sustainablebusiness

Sustainable Business

Especially for participants in the Natural Step for Business study circle

The Natural Step for Business Study Circle Begins Feb. 22, 2010

Register Now!

Back row, left to right:

Roger Utnehmer, Nicolet Broadcasting; Laurel Brooks, Brooks & Moeller, SC; Perry Andropolis, Ecocentric Life; David Lea, Sweetie Pies, LLC; Cliff Orsted, Door Landscape; Tim Duquaine, Door Landscape.

Front row, left to right:

Susan Kohout, facilitator; Dana Brooks, Brooks & Moeller, SC; Susan Guthrie, Bluefront Café; Tracy Andropolis, Perry’s Cherry Diner; Vicki Wilson, Door County Coffee & Tea Co.; Ann Hippensteel, facilitator; John Hippensteel, Lake Michigan Wind & Sun, Ltd.

Missing:

Becca Berger, Door County Library.

High Demand Calls for Second Course in 2010

Sixteen business persons representing eleven local companies and organizations recently completed a five-week course in The Natural Step (TNS). The Natural Step is a framework and process to make changes in business practices that improve the “triple bottom line”, a notion that incorporates economic prosperity, environmental protection and social accountability. Participants learned about a science-based, systematic method that has been used by international corporations and small businesses to affect desired outcomes in both the organizations themselves and in the communities in which they operate. The course incorporated discussion based on reading of the book The Natural Step for Business: Wealth, Ecology, and the Evolutionary Corporation by Brian Nattrass and Mary Altomare, as well as presentations by experts in the field and relevant video resources.

The Natural Step is flexible and widely applicable to all types of organizations – schools, churches and local governments as well as private businesses. Becca Berger, Director of the Door County Library participated in the course. “I joined the TNS-Business course to help expand my mindset about conservation, so that I can apply that thinking and action to the county department that I manage,” she stated. “The course gave me a broad perspective on what businesses have done to create a culture of sustainability. Translating this learning to specific conserving action steps will use taxpayer support dollars of the library more effectively.”

Participants in the first TNS for Business course have made plans to continue meeting and helping each other achieve sustainable changes in their organizations. A forum has been created at the Sustain Door website (www.sustaindoor.org) to facilitate their networking efforts.

The Door County Economic Development Corporation (DCEDC) and Sustain Door will offer a second TNS for Business course beginning February 22 and continuing through March 29, 2010. Interested business and community leaders are encouraged to register early, because the class size will be limited in order to optimize discussion. For more information, contact Ann Hippensteel of Sustain Door (ann@windandsun.com, 743-3337) or Sam Perlman of DCEDC (sam@doorcountybusiness.com, 743-3113 x204).

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Coming soon:

• • A waste-to-resource networking place.

  • A shipping co-operative. (maybe)

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TNS for Business:

A Course in Sustainable Business

September 10 - October 8, 2009

Door County Economic Development Corporation and Sustain Door, Inc offer an opportunity for community leaders to discover applications of The Natural Step (TNS) to business and non-governmental organization. Developed by Swedish oncologist Dr. Karl Henrik Robert in 1989, The Natural Step is often referred to as the compass for sustainability. It is a formula based on scientific principles which can help to indicate the direction for sustainable action. Organizations, local governments, and businesses around the world use The Natural Step to assess their impact on society and the environment and to make changes toward more sustainable practices. The course will meet on Thursdays from 5:30 – 7:30 PM for a period of five weeks between September 10^{th and October 8th, and is free and open to any interested individuals. The course is limited to twelve participants who will consider over the five sessions how The Natural Step principles apply to their business or organization or to a future business.}

^{Course Overview}

^{This course will expose participants to business applications of sustainability. In this course, the term ‘sustainability’ addresses: a systemic approach to developing and implementing government policies and corporate strategies that create long term economic value, enhance the health of social systems, and eliminate harm to ecological systems. The systemic approach of this course entails consideration of the:}

^{ Interdependencies of economic, social and ecological systems.}

^{ Challenges and opportunities that the interdependencies place upon business managers and NGO leaders.}

^{ Strategic and operational approaches taken by organizations and corporations to overcome the challenges and capitalize on the opportunities presented by the interdependencies.}

^{Course Objectives}

^{By the end of the course, students should have achieved the following four course objectives.}

^{1) Gained a working definition of sustainability and an in-depth understanding of sustainability issues.}

^{2) Acquired an appreciation for the contribution TNS has already provided businesses and organizations working toward sustainability.}

^{3) Learned how multiple stakeholders (business, government and policy makers, NGOs) interact and engage around key sustainability issues.}

^{4) Developed awareness and application of strategies and operational tactics employed to address sustainability issues.}

^Instructors

^{The course will be a shared exploration by all participants, conducted as a book discussion, and facilitated by several members of Sustain Door who have led 16 Natural Step study circles over the past three years.}

^{Course Structure}

^{1. Attendance. The success of this discussion-based learning opportunity is dependent on the attendance of a majority of the registered participants who have prepared themselves by reading the assigned material for each meeting and, when appropriate, done outside research on a particular business or organization.}

^{2. Local case study analysis. Each participant will be asked to study over the course of the five weeks, a particular business or organization with which he/she is familiar, to determine the relative progress toward sustainability that the business is achieving. Participants are encouraged to use the Local Case Study Analysis Framework as a guide in this study and to share through discussion, all or any part of the analysis they are comfortable sharing with the group.}

^{3. Additional speakers and audio-visual materials will be utilized as appropriate.}

^{Class Schedule}

^{Thursday, Sept 10th – Introduction to The Natural Step. Film: A Passion for Sustainability (How fourteen businesses, including large companies like NIKE and smaller moms and pops like HotLips Pizza, operate according to The Natural Step framework.)}

^{Thursday, Sept 17th – Part One: Designing the Future – Discussion about Chapters 1 – 3. Film: The Business Case for Sustainability by Bob Willard, author of The Sustainability Advantage.}

^{Thursday, Sept 24th – Two Case Studies: IKEA and Scandic Hotels – Discussion about Chapters 4, 5. Guest presentation: Sustainability: Its Drivers and Financial/Economic Impacts on Businesses by Roger Kuhns, PhD, Black & Veatch, Sustainable Development.}

^{Thursday, Oct 1st – Two More Case Studies: Interface, Inc. and Collins Pine Company – Discussion about Chapters 6, 7. Guest presentation: Sustainable Business Networking and the Madison Mpower Program by Bryant Moroder, Sustain Dane.}

^{Thursday, Oct 8th – Part Three: The Evolutionary Journey – Discussion about Chapters 8 -10. Where do we go from here?}