Human society faces many environmental and social threats as a result of systemic unsustainable behaviour and values. The root cause of these problems is our collective lack of awareness and inability to understand the connection between our actions and their consequences. Therefore there is a need to develop an increased perception of interconnectivity to prevent these unintended consequences. This study explores how a learning experience could be designed to develop an interconnected worldview in support of Strategic Sustainable Development. Research examines the concepts and capacities associated with developing an interconnected worldview, and pedagogical approaches for transformational adult learning. Finally, a guiding process is proposed for designing a learning experience in this context.

The fashion industry is beginning to understand the need to move strategically towards sustainability. Yet there appears at present little coordination between global fashion brands and their supply chains to pursue strategic sustainable development and ensure the long term resilience of their business. We asked: What does a fashion brand need to know about its first tier suppliers in China in order to form a strategy towards sustainability? We utilised a scientific, principle-based definition of sustainability and framework to identify the underlying challenges faced by two Chinese garment factories in moving strategically towards sustainability. The challenges enabled us to inform three strategic guidelines that a fashion brand should consider when working with its supply chain towards sustainability. Research draws on literature, interviews among industry experts, interviews with a major fashion brand, and on-site workshops with two of its first-tier garment factories in China. The results of our research indicate: 1) the specific challenges factories face are commonly associated with internal corporate culture, the fashion brand’s directives, and the regulatory environment in China; 2) the fashion brand should aim to broaden its purchasing priorities, generate increased collaboration with suppliers and build awareness towards empowerment and ownership of sustainability and associated strategies and actions.

Communication patterns in nature were studied in order to address the challenge of effectively communicating sustainability messages. Fourteen patterns were found in nature and translated into user-friendly guidelines called Guidelines for Effective Communication of Sustainability Messages. These Guidelines were given to sustainability experts and peers for overall feedback and insights. Their responses showed that these Guidelines could be used to improve communication of sustainability messages by using them as a checklist and a design tool when designing messages and methods for communicating sustainability. Using these Guidelines as a tool within the Framework for Strategic Sustainable Development (FSSD) could also help people better understand today’s sustainability challenges and the need for adopting a strategic approach used within the FSSD.

Society today faces unprecedented social and environmental challenges that are both complex in nature and require immediate and severe action. The financial system is a complex system that has an important impact on the sustainable development of society. Currently, however, the role of the finance system in sustainability is ambivalent, as it invests both in the causes of the sustainability challenge as well as its potential solutions. As the finance system is a complex system collaboration is needed to make change possible. Relationships are a key component of collaboration, and this research looks closer at how relationship building can enable effective collaboration aimed at finance systems change. Research draws on Literature, and a case study of the Finance Innovation Lab including 19 qualitative interviews. In order to build collaborative relationships for a sustainable finance system the results point to: 1) the importance of the individual being present in the initiative rather than the organization they represent, and the importance of connecting on personal level; 2) the complexity of relationship building, with different processes and key elements interrelating; and 3) collaborative relationships being only one part of systemic transformation, requiring also a diversity of people and a clear structure and common strategy to be effective in achieving their goals.

With the increasing number of Information and Communication Technology (ICT)-based initiatives addressing sustainability in urban areas, it is important to examine the possible contributions these initiatives can make when transitioning society as a whole towards sustainability. This thesis investigates CUD‟s potential as a supportive approach to move urban areas towards sustainability, and the adjustment needed in the current strategies for alignment to a goal of global sustainability. This was accomplished by working with CUD Pilot Cities, various experts in urban development, ICT authorities and sustainability researchers. A scientific approach to the understanding of sustainability concepts provides the basis of this evaluation of the CUD initiative, the benefits and challenges, including the role of connectivity and the applicability of ICT. Within this context, recommendations were made to further improve the CUD initiative‟s effectiveness in moving urban areas towards sustainability. An ideal initiative was envisioned in relation to system boundaries and components, strategic guidelines, actions and tools - “CUD Gold” - and steps were suggested for how to make CUD more strategic in its pioneering endeavors of global urban sustainability. / Med det ökande antalet informations-och kommunikationsteknik (IKT)-baserade initiativ som riktar sig mot hållbarhet i städerna, är det viktigt att undersöka de eventuella bidrag dessa initiativ kan ge när de stödjer samhällens hållbara utveckling. Denna uppsats undersöker Connected urban developments (CUD) potential som initiativ och dess stödjande strategi för städers hållbara utveckling. Förslag till justeringar av CUDs strategi studeras och rekommendationer för bättre anpassning av nuvarande strategier till CUDs nya mål ges. Orginalstrategierna skrevs utifrån orginalmålet, reducering av koldioxidutsläpp och behövde justeras för att bättre inriktas mot det nya målet, global hållbarhet. Detta uppnåddes genom att studera Connected Urban Development som organisation och genom att intervjua representanter från CUDs organisation, representanter för Pilotprojektsstäder, olika experter på stadsplanering, IT och hållbar utveckling (både forskare och praktiker). Ett vetenskapligt förhållningssätt till kunskap om hållbarhetsbegrepp utgör grunden för denna utvärdering av CUD-initiativet, dess fördelar och utmaningar, inklusive rollen för bredbandsuppkoppling och tillämpning av informations-och kommunikationsteknik. I detta sammanhang ges rekommendationer för att ytterligare förbättra CUD-initiativets effektivitet gällande städers hållbara utveckling. Gruppens forskning utgick från ett föreställt idealiskt initiativ i förhållande till systemets gränser och komponenter, strategiska riktlinjer, åtgärder och verktyg - "CUD Gold" och åtgärder föreslås för att göra CUD mer strategiska i sin banbrytande ansträngning för att stödja hållbara städer på global nivå. / <p>Carina Forsman-Knecht S. Bellevuevägen 2 371 61 Lyckeby E-mail: cinaknecht@gmail.com US +1 435 503 8460 Sweden +46 (0)733 629951 Skype: cinaknecht Annita Seckinger 10620 Barnwood Lane Potomac Maryland 20854 email: a2ndger@yahoo.com Khuloud Odeh address: 2501 Calvert St. NW Apt. 401, Washington, DC, 20008, USA phones: home +1-202-332-1103, mobile:+1 301-768-1886 email: khuloud.odeh@gmail.com</p>

While extensive communication around the sustainability challenges have lead to increased awareness, the expected behavior change correspondent to that level of awareness has not been observed. After decades of information-based sustainability communication the research community recognizes values as important drivers of peoples behavior. Consequently, communication needs to be designed intentionally, so as to implement the change necessary in order to shift society to a sustainable level where the global community lives within the planetary boundaries. This thesis was inspired by this call from the field of sustainability science for a new narrative around sustainability that would inspire more radical change. In the first step we used the European Citizens ́ Initiative for an Unconditional Basic Income (EUBI) as a case study, to analyze what types of values the current narrative of the EUBI speaks to and compare that with the values of the population of the European Union. In the second step our research focused on what types of Guidelines could be developed so as to intentionally design a values-oriented narrative. We identified three ways in which the narrative of EUBI is misaligned with the values of the population of the European Union. We identified as well 13 Guidelines for designing a values-oriented narrative that could contribute in moving society strategically towards sustainability. When utilizing the Guidelines as a tool in crafting a potentially more successful narrative as part of a new sustainability communication, the contribution to SSD may be to strategically overcome the above described misalignment and inspiring more action to bridge the gap.

The procurement of agricultural commodities by multinational organizations has been identified as a leverage point for moving the global agricultural system towards sustainability. This study focuses on how multinational organizations can improve their capacities to procure more sustainably grown agriculture commodities. Using the Framework for Strategic Sustainable Development (FSSD) to create a theoretical ‘Ideal Case’ for procurement practices, this study analyzes the key strengths and weaknesses of existing practices surrounding the procurement of agricultural commodities in order to determine how they can improve. Interviews with four multinational corporations, one INGO and several experts in the field showed various weaknesses, including a lack of whole-system perspectives, inadequate definitions of sustainability, and weak strategies and tools to support organizations’ movements towards sustainability. Using these findings, recommendations were created to provide procurers, sourcing managers, supply chain managers, and sustainability managers with the necessary guidance to create conditions enabling the procurement of more sustainably grown agricultural commodities. The recommendations call for multi-stakeholder cooperation, increased use of impact assessments, long-term sustainability goals, and credible certification systems.

The developed world relies on an enormous supply of electricity and heat energy to power countless daily activities, predominantly using non-renewable fossil fuels. Although this energy assists people in meeting their basic human needs, the way in which it is produced is at odds with the ability of people to continue to meet their needs in the future. The current trend towards renewable energy generation in the developed world that involves community members is a positive step away from current unsustainable energy practices. A Strategic Sustainable Development (SSD) approach helps to guide planning and decision making by using a vision of a sustainable energy future to assist in undertaking strategic actions. To offer practical support to communities wanting to work towards sustainable energy generation, this research combines the experience of communities undertaking Community Renewable Energy projects with an SSD approach, producing a Sustainable Community Renewable Energy Tool.

Understanding successful community planning and transparently monitoring the process through indicators is essential for empowering communities to move towards a sustainable future. This paper investigates two key categories of indicators: 1) socio-ecological indicators and 2) process indicators. The Framework for Strategic Sustainable Development, the foundation of this research, offers a science-based and principled definition of sustainability, as well as a method for structuring, evaluating and informing the design of indicators. A universally applicable set of community planning process indicators has been devised through ‘backcasting’. First, a list of Success Criteria for an ideal sustainable community planning process was developed. To determine the gaps that require monitoring, general practices in current planning were next assessed against this vision of success. Indicators were then brainstormed to measure closure of the highlighted gaps and movement towards success. Finally, these indicators were evaluated against a comprehensive list of ideal indicator characteristics. In summary, applying whole systems and strategic approaches to identifying and designing indicators can be relevant in any context. Process indicators provide the structure in which to monitor planning at every level and across disciplines so that appropriate socio-ecological indicators can then be derived, while simultaneously ensuring more effective governance. / <p>Alaya Boisvert - alaya.boisvert@gmail.com Sarah Cheevers - sacheevers@yahoo.com Erin Romanchuk - erinroser@gmail.com Karen Stroebel - kstroebel@gmail.com</p>

This research investigates the potential incentives have on driving behaviour change towards the adoption of sustainable business practices by rural tourism operators in British Columbia (BC), Canada. Even though operators in rural BC have recognized the importance of making their business practices sustainable so that future generations are able to enjoy living and visiting these communities, they claim there is a lack of incentives from the industry. To support the BC rural tourism industry in attaining its aspiration to enhance the social/cultural, environmental and economic well being of the province, a model and corresponding recommendations on how to better support operators through strategic incentives was developed. Using the lens of strategic sustainable development, understanding the mechanisms of behaviour change and the role of operators as early adopters of sustainable practices, this research takes a whole systems perspective to identify in what ways sustainability can be encouraged by the tourism industry through the use of incentives in the context of rural BC.