Despite numerous initiatives, methodologies and approaches, municipalities and regions continue to face challenges in sustaining long-term efforts toward sustainability. While continuously learning from mistakes and success factors, comprehensive recommendations for how to take a long-term approach for the work, specifically developed for leadership in local and regional contexts, are largely lacking. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to identify a comprehensive set of essential factors that could support long-term sustainability efforts. The study is mainly related to the Framework for Strategic Sustainable Development, but the findings are likely relevant also in relation to other comprehensive sustainability methodologies and approaches. Re-analysis of longitudinal data from action research in Sweden and Finland is supplemented by new qualitative data collection, the study identifies eight conditions for continuity. Being introduced to these conditions upfront may save valuable time and could be utilized as a checklist to be revisited regularly and to strive toward.

The number of sustainability supports keeps growing. However, they are typically not capable of bridging planetary-to-organizational scales and therefore in themselves provide limited guidance for how organizations can contribute strategically to global sustainability. This is severe since the power of change that organizations represent is essential for humanity to succeed with the transition to sustainability. Furthermore, a specific sustainability support typically lacks a clear description of what gap it is designed to fill. This may add confusion to an already complex area and can result in organizations selecting supports that are not the most appropriate for the organization's purpose and transition plan. The aim of this study was therefore to prototype an approach for SWOT analyses of sustainability supports and for guiding effective and coordinated use of them. We tested the approach for some examples of supports that are currently receiving much attention: the sustainable development goals, planetary boundaries, circular economy, and science-based targets. We argue that the tested approach can be generalized and makes it possible to clarify limitations and value of any support from a systemic, systematic, and strategic sustainability perspective and, therefore, also to clarify how the supports relate to each other and can be selected and used in an effective and coordinated way. This is similar to how an operative system of, say, a smartphone, facilitates an effective and coordinated use of apps. We argue that the presented approach addresses one of the most dangerously, still most commonly, missed pieces in public and private discourses on sustainability. 

Municipal and regional leaders' achievements for synchronised sustainability transitions are still not enough. Systemic, systematic and strategic cross-sectoral collaboration and co-creation are needed. However, sectors isolated in silos leads to suboptimal measures and strategies, and a reductionist view on what hinders and enables joint action towards full sustainability. Consequently, methodological support for addressing the coordinative challenge is often not asked for. This study investigates the observed reductionist perspective as foundation for developing enhanced methodological support for strategic sustainable development (SSD) and further aimed to gain insight into how leaders can be better supported to understand their current reality of barriers and enablers for cross-sectoral SSD work and to prototype such support. Results from fieldwork with leaders in six municipalities and regions suggest that both frequency and depth of barriers and enablers in relation to elements for SSD are insufficient. Nine categories were identified and combined with SSD core elements into a diagnostic tool.

To systematically address the sustainability challenge, local and regional government leaders are key actors to facilitate action-oriented dialogues between practitioners from different sectors and disciplines. However, to address sustainability in collaboration is a complex challenge and leaders as well as practitioners need methodological support. This study is an off shot of an Action Research project that tested and developed an implementation model for cross-sector strategic transitions towards sustainability. While the implementation model as such gained appreciation for the scientifically robust overarching approach, our learnings from four years of action research with ten Swedish municipalities and regions point to needs of additional support regarding application guidelines for the methodology to be autonomously viable after introductions and moderated sessions facilitated by the research team. Example needs include support for capacity building for strategic sustainable development (SSD), advise for how to recruit leaders into the process upfront and support for valuing and aligning previous and on-going work for sustainability. This paper presents such support. It is based on a combination of conceptual SSD analyses and dialogue with initiated people within local or regional governments. In the dialogue, participants were supported to identify gaps in terms of capacity for an SSD approach to improve cross-sector strategies towards the full scope of social and ecological sustainability, and to better align existing methods, processes, and routines into cohesive actions. The procedure was designed, tested, and refined through interaction within one municipality. The feedback was that through applying the support, government leaders can better prepare for and prioritize their strategic actions for sustainability and search for good examples and best practices with enhanced precision. Forthcoming research will test and further refine the support.

An implementation model for a systemic, systematic, and strategic approach to integrate sustainability across sectors has been tested and developed further within a four-years action research project. Valuable insights on how the approach can be best introduced to facilitate broad application can be gained already from test uses of the preliminary model and this study aims to evaluate and learn from one of the regions participating, Åland (an autonomous protectorate of the Republic of Finland). With a comprehensive sustainability initiative for the whole community, including funding and human resources in place, Åland had particularly favourable conditions and came out as best practice in the research project. We examined what had been done and how initiatives have been received through interviews with process leaders and stakeholders from different sectors of society and through desktop reviews. Key success factors and challenges for the work were put in relation to elements of the implementation model. Indeed, the work has come a long way in terms of collaboration platforms and structures, and much can be learnt from at the Åland case. However, parts of the strategic sustainable development (SSD) perspective are seemingly forgotten or in hibernation. Reintroducing and reinforcing concrete SSD informed processes and support could arguably address several of the expressed challenges while making use of key success factors, such as the capacity building centre.

Food systems are not sustainable, and efforts to address this are paralyzed by the complex networks of food system actors and factors that interact across sectoral and geographic scales. Actions at the community level can positively contribute toward globally sustainable food systems (SFS). Assessing such contributions has two central challenges: 1) a lack of methods that support alignment between communities and across scales, balanced against the need to involve the community in developing relevant indicators; and 2) the absence of adequate, fine grained data relevant to the community. Addressing these two challenges, this paper illustrates a proposed procedure that supports community engagement with, and assessment of, their contributions. Engaged by a community of Canadian dietitians, researchers used the Delphi Inquiry method, guided by the Framework for Strategic Sustainable Development, to address the first challenge, and causal loop diagrams informed by the Cultural Adaptation Template to address the second. Indicators were developed for dietitian-identified actions and outcomes for SFS. Modeling indicator interactions provide insight into how some actions are influenced by and reinforce the value placed on SFS within the professional cultural paradigm, as well as priority areas for action and measurement. Process-oriented assessment is useful in the context of partial and subjective understandings of a dynamic system, and supports continual adjustment in action. This article offers theoretical and practical insight for community engagement in addressing some of the systemic challenges in food systems. It accommodates community-based knowledge, applies process-indicators, and emphasizes the importance of cultural paradigms as a driving force of community-level actions, and overall system change. Under current conditions, facilitating SFS literacy among dietitians can amplify adaptations for broader SFS development. © 2020, The Author(s).

Despite increasing business interest in sustainability in general and in sustainable supply chain management (SSCM), the ability to increase suppliers’ ecological and social performance is generally insufficient for many companies. In this study, we outline an implementation process model for sustainable supply chain management. We do so by synthesizing insights from a review of the sustainable supply chain management and organizational learning literature and a case study with a company aspiring to become a global leader in sustainable lighting. By combining these insights, we find that successful implementation of sustainable supply chain management requires sustainability to be anchored in a company’s vision and integrated into all functions. We also argue that organizational learning, especially learning with external stakeholders such as suppliers, an operational definition of socioecological sustainability among stakeholders, and procedural support for the cocreation of strategic plans for change are vital for achieving a truly sustainable supply chain. This definition and cocreation allow for attention to be directed toward strategic ecological and social practices, along with the joint handling of tradeoffs and economic considerations among stakeholders. As we build a foundation for an SSCM implementation process model, we use a science-based framework for strategic sustainable development. We call for more action-based research to uncover the complex nature of sustainable supply chain management, as there are unique challenges and dynamic relationships in every supply chain. © 2021 by the author. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.

Purpose: Transformative learning (TL) and leadership are key leverage points for supporting society’s transition toward sustainability. The purpose of this study is to identify essential components of TL within an international sustainability leadership master’s program in Sweden that has been described by many students as life-changing, empowering and transformational. Design/methodology/approach: Alumni spanning 15 cohorts provided answers to a survey and the responses were used to map components of TL as experienced by the students. Findings: The survey confirms the anecdotal assertions that the program is transformational. The findings suggest that community, place, pedagogy, concepts and content, disorientation and hope and agency are essential components, combined with the synergy of those into an integrated whole that support transformational change according to many respondents. Originality/value: This study provides program designers and educators with suggested components and emphasizes their integration and synergy, to support TL experiences for sustainability leaders. © 2021, Jayne Bryant, James Ayers, Merlina Missimer and Göran Broman.

Municipal and regional governments can play a key role in global society's transition towards sustainability. However, municipal leaders often lack a sufficient overview of sustainability and thereby the capacity to coordinate efforts across sectors. Several municipal planning frameworks are available but vary greatly in terms of definitions, scope, and hands-on advice on processes. To complement and unify approaches, the framework for strategic sustainable development (FSSD) has been developed. It utilizes backcasting from operational boundary conditions for the full scope of social and ecological sustainability. This study aims to evaluate a recently developed model for long-term implementation of FSSD across sectors for more cohesive cooperation towards sustainability. This is done through participatory action research (PAR) in ten Swedish municipalities and regions. The evaluation is done to examine if the implementation model (i) lives up to its purpose to help sectors cooperate effectively by using the FSSD as a shared mental model, (ii) aid the handling of previously identified barriers to strategic sustainable development in municipalities and regions, (iii) may contain barriers of its own for appropriate use and (iv) has room for improvement. We used observations, dialogues, and surveys to capture the strengths, weaknesses, enablers, and barriers of the preliminary implementation model. While the compliance of the model varied, our findings show a general appreciation and identified the needs for the approach. From experiencing barriers for the application of the model, practitioners provided several ideas for additional support, such as assessment and alignment support of on-going work and further developed guiding material. In a second phase of the PAR project, application of the implementation model will continue, and such additional support will be developed and evaluated. © 2020 by the authors.

Purpose: In this paper, we begin to set out language defining sustainablefood systems (SFS) in Canada, through the voices of dietitians, andidentify leverage points where dietitians can affect change.Methods: Dietitians of Canada members were invited to a Delphi Inquiryprocess; questions explored a vision of SFS in Canada, barriers to thatvision, and actions. Results were independently analysed by 2 membersof the research team who used the Framework for Strategic SustainableDevelopment to structure the data.Results: Fifty-eight members participated. The resultant vision describesa future food system in 15 thematic areas of the social and ecologicalsystems. Barriers are described according to how they undermine sustainability.High-leverage actions areas included: (i) facilitating knowledgedevelopment within the profession and public, (ii) influencing organizationalpolicy to support SFS, and (iii) and influencing public policy.Approaches to such action included: (i) facilitating cross-sectoral collaborationand (ii) applying reflexive approaches.Conclusions: This research suggests a multidimensional understandingof food systems sustainability among dietitians. The vision provides somelanguage to describe what dietitians mean by SFS and can be used as acompass point to orient action. Action areas and approaches have thepotential to drive systemic change while avoiding unintendedconsequences.