Message from the CEO

Dear Friend,

It is with a great sense of excitement that I write to you in my new role as Interim CEO of the ‘TNS Global Sustainability Network’. I have worked in a variety of capacities with TNS around the world over the last ten years and it is wonderful to have been asked to lead this transition.

Last December, The Natural Step Council voted to transform The Natural Step from a small licensee network into a dynamic global sustainability community. My role is to help deliver this transition in 2011. As a first step, I would really like to hear what you, the TNS community, think is the best strategy to achieve this transition. That is why this issue of Stepping Stones is so important – it outlines what the internal TNS transition team has come up with, building upon what we’ve already announced in previous issues of Stepping Stones.

What do you think? How can our initial ideas can be improved? What works for you? What’s missing? What’s superfluous? What’s unclear? I’d really like to know and so invite you to email me with your thoughts and comments at peter.price-thomas@thenaturalstep.org. I would particularly like to hear from you if you see ways to improve the strategy. In addition, there are a number of focus groups that we will be running and we would love to know your interest in taking part. To participate, please contact us at transition@thenaturalstep.org.

This is a really exciting time that has been enabled by the incredible work of the TNS transition team and, in particular, Richard Blume and Kelly Baxter. This transition would also not be possible were it not for the generous support of the Founder’s Club, to whom I am eternally grateful.

Anyway, enough from me. Please read the outline transition approach below and let me know what you think.

Many thanks,

Peter

Peter Price-Thomas

What are we trying to achieve? – The purpose of this transition

After 20 years of development and application, The Natural Step Framework* has shown its utility and potential to transform organisations at every scale across the globe. Stakeholders are asking us to make the Framework more widely available and provide better ways to connect, contribute, co-operate and unite with a stronger voice.

We invite you to co-create a new global sustainability network of thousands of practitioners, researchers, institutions, businesses and communities on every continent, united by a proven Framework and passion to work together to accelerate positive change toward sustainability.

*Also known as the Framework for Strategic Sustainable Development in the academic context.

Read more about the Proposed Network Goals and Principles

How can you participate? – Proposed membership structure

We are proposing three basic categories of involvement. This structure builds on and encompasses existing regional networks of The Natural Step, while offering new opportunities for practitioners, businesses, communities, institutions and all interested stakeholders to get involved:

Explorers – friends, allies and supporters who discover what we do, wish to learn about the Framework, stay up to date, occasionally participate in or support the network and its activities.

Pathfinders – practitioners and practicing organisations applying the Framework, who want to develop skills, connect and share lessons in a facilitated learning community to advance and lead sustainability practice.

Navigators – TNS offices, accredited Associates and Affiliate Organisations who act as capacity builders with an explicit role to support the development, application and dissemination of the Framework, to uphold network functions and deliver on the network’s goals.

Read more about the Membership Model

What could we do together? – Network activities and functions

Ultimately our task is to transform an entire complex system – our global civilization – into a sustainable human society. We’ve proposed goals and identified a number of initiatives and functions we think are needed to support this. We invite you to engage in our sustainability research, education and advisory activities based on your interests. We also asking what could you contribute to make this network a dynamic, global force for change?

Read more about Core Initiatives and Network Functions

What happens next? – Our plan for moving forward

Networks are built one node at a time so we are encouraging interested stakeholders to get involved as soon as possible by being part of the discussion and by contributing in whatever way they can. A number of organisations are already progressing through training to take on roles as we build the network. This is an ambitious undertaking and we know there are many things yet to address. We appreciate your feedback and involvement as we embark on this journey together.

1. Check our Frequently Asked Questions page as a first step.
2. Provide feedback to Peter or to the transition team.
3. Or, if you prefer, make contact with your nearest TNS office.
4. If you are in a position to help with funding, please let us know. More about the Founder’s Club here.

Layout and design by Sean Rioux.