Our Research
Scientific research lies at the heart of The Natural Step
In order to create a sustainable society, we need a complete and clearly structured understanding of sustainable development. The Natural Step is committed to addressing key sustainability issues with ongoing cutting-edge research that is both conceptual and applied. Through collaboration and partnerships, we draw on the expertise of an interdisciplinary, international network in order to strengthen the theory and practice of sustainability.
The Natural Step’s research is:
- Based upon system sciences and a rigorous scientific worldview
- Designed as a strategic planning and decision-making framework to be useful for trans-disciplinary, cross-sector, and cross-cultural cooperation
- Tested through application with partners in industry and the public sector
- Creatively enabling and inclusive, rather than prescriptive and limiting
- Widely communicated at an international level
- Committed to producing real change in society
Stakeholder Dialogue
We facilitate multi-stakeholder dialogue by helping whole regions and value chains to move jointly towards sustainability. Our international Real Change programme exemplifies this aspect precisely. Built on The Natural Step Framework as a shared mental model, the core program is funded by cross-sector cooperation between five Swedish agencies (a collaboration feat in itself). It is helping to initiate cross-discipline cooperation among growing numbers of scientists from research programmes around the world, and allowing local governments and businesses to work cooperatively across different sectors. Read more about the Real Change programme here.