A cutting-edge training workshop is being held at Tauranga in August to show businesses and local authorities that reducing costs, improving performance and increasing profit does not need to come at the expense of sustainability initiatives.  It’s simply a question of smart strategic planning for a successful future.

The Sustainability for Leaders workshop being held at Hotel on Devonport on 19^th and 20^th August is a two day event that will showcase a practical, easy to grasp framework that is already tried and tested by world-leading corporates and forward-thinking local authorities, the latest being Dublin city in Ireland.  The  workshop, which is being supported by the Sustainable Business Network and Otago Polytechnic, will offer Kiwi organisations the opportunity to learn about the approach adopted by the likes of Nike, Electrolux, Panasonic as well as cities and districts around the world that have built their competitive advantage through a focus on designing for sustainability.  Complimentary keynote presentations from Comvita and Gavin Cherrie will showcase practical examples of sustainability in action.

Backed by almost 20 years of scientific research and hands-on experience in Europe and North America, the Natural Step (TNS) Framework provides the most universally adopted framework for organisations seeking a strategic response to environmental, social and financial sustainability needs.  The Framework provides a simple, scientifically robust definition of sustainability that facilitates innovative decision-making by matching opportunities for reducing costs and improving performance with strategies for long-term sustainability.

As Simon Harvey, an accredited Advisor for TNS in New Zealand, explains, “This course is available just at the right time.  As business and government sectors look to reduce costs and build resilience during these difficult economic times, you need a new approach that marries immediate requirements with the strategic need to improve the way we operate.  The environmental crisis has not gone away.  Both the market and regulators are continuing to demand more responsible products, services and corporate behaviour.  This course will show you how to do that successfully whether you’re a company or a public organisation.”

The TNS Framework has been used by many of the world's leading companies including Panasonic, Electrolux, Nike, McDonalds, BHP Billiton, Dow Chemical and IKEA.  In New Zealand the framework has been used by Les Mills, Otago Polytechnic, Bizzone, Macpac, Tait Electronics and Phoenix Organics amongst a host of others.   A growing number of local authorities are also recognising the benefits, with two high profile examples being Dublin city in Ireland and Vancouver’s Whistler Resort in Canada, which will host the Winter Olympics in 2010.  In New Zealand, Christchurch City, Central Otago District and Hastings District Councils have all embedded TNS into their decision-making processes as an effective means of working towards sustainability.

The TNS Framework gained significant profile following the 2008 CEO Summit hosted by New Zealand Trade and Enterprise’s Better by Design team.   Two of the keynote companies at that event, Nike and Interface, have both made wide use of the TNS Framework as a key decision-making platform for their growth strategies.  In Nike’s case, it used the Framework for the concepts and development of its new “considered design” range of footwear, launched last year.

Simon Harvey stresses that the course will give participants the full picture about sustainability, showing where issues and tools such as carbon accounting, triple bottom line reporting, eco-labels and environmental management systems fit into the bigger, strategic picture.  “With limited places to ensure a high quality learning environment, the course is filling fast."

"If we see enough demand, we can arrange more courses fairly quickly.  This is about getting New Zealand up to speed with the rest of the world.  If we can’t get our heads around how to build an economic base that really understands the opportunities of sustainability, we’re going to fall further and further behind our trading competitors. TNS is ready to help.” Simon added.

For background information about the Natural Step, visit www.naturalstep.org/en/new-zealand