Sustainability advantage: The Natural Step as competitive edge (Stanley Nyoni for ESADECREAPOLIS)

1. Accelerating Change towards
Sustainable Development
Barcelona June 2009
Stanley Nyoni The Natural Step International
www.thenaturalstep.org
© 2009 The Natural Step

2. Agenda
1.Introduction
2.Sustainability overview
3.Framework for Startegic Sustainable
Development
4.Case studies
5.Discussion
•How does all this relate to the spanish context
•What next ? Potential areas for collaboration
© 2009 The Natural Step

3. Total Systems Thinking
Genuine quality of life has material
foundations
Resources Materials Products Service Needs
& Energy Platforms
Recycling
Farming V
Earth’s
Fishing
Crust
Goods &
Sphere
Resource
Utilisation
Bio-
Processing Service
Manufacturing
Mining Delivery
I
Wastes and Emissions
“Permanent” Capture
V: Value is created by satisfying human needs (improving genuine quality of life), in an economically
viable way for designers, producers and customers in the supply chain
I: Ecological impacts derive from wastes and emissions entering the bio-sphere and physical
degradation of eco-systems
The strategic ‘single bottom line’ objective is to greatly increase V/I (by ‘Factor X’)
© 2009 The Natural Step

4. Strategy & Sustainable Development
Vision and Strategy Development
Create an overarching Framework for SD, vision and
strategies, supporting social well-being.
Capacity building
- Communication
- Learning programs
- Engagement processes
- Measurement and evaluation
Prototyping – Concrete Projects
Move forward with projects on the ground in a coordinated and
focused way; create a process/culture where new initiatives can grow.
Copyright © 2007 The Natural Step
© 2009 The Natural Step

5. The Natural Step Organization
International NGO
Scientific
consensus
TNS Framework
Leadership and Role
models
© 2009 The Natural Step

6. Core purpose
To develop a genuine commitment to,
and competence in,
sustainable development throughout
society.
© 2009 The Natural Step

7. Our strategic objectives
1.Scientific research
2. Capacity building
3. Effective communication
© 2009 The Natural Step

8. Our Approach
© 2009 The Natural Step

9. 1. Research – Real Change
…Trans-disciplinary, Cross-
sector and Cross-cultural
Research and Implementation
for Strategic Sustainable
Development…
CORE SPIRIT
…All possible due to common
Core Concepts for SSD
(CORE)
…Funded by 5 five leading
Swedish Research funding
agencies…
© 2009 The Natural Step

10. 2. Role Models
Swedish Eco-
municipalities
City of Madision, WI
© 2009 The Natural Step

11. 3. Movement for Change
© 2009 The Natural Step

12. Sustainability Overview
© 2009 The Natural Step

13. © 2009 The Natural Step

14. The Biosphere / the earth
System
Success
Strategy
Action
Tools
© 2009 The Natural Step

15. © 2009 The Natural Step

16. Cycles of Nature
Open system
for energy
Closed system
for matter
1)Nothing
disappears
«Photosytesis Sustainability is 2)Everything
provides new about the ability disperse
structure »
of these cycles
to run
indefinitely
Slow geological cycles Slow geological cycles
(vulcano eruptions (sedimentation and
and weathering) mineralization)
© 2009 The Natural Step

17. How do we destroy the system?
Physically inhibit
nature’s ability to
run cycles
Barriers to
people
meeting their
basic needs
worldwide
Persistent
compounds
foreign to nature
Large flows of
materials from
the Earth’s crust
© 2009 The Natural Step

18. Natural and Human wealth
Two real sources of wealth
• wealth that flows from our use of the
earth’s life support systems = natural capital
• wealth that flows from the use of our hands,
brains and spirits = human capital
All else - money, machines, institutions - is derived from these
two primary sources of wealth.
© 2009 The Natural Step

19. Total Systems Thinking
Genuine quality of life has material
foundations
Resources Materials Products Service Needs
& Energy Platforms
Recycling
Farming V
Earth’s
Fishing
Crust
Goods &
Sphere
Resource
Utilisation
Bio-
Processing Service
Manufacturing
Mining Delivery
I
Wastes and Emissions
“Permanent” Capture
V: Value is created by satisfying human needs (improving genuine quality of life), in an economically
viable way for designers, producers and customers in the supply chain
I: Ecological impacts derive from wastes and emissions entering the bio-sphere and physical
degradation of eco-systems
The strategic ‘single bottom line’ objective is to greatly increase V/I (by ‘Factor X’)
© 2009 The Natural Step

20. Well-being
Key characteristics of successful societies
• Basic needs
• Interdependence
• Diversity
• Self-organization
© 2009 The Natural Step

21. What are our human needs?
© 2009 The Natural Step

22. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
© 2009 The Natural Step

23. Human needs
Subsis- Partici-
Idleness
tence pation
Under-
Protection Affection
standing
Creation Identity Freedom
Manfred Max-Neef et al
© 2009 The Natural Step

24. Human Needs
• Definable
• Same in all cultures (but different satisfiers)
• Not interchangeable
• Possible to satisfy globally within ecological
constraints
• Difference between needs and wants
© 2009 The Natural Step

25. Satisfaction of needs
Synergic satisfier
While satisfying one need, allows for
its satisfaction in the future and/or of Dynamic of
other needs at the same time
change towards
Sustainable
+
Societies
« First Side
-
need Satisfier objective
effects
solution» Creating
global
-
value
Inhibiting Satisfiers
while satisfying one need, may well
hinder its satisfaction in the future
and/or impede another need from
being met at the same time.
© 2009 The Natural Step

26. Classification of needs
• Destroyers
• Pseudo-Satisfiers
• Inhibitors
• Singular Satisfiers
• Synergic Satisfiers
© 2009 The Natural Step

27. What is Global Change?
• Global-scale changes that affect
functioning of Earth System
U.S. Bureau of the Census
• Much more than climate change
Mackenzie et al (2002)
• Socio-economic as well as
Richards (1991), WRI (1990)
biophysical
NOAA
Reid & Miller (1989)
FAO
Source: International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme © 2009 The Natural Step

28. We are in a funnel
Declining
resources and ecosystem
services
Increasing
demand for resources and
ecosystem services
Time
© 2009 The Natural Step

29. Social issues and Environment
The Link.
Healthy productive ecosystems are
the source of the materials that satisfy
human needs.
Residents of countries with severe bio-capacity
constraints are often among the countries with
the largest human development challenges.
Global foot print network
© 2009 The Natural Step

30. Climate change Impact
The Link.
IPCC: Impacts
The poorest of the poor in the world – and this
includes poor people in prosperous societies –
are going to be the worst hit. People who are
poor are least able to adapt to climate change.”
(Rajendra Pachauri, IPCC)
In some African countries, yields from rain-fed agriculture
could be reduced by up to 20% by 2020.
© 2009 The Natural Step

31. Sustainability Development
The challenge.
How, given the current situation, do we manage
and allocate, today, the Earth’s resources for the
survival of a projected global population of 9 to
10 billion people in 2050 – and for their offspring
indefinitely?
Global foot print network
© 2009 The Natural Step

32. Sustainable development
© 2009 The Natural Step

33. Waves of innovation
Source: The Natural Edge Project (2005)
© 2009 The Natural Step

34. 2. Success
System
Success
Strategy
Action
Tools
Copyright © 2007 The Natural Step
© 2009 The Natural Step

35. Interaction with the System
Physically inhibit
nature’s ability to
run cycles
Barriers to
people
meeting their
basic needs
worldwide
Persistent
compounds
foreign to nature
Large flows of
materials from
the Earth’s crust
Copyright © 2007 The Natural Step
© 2009 The Natural Step

36. 2. Success
System In a sustainable society, nature is not
subject to systematically increasing...
...concentrations of substances
Success extracted from the Earth’s crust,
...concentrations of substances
produced by society,
Strategy
...degradation by physical means,
Action
and, in that society...
...people are not subject to conditions
Tools that systematically undermine their
capacity to meet their needs.
Copyright © 2007 The Natural Step
© 2009 The Natural Step

37. Strategic Plannig Process
Awareness
Creative
Solutions Future
Present Decide on
Priorities
Baseline Is it a step in the right direction?
Is it a flexible platform?
Is it a good return on investment?
Copyright © 2007 The Natural Step
© 2009 The Natural Step

38. Cases
© 2009 The Natural Step

39. Rohm and Haas
Case Study
© 2009 The Natural Step

40. Sustainability Evaluation of PVC using TNS
Framework
• Addressed by a leading environmental authority in the UK and
chaired by J Porritt of the PVC Coordination Group
• Forum for the Future – licensee of TNS in the UK
• What would it take to make PVC fully sustainable?
• 2020 Vision Exercise
– Involving 36 stakeholders at Tesco headquarters, UK which
included representatives from ECVM,ECPI, ESPA, and Hydro
Polymers and EVC.
• Report Produced in July 2000
– Based on TNS methodology
– Interviews with Industry and Greenpeace
– Identifies 5 key sustainability challenges
© 2009 The Natural Step

41. 5 Key PVC Sustainability Challenges
1. No more carbon to atmosphere
2. Controlled-loop recycling
3. No accumulation from emissions
4. Sustainable additives
5. Engaging the whole value chain
© 2009 The Natural Step

42. Co-creation of distance learning
- throughout value chain -
© 2009 The Natural Step

43. Distance learning, 10 credits
© 2009 The Natural Step

44. Vision and Strategy Development
Capacity building
• Communication
• Learning programmes
• Engagement processes
• Measurement and evaluation
Prototyping – on the ground in business
© 2009 The Natural Step

45. Vision and Strategy Development
Workshops with
regions, businesses
and functions
Final
Ver. 1 Ver. 1 Ver. 2 version
Review
Leadership
team Leadership
Review
Sustainability
Project team
Prototyping initiatives
© 2009 The Natural Step

46. Vision & Strategy
Compelling Vision:
• What will be the role and responsibility for your industry
and company in a sustainable future?
• What human needs will your company enable in a MINED
sustainable society? MATERIALS
• How will your company be unique and differentiated? SUSTAINABILITY PRINCIPLES
AS CONSTRAINTS
Compelling
Vision
PHYSICAL
MAN-MADE
SUBSTANCES Core Big DEGRADATION
Values Goals
20XX
Core Values:
HUMA
N Big Goals 20XX
• What characterizes your company – identity, personality? NEEDS
• What values will guide you in a sustainable future? • What do we want to achieve by 20XX to move
towards fulfilling the system conditions?
• What would visionary and restorative goals look like?
© 2009 The Natural Step

47. 4
© 2009 The Natural Step

48. © 2009 The Natural Step

49. Prototyping: Sustainability at a Product Level
• Awareness
• Assessment
• Communication
© 2009 The Natural Step

50. Sustainability Life Cycle Assessment (SLCA)
© 2009 The Natural Step

51. Capacity building
Leadershi
p
Management level Management
Level
All levels All levels
Operations
levels
© 2009 The Natural Step

52. Communications & Employee Engagement
BLOG EMPLOYEE BOOK CLUB
SD WEBSITE
© 2009 The Natural Step

53. Learning Programme: SD Champion Network
PURPOSE: To develop in-house sustainability expertise that supports the company
sustainability journey from the bottom up.
You will:
• Be the voice for the Company’s sustainable development efforts – at home & around the world.
• Be an enabler, helping to integrate sustainability throughout the organization.
• Be an educator, contributing to the development of your colleagues’ understanding and ability to
incorporate sustainability into their day-to-day work.
• Be a critical resource within the company, acting as an in-house sustainability specialist.
…how will we do this…?!
© 2009 The Natural Step

54. Future
1. Begin with the end in mind
Present
© 2009 The Natural Step

55. Contact
Stanley.nyoni@thenaturalstep.org
spain@thenaturalstep.org
© 2009 The Natural Step