A management system for a sustainable world
Framework and principles for a sustainable world
Developed in science and leadership since 1989. FSSD is an operative system — ABCD-in-Funnel — that lets people, organizations, municipalities and states reach full ecological and social sustainability stepwise, in economically competitive ways from upfront.
The Funnel
Opening ↑
Narrowing walls mean less and less room to manoeuvre. Moving towards the opening of the funnel is a winning strategy regardless of what other organisations do.
The operative system
Nothing new — just an effective management system for a sustainable world
There is only one operative system. Everything else — UN SDGs, planetary boundaries, circular economy, footprinting, science based targets — are Apps that run on it, and become more valuable because of it.
The Funnel
A metaphor for the self-benefit of systemic, systematic and strategic change. Less and less room to manoeuvre — unless you head for the opening.
Read the framework →Eight boundary conditions
Three ecological and five social conditions for the (re)design of any goal, at any scale. Inside them, a goal is globally scalable. Outside, it is not.
See the principles →The ABCD process
Backcasting from principles in four steps: awareness and visioning, baseline, creative solutions, decide on priorities.
Open the workspace →The eight principles
In the sustainable society, nature is not subject to systematically increasing…
Substances from the Earth's crust
In the sustainable society, nature is not subject to systematically increasing concentrations of substances extracted from the Earth's crust.
For example from fossil coal, oil and metals.
Substances produced by society
…not subject to systematically increasing concentrations of substances produced by society.
For example nitrogen oxides, brominated flame retardants and hormone-like chemicals.
Degradation by physical means
…not subject to systematically increasing degradation in a physical way.
For example overharvesting of forests, overfishing and urban sprawl.
Health
…and people are not subject to structural barriers to health.
For example through dangerous working conditions or insufficient rest from work.
Influence
…not subject to structural barriers to influence.
For example by suppressing freedom of expression or neglecting opinions.
Competence
…not subject to structural barriers to competence.
For example through obstacles to education or insufficient opportunities for personal development.
Impartiality
…not subject to structural barriers to impartiality.
For example through discrimination, unfair selection for positions, or not considering future generations.
Meaning-making
…not subject to structural barriers to meaning-making.
For example through the suppression of culture or obstacles to the co-creation of meaningful conditions.
In practice
Used worldwide, proven across contexts
“FSSD has managed, like few others, to develop an operational model, which can be applied within business, so one can go from knowledge to solution. And that bridge is exactly what is needed.”
Johan Rockström
Professor | Stockholm Resilience Centre
“The move of guiding AI with the FSSD code should be very important, as the global civilization relies more and more on AI for broad decision making and economic guidance. The FSSD is an excellent organizational tool to reside at the center of the AI contribution to sustainable development.”
Terrence Collins
Professor in Green Chemistry | Carnegie Mellon University
Kalle reflects
Hot topics, clarified by the operative system
September 20, 2026
Kalle comments on the four-headed elephant in the economic room
Why the economy keeps rewarding behaviour that erodes the very systems it depends on — and how the operative system reframes the choice.
September 13, 2026
Kalle comments on EU directives for sustainability reporting
Reporting is an App. It tells you where you stand; it cannot tell you where to go. The framework supplies the direction.
September 7, 2026
Kalle comments on the world's situation; strategic leadership: exclusive wins in a risky world
Leading at the opening of the funnel is a winning strategy regardless of what other organisations are up to.
We are on a journey together
Applying the operative system with its logical workflow, you can design your own sustainability journey — and get better returns on all resources from upfront, because of it.
Start your ABCD journey →