Problems of public awareness and implementation. Th

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Branding SustainabilityTaking The Natural
Step in Whistler
BEST Education Network Think Tank VII Innovations
for Sustainable Tourism Northern Arizona
University, Flagstaff June 21-24, 2007
Alison Gill Peter Williams Simon Fraser
University
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Introduction/outline

• Concept of sustainability is fuzzy
• Problems of public awareness and implementation
• The branding of The Natural Step (TNS), an
  organization that seeks to address this problem
• TNS in Whistler, an early adopter in a tourism
  context
• Success factors and contingent factors in the TNS
  approach towards sustainability

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What is The Natural Step (TNS)

• The Natural Step (TNS) is a general
  sustainability message-cum-decision framework,
  internationally promoted for business and public
  use by an eponymous network, and with four
  principles (systems conditions) at its core P.
  Upham (2000) Scientific consensus on
  sustainability the case of The Natural Step
  Sustainable Development 8 p.180

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The Natural Step System Conditions

• Nature is not subject to systematically
  increasing...
• 1. concentrations of substances extracted
  from the
• earths crust
• 2. concentrations of substances produced by
  society
• 3. degradation by physical means
• and in that society,
• 4. people are not subject to conditions that
  systematically undermine their capacity to meet
  their basic needs.

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TNS The Organization

• Conceived in Sweden 1989 by oncologist
  Karl-Henrik Robèrt
• TNS Teams in 12 countries including US. UK.
  Canada, Australia, South Africa, NZ, Israel,
  Japan and Brazil
• Activities Research Advisory Outreach
• Corporate licences held by Ikea, Nike,
  McDonalds, Electrolux etc
• Community licences granted to over 600
  communities in Sweden, and increasing worldwide
  including Whistler, BC Canmore, Alberta
  Halifax, Nova Scotia and Madison, Wisconsin

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Whistler Resort, British Columbia

• 120km north of Vancouver in Coast Mountains
• New Resort Municipality established 1975
• Comprehensively planned with established growth
  management strategies
• Arguably North Americas leading ski resort
• 9,800 permanent residents
• 2 million visitors, summer winter
• Site of 2010 Winter Olympics (with Vancouver)

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Before TNS

• On-going Official Community Plans
• Growth management strategies
• 5-year vision priorities
• Resort and community Monitoring
• Award winning Environmental Strategy
• Limits to planned growth reached around 2000,
• led to introduction of sustainability as
  guiding
• principle

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TNS Early Adopters in Whistler

• Began with visit of Robèrt in 2000
• Early Adopters program developed with the Resort
  Municipality Whistler-Blackcomb (Intrawest)
  Fairmont Chateau Whistler AWARE (local ENGO)
  Tourism Whistler One-Hour Photo.
• Developed Whistler its our Nature (2002) -
  awareness campaign (train-the-trainers
  symposium speakers sustainability toolkits)

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Whistler 2020

• The RMOW developed Whistler 2020 in 2004 after
  2 years of community consultation
• The first comprehensive sustainability plan
  in North America to use the science-based TNS
  framework at all levels of development and
  implementation.
• Long-term, comprehensive, community developed,
  community implemented, action focused

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Whistler 2020

• Vision statement Whistler will be the premier
  mountain resort community - as we move toward
  sustainability
• Objectives
• Enriching Community Life
• Enhancing the Resort Experience
• Protecting the Environment
• Ensuring Economic Viability
• Partnering for Success

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The Funnel Approach
Backcasting
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Strategies

• Sixteen strategies are supported by hundreds of
  individual actions that are continually
  developed by a stakeholder input process
• There is a task force for each strategy that
  developed an Introduction and Scope a
  Description of Success for the year 2020 a
  baseline assessment known as a current reality
  and an ongoing action-plan and planning process
  (see website).
• Each strategy also includes a monitoring and
  reporting system developed to assess whether or
  not Whistler is on the right track.
• Actions are recommended to implementing
  organizations

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Whistler 2020 interactive web-page
exampleStrategy-Specific Tools Resources To
access web-based tools, resources, and associated
documents click on the appropriate strategy link
below
www.whistler2020.ca
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A critical look at TNS and Whistler
2020
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Defining characteristics of TNS

• Evangelical movement (in a secular sense) -
  references to converts
• Charismatic leader
• Underlying mantra
• Licenced brand name
• Non-profit - (cf. Green Globe)
• Growth of the organization adheres to principles
  of Innovation Diffusion Theory e.g. reference to
  Early Adopters (E. Rogers,1962, Diffusion of
  Innovation, NY Free Press)
• Also fits Gladwells ideas of The Tipping Point -
  mavens, connectors and salesmen (Malcolm Gladwell
  (2000), The Tipping Point, NY Little Brown Co).

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Is TNS the emerging brand for sustainable
practice?

• Most literature on TNS is produced by proponents
  of the organization thus an unbiased perspective
  is difficult to obtain
• Upham (2002) argues that TNS is a political and
  ethical message based on trend extrapolation, not
  on consensually accepted scientific evidence as
  it claims.
• Further, he argues that the focus of TNS on
  anthropogenic change does not account for natural
  environmental change.

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Why is TNS appealing?

• Charismatic leader (See Malcolm Gladwell (2000),
  The Tipping Point, NY Little Brown Co).
• Science-based
• Aimed at lowest common denominator
• Allows adaptability because not operationally
  specific - so functions as a means of engaging
  people in sustainability while allowing latitude
  in how they do this.

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The importance of TNS branding

• Marketing value - heightens image while making
  some progress in environmental impact reduction
• TNS has targetted high profile, credible
  corporations as early adopters that then act as
  connectors.
• Their actions are highlighted as successful
  case studies to convert other businesses.

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Whistler 2020 TNS

• The importance of timing - Roberts visit
  coincided with the Resorts desire to pursue
  sustainability.
• Charismatic leader
• Provided foundation for development of complex
  systems framework
• Required major commitment of resources including
  2 years of high-profile consultant-driven
  community engagement staff commitment to core
  functions of Whistler 2020 on-going task forces.
• Interactive web site
• Reinforces Whistlers goal of being a innovator
  in mountain resort development - invitations to
  speak nationally and internationally raising
  Whistlers profile

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ConclusionsFactors of success
The TNS brand is at the take-off stage of the
S-curve of innovation adoption as adopters
are increasing rapidly. Success stories and
trustworthy adopters encourage growth. TNS is a
useful organizational framework for developing
place-based/business strategies in moving
towards sustainability It stimulates
collaboration and coordination between units
and challenges organizations to think
strategically about moving towards
sustainability. This also stimulates peer
competition. It provides training and
educational support in developing appropriate
tools
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Conclusions (cont)Contingent factors
However The success of TNS is contingent upon
the ability of organizations to develop
innovative appropriate strategies based on value
judgments suited to specific situations Other
key factors in success include -
availability of resources (that will affect
scope) - timing (that will affect
commitment). TNS is anthropogenic in focus and
does not consider broader environmental change
factors.