The Natural Step’s 2010 knowledge event series

Sustainability is the most exciting, yet challenging, opportunity of our times.  By attending this two-day learning event you'll learn how to future-proof your organisation for the changes being driven by the need for sustainable development.  You'll join other leaders on a fast-track to the best knowledge based on 20 years of research and practical experience; and learn how to integrate a more strategic approach to sustainable practice that makes good financial sense.

The award winning Natural Step strategic planning system has been carefully designed to ensure a more enduring and sustainable economic approach.  Having worked with hundreds of businesses including brand-leaders like Nike, Panasonic, Electrolux, ICI Paints and InterfaceFLOR, as well as communities such as Whistler, North Vancouver and Dublin, The Natural Step stands out as a leader in its field.

In New Zealand companies like Comvita, Phoenix Organics, Cyclops Yoghurt, Macpac and Tait Electronics have all benefited from understanding how to tackle the root causes of sustainability challenges, rather than wasting time and money treating symptomatic issues.  The Natural Step programme has also been widely used by local government.  Manukau, Hastings, Christchurch and Dunedin are just some of the councils that have taken The Natural Step towards more a robust approach for long-term, strategic planning. 

Who should attend this course?

This course will enable you understand and grapple with sustainability in a way that makes good financial sense.  It is ideal for:

• Leaders and decision-makers

• Those in strategy development roles

• Procurement managers and staff

• Sustainability / environmental managers and staff

• Anyone with an interest in a more strategic response to sustainability issues

What will I learn from this course?

·         Why sustainability is an issue that’s not going away and how to measure your performance

·         What the future will look like for your organisation in a more resource-constrained world, and how to maximise the opportunities it creates

·         How to navigate the misconceptions about sustainability through a strategically planned response

·         How to evaluate the many different measurement and certification tools available, and identify those best suited to your needs

How has The Natural Step training worked for others?

“The Natural Step’s four system conditions for sustainability were the key element of the course for me.  These four conditions made sense both practically and intuitively, and provide an essentially simple concept for defining sustainability.”   Ed Kiddie, Medical Officer of Health, Nelson Marlborough District Health Board

“This course provided an exceptionally stimulating and motivating learning environment.  It perfectly complemented the TNS model which provides a very clear and practical understanding of sustainability for implementation in the real world.”  Sean Barnes, Senior Manager, Aurecon (formerly Connell Wagner)

“This course highlighted logical thinking with an emphasis on business or organisational success rather than feeling too green. The tools are useful and with experience will be relatively simple to use. I would recommend this course to any business or organisation who wishes to compete and be successful in today's market”.  Michelle Elborn, Sustainability Coordinator, Tauranga City Council

VIDEO - 2 minute introduction on The Natural Step approach

 Learning programme overview

This interactive and engaging course is based on a ‘learn, do, review’ approach, which means approximately half of the course is spent working on a case-study organisation in a practical context.  Course pre-reading includes The Natural Step’s award-winning one hour e-learning module.

1.         Introduction to The Natural Step – 20 years of scientific research and applied learning

o        Why The Natural Step is the sustainability partner of choice for businesses

o        Why The Natural Step’s success is growing with communities and local government in Canada, Europe, USA and NZ

2.         The economics of sustainability – and what it means for NZ businesses and communities.

• • The risks of a ‘business as usual’ approach and a stressed resource supply chain
  • How organisations will be pressured to transform, and the opportunities that creates

3.         Efficiencies of systems-thinking - What a ‘whole-of-organisation’ approach really means

o        Why systems-thinking is key to resource efficiency and productivity improvements

o        How to identify and reduce the unforeseen risks from unsustainable practices

4.         Strategic planning for enduring success - how to embed a future-proofed approach

o        Integrating a vision for sustainability that provides security for investment decisions

o        The benefits of embedding sustainability and acceptable returns on investment

5.         Choosing between different options – how to identify and select the right investments

o        Identifying strategically focused initiatives with flexibility for future technological advances

6.         Measuring success – how to identify the right performance measures

o        Current best practice performance and measurement tools

o        Selecting the performance measurement system that’s right for your organisation.

Learning event presenters

Simon Harvey - Simon is a sustainability advisor and accomplished trainer with broad experience of working with businesses and local government.  He has helped organisations like Les Mills, healthAlliance, Bizzone, New Zealand Trade & Enterprise, and numerous councils to integrate sustainable practices at a strategic and cost effective level.  Simon is a senior advisor and current Chief Executive of The Natural Step NZ.  Simon is also a director of BusinessLAB, a strategic planning consultancy that focuses on helping organisations capture the opportunities of corporate responsibility and sustainable practice.  Simon  regularly presents at conferences on the topic of sustainability and is widely published in that area.

Ella Lawton - Ella is a Sustainable Practice Advisor for the Otago Polytechnic's Centre for Sustainable Practice.  With a diverse multi-disciplinary background Ella's work focuses on facilitating conversations to help improve people’s understanding of what sustainable practice is, and enable discussions that advance our ability to develop strategic plans that will realign our communities toward a more sustainable future.

Guest presenters

Richard Morely-Hall – Sales Director, Interface NZ

Interface NZ is the distributor for InterfaceFLOR products in New Zealand.  InterfaceFLOR is considered to be the world's most sustainable flooring company.  Previously sustainability manager at The Warehouse, Richard speads about the challenges businesses face in embedding sustainable practices. 

Nicola Johnston – Acting Manager, Policy and Planning, Dunedin City Council

Nicola will talk about how The Natural Step has provided a common language for Dunedin City to assist in implementing sustainable practice into an organisation with 43 business units.

Steve Henry - Director, Centre for Sustainable Practice, Otago Polytechnic

Otago Polytechnic is striving to embed sustainable practice into every facet of its business.  Steve leads the Queenstown Lakes Sustainable Business programmes involving more than 150 businesses, and he will speak about how he has used The Natural Step's framework.  Steve is a current board member for The Natural Step NZ and accredited as a senior advisor.

Where is the course being held?

To ensure a high quality learning environment, places for this course are strictly limited to 25 people and are allocated on a first come, first in basis. To register your interest or find out more, please contact us at natstep@naturalstep.org.nz.

We look forward to seeing you:

On: 12th and 13th August 2010

At: Dunedin City Council, 50 The Octagon, Dunedin.