With the increasing population and development of cities, addressing urban transportation is predicted to become a greater challenge. Cycling presents the opportunity to address urban mobility demands without the same degree of environmental, economic and social costs associated with conventional motorized transportation. The intent of this paper is to identify the commonalities and differences between cycling organisations, and what some examples of actions that take advantage of opportunities between these organisations could be. Backcasting from scientifically derived sustainability principles within the Framework for Strategic Sustainable Development was used to validate our research topic. Qualitative research proceeded in four phases. Methods included: literature reviews, field visit, interviews, five-level and SWOT analyses, brainstorming and prioritisation. Research found communication and knowledge transfer within and between cycling organisations could be improved, but doing so requires leadership and resources that are usually lacking. Research also found that there is a desire to present cycling in an inspiring way, but there is a lack of expertise in doing so despite the current unprecedented increase in interest, initiatives and resource allocation related to cycling. As cycling gains more support, it will likely encourage a progressive shift throughout the entire transportation sector toward more sustainable development. This ultimately can play a significant role in moving toward a sustainable society. / <p>Please contact the authors by email.</p>

Abstract: Given the global sustainability challenge; effective organizational Social Responsibility (SR) guidelines must set best-practices that acknowledge environmental constraints and strive for a sustainable society. SR has historically underrepresented environmental issues and needs to shift from a reactive focus on societal stakeholder demands, to a proactive whole-systems planning framework. There is a risk that unless SR guidelines consider both social and environmental issues together, they may generate negative outcomes to organizational viability. This research finds key Sustainable Development concepts that should be integrated within SR guidelines and uncovers an overall goal of SR as assisting organizations in moving towards a sustainable society. A Sustainable Society is defined in the research according to a set of scientific principles, based on environmental constraints and fundamental social needs. This clear goal enables the organization to ‘backcast’ from this success point in order to take effective strategic steps. The authors recommend the incorporation of critical concepts from Strategic Sustainable Development, a proven organizational sustainability planning framework, into SR guidelines to increase their effectiveness in strategic SR decision-making. The ISO 26000 SR Guideline is used as a case study.

The complex, multi-faceted sustainability challenge that society faces calls for a strategic approach to sustainable development. Strategic planning processes towards sustainability in organisations and communities are oftentimes led by a facilitator or facilitative leader. We argue that planning processes of complex and transformational change, call for collaboration among stakeholders and for highly skilled facilitative leaders who are committed to the development of self, others and society. This thesis explores the ‘interior state’ of facilitative leaders as a high leverage point in moving society towards sustainability. We identify nine personal capacities that enable leaders to facilitate collaboration in Strategic Sustainable Development: (1) Being Present, (2) Whole Self-Awareness, (3) Suspension &amp; Letting Go, (4) Compassion, (5) Intention Aligned with Higher Purpose, (6) Whole System Awareness, (7) Personal Power, (8) Sense of Humour, and (9) Holding Dualities and Paradoxes. We identify a range of personal and collective practices that help develop these personal capacities. We propose these capacities are the foundation for a more holistic and authentic facilitation approach applied to strategic sustainable development.

Today, global socio-ecological problems are too complex and urgent for isolated actions, and cross-sector collaboration is increasingly required to generate transformational change towards a sustainable future. Partnerships between businesses and civil society organisations (CSOs) in particular have the potential to achieve the required change for sustainability. However, the ‘backcasting’ approach used in this study highlights a gap between current approaches and what partnerships might look like in a sustainable future. Research draws on literature, eighteen interviews and an action research project with Interface Europe. Results indicate that: 1) in the current paradigm shift, collaboration provides a competitive advantage; 2) individual, organisational and societal benefits of partnering are significant; 3) understanding the art and science of partnering is needed to make them work 4) organisational development and strategy affect partnership type and outcomes; 5) Corporate Social Responsibility efforts initiate cross-sector partnerships, but are responsive and fall short of being strategic; 6) articulation of visions for a sustainable future is rare and; 7) most partnerships are not aligned with core business strategies. In conclusion, dialogue across all sectors is advocated to co-create a sustainable future and The Natural Step Framework is recommended to align business planning and partnership strategies with sustainability. / <p>Andrew Outhwaite (arouthwaite@gmail.com) Miriam Karell (jazzminq@gmail.com) Richard Blume (rblume@gmail.com) Website http://partnerships4SSD.blogspot.com</p>

In the face of the complexity and the urgency of the sustainability challenge, communication of sustainability to the public to motivate behaviour change is found to be an urgent concern. Communication based on appealing to the values of the audience is particularly powerful in addressing social and ecological concerns. Previous research has shown that there is a positive correlation between appealing to intrinsic values and motivation for sustainable behaviours, as opposed to activation of extrinsic values which might lead to the counter outcome. This research seeks to investigate how values-based communication for sustainability can be applied strategically within the third sector based on the activation of intrinsic values. The Framework for Strategic Sustainable Development (FSSD) was used as a conceptual frame to enhance the contextualization of the topic and analyse the findings. Ten interviews were conducted with experts and practitioners in the field, aiming to capture the current application of the concept, the enablers, and barriers for implementing it as well as potential key factors for a successful and strategic practice of values-based communication. Interview findings indicated that a strategic approach is lacking when values-based communication is applied. Based on these findings, a set of recommendations were developed with the intention of serving practitioners and experts in the field. The primary aim of this study is to contribute to the enhancement of the strategic application of values-based communication for sustainability. / In this thesis it is discussed how values-based communication for sustainability can be applied strategically within the third sector, based on the activation of intrinsic values. Based on theoretical ground as well as the conducted research results a set of recommendations were developed with the intention of serving practitioners and experts in the field. The primary aim of this study is to contribute to enhancing the strategic application of values-based communication for sustainability.

This thesis aims to investigate what strategic guidance can be given to design transformative ESD (Education for Sustainable Development) programs in order to bring about the necessary shift away from our dominating mechanistic and transmissive educational model towards one that is transformative. ESD programs are of high importance when moving towards a more sustainable society, however, a lack of a strategic, full systems approach for planning in the field of complexity can be observed. This gap can be bridged by the use of the FSSD, the Framework for Strategic Sustainable Development, which is used as a conceptual framework throughout this paper. The field of transformative education was researched by using a mixed-methods approach, revealing what key elements and best practices are present that enable transformation to happen. The Cocoon model presented in this paper is derived from the results and intends to give strategic guidance for program designers on how to create a transformative ESD program. It is a process model that aids program designers to create the space for transformational learning to occur by strategically putting into place the elements that are conducive to transformation.

The purpose of this paper is to give suggestions for how to preserve intangible cultural heritage (ICH) towards sustainability. We will use Tibet as a case study. Understanding the importance of ICH for tourism, we scrutinize ICH through the lens of strategic sustainable development (SSD) and use tourism as a leverage point to enter into a real life situation. ICH is the root of all cultural expression. Without guarding ICH there is little meaning to the physical culture that remains and, ultimately, tourism declines. ICH is a new topic and there is little research and few ideas as to how to guide its preservation. We offer recommendations which include identifying the stakeholders, educating them, adequate marketing research especially in tourism, investing on technology of dematerialization and searching substitutions under the guidelines of the Golden Rule within the social sustainability context. Our contributions is to build a vision of success for preserving Tibetan ICH via tourism within the constraints of the four sustainability principles, and then demonstrate some prioritized actions in order to develop towards sustainability.

Adopting a Strategic Sustainable Development (SSD) approach to official bilateral development assistance could result in more effective development planning that yields lasting results in developing countries. A Framework for Strategic Sustainable Development Assistance (FSSDA) based on SSD and customised to the needs of a development agency offers guidance in planning for development towards sustainability. This it does by directing donor and recipient planners in generating holistic perspectives, setting the goal of development as an attractive and sustainable society, and providing a flexible decision-making framework to guide strategic planning. Development assistance donor agencies face several difficulties in ensuring aid effectiveness. The FSSDA offers support in addressing these challenges by: positioning the creation of sustainable societies as the fundamental goal of development; allowing progress against imminent sustainability threats while minimizing the risk of unforeseen negative impacts; balancing economic, environmental and social considerations; and providing a fairer basis for aid conditionality.

Abstract: A community food system (CFS) can assist a community in satisfying human needs while also working toward a principle-based understanding of sustainability. Utilizing a whole-systems perspective and the Framework for Strategic Sustainable Development, we identify generic satisfiers of human needs (as defined by Max-Neef: Subsistence, Participation, Identity, Idleness, Creation, Freedom, Affection, Understanding and Protection) that are affected by a CFS. Then we identify specific leverage points within the community food system that most enhance those generic satisfiers. By implementing strategies developed around those leverage points, a community food system will provide opportunities to meet Human Needs and help a community move toward sustainability. In doing so, the CFS can have a significant ―ripple effect‖ within the community, and on into society, that serves to support movement towards a sustainable future. / <p>Monique Monteverde-greenmountain@gmail.com Katie Pease-tierradiversity@yahoo.com Anthony W. (Tony) Thompson-411.tony@gmail.com</p>

Society is facing a great Sustainability Challenge. The designs of our social and economic structures are creating enormous stress in our social, environmental and economic systems and across the world, citizens, businesses and governments have begun to take notice. Adopting more Sustainable Consumption behaviours have been identified as a necessary step in the move towards sustainability. This thesis explores the idea of Collaborative Consumption within the context of Cohousing in cities. Cohousing is defined as housing comprising of individual apartments or homes with shared spaces and facilities designed to create a community, oriented towards collaboration among residents and collective organisation of services. This research sought to identify key barriers and enablers for moving towards Sustainable Lifestyles and study the role of Cohousing as a catalyst for Collaborative Behaviour that triggers Collaborative Consumption leading urban communities towards Sustainable Lifestyles and ultimately towards Sustainable Development. By combining the Strategic Sustainable Development approach and Cohousing, this thesis provides a set of recommendations that could help Cohousing communities move strategically towards sustainability.