Filed Under Sustainability

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.

Canada

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

2011 Most Sustainable Cities in Canada (Corporate Knights Magazine)

Stephanie Mindorff — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 11:29:49 -0500

The Natural Step has partnered with Corporate Knights to develop a methodology for the ranking/report to determine the sustainability of Canada’s cities. You can read about the rankings on the Corporate Knights website, here.

Canada

2011 Top 100 Thought Leaders: Dr. Karl-Henrik Robèrt

Neil McCallum — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 10:37:23 -0400

The Natural Step is excited to announce that Dr. Karl-Henrik Robèrt was named in the top 100 thought leaders in Europe and the Mddle East by Trust Across America. Dr. Karl-Henrik Robèrt is one of Sweden’s foremost cancer scientists and the founder of The Natural Step. He is a frequent speaker and author on sustainability and provides ongoing guidance and direction for the organization.

3 Recent Guides for Sustainability Champions - A weekly blog by sustainability expert Bob Willard

Marieke — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 08:19:21 -0400

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

In my bibliography at the end of The Sustainability Champion’s Guidebook, I list “20 Good Books on Transforming to a Sustainable Enterprise.” Happily, that list of resources for agents of transformation keeps growing. Here are three more excellent, free, downloadable resources that came out in the last year which I would welcome to my previous list of 20:

Planning for Sustainability, from The Natural Step
Making Your Impact at Work, from Net Impact
Greening your Business, from the RBC Royal Bank

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 It’s Time to Raise the Standards Bar for Companies

Neil McCallum — Tue, 03 May 2011 11:00:19 -0400

Thank you to Bob Willard—a Member of The Natural Step Canada’s Board of Directors and a true giant among sustainability thought leaders—for this inspiring and thought provoking piece. Please read his latest blog below and visit his web site, Sustainability Advantage, to learn more. Indeed, Bob, let’s raise the bar!

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How would we recognize a sustainable enterprise if we saw one?

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

5 Strategies to Finding a Sustainability Job - A weekly blog by sustainability expert Bob Willard

Marieke — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 08:43:55 -0400

Sustainability expert Bob Willard has taken on the world of blogging and has been posting tips and ideas on a wide range of interesting topics relating to sustainability. We will be reblogging some of his great posts to share them with you. First up, his excellent tips on how to find a sustainability job. For more of his blogs, visit his website: sustainabilityadvantage.com

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Canada

A 15-Link Generic Business Value Chain - A weekly blog by sustainability expert Bob Willard

Marieke — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 12:31:19 -0400

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

.The March-April 1994 issue of the Harvard Business Review (HBR) featured a seminal article, “Putting the Service-Profit Chain to Work,” by James L. Heskett, Thomas O. Jones, Gary W. Loveman, W. Earl Sasser, Jr., and Leonard A. Schlesinger. At that time, I was working in IBM Canada’s Leadership Development department.

The article was a welcome reinforcement for the important role that mangers play in building an energizing and empowering work environment for their employees—a foundational link in a chain of value leading to company success.

Canada

A Conversation with the new Executive Director of The Natural Step Canada, Chad Park (Sustainability Dialogue)

Neil McCallum — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 08:53:41 -0400

Start: Dec 13 2011 - 1:00pm

End: Dec 13 2011 - 2:00pm

Timezone: Canada/Eastern

The Natural Step Exchange's December instalment of the Sustainability Dialogue Series features a special session with Chad Park, The Natural Step Canada’s new Executive Director (effective January 1, 2012). Under Chad’s leadership, we will increase our work with businesses and municipalities, expand our sustainability learning programs, and scale up our work with emerging leaders across Canada.

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

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

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

Start: Nov 17 2010 - 1:30pm

End: Nov 17 2010 - 2:30pm

Timezone: Canada/Eastern

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

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

Cost:

Canada

A “Golden Standard” develops from collaboration in Dublin

Jennifer Reid — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 13:56:21 -0400

Caroline Nolan, Mary Ostafi and Mélina Planchenault

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.

Canada

Advanced Specialty Certificate in Sustainable Business Leadership at British Columbia Institute of Technology

Neil McCallum — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 10:45:48 -0400

The Natural Step Canada Principal Advisor Pong Leung will be teaching an upcoming course called Sustainable Organizational Change and Leadership this fall at the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) as part of the Sustainable Business Leadership (SBL) program. The goal of the program is to develop sustainable business leaders, providing them with the technical and scientific skills, and the business management training, who can effectively promote sustainable business approaches within organizations.

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 Elephant in the Sustainability Room: Growth - A weekly blog by sustainability expert Bob Willard

Marieke — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 09:33:05 -0400

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

In today’s business model, growth is a given—an imperative. “Grow or die” is the undisputed maxim of business leaders. The stock market punishes companies that do not meet growth expectations. Growth is good. However, continuous growth appears to be at odds with sustainability principles. Growth is the ‘un-discussable’ elephant in the board rooms of companies aspiring to a sustainable business model.

Canada

Another Elephant in the Sustainability Room: Over-Consumption - A weekly blog by sustainability expert Bob Willard

Marieke — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 08:22:15 -0400

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

In my August 24, 2010, blog, we explored a dilemma for sustainable companies: growth. This week we will discuss its Siamese twin: over-consumption. It’s the second undiscussable elephant in the board rooms of companies aspiring to be sustainable enterprises.

Canada

Applying The Natural Step Framework

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

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).

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

Ashforth Pacific, Inc., Portland, Oregon, USA

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

A Natural Step Network Case Study

Overview

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

Axis Performance Advisors, Portland, Oregon, USA

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

A Natural Step Network Case Study

Background

Benchmarking our Progress Toward Sustainability (Webinar)

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

Start: Feb 3 2011 - 1:30pm

End: Feb 3 2011 - 2:30pm

Timezone: Canada/Eastern

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

Cost:

Canada