The Framework for Strategic Sustainable Development embodies three decades of research and practice on global sustainability initiated by The Natural Step in collaboration with an international network of scientists, business and political decision-makers. It is both an open-source planning and decision-making framework and an engagement process to guide action toward sustainability in a holistic way.
Key elements of the framework:
Key elements of the framework:
- Systems thinking as a way to handle complexity and relate to different dimensions of sustainability.
- A peer-reviewed principle-based definition of socio-ecological sustainability ('system conditions for a sustainable society')
- A step by step engagement process to apply the concept of backcasting to guide action
- Decision-support for setting strategic priorities that merge organisational and sustainability objectives within different time-frames.
- A common, structured overview for incorporating different methods, tools, and concepts to use them in the most effective way.
Uses:
The Framework can be used in a facilitated process, either alone or in combination with different models.
The Framework can be used in a facilitated process, either alone or in combination with different models.
- Building shared understanding of sustainability amongst individuals and teams
- Establishing visions and goals that are in line with what science tells us is necessary
- Evaluating the gap between the current reality and the desired future
- Unlocking creativity on new solutions ("creativity within constraints")
- Dealing with trade-offs between different dimensions of sustainability
- Establishing roadmaps, strategies and action plans
Related tools:
Specific tools and derivative applications of the framework include:
Specific tools and derivative applications of the framework include:
- PROBE Best practice benchmarking tools
- Sustainability Life Cycle Assessment
- The Future-Fit Business Benchmark
*most commonly known as The Natural Step Framework after the international non-profit organisation that initiated the development and promotes research and application of the framework in a continual learning process.
