Cut through complexity.
Sustainability is a complex topic that affects us all. That’s why we use a set of sustainability principles to create a common language to guide action. The Natural Step’s sustainability principles have been tested and applied since the early 1990’s and are designed to be:
Science-based
Compliant with the relevant scientific knowledge, evaluated in peer-reviewed journals.
Necessary
Focussed on necessary conditions for a sustainable society, to avoid debate on the non-essentials.
Comprehensive
Taking the whole system into account, connecting the symptoms of un-sustainability with their root causes.
Universal
Applicable to all fields of expertise and relevant in any scale or arena, from materials to products, organisations, sectors, regions, nations and society.
Concrete
Actionable criteria to guide day-to-day problem-solving and support deep transformation for the longer term.
Distinct
Address non-overlapping parameters, so that trade-off choices become visible and true progress can be measured.
FOUR BASIC RULES DEFINE SUCCESS...
We call these rules 'Sustainability Principles'.
1… concentrations of substances from the earth’s crust (such as fossil CO2, heavy metals and minerals)
...AND THEY ARE QUITE EASY TO APPLY
It takes some training and experience, but with practice, it becomes clear how to be more sustainable into the future.
OUR ABCD PROCESS
Awareness
Everything starts with awareness. We need to understand how to define sustainability and what it means for individuals, business and other organizations, society, and ultimately the Earth. We use a science-based and ‘whole-systems’ definition as a firm foundation to build a vision of what success looks like in the future.
Baseline assessment
This step uses the four sustainability principles to conduct a sustainability ‘gap analysis’ of the major flows and impacts of the organisation to see how its activities are running counter to sustainability principles. This way we assist organisations to identify critical sustainability issues, their business implications, and strategic opportunities for change.
Creative solutions
Now that we have identified the gap between where we are today (current reality) and where we want to go (vision), we can start to think about innovations and solutions. These will bring us step by step closer to a sustainable product, service or organisation. We are clear on what success looks like, and which process we must set up or change in order to get us there.
Devise a plan
What do we need to do, and when should we do it? What are the first steps and “low hanging fruit” that will bring quicker benefits, and what needs longer term planning? Through a set of prioritization questions we can design a pathway that keeps the goal in mind with maximum flexibility and benefits. We make this plan together so you can get started quickly on your path to a sustainable future.