Planning for
Sustainability
Building a nation of resilience and community
FSSD Certification Program | Core 1 | Philippines
Next program dates in Manila
May 27 & 28, 2026
Framework For Strategic Sustainable
Development (FSSD) +
Innovative Thinking Systems (ITS®️)
Certification Course
Our Nation’s Challenge
Our communities are facing serious challenges. Climate change and pollution are no longer distant concerns; they shape our daily lives. The loss of biodiversity threatens our ability to grow food, access clean water, and sustain the natural systems we all depend on. Day by day, poverty, traffic congestion, flooding, and unfair business practices put livelihoods at risk. The long-term consequences for future generations will be even more profound.
Yet amid these challenges, we’ve found something powerful: HOPE
About these frameworks
This science-based framework outlines the boundaries we must respect to ensure a livable future, along with a planning method that works across cultures, sectors, and scales. It helped shape the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), inspired the circular economy, and informed the Planetary Boundaries framework. It has guided thousands of organizations and millions of people toward strategic, systemic change.
This 2-day program provides a clear roadmap, guiding organizations through actionable steps to integrate sustainability while maximizing existing tools, report on ESG and fostering innovation. Upon successful completion of this course, you will be awarded the International FSSD Practitioner Certificate.
This isn’t a one-size-fits-all program. We shape the content around your reality to ensure it’s not just informative, but immediately applicable. If you’re in education, we lean into academic transformation. If you’re in local government, we anchor on community well-being. And for in-company teams, we co-create the session around your specific goals and industry, so you walk away with strategies that are built for your context.
This program provides answers and tools to address the key ESG & Sustainability Questions for most Philippine Organizations
Strategy & Integration
- How do we build leadership buy-in and an actionable ESG roadmap?
- How do we align ESG with both global standards and local Philippine priorities?
- How do we balance short-term business needs with long-term sustainability?
Governance & Accountability
- How should sustainability roles be structured and distributed?
- How do we create clear accountability and incentives for ESG performance?
Culture & Engagement
- How do we embed sustainability into organizational culture?
- How do we effectively engage Filipino employees at all levels?
- How can local values and narratives strengthen ESG commitment?
- How do we ensure people are not exposed to structural barriers to health, influence, competence, impartiality, and meaning?
- How do we design work so employees have fair voice, learning, and purpose, not just jobs?
Measurement & Impact
- Which ESG metrics matter most in the Philippine context?
- How do we measure social impact and community value creation?
- How do we know when sustainability is truly achieved?
Focus & Prioritization
- How do we prioritize SDGs for maximum local relevance and impact?
- How do we address urgent issues like climate resilience and inclusive growth?
- Where should we start with limited resources – compliance, quick wins, or transformation?
Collaboration & Influence
- How can we collaborate with local stakeholders to scale impact?
- How do we engage our supply chain and customers in sustainability?
- How do our actions affect community trust, equity, and participation across our value chain?
Learning & Adaptation
- How do we foster continuous learning and innovation in our ESG approach?
- How do we stay agile and adaptive in a changing sustainability landscape?
How do we incentivize management or executives? Especially that what gets measured gets managed, what gets managed gets changed. Our struggle right now is there are so many pathways. But because of the 5 Level Framework, I assume we will be able to sanitize it better.
It is about systems, success, then strategy and action plan, and tools. Now we will be able to define our roadmap and then identify the critical area’s that we can focus on. I will try to see how I can use backcasting as a framework and this kind of learning in one of the departments. Just testing it to see how it works and how it’s welcomed.
I now have a better understanding of sustainability and the relation to ESG. Because when I joined this program, I was a newbie, so I had very limited information. Then it just turned out that there will be a lot of work to do if you want to adopt these things. So I think we are better prepared for it now.
Program Setup
Pre - Post Course Setup: eLearning, Sustainability Value and ongoing support.
Before the live sessions, all participants complete our FSSD Foundational eLearning to ensure a shared baseline in sustainability science and ESG – so we can jump straight into advanced application during the program.
During the certification, each participant completes at least one 5LF. Afterward, they finalize a full version with vision and strategic goals, and receive feedback individually or as a team.
Day 1 - Science, Core Concepts, Systems & Visioning
Sustainability takes time. It starts with understanding the system – revealing leverage points, barriers, risks, and opportunities, while building a shared vision of the future.
With that foundation, we shape outcomes. A clear, compelling vision – backed by strategic goals – keeps us focused, tracks progress, and offers a hopeful, practical alternative to today’s negative sustainability narratives.
Day 2 - Strategic Planning & Organizational Culture
With a clear baseline, we map short-, mid-, and long-term solutions – starting with quick wins to build momentum and communicate progress. For complex challenges, ITS™ helps uncover assumptions, generate synergetic solutions, and guide investment and organizational decisions.
Then the question becomes: how do we engage the organization – shaping processes, innovation, learning, and buy-in from employees and stakeholders?
Want to quickly learn how to plan for sustainability?
What you will master:
- A scientific approach to Sustainability and ESG.
- The Funnel Metaphor: Understanding the growing pressure on society.
- The 9 Human Needs: The true drivers of sustainable change.
- Diagnosing the problem: The 4 root causes of “un-sustainability.”
- The 4 Sustainability Principles: Your guide for strategic planning.
- Backcasting: A proven method for planning a sustainable future.
- The 5 Level Framework: Structuring strategy at any scale.
- Leveraging key tools (SDGs, BREEAM, Ecological Footprint) to accelerate your efforts.
- The strategic value of Sustainability and ESG for any organization.
- 60 Best Practices: Tangible steps to embed sustainability into your company culture.
Location and Time
Metro Manila: 27 & 28 May 2026
Location: To be determined
Day 1: 09:00 AM – 05:00 PM PH Time
Day 2: 09:00 PM – 05:00 PM PH Time
The investment per participant is ₱ 40,888.00
Attending with a team? Contact us for reduced rates
Limited Spots Available – To ensure a high-quality learning experience, the course is capped at 25 participants.
Confirmation & Course Details:
Your spot is secured upon registration and confirmation.
What You Get
- 2-day immersive course, pre-course and post-course
- International FSSD Practitioner Certificate
- Ready-to-use tools + Access FFC Learning Platform
- Peer learning and mentorship
- 2 top-trainers with hands-on experience
- FSSD + ITS™ Course book
- Post-course feedback on your plans
- 5 free Sustainable Philippines eLearnings to inspire others (SP-Pay-it-Forward)
- 2 mangrove seedling to be planted in the local mangrove ecopark of Balaring, Silay City, Negros Occidental (with certificate)
- Lunch, snacks, coffee/tea
Who should attend?
- Teachers
- Students
- Business leaders
- HR leaders
- Civic employees
- Sustainability professionals
- Program managers
From: Universities, schools, business, LGU’s, NGO’s
Once registered, you’ll receive a link to your FutureFit Collab account, where you can access the course materials and the community.
Dr. Gem Brion Zabala
CEO | Master Trainer | ACG Human Capital Solutions
Dr. Gem Brion Zabala is a Philippine-based advocate for sustainability, education, and social equity. A certified trainer in LIFO® (USA) and ITS™ (Japan), she also holds certification in The Natural Step (Netherlands). She co-founded the first licensed LIFO® and ITS™ agency in the Philippines and holds a Doctorate in Business Administration.
She is dedicated to helping children in poverty and leads national sustainability efforts as founder of the International Sustainability Summit and Plog the Planet. Outside work, she coaches beauty queens, practices martial arts, and champions environmental causes.
Berend Aanraad
CEO | Master Trainer | FutureFit Collab Philippines & Netherlands
Berend Aanraad is a Certified Master Trainer in The Natural Step / FSSD (Sweden) and founder of FutureFit Collab and The Natural Step Netherlands. For over two decades, he has helped organizations and communities across Europe, Asia, Africa, and North America embed sustainability into strategy and culture.
Passionate about building just communities, he believes education is key to long-term change. Deeply connected to the Philippines, he mentors students and local leaders driving grassroots solutions – bringing clarity and compassion to his work with the next generation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is strategic planning for sustainability?
Strategic planning for sustainability is about developing a coherent, integrated action plan. It is the opposite of working with a checklist or implementing isolated initiatives. The goal is to connect all your efforts into an effective long-term strategy.
This is important because it ensures that all your efforts work in the same direction. This leads to:
- Greater impact with the same energy: Your actions reinforce each other instead of competing.
- Future resilience: You are better prepared for new regulations, scarcity, and changing expectations.
- Fewer internal conflicts: A clear, widely supported plan prevents confusion and ensures a shared direction.
- A credible narrative: You can communicate your choices clearly and transparently, which builds trust.
What is the Framework for Strategic Sustainable Development (FSSD)?
The Framework for Strategic Sustainable Development (FSSD) is a scientifically grounded model. It translates complex sustainability challenges into concrete strategies and action plans. It has gained worldwide recognition through The Natural Step.
The primary goal of the FSSD is to help you approach planning systematically, based on the premise of a future within the planet’s ecological and social carrying capacity. It makes abstract goals manageable and provides a common language for everyone in your organization.
What are the concrete steps in a process?
A process does not follow a fixed template but follows a logical sequence tailored to your unique situation. The core consists of these three phases:
| Phase | Core Activity | Purpose & Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Analysis & Foundation | Conducting conversations with key figures from all levels of your organization. Mapping your current situation, core strengths, and opportunities. | You create a shared starting point and a solid foundation for your strategy. |
| Vision & Route | Jointly developing an ambitious future vision and translating it into a concrete path with required innovations. | You define the shared goal on the horizon and the key steps to get there. |
| Implementation & Integration | Developing a detailed roadmap with action plans, supporting your management, and training employees. | You drive actual progress, ownership, and the integration of sustainability into daily practice. |
How do I choose the right approach for my organization?
The best approach is determined by your current position, opportunities, and specific context. There is no standard solution; the process is always customized to fit your needs.
Your approach depends on questions such as:
What has your organization already set in motion?
What opportunities and expectations exist in your market or among your stakeholders?
Which laws and regulations are relevant to you?
What aligns with the culture and way of working within your organization?
The ultimate goal is for your organization to take charge as quickly as possible. Real impact only emerges when sustainability aligns with the culture and daily practices.
Which trainings are available to learn how to plan yourself?
If you want to work on it yourself as a professional, there are specific trainings that go deeper into the methodology:
Sustainability Planning Training: A training for when you are about to develop or revise a sustainability strategy.
Systems Thinking Workshop: A one-day workshop that helps you understand interconnections and find creative solutions in a complex world.