A journey in sustainable transformation

To achieve big common goals, many small processes are required. Read about Upplandsbygd's journey towards sustainable transformation!

To run your own project and at the same time contribute to something bigger

A new program period, 2023-2027, has begun. The new strategy is in place and concept sketches and project applications are starting to come in. We are increasingly distancing ourselves from the old period 2015-2022, even though we still have projects running there.

It is clear in the new idea sketches that something has happened. Something that was not as frequent at the beginning of the last program period. A desire to run one's own project and at the same time contribute to something bigger. Something that is good for both the small local community and the planet at large.

So how did we end up here? Yes, of course things have happened in the world that have influenced us to think more sustainably, locally and long-term, but there is also a journey going on in parallel with this in Upplandsbygd.

To achieve large common goals, many small processes are required

In March 2018, our board met in Knivsta and was to make a decision about a project. We were to work with Sustainable Development, it was in our strategy, but we did not know what ”Sustainable Development” meant to us. There and then, many small processes started in parallel. Small working groups in the board with process management by the office to build a stable foundation to stand on. Small groups of student assistants with process management by the office to create new and larger networks. Many and long consultations for the office with project stakeholders to increase the quality of the projects regarding sustainability. Internal training for the board and the office on the subject.

This then led to many different directions, including:

- A model that we use for advice, assessment and educational explanation of sustainability in projects, our own "Sustainability Spider", see image below.
- Countless networking meetings with both skills and relationship building with a variety of topics and people.
- LAG-owned projects where we have enabled around 40 small projects where people seriously linked the sustainability issue to their own, local operations and activities. It has been both educational and challenging, but the satisfaction of the project owners after the project has been great.