The mission of TNS is to catalyze systemic change and make fundamental principles of sustainability easier to understand and meaningful sustainability initiatives easier to implement.



The Natural Step framework provides a shared mental model, understanding, and common language that facilitates cooperation across organizations, disciplines, and cultures. It encourages dialogue, consensus-building, and incremental change – key processes of organizational learning – and creates the conditions for significant change to occur.



The Natural Step framework is based on systems thinking, recognizing that what happens in one part of a system affects every other part. The Natural Step framework focuses on first-order principles at the beginning of cause-effect relationships. The framework provides a compass that directs individuals and organizations toward environmental, social and economic sustainability.



The Natural Step (TNS) is an international non-profit organization in twelve different countries that uses a science-based, systems framework to help organizations, individuals and communities take steps towards sustainability.