Corporate Social Responsibility is dead

There is a new consciousness emerging that Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is dead. It's not enough to be adding environmental and social priorities to a business-as-usual agenda. It's not enough to be doing less bad by being more eco-efficient, but still headed in an unsustainable direction.

More and more people realize that our urgent and growing sustainability crises are not isolated issues, but are interconnected. Climate change, water shortages, pollution, toxicity: they are the result of a way of thinking whose time has passed. While the "take-make-waste" industrial age has brought great progress, people are realizing that the side effects are inherently unsustainable.

Companies that are leading the sustainability revolution are those that see sustainability as a key business strategy and driver of innovation. Those companies are not asking, "Based on our business plan, what should our CSR strategy be?" but rather, "In light of sustainability, what should our business plan be?" (Read more…)

Integrated Community Sustainability Planning Course: Take your learning and skills to a new level (Online sessions and workshop in Vancouver, BC | begins May 25)

Many people recognize that sustainability is one of the greatest challenges of our time and that it will require unprecedented collaboration among municipal governments, local businesses, community groups, and other organizations in order to create the kind of future we want for ourselves, our neighbours, and future generations.

The Natural Step Canada's unique Integrated Community Sustainability Planning (ICSP) approach is designed to engage the community in a process to address the challenges of sustainability and to plan for a desirable and sustainable future.

If you are leading or facilitating long-term planning efforts in your community, we encourage you take your learning and skills to a whole new level by registering for The Natural Step Canada's upcoming Integrated Community Sustainability Planning Course. Via a mixture of online seminars, in-person workshops, and applied project work, this course is designed to provide community leaders, and those supporting them, with the practical knowledge, skills, and tools to lead long-term, participatory planning efforts toward sustainability.

Registration closes on May 20, so don't delay! (Read more…)

Sustainability for Leaders Course - Level 1: Foundations (Various locations/dates)

Advance your sustainability career by taking our most popular course! This course is designed for existing and emerging sustainability practitioners who want to gain the knowledge, skills, and tools to take a strategic, systems approach to communicating, planning, and managing sustainability initiatives. You will actively engage in hands-on, participatory learning tasks that will help you dive into the content, apply it to real situations, and prepare to transfer what you learn to your business, community, or organization. (Read more…)

• Toronto, ON: June 13-14, 2011 (Almost SOLD OUT! Registration closes June 9.)
• Montréal, QC : 11-12 octobre 2011 (en français)
• Edmonton, AB: October 13-14, 2011
• Vancouver, BC: December 8-9, 2011

Sustainability for Leaders Course - Level 2: Practitioners (Online sessions and workshop in Banff, AB | begins June 22)

We have launched a NEW advanced program taught by highly experienced and inspirational speakers. This course is aimed at sustainability practitioners who want to build their proficiency in applying The Natural Step Framework for Strategic Sustainable Development to sustainability analysis, planning, and implementation in any context. Graduates will be able to design and manage sustainability initiatives in their business, community, or organization.

The course will include a mix of online learning and an in-person session in stunning Banff, AB. Register by June 1 to take advantage of our early bird pricing. (Read more…)

Engage your employees in sustainability: Custom sustainability leadership training

Equip your team with the knowledge, skills, and tools to embed sustainability throughout your organization, and empower them to accelerate the change toward sustainability. Our unique two-day workshop brings together systems thinking, core concepts of sustainability, and leadership skills for organizational change.

This is a proven and engaging way for your team, partners, and stakeholders to understand and embrace the core concepts of sustainability. Participants will hone their leadership skills and be able to create winning sustainability strategies for your organization that yield concrete results in the short- and long-term. (Read more…)

How business can capture the value proposition of sustainability

On February 10, the MIT Sloan Management Review published their Winter 2011 Research Report, Sustainability: The 'Embracers Seize Advantage.' The report explores the following questions: How has the economic downturn affected sustainability investments within for-profit companies? Are there patterns that appear across organizations making sustainability investments? And, if so, what can we learn from them?

The results were clear: those who have adopted sustainability into the core of their business, embedding it into all levels of the organization—both operational and strategic—are drawing the greatest returns. In short, taking a leadership position on sustainability pays. The question then is: If sustainability leaders are capturing value and seizing advantage, what does it take to be a sustainability leader? (Read more…)

The secret to employee engagement on sustainability: Aim big and focus on the core of your business

Many organizations are trying to uncover the secret to successful employee engagement on sustainability. What we know for sure, is that sustainability efforts that only touch the periphery of the organization will have limited success with employee engagement.

For most organizations, so-called greening the office is the road most-travelled, primarily because it's a fairly simple approach. Deeper change that will engender more meaningful employee engagement is much more challenging. But to truly capture the potential benefit of more engaged employees, your sustainability effort has to touch the organization's core business. (Read more…)

Why you shouldn't be a sustainability leader

As you think about your career, there are many reasons why you shouldn't be a sustainability leader. It's hard, it involves extra work, and it goes against the grain of the cultural reality we are living in. So what's the difference between strolling along with the crowd vs. being a sustainability champion poised and focused at the start line?

A champion has a fierce passion, a clear vision, and never considers failure. Like a sports athlete, sustainability champions need a personal commitment to learn and work hard, and the confidence to step up to the challenge. (Read more…)

Call for Storytellers: Attend our sustainability course for FREE!

The Natural Step Canada is looking for a volunteer storyteller for each of our upcoming Sustainability for Leaders Courses in Toronto, Banff, Montréal, Edmonton, and Vancouver. The storyteller participates in the course FREE OF CHARGE, while networking with sustainability professionals and making a tangible connection with The Natural Step Canada. In return, we ask for your help promoting the course and capturing it via photos, a blog, and possibly video. (Read more…)

The Natural Step Exchange 2011/12 Introductory Memberships now available

The Natural Step Exchange, Canada's go-to network for support, advice, and inspiration on sustainability, is welcoming new Introductory Members for the 2011/12 year. Introductory Memberships are designed for Canadians who are interested in deepening their sustainability knowledge, connecting with others, and engaging in the sustainability movement in Canada.

Valued for its capacity to forge new connections, encourage collaborations, and provide indispensable support to its members, The Exchange has proven to be an essential resource for those looking to raise their level of awareness of other sustainability activities in Canada.

Member benefits include access to other practicing sustainability leaders in Canada, bi-monthly webinars, as well as significant discounts on Sustainability Learning courses offered by The Natural Step Canada. Memberships cost $100 per person and are valid from June 1, 2011 through May 31, 2012. (Read more…)

Join us! Open House events at The Natural Step Canada in Ottawa

Do you want to learn more about The Natural Step? Do you want to hear how The Natural Step Canada is achieving transformational change across Canada?

The Natural Step Canada is hosting a series of open houses at our new Ottawa office to illustrate how we are helping businesses, communities, and future leaders address the challenge of implementing sustainability. These events will also provide you with an opportunity to network with like-minded people and to hear from our hard-working, passionate team, who will share program stories and inspire you to get involved. (Read more…)

We encourage you to join us on one of these dates for refreshments and discussion, and bring out anyone you know who may be interested in learning more about sustainability and The Natural Step.

• Tuesday, June 14
• Wednesday, June 15
• Monday, September 12

Introduction to The Natural Step (Free webinar | May 19)

Integrated Community Sustainability Planning Course (Online sessions and Vancouver, BC | begins May 25)

Collaborative Community Sustainability Strategies, with Amelia Clarke (Sustainability Dialogue | May 26)

Open Houses at The Natural Step Canada (Ottawa, ON | June 14, and 15)

Sustainability For Leaders Course – Level 1: Foundations (Toronto, ON | June 13-14)

Conducting a Baseline Assessment: Where is your Business or Community at Today? (Webinar | June 16)

Sustainability for Leaders Course - Level 2: Practitioners (Online sessions and Banff, AB | begins June 22)

The Natural Step Canada at the Ecocity World Summit: workshops, trade show booth, and more! (Montréal, QC | August 22-26)

More courses/events…

International Institute of Sustainability Professionals: The Natural Step Founder and Board Member named finalists for inaugural Pinnacle Award (Read more…)

Maclean's Magazine: The Natural Step Canada partners, ISL Engineering and Land Services and The Co-operators, named to The Green 30 list (Read more…)

Press release: The Natural Step Canada announces exciting new partnership with renowned artist Mark Raynes Roberts (Read more…)

Morning Post Exchange Magazine: The Natural Step Canada partner unveils designs for new sculpture collection for sustainability education (Read more…)

More news… and resources…

New Zealand: Ziptrek picks up Qualmark Enviro-Gold (Read more…)

Sweden: Translating Vision to Action—Next Steps for Givaudan (Read more…)

Sweden: Everyone can be a change-maker—round-up from Ashoka Globalizer Summit (Read more…)

Sweden: Swedish meetings industry takes action for sustainability (Read more…)

UK: International Wineries Sustainability Benchmarking Project launches (Read more…)

UK: The Natural Step collaborating with Smart Urbanism London (Read more…)

USA: Living Future Institute unveiled (Read more…)

More international updates…