Context-driven Innovation
Organisations involved in sustainability should do so simultaneously and continuously in three areas:
- awareness and understanding of their sustainability context;
- think & act by using sustainability to strategically drive innovations;
- and report their sustainability vision, strategy, performance and progress.
Performing within only one or two is a prescription for suboptimal performance or even failure of the organization.
Risks of only partial performance include and are not limited to:
- communications showing misunderstanding of sustainability and its effects on the operations vice versa, or being perceived as greenwashing;
- missed innovation opportunities (that competitors might jump at) throughout the organization;
- missed benefits from current efforts and investments, and;
- deemed effective solutions causing other problems elsewhere in the system affecting the organizations stakeholders.
Being aware, can you see the value of having this in order for your organization?
We help you to understand your context based on a robust, proven framework and methodology. Organisations that have been exposed to the The Natural Step before, have seized these advantages. Now we have a more streamlined process of achieving these.
Organisations often see sustainability as one of the compliance topics and cost drivers on the already busy agenda. We unlock our clients’ potential by helping them view sustainability as an enabling strategy and use sustainability as a magnet for innovation. Sustainable innovations emerge through whole-systems thinking, outside-in perspectives and multidisciplinary approaches. By adopting a shared language and a clear definition of success we can help unleash the creative potential in the value chain.
Driven by different stakeholders, definitions, methods and frameworks of sustainability the variety of topics, efforts and investments are treated separately. Complex issues, such as sustainability, require a holistic, vision-driven, structured integral approach. Through a structured approach and with the appropriate set of business lenses we bring clarity to complexity, allowing organisations to be strategic, focus their resources on designing resilient, sustainable and future proof strategies, practices and products. In addition it will allow effective communication with stakeholders while bridging the sustainability gap. For our work we use our Context-driven innovation model, with the Framework for Strategic Sustainable Development (FSSD or The Natural Step Framework) at it’s core. We are connected to the The Natural Step international network through the Dutch and Portuguese local offices.
Organisations recognize innovation as a core strategy for continuity and financial benefit of the organisation. However, what are the visions organisations innovate towards? We help organisations to create meaningful value by innovation towards sustainability, while simultaneously contributing to the bottom line. For those who do it right, investing in sustainability can reduce costs, lower risk, thrivability for their stakeholders, increase productivity and increase revenues and market share, creating both short-and long-term value.
Not communicating your sustainability understanding, your efforts, investments and results will prevent you from reaping the benefits. Inadequate sustainability reports and product labels – that are missing the essence – cause further degradation of trust, as it is perceived as green washing. We help you to align your communication with your strategy and sustainability context to reap the benefits of your efforts.
Click here for other methods, tools and concepts we use.
