Sustainability Outlook
Research Deliverables
Sustainability Outlook is a forward-thinking project that explores how changing social, cultural and technological conditions are likely to alter the ways that companies integrate sustainability into their business strategies.
Jointly sponsored by Business for Social Responsibility (BSR) and the Institute for the Future (IFTF), this ongoing project combines IFTF’s methodologies for forecasting trends and discontinuities on the horizon, with BSR’s expertise in advising companies on the integration of environmental, social, and governance questions into core business strategies and operations. Together, BSR and IFTF will help participating companies build bridges from our scenarios to a range of possible impacts on business.
2007-2008: Navigating the Map
During the first year of Sustainability Outlook, the project team developed a visual map, exploring how society might respond to global sustainability challenges, and the strategic implications for business.
Key Deliverables:
- A visual map (SR-1119A) that provides a framework for thinking about the future and overlays a list of emerging innovations to address sustainability challenges.
- A set of 4 scenario narratives (SR-1119B) to illustrate different ways in which the future of sustainability may unfold.
- A series of industry cards (SR-1119C) that demonstrate how to translate the map into implications for your business.
2008-2007: Living the map
During year two of Sustainability Outlook, the project team created 4 scenarios based on the map from year one. The scenarios were created as a reflection of what Sustainability Outlook clients were most interested and concerned with, and designed to bring them a step further in their exploration of new sustainable infrastructures and processes. Each scenario contains a section titled "how to live this scenario: try one or more," designed to help you and your team test out the different scenarios. We have also created artifacts from the future to help the reader experience 2020 and see the possibilities of a sustainable future.