Filed Under Awareness

Max Hamburgers from Sweden Revolutionize Fast Food Industry: New Case Study Released

Franco Varriano — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 10:03:40 -0400

The Natural Step, an internally recognized non-profit organization specializing in sustainability is proud to publish our case study on Max, Sweden’s oldest and most popular hamburger chain. Max President and owner Richard Bergfors and the Director of Sustainability Pär Larshans are now on a North American tour to view over 70 fast food restaurants.

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.

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Canada

"Sustainability at home"

Kelly Hawke Baxter — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 13:42:46 -0500

The Natural Step, in partnership with The David Suzuki Foundation and Light House Sustainable Building Centre, is pleased to announce the launch of our latest creation- Sustainability at home: a toolkit; for British Columbia on November 7th.

Canada

10 Sustainability Themes Highlighted in Glasslands Collection Video by Mark Raynes Roberts

Neil McCallum — Wed, 18 May 2011 11:08:24 -0400

The Glasslands collection project is a new art initiative focused on communicating environmental issues and the cornerstones for sustainable living. The Natural Step Canada is thrilled to have partnered with renowned Canadian crystal artist, Mark Raynes Roberts on this unique initiative. By supporting the Glasslands collection with educational material, The Natural Step Canada helped the Glasslands project develop 10 sustainability themes, which are highlighted in the video: Interconnection, balance, limits, industry, fragility, urgency, transformation, innovation, cooperation, and harmony.

Canada

4 Foundations for Design Excellence

Franco Varriano — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 10:00:54 -0500

Thank you to Sarah Kear and Ecokinesis.

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I have to admit a bias. . . by my definition, design must create some sort of sustainable value, or else it falls short of excellence.

As Dr. Karl-Henrik Robert, founder of The Natural Step, pointed out at the CBSR 8th Annual Summit, Collaborating for Sustainable Change, whatever system we look at in this world, whether economic, social or environmental, we cannot deny that there is a dynamic deterioration happening. There aren’t more trees being planted than being cut down, there aren’t more things being upcycled from garbage than garbage being created, there aren’t more people making a living wage than people making less than $2 a day. We live in a world of chronic un-sustainability.

I see it as a designer’s duty to help rectify this. I’m talking about designers in a very broad sense — designers of communities, policies, infrastructure, cities and organizations, just as much as designers of buildings, interiors, and consumer goods. Why? Like Promethius from Greek mythology, who gave humankind fire and wily intelligence, but also unleashed human troubles (courtesy of Pandora), designers are responsible for giving humankind innovative new things, technology and ways of organizing. It’s a wonderful talent, but we need to mitigate our Pandora-effect as much as possible!

Canada

4 Reasons our Current Business Model is Unsustainable - A weekly blog by sustainability expert Bob Willard

Marieke — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 13:11:23 -0400

For the original post and to leave Bob a comment, please click here.

Sooner or later, there is a tough message that sustainability champions need to deliver to harried business leaders—the business game they are playing can’t continue. It’s been fun, but if they keep playing the game the way they are, everyone will lose. The rules need to be updated— quickly. That contention is probably not the best conversation-opener with a senior business leader. But, at some point along the line, sustainability champions should be ready to gently help them see that their current model of doing business is not sustainable.

Canada

5 Criteria for a Sustainable Business Model - A weekly blog by sustainability expert Bob Willard

Marieke — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 08:25:06 -0400

For the original post and to leave Bob a comment, please click here

It’s one thing to critically assess how today’s dominant business model is not sustainable; it’s another thing to design one that is. As sustainability champions, we need to have a positive vision of the pot of gold at end of the sustainability rainbow. We need to be able to respond to a “put up or shut up” challenge with a description of a sustainable business model that is better for the environment, society, and the company.

Canada

A Sustainability Vision for the Automotive Services Industry

Chas Martin — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 23:03:22 -0400

Using The Natural Step Framework to Develop a Plan Toward Sustainability for Automotive Mechanical and Collision Repair Shops
Prepared for the Oregon DEQ

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.

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.

Canada

Agriculture - Sustainable Development Issues and Approaches (Webinar) :: Canada

Anouk Bertner — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 12:19:33 -0500

Start: Jan 29 2010 - 1:00pm

End: Jan 29 2010 - 3:00pm

Timezone: Canada/Eastern

Webinar :: Friday, January 29th from 1-3pm EST

Canada

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.

Canada

An Alberta Toolkit Symphony

Alaya Boisvert — Wed, 20 May 2009 10:08:41 -0400

What do a symphony orchestra and two exciting new toolkits from The Natural Step Canada have in common?

Both require a collection of diverse talents, a tremendous amount of preliminary practice, and are meant to move their audiences so that they leave forever changed.

Over the past eight months, I have helped develop two new resources for Alberta organizations. To me, the Sustainability Primer and Planning for Sustainability: A Starter Guide represent an extraordinary collective achievement that has drawn on the expertise of TNS’ sustainability advisors, communications team, top management, administrative staff, as well as that of an external editorial committee.

Canada

An Interview with our Founder on Think Globally Radio

Richard Blume — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 06:55:58 -0400

Brought to you by Think Globally Radio: A unifying framework for social and ecological sustainability: with Professor Karl-Henrik Robèrt, MD, PhD, Founder of The Natural Step.
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An Introduction to the Natural Step for the Meetings Industry - WEBINAR

Chas Martin — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 11:19:07 -0400

Start: Oct 13 2010 - 9:00am

End: Oct 13 2010 - 10:19am

Timezone: Etc/GMT-4

This webinar will introduce professionals in the meetings industry to a proven strategic sustainability planning method. The presentation will describe the core components of the Natural Step Framework: Systems thinking, Sustainability Principles and backcasting methodology. You’ll learn how these components are used to coordinate actions and continuously move your organization closer to achieving its vision. Participants will see an example, have the opportunity to ask questions and learn about additional resources available to their organizations.

Presenters: Heidi Speight, Training Director for TNS-USA and
Tamara Kennedy, Director of Green Meetings Industry Council
USA

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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).
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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?
Sweden

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Ashforth Pacific, Inc., Portland, Oregon, USA

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

A Natural Step Network Case Study

Overview
USA

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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.
Australia

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Axis Performance Advisors, Portland, Oregon, USA

Chas Martin — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 14:42:36 -0400

A Natural Step Network Case Study

Background
USA

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Beyond CSR: A day of learning and sharing in Montreal, Quebec

Anouk Bertner — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 14:03:35 -0400

On Friday, March 12th over a hundred and fifty students from McGill Desautels School of Management, the HEC’s Ecole de Gestion and business leaders from around Montreal gathered to share best practices, voice frustrations over sustainability roadblocks and celebrate mutual successes and advancements in CSR. This attitude of learning and searching for solutions brought us to a conference called ‘Beyond CSR’
Canada

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BOORA Archietcts, Portland, Oregon, USA

Chas Martin — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 16:47:08 -0400

A Natural Step Network Case Study
USA

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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 D
Canada

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Business News Network Interview with Dr. Karl-Henrik Robèrt

Franco Varriano — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 09:47:54 -0400

Dr. Karl-Henrik Robert, the founder of The Natural Step and an international thought leader on sustainable development, joins BNN to talk about the sustainability imperative and the opportunities it presents for companies.

Thank you to Martin Baccardax and the Business News Network (BNN) for filming the interview. Watch the entire interview by clicking here.

About Dr. Karl-Henrik Robèrt

A doctor and oncologist by training, Dr. Robèrt founded The Natural Step in 1989 to promote a unifying framework for social and ecological sustainability based on a scientific consensus. An Ashoka Fellow and winner of many prestigious awards, he has made a global impact in promoting and implementing sustainability.
Canada

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Calgary Level One Pilot Takes Off

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