The path to net positive principles, practical models and progress to date

1. Bill Baue Sustainability Context Group
@BBaue
Sally Uren Forum for the Future
@SallyUren
Ralph Thurm ThriveAbility Foundation
@AheadAhead1
#SB15sd
The Path to Net Positive: Principles,
Practical Models and Progress to
Date

2. The Path to Net Positive:
Principles, Practical Models and
Progress to Date
Bill Baue
ThriveAbility
Foundation
Sally Uren
Forum for
the Future
Ralph Thurm
ThriveAbility
Foundation

3. Net Positive
Why?
Who?
What?
How?
Discussion
Next Steps

4. Net Positive: Why?
Net Negative isn’t working
“Our current economic model is a
global suicide pact. We mined our way
to growth. We burned our way to
prosperity. We believed in
consumption without consequences.
Those days are gone.”
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
2011 World Economic Forum

5. Net Positive: Why?
Net Negative isn’t working
“The new forecast raises the possibility
that humankind might not survive on
the planet if it continues its path of
overconsumption and short-termism”
Professor Jorgen Randers
2052: A Global Forecast for the Next
Forty Years

6. Net Positive: Why?
Perverse monocapital incentives
Organizations transitioning too slowly
Growing sustainability gap
Where we want & need to be
Bridging Three Gaps

7. Net Positive: What?
Net
Negative
(BaU)
Net
Positive
(Regenerative)
Sustainable
(Carrying
Capacities of
Capitals)
Incrementally
Improving
(CSR)
Gross
Positive
(ThriveAble)
ThriveAbility Continuum

8. Net Positive: What?
“In its broadest sense, ‘Net
Positive’ simply means putting
more back into the environment
or society than a company takes
out, with a resulting positive
corporate footprint.”

9. Net Positive: What?
Approach
Business
boundaries
Timeframe Innovation
Business
processes
Internal
ownership
Leadership
Good
sustainability
Linear Supply chain
Medium
term
Incremental
Business as
usual
Sustainability
team
Good
business
Net Positive Systemic Value chain Long term Radical
New
processes &
partnerships
Whole
business
Ambitious

10. Net Positive: Who?
Forum for the Future Net Positive Group

11. Net Positive: Who?
Forum for the Future Net Positive Group

12. Net Positive: Who?
Harvard Sustainability & Health Initiative for NetPositive Enterprise

13. Net Positive: Who?
Harvard Sustainability & Health Initiative for NetPositive Enterprise

14. Net Positive: Who?

15. Net Positive: How?
Net Positive Group Phase 1: Principles
Examples
• A Commitment to Make a Positive Impact in Key
Material Areas
• A Big Shift in Approach and Outcomes
• Enter into Wider Partnerships & Networks
• Use Every Opportunity to Make a Positive Impact
Across Entire Systems
• Publicly Engage in Influencing Policy for Positive
Change
• Continually Invest in Innovation
• Pursue Best Practice in Sustainability
• No Unacceptable or Irreplaceable Natural
Losses or Ill Treatment of Individuals and
Communities

16. Net Positive: How?
Net Positive Group Phase 1: Business Benefits
• Demonstrates Leadership & Commitment to
Enhancing Natural & Social Capital
• Helps Create Organisational Resilience & Long-
Term Success
• Supports Supply Security
• Taking Systemic, Long-Term View Opens Space
for Innovating New Products, Propositions,
Business Opportunities & Sectors
• Creates Competitive Advantage & Increases
Commercial Returns
• Identifies Current Investments, Products &
Markets that are Not Future-Fit
• Integrates Sustainability Across the Enterprise

17. Net Positive: How?
Discussion
• Where is your company on the Continuum?
• How would a Net Positive approach change
practices, policies & mindsets in your company?
• What are your most material impacts?
• What business case would you build to convince
your Board & C-Suite to go Net Positive?

18. Net Positive: How?
Net Positive Group Phase 2
Objectives
• Grow the number of companies
making Net Positive commitments
• Bring clarity to the debate about Net
Positive
• Bring more consistency, credibility
and rigour to the measurement of Net
Positive
Focus on Two Sticky Issues
• Communications
• Measurement

19. Net Positive: How?
Net Positive Group Phase 2: Communication
Findings
• The Best Way to
Communicate Net
Positive is through
Stories of Good
Practice
“IKEA Goes Renewable”
means we will produce more
renewable energy than we consume
throughout IKEA buildings and operations.
We are installing solar panels on 120 of our stores and
warehouses. In addition, we have wind farms in 6 countries.

20. Net Positive: How?
Net Positive Group Phase 2: Communication
Findings
To bring clarity, let’s all draw from the
same narrative & follow the same
communications principles to:
• Make the case for Net Positive
• Demonstrate impact clearly
• Show commitment in a compelling way
• Encourage more companies to make
their own Net Positive commitments
Outputs
• Internal guide for members including
core narrative, communications
principles & slide deck images

21. Net Positive: How?
Net Positive Group Phase 2: Measurement
Findings
• Measuring Net Positive brings
specific challenges
• For instance, how can you
measure your impacts across
your whole value chain
including things which are
beyond your control ie how
your products are used?

22. Net Positive: How?
Net Positive Group Phase 2: Measurement
Principles
Until the field matures, focus on:
• Transparency
• Consistency
• Completeness
• Separating different impacts
• Separating + & - impacts
• Use existing methods where
possible
• Sharing data

23. Net Positive: How?
Net Positive Group Phase 2: Measurement
Questions still remain…
• How can you compare across different impact types?
• How can you balance positive and negative impacts?
• What are the most appropriate boundaries and
scope?
• How do we get agreement across sectors over how to
measure the avoided footprint and value enabled
through customers?
• How can you track change outside your business
boundaries and how much of that change can you
attribute to your business?

24. Net Positive: How?
ThriveAbility Index Generator: Synergizing Deltas Across 3 Axes

25. Net Positive: Next Steps
• This Workshop 
• ThriveAbility Gathering London June 9 
• BSR/Dell-Hosted NYC Gathering July 8 
• Virtual Dialogue on Convetit in Late Summer 
• Edited into eBook in Early Fall 
• Workshop at #NewMetrics 
• ThriveAbility Gathering Boston October 9 
• Reporting 3.0 Berlin November 12/13

26. Thank You!
Bill Baue
ThriveAbility
Foundation
E: bbaue@verizon.net
T: @bbaue
S: billbaue
Sally Uren
Forum for
the Future
E: s.uren@forumforthefuture.org
T: @sallyuren
S: forumsallyuren
Ralph Thurm
ThriveAbility
Foundation
E: Ralph@thriveability.zone
T: @aheadahead1
S: ralphthurm