AtKisson Group

A Review of
A Review of
Practical
Practical
Sustainable
Sustainable
Development
Development
3 Frameworks, 3 Frameworks,
4 Models, 4 Models,
5 Metodolo!ies, 5 Metodolo!ies,
Several Processes, Several Processes,
Some "ews, Some "ews,
and a #unc of $deas and a #unc of $deas
Presentation by
Alan AtKisson
Baltic University
Planning Conference
9 Dec 2004 2004
2004 AtKisson, Inc.
What practical sustainable
development requires
Indicators
Systems Analyses
Innovations
Strategies
Agreement & Action
Principles, Visions, Goals
AtKisson, Inc.
Information, data, knowledge
Cooperation, thinking skills
Concepts, imagination
Best practices, creativity
Experience, judgment, intuition
Trust, commitment, discipline
2004 AtKisson, Inc.
Sustainability ... a 20-year Snapshot
1983
2003
2004 AtKisson, Inc.
What are people doing when they say
they "do" sustainable development?
Environmental Management
Corporate Social Responsibility
Greening of Operations
Industrial Ecology
Stakeholder Engagement
Life-Cycle Assessment
Pollution Prevention (P
2
)
Sustainable Development
Design for Environment (DfE)
Green Design
Urban Reinvestment
Brownfield Redevelopment
ISO 14001
Waste Reduction
Closed Loops
Radical Resource Productivity
Radical Transactiveness
Sustainable Technology
Systems Thinking
Corporate Governance
Clean Technology
Eco-Efficiency
Eco-Effectiveness
Biomimicry
Triple Bottom Line
Inclusive Capitalism
Base of the Pyramid
Community Capitalism
Corporate Citizenship
Voluntary Regulation
Civic Entrepreneurship
Full Cost Accounting
EMS
Risk Management
Leapfrog Technology
Cradle to Cradle
Restorative Technology
Balanced Scorecard
Take-Back
Transparency
Source: Stuart Hart,
with thanks to Marty LaGod,
with additions by AtKisson
Digital Divide
Cultural Diversity
Natural Capitalism
Ecological Footprint
Product-to-Service
Integrated Product Mgmt
Natural Step
Building the Pyramid
Compass Index
SROI
Blended Value
GRI
Precautionary Principle
Green Procurement
Green Building
SMS
ISIS
CDM
EUAs
B24B
2004 AtKisson, Inc.
The uture o! Sustainability "ducation
Brochure from a
Swedish College:
Want to change the
world?
Get trained as a
sustainability
strategist!
2004 AtKisson, Inc.
Some #mportant $istinctions

Sustainability

Sustainable Development

Framework

Model

Methodology

Process

Tool
Whats the difference?
2004 AtKisson, Inc.
Sustainability is ...
A set of conditions and trends in a given
system that can continue indefinitely
2004 AtKisson, Inc.
Sustainable $evelopment is ...
A strategic process of continuous change
in the direction of sustainability
2004 AtKisson, Inc.
ramewor%

A framework is a set of definitions, principles,

and often symbols that describes a complex
concept. A framework provides definition and
structure to the concept.

Think of it as a conceptual platform on which a

group can stand to talk about a complex topic, so
that everyone can be reasonably sure that they are
talking about the same thing.
2004 AtKisson, Inc.
&odel

A model is a symbolic representation of

something in the real world. A model is used to
reveal important elements and/or dynamics in a
thing or a process.

For example, if you draw a map of a water system

on the wall, showing where it goes and how it all
links together, you have created a model of that
system.
2004 AtKisson, Inc.
&ethodology

A methodology is a logical sequence of steps,

things you think or do in a particular way and in a
particular order, to achieve a particular kind of
result. Different kinds of scientific experiments,
recipes, formulas ... First do this, then do that.

You don't need to be a group to be using a

methodology; you can use it in your own head.
2004 AtKisson, Inc.
'rocess

A process is, in this context, something you do in

collaboration with other people (e.g., "group
process"). Like a methodology, it is also a
structured sequence of steps. But it may or may
not have a specific result as its purpose.

For example, going once around a group and

allowing everyone a minute to share their point of
view is a process, but it is not an designed to
produce a result, solution, or product.
2004 AtKisson, Inc.
Tool

Tool is an all-purpose word. A tool is anything you use

to accomplish a task. It includes all of the other terms,
and more.

A framework is also a tool: it is something you use to put

a set of structured definitions in place, to set the context.

A methodology is a tool: you use it to think your way to a

solution, or to create another tool (for example, an
indicator, or a systems map).

Processes and models are also, of course, tools.

Books are tools. Powerpoint files are tools. Teaching

games are tools. Even a song can be a tool, if you are
using it to accomplish a task.
2004 AtKisson, Inc.
( )uic% *oadmap
Sustainability
Framework
Typical
Models
Typical
Methodologies
Typical
Processes
Other
Tools
Triple
Bottom
Line
Specific to
enterprise
Management
systems
Stakeholder
engagement
Corporate
Board training
The
Natural
Step
Funnel v.
Cylinder
ABCD,
Flei!le
"latforms#
$roup
dialogue
processes
%ABCD&
Metrics,
Consensus
documents
ISIS
'nnovation
(heory)
Systems
models
created
'ndicator
selection)
systems
modeling
$roup
consensus*
driven
decision*
making
Background
reports) +e!
documentation
2004 AtKisson, Inc.
The 'lan ...

Present three Frameworks

Describe their implicit theory of change and some

of the methodologies, models, and processes they use

Anchor them to case studies

Report some news

Show a few more tools

Map out some ossibilities for courses and

professional development training in applied
sustainability
AtKisson Group
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Triple Bottom Line

Triple Bottom Line
2004 AtKisson, Inc.
ramewor% +,- Triple .ottom /ine

Phrase Coined by John Elkington of SustainAbility, Ltd. (a London-

based consultancy)

Adds Society and Environment to the traditional Economic

bottom line

Informs many other applications, including the Global Reporting

Initiative

Used by many corporations and institutions to integrate sustainability

thinking into their operations; some communities use it

Not a designed to be a comprehensive planning frameworkbut used

that way anyway
2004 AtKisson, Inc.
The Triple .ottom /ine is (lso the
Three /egged Stool is (lso the ...
Environment Economy
Social / Equity
2004 AtKisson, Inc.
The T./ Theory o! 0hange-
Doing sustainable development requires:

Attempting to integrate (or perhaps just balance)

environmental, social, and economic values ...

... which will suffice to make/inspire/guide

change toward sustainability.
2004 AtKisson, Inc.
'ractical
Tool-
The 1*#
ramewor%
Emerging international
standard for
sustainability reporting
2004 AtKisson, Inc.
What (re the 1*# 1uidelines?
[...] a framework [including a number of methodologies] for reporting on an
organisations economic, environmental, and social performance. The Guidelines:

present reporting principles and specific content to guide the preparation of

organisation-level sustainability reports;

assist organisations in presenting a balanced and reasonable picture of their economic,

environmental, and social performance;

promote comparability of sustainability reports, while taking into account the practical
considerations related to disclosing information across a diverse range of
organisations, many with extensive and geographically dispersed operations;

support benchmarking and assessment of sustainability performance with respect to

codes, performance standards, and voluntary initiatives; and

serve as an instrument to facilitate stakeholder engagement.

2004 AtKisson, Inc.
What (re the 1*# 1uidelines?
The Guidelines are not:

a code or set of principles of conduct;

a performance standard (e.g., emissions target for a specific pollutant); or

a management system.
The Guidelines do not:

provide instruction for designing an organisations internal data

management and reporting systems; or

offer methodologies for preparing reports, or for performing monitoring

and verification of such reports.
2004 AtKisson, Inc.
0ase Study- (lcoa
Our 2002 Sustainability Report
yields meaningful insight on the
economic, environmental, and
social progress we are making
and the challenges we still face
in reaching our sustainability
goals.
Annual Sales > $20 billion
2004 AtKisson, Inc.
0ase Study- (lcoa
Over time, sustainable
development will demand that
every business take the far-
sighted view, to leave behind an
enterprise that is valued by society
and positioned for future growth.
2004 AtKisson, Inc.
0ase Study- (lcoa
rom the 2002 Sustainability *eport
23ote- The report does not re!erence 1*#4

Dozens of statements on principles,

values, integrity

Ethics and compliance hotline

Community forums

High financial accountability

standards

ISO 14001 EMS

Climate change leadership

Long-term shareholder value

Cost savings initiatives

Landcare initiatives
Worker health
Worker safety
Recycling
Renewable energy
Responding to citizen pressure
Supporting biodiversity
Diversity of the workforce
Requirements for business conduct
Community giving
Product responsibility
... but the company is still attracting criticism for its
large hydropower project in Icelnad
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The Natural Step
The Natural Step
2004 AtKisson, Inc.
$evelopment o! The 3atural Step

Started by a Swedish cancer researcher and physician, Dr. Karl-Henrik

Robrt, originally concerned about addressing the root causes of
pediatric cancer

Based on an original scientific consensus about basic (first)

principles -- about how cells work, how Nature works, how the
planet works

Now a strategic planning framework, especially for defining and

managing environmental sustainability

Has been used by communities, government agencies and companies

all over the world
2004 AtKisson, Inc.
T3S- The 0ore (ssumption
We live in
a mostly
closed
system
2004 AtKisson, Inc.
The T3S 5unnel6- ( model o!
systematic deterioration over time
'7//8T#73
*"S78*0"S
T7*3 S70#(/ (.*#0
$"ST(.#/#9(T#73
Sustainability
Time Source: Det Naturliga Steget, Sweden
2004 AtKisson, Inc.
... Which leads to the
5our System 0onditions6-
In a sustainable society, nature is not subject to
systematically increasing:
1. concentrations of substances extracted from the earth's crust;
2. concentrations of substances produced by society;
3. degradation by physical means;
and, in that society. . .
4. human needs are met worldwide.
2004 AtKisson, Inc.
The T3S Theory o! 0hange:-
Doing sustainable development requires:

A consensus on overarching principles for sustainability that are elegantly simple ...

... and agreement to use those principles ...

... to do Backcasting: building todays to-do list from a future vision of success that
meets principles ...

... and then taking action in ways that create flexible platforms -- that is, that dont lock you
into directions that prove to be dead ends / blind alleys.
* As derived and inferred from a review of their methods and materials
2004 AtKisson, Inc.
;ey Technique- .ac%casting
(id
Principer
fr
hllbarhet
Source: Det Naturliga Steget, Sweden
(Principles
for Sustainability)
(Time)
2004 AtKisson, Inc.
The T3S 5(.0$6 (nalysis
5.ac%cast6 !rom 'rinciples
(- (wareness
Agree: Align around a common understanding of sustainability
.- .aseline &apping
Assess: What does the situation look like today?
0- 0lear <ision o! the uture
Brainstorm: What would a sustainable community look like?
$- $own to action
Prioritize: Look for early wins, create flexible platforms.
Source: www.naturalstep.org (but no longer available there)
2004 AtKisson, Inc.
'lanning ramewor%- = /evels
1. Principles for the constitution of the system (e.g. ecological and
social principles).
2. Principles for a favorable outcome of planning within the system
(e.g. principles for sustainability).
3. Principles for the process to reach this outcome (e.g. principles for
sustainable development).
4. Actions, i.e. concrete measures that comply with the principles for
the process to reach a favorable outcome in the system (e.g.
recycling and switching to renewable energy).
5. Tools to monitor and audit (i) the relevance of actions with
reference to principles for the process (e.g. indicators ...).
System
Success
Strategy
The Levels
Actions
Tools
Source: K.-H. Robrt et al. / Journal of Cleaner Production 10 (2002) 197214
2004 AtKisson, Inc.
( T3S Typology o! (pproaches
(LEVEL 2)
ACTIONS
(LEVEL 4)
IMPACTS
(LEVEL 3)
(LEVEL )
Su!taina"ilit#
(Brun$tlan$)
S#!tem%
So&iet# an$ E&o!#!tem!
,esource
productivity
-ess +aste
S#!tem &on$ition 3 S#!tem &on$ition '
(emateriali)ation Su"!titution
,ene+a!le
,esource
productivity
-ess +aste .ature*like
,esource
productivity
-ess +aste
-ess area
re/uired
Mana*ement
routine!
,esource
productivity
-ess +aste
Service*
oriented
0/uity
(emateriali)ation Su"!titution (emateriali)ation Su"!titution (emateriali)ation Su"!titution
S#!tem &on$ition 2 S#!tem &on$ition 4
A!undant Degrada!le
(LEVEL ')
ST+ATE,-
,einvestments
Backcasting
Flei!le platforms
$ood return of investment
"recaution
...
Social
0ncouragement
Dialogue
(ransparency
...
"olitical
Differentiaded taes
Su!sidies
'nternational agreements
-egislation
...
TOOLS
'ndicators
Factor 1
0F
-CA
M'"S
...
0MS
0MAS
'S2 34553
...
(i)
(ii)
2004 AtKisson, Inc.
Scandic >otels
Sweden

Company was experiencing huge losses

The brand was perceived as worthless

Management realized that the company had

not moved to meet new values in the
market and in society at large

Natural Step training led to hundreds of

concrete steps throughout the company,
including ...
2004 AtKisson, Inc.
Scandic >otels
Sweden

First hotel to offer a hotel room that was 97%

recyclable

Enviro-hotels, certified by the Nordic Swan

eco-labeling system (today, all but eight are so
labeled)

Improved brand recognition and value

The company returned to profitability

All employees must take web-based course on

TNS once a year (low employee turnover)
AtKisson Group
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ISIS
ISIS
AtKisson Group
#.S.#.S.
#.S.#.S.
I.S.I.S.
I.S.I.S.
Integrated Strategic Planning, Training, and Reporting Integrated Strategic Planning, Training, and Reporting
for Sustainability Outcomes for Sustainability Outcomes
Indicators
Systems
Innovation
Strategy
2004 AtKisson, Inc.
#S#S ...
... is the Egyptian goddess who put the pieces back together
and gave birth to a new era
... stands for Indicators, Systems, Innovation, and Strategy
... grows out of an international & interdisciplinary
sustainability research network
2004 AtKisson, Inc.
The #S#S Theory o! 0hange-
Doing sustainable development requires:

A comprehensive description or operating definition of sustainability, and the sustainable

outcome you wish to create

Gathering information and data to produce interpretive indicators of relevant trends

Using those indicators to develop a shared systems understanding of key dynamics and
leverage points

Identifying sustainability innovations to introduce into the system that will improve its
overall condition

Creating strategies for diffusion and adoption of those innovations

Securing the agreement of critical actors to implement the strategies

Monitoring impact with the indicators, and regularly cycling through an evaluative
planning process to adjust course appropriately
2004 AtKisson, Inc.
Nature
Society
Wellbeing
Economy
The 0ompass-
( Sustainability ramewor%
Uses: Introduce sustainability ... assess it ...
develop sustainability indicators ... communicate results ...
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2004 AtKisson, Inc.
'yramid
( Sustainable $evelopment ramewor%
INDICATORS
SYSTEMS
INNOVATIONS
STRATEGIES
AGREEMENTS & ACTIONS
Su!taina"ilit# Prin&iple!
an$ Vi!ion!
. E
N
Trust, Commitment, and Discipline
Which kinds of change should we make?
How do we accomplish those changes?
We commit to a course of action ... and do it
Where are we headed?
Whats driving us? Where must we change?
S
2004 AtKisson, Inc.

Foundation (At the Bottom):

Vision or principles for how the
world should be (Sustainability)

Level 1: Information and

understanding of what's actually
happening (Indicators & Trends)

Level 2: Theory about how things

work, what needs to be changed, and
how (Systems)

Level 3: New ideas for making positive

change (Innovation)

Level 4: Plans for success (Strategy)

Capstone (Visible to Others): What

you're doing now (Agreements and
Actions)
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3ews !rom the
3ews !rom the
*eal World
*eal World
2004 AtKisson, Inc.
The /imits to 1rowth-
5( Terrible <alidation6

Original Club of Rome Report

alerted world to the dangers of
continued exponential growth of
resource use and waste against
natural and social limits

Unfairly attacked at the time (1972),

especially by economists

Core argument now validated ...

unfortunately
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"@ponential 1rowth
Source: BBC Website, Planet Under Pressure, 2004
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#ndicators o! *esponse-
Spread o! "&S and /(2, 'rograms
in the .altic Sea *egion 23 "ur4
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( Tale o! Two .rands
1996
2004
2004 AtKisson, Inc.
(doption o! ramewor%s
2<ery *ough "stimate !or #llustration - 3o $ata4
Triple Bottom Line
Natural Step
ISIS
Sigma
No Framework
Other / Own
Framework
Hundreds of companies and agencies worldwide
Dozens of companies and communities worldwide
20-40 communities, agencies, & education programs
22 companies and agencies in UK
?? organizations ... difficult to assess
?? - Some companies, countries, etc. doing this
2004 AtKisson, Inc.
0ommon push-
51ear 8p6
1. Comply
2. Volunteer
3. Partner
4. Integrate
5. Re-Engineer

or Reverse
2004 AtKisson, Inc.
The
Time
of
Our
Lives
The >ope 1raph-
Unsustainable
Sustainable
2000 2040
AtKisson Group
#S#S in (ction
#S#S in (ction
Case Studies from AtKisson-Supported
Case Studies from AtKisson-Supported
Projects Around the World
Projects Around the World
2004 AtKisson, Inc.
.altic 2,
#nternational initiative !or the .altic Sea *egion
2004 AtKisson, Inc.
.altic 2, 2(genda 2, !or the .altic Sea *egion4

Eleven nations in a cooperative initiative for regional

sustainable development

Mandate from the Prime Minister level

Driven through government ministries, but multi-

stakeholder in character and governance

Was seeking a new strategic direction for 2004-2010

Adopted ISIS and Pyramid to develop new strategy, with

multi-stakeholder input

Result needed to be approved at Prime Ministerial summit

in June 2004
2004 AtKisson, Inc.
*esult- The 5*iga 'roposal6
Proposed new vision for the initiative ... and region
New strategy with focus higher-level impact on policy
making, through foreign ministers down to Brussels
New program for creating high-visibility Lighthouse
Projects to demonstrate value-added of sustainable
development
Proposal was later approved by Prime Ministers with only modest changes
2004 AtKisson, Inc.
&ABlbyC Sweden-
( ?-/egged Stool 'yramid

Brought together nine sectoral

working groups for for intensive
one-day working session using
Pyramid

Created rough draft of indicator

report on the spot, with estimate
of long-term trends

Generated 100s of ideas for

innovation, prioritized to the top
! initiatives

"ost enacted #y city council as

policy
2004 AtKisson, Inc.
Strategic 'osition (nalyses !or
7rganiDations
Example:
Compass Analysis
Snapshot of how well a
company has integrated
sustainability goals and
metrics into public
reporting
Benchmarked against
the top 50 sustainability
reports in the world
INTE,+ATION
2004 AtKisson, Inc.
5&agic "yes6 E 83"'-
Training Sustainability Change Agents in SE Asia
2004 AtKisson, Inc.
'yramid Training-

Theory + practice of
sustainable development

Group- and team-work

training in a simulation
environment

Build physical model to

reflect systems, linkages,
and multistakeholder
engagement
2004 AtKisson, Inc.
Pyramid model is both content- and context-rich
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Model has been tested in many cross-cultural and cross-sectoral settings
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Final Capstone: Consensus, Agreement ... and Action
AtKisson Group
7pportunities
7pportunities
for the
for the
Baltic University Program
Baltic University Program
2004 AtKisson, Inc.
What practical sustainable
development requires
Indicators
Systems Analyses
Innovations
Strategies
Agreement & Action
Principles, Visions, Goals
AtKisson, Inc.
Information, data, knowledge
Cooperation, thinking skills
Concepts, imagination
Best practices, creativity
Experience, judgment, intuition
Trust, commitment, discipline
2004 AtKisson, Inc.
,. 0ourse on sustainability
indicators and assessment

Different types (e.g., headline indicators,

sustainable production indicators, etc.)

Emerging standards on sustainability assessment

(GRI, SIA, etc.)

Technical aspects of indicator development

Selection processes

Presentation methods

Communication strategies

Many project/thesis opportunities

2004 AtKisson, Inc.
0ourse on systems thin%ing !or
sustainability

Historical roots of sustainability movement partly in

system dynamics

Basic modeling skills

Systems games etc. for teaching counterintuitive concepts

Study of some leading global models (World3, TARGETS,

Threshold 21, Etc.)

Applications in business, e.g., Peter Senges the Fifth

Discipline

Rich literature available

And ...
2004 AtKisson, Inc.
0ourse on innovation and
sustainability

Marry the literature on innovation theory (e.g., Rogers)

with practical case studies on kinds of innovations, how
long they took to emerge, diffuse, etc.

Broad survey of current and emerging best practices in a

wide range of areas, from natural resource management to
green job development

Combines technical and process/cultural issues

2004 AtKisson, Inc.
0ourse on strategic approaches
to sustainability

Essentially an expanded version of this short seminar, but

far more in depth

Tracking historical emergence of sustainability from green

and back to the land movement, science, and
international policy (Brundtland) to present day practice

In depth analysis of different frameworks in application.

When do they work? When do they fail? And why?

Analysis of global (Agenda 21), international (Baltic 21),

national (e.g. Sweden, UK), state, region, community
strategies/plans. Do they work? What do they do?

Etc. etc.
2004 AtKisson, Inc.
7r ... one survey course on all o!
the above

A one-term survey covering the whole Pyramid, or some

other organizing framework

A sampling from all the foregoing: Introduction to

Sustainability/Sustainable Development Tools and
Methods
2004 AtKisson, Inc.
*each out to other emerging programsC
and programs outside the .altic

The Natural Step has started a Masters Program in

Strategic Sustainability at Blekinge Institute, Karlskrona,
Sweden, with 40 students from all over the world

The Netherlands has some of the worlds leading programs

on sustainability, business degrees as well a tradition
undergraduate coursework
2004 AtKisson, Inc.
0reate a pro!essional training program
!or .altic Sea *egion emerging leaders
in Sustainable $evelopment

1-2 weeks, 4 times over a year, plus distance learning

High profile, affiliated with something like Baltic 21 as a

Lighthouse Project (to get some political support/attention)

Draw on existing models like LEAD International

Keep the focus intensely practical and useful, grounded in

science, economics, regional issues in a global context, etc.
AtKisson Group
'lease visit us
'lease visit us
on the web ...
on the web ...
www.AtKisson.com
www.AtKisson.com
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