The company needed a new vision and new values for a changing society and a changing market. CEO Nilsson realized that concern for the Earth and the impact of business on the natural world had become a significant value for many people, and Scandic had not kept pace with this value shift in its marketplace. The company researched the environmental sector and determined that the one organization that had credibility in both environmental and business circles was The Natural Step. That meeting confirmed that Scandic would proceed with The Natural Step as the basis of its environmental education and programs. Nilsson chose The Natural Step approach because he saw it provided a knowledge platform with which to proceed in the environmental realm.
Most executives now see that event as the turning point in the company.
It powerfully signalled Scandic's new vision for the future of its business. Few companies before or since have engaged The Natural Step with such immediate commitment, intensity, and understanding, or on such a grand scale. From the very beginning, CEO Roland Nilsson understood that The Natural Step was the knowledge platform that he needed for the new Scandic to drive forward with his vision of interactive values creation between his customers and his people. Because of the breadth and depth of integration of TNS-based sustainability into Scandic's corporate strategy and operations, it is not possible to do more than mention some of the highlights here. Natural Step-based sustainability is now as integral to Scandic's operations and worldview as any other core element, such as financial control or quality of service.