"Now is the chance to connect the global understanding with the whole FSSD framework and really translate that operationally so we can start this journey of the grand transformation."
Professor Johan Rockström
Stockholm Resilience Centre
THE FRAMEWORK FOR STRATEGIC SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
|
The world today is in dire need of leadership and governance models that unify how the human dimension and global natural systems actually work. The models must include an understanding of basic mechanisms by which organizations currently collectively destroy those systems, in turn, enabling an operational definition of sustainability. A framework including such a definition, and guidelines for how any actor can systematically and strategically contribute to the fulfillment of the definition, exists; the Framework for Strategic Sustainable Development (FSSD). It informs organizations from the public and private sectors on systems science for sustainable re-design. The restructuring is powered by advantages that “realistic” governance brings, that are more financially rewarding because they head toward sustainability, and are more fun and inspiring than any alternative.
|
|
A sustainable civilization is used as the platform of success, defined by clear unifying design-principles. The framework engages a fundamental shift in mindset, the antipode to viewing sustainability as a plethora of disparate problems, feeding into myriad sustainability narratives that are different for all organizations, with as many different indicator-systems, and with few or no common operational denominators. The unifying sustainability principles used as part of the FSSD are derived from a description of our planet as a sustainable operating system. The principles are shaped as robust and easy-to-understand constraints, or boundary conditions, informing sustainable re-design of any organization, region or planning topic, at any scale.
A collaborative engagement and planning procedure also included in the FSSD aligns stakeholders across disciplines and sectors, to apply sustainability principles as constitutional design guides for developing and implementing forward-looking and adaptive/responsive governance structures. During an interactive learning dialogue between scientists and leaders, this has been systematically tested and improved in peer-review and with case studies during more than 25 years among individuals, communities, schools, businesses and governments at multiple scales and cultures across the world, including, e.g., small local to big global corporations, small and big municipalities, a federation of municipalities in each of North America and Europe, and a small European country, and an advisory NGO with facilitating offices in two Asian, one Middle Eastern, one Australasian, six European, and one North American countries. Many organizations have experienced in practice how their respective improved strategic overviews of the full scope of sustainability feeds into more cross-sector engagement and informed systematic planning, in turn feeding into improved outcomes (e.g., financial) in positive re-enforcing cycles.
A collaborative engagement and planning procedure also included in the FSSD aligns stakeholders across disciplines and sectors, to apply sustainability principles as constitutional design guides for developing and implementing forward-looking and adaptive/responsive governance structures. During an interactive learning dialogue between scientists and leaders, this has been systematically tested and improved in peer-review and with case studies during more than 25 years among individuals, communities, schools, businesses and governments at multiple scales and cultures across the world, including, e.g., small local to big global corporations, small and big municipalities, a federation of municipalities in each of North America and Europe, and a small European country, and an advisory NGO with facilitating offices in two Asian, one Middle Eastern, one Australasian, six European, and one North American countries. Many organizations have experienced in practice how their respective improved strategic overviews of the full scope of sustainability feeds into more cross-sector engagement and informed systematic planning, in turn feeding into improved outcomes (e.g., financial) in positive re-enforcing cycles.
The following needs for sustainable leadership and governance have been showcased, making the FSSD stand out as being logical and unique. Key features include:
The FSSD amplifies transparency so that diverse stakeholders can examine and debate the processes and details of any task, while applying the boundaries set by the sustainability principles mentioned above as a shared platform for engagement and modelling of sustainable decisions. Our insight into power structures and decision-making has led us to conclude that access to a unifying framework for transitioning toward the full scope of social and ecological sustainability is the most commonly and dangerously missing organizational asset.
We have an international group of academies and practitioners already on the ground using the FSSD, and ready to lead wide dissemination and implementation of it. Our collaboration is made up of universities, alumni, large business as well as SMEs, and municipalities, regions, and cities.
This represents an immense sustainability-dedicated and sustainability-knowledgeable workforce interested in learning more and propelling implementation at all levels. Those provide a nursery for transformative examples of development and sharing. The partners already create a network in many countries, currently focusing on sectors including: emerging social enterprises, urban development, foundational technologies (such as sustainable global chemical and manufacturing industries) and sustainability education. Because the FSSD guides pathways forward from any current context, it can be considered seriously in any organization, region or country. We welcome all to join the movement.
Professor Göran Broman, Blekinge Institute of Technology
Professor Karl-Henrik Robèrt, Blekinge Institute of Technology
- Purpose; made clear by a robust, commonly understood and complete principled definition of sustainability that covers the full scope of social and ecological sustainability.
- System boundaries in space; informed by the needed perspective, i.e., civilization in the biosphere. All you need to understand in the system for your sustainable purpose must be taken into account. The principles mentioned in first bullet must have this perspective.
- Time perspective; informed by backcasting from purpose as per the first bullet, i.e., social and ecological sustainability for the global civilization.
- Guidelines for scoping; put any topic/organization/region/sector in the above context of purpose, i.e., defining a position when it is no longer contributing to violating basic sustainability principles of civilization.
- Guidelines for continuity; ensure each step can feed into the next, technically and culturally, toward the scoped purpose.
- Guidelines for bottom line; ensure that each step creates enough resources to take the next step toward the scoped purpose, and show that this is financially safer than any alternative.
- Guidelines for tools; increase the value of various tools, methods and concepts for sustainable development, i.e., explaining how they relate to the scoped purpose, and to each other.
The FSSD amplifies transparency so that diverse stakeholders can examine and debate the processes and details of any task, while applying the boundaries set by the sustainability principles mentioned above as a shared platform for engagement and modelling of sustainable decisions. Our insight into power structures and decision-making has led us to conclude that access to a unifying framework for transitioning toward the full scope of social and ecological sustainability is the most commonly and dangerously missing organizational asset.
We have an international group of academies and practitioners already on the ground using the FSSD, and ready to lead wide dissemination and implementation of it. Our collaboration is made up of universities, alumni, large business as well as SMEs, and municipalities, regions, and cities.
This represents an immense sustainability-dedicated and sustainability-knowledgeable workforce interested in learning more and propelling implementation at all levels. Those provide a nursery for transformative examples of development and sharing. The partners already create a network in many countries, currently focusing on sectors including: emerging social enterprises, urban development, foundational technologies (such as sustainable global chemical and manufacturing industries) and sustainability education. Because the FSSD guides pathways forward from any current context, it can be considered seriously in any organization, region or country. We welcome all to join the movement.
Professor Göran Broman, Blekinge Institute of Technology
Professor Karl-Henrik Robèrt, Blekinge Institute of Technology
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE FSSD & ITS APPLICATION
VIDEOS
|
Professor Göran Broman explains the Framework for Strategic Sustainable Development (FSSD).
|
Professor Karl-Henrik Robèrt gives an overview of the FSSD as a critical tool in the transition towards sustainable societies.
|
Professor Johan Rockström gives an overview of the sustainability challenge and why the FSSD is a critical tool in the transition towards sustainable societies.
|
RESEARCH AT BTH
Ongoing research around the FSSD at BTH focuses on methodological support for companies, municipalities and other organizations that want to work strategically with sustainable development, that is, organizations that want to contribute to society’s transition towards sustainability in a way that strengthens the organization.