their privacy policy and security policy.

Canada

Dialogue on a Gold Standard for Sustainable Business At The Green Living Show (Toronto, ON)

Pong Leung — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 12:49:53 -0400

Start: Apr 12 2013 - 12:00pm

End: Apr 12 2013 - 2:30pm

Timezone: Canada/Eastern

Does your business see sustainability is a key driver for success?

If so, please join us to share your views and expertise to help shape a benchmark for truly sustainable business performance.

This dialogue is the initial step in The Gold Standard for Sustainable Business project, a collaborative initiative aiming to help consumers, businesses, investors, and employers that aim to support truly sustainable business practices through the decisions they make. During this dialogue we will explore the questions:

•    Why a Gold Standard for Sustainable Business?
•    What are the Pros and Cons of a Gold Standard?
•    What issues do you feel are most important to address in a Gold Standard?
•    How can we leverage existing efforts and work together to establish a Gold Standard?

A complimentary lunch is provided, and seats will be limited to the first 50 registrants.

To register and learn more please visit Dialogue on a Gold Standard for Sustainable Business.

Distance Learning

Anouk Bertner — Fri, 01 May 2009 11:20:27 -0400

Think Globally, Learn Locally

The Blekinge Institute of Technology (BTH) and TNS collaborated to launch a new graduate distance learning course entitled Introduction to Strategic Sustainable Development in 2008. Since then, the course has run several times and attracted students from around the world, from Colombia to Canada to New Zealand to Kenya. The purpose of this graduate-level course is to learn about core concepts in Strategic Sustainable Development (SSD), including a thorough understanding of a structured planning and decision making model for application to real world issues.

The course focus includes:

Sustainability challenges facing today's society, including some of the causes of both environmental and societal problems
The major components of a framework for strategic sustainable development
Independent application of a strategic planning tool (the “ABCD” analysis) in an organization
Foundational concepts of sustainable development, including basic science, economics, organizational learning and strategic management.
Different tools and concepts relevant to sustainable development – participants will apply the SSD framework to describe how these tools and concepts are best utilised.

The course is delivered through pre-recorded online lectures, readings, 2 group assignments, live class webinars, an individual presentation and final exam.

This is a part-time study course worth 7.5 ECTS Credits at the Masters Level. Students should expect to commit approximately 4 hours per week to view online materials and participate in online sessions. Additional worktime is required for assignments and readings.

For more information contact: sustainabilitydistancelearning@bth.se