Overview of the Sustainability Helix
(click the areas below for individual descriptions)

What is the Management Helix for the Sustainable Organization?

The structure of the “Sustainability Helix” was developed by several organizations including Natural Capitalism Inc, The Natural Edge Project (TNEP), Global Academy, and the TABATI Group. Hunter Lovins refers to the Helix as a sort of open source code that organizations and businesses can build upon in their own way.  CMC is working with Hunter and her team at Natural Capitalism to use the Sustainability Helix in a way to support and expand upon the positive work of Chicago’s sustainable manufacturing leaders.

In CMC’s view, the Sustainability Helix provides a unifying framework for describing where a manufacturer is today, and can help guide a strategy for future growth.  To stay relevant and valid, the Helix activities must change and develop to include new ideas and technologies, and therefore is not a static model.  The activities are also not so vague, to be useless.  To see descriptions of these activities, you can click on the activity boxes to get definitions and examples.

For the next two years, CMC and Natural Capitalism will highlight the progress of Chicago Sustainable Manufacturing Leaders who set an example of what we can be done with commitment and vision.  Together, we offer further steps companies can take to join the sustainability journey described by the helix.

Working with the Sustainability Helix is one of many ways that manufacturers can get involved in the GreenPlants network.  You can use this tool, or work with CMC and Natural Capitalism directly to develop your own sustainability strategy that goes beyond descriptive ideas to practical application of these ideas.  CMC will also promote catalyst companies and products in our learning network section of the website.  Contact Karen Wan at 312-542-0430 if you have a product or service you would like to share on our site.

Without sustainable and secure manufacturing, we risk losing our innovative capacity in this country and endangering the economic and physical health of our way of life.  While sustainable manufacturing isn’t easy, it isn’t impossible either.  The company examples in this section of the web site show the advantages for not only the manufacturer, but their employees, our community and creating a better quality of life for the future.