Table of Contents
Institutional SDG Impact Report
Executive Summary
This report analyses the contribution of the Sustainability and Resilience Institute (SRI), New Zealand, to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 12 (SDG 12): Responsible Consumption and Production. Drawing on organisational programmes, research outputs, digital innovations and knowledge dissemination initiatives, the report demonstrates how SRI advances sustainable consumption and production (SCP) through regenerative tourism frameworks, interdisciplinary research, stakeholder engagement and digital tools.
SRI’s work aligns with the core objective of SDG 12: to achieve greater well-being while reducing resource use, environmental degradation and pollution across the lifecycle of economic activities.
Through its integrated model combining research, consultancy, digital innovation and policy engagement, SRI contributes to systemic transformation in tourism and related sectors. The organisation’s flagship initiatives—Project Regenerative Tourism, The Routledge Handbook of Regenerative Tourism and the Smart Regenerative Tourism (SmaRT) App—represent a coherent ecosystem of knowledge production, practical implementation and behavioural change, advancing sustainable consumption and production in tourism and beyond.
1. Organisational Profile and Strategic Orientation
The Sustainability and Resilience Institute is a consultancy, social enterprise and think tank dedicated to empowering individuals, businesses and communities with tools to achieve sustainability and resilience.
The organisation’s mission is to transform how organisations and communities operate by integrating sustainability into economic, social and environmental systems.
SRI’s strategic orientation reflects a holistic approach to sustainability that aligns with global SDG frameworks and emphasises innovation, resilience and regenerative development. This positioning enables the organisation to contribute to SDG 12 not merely through incremental improvements but through systemic transformation of production and consumption patterns.
2. Conceptual Framework: SDG 12 and Regenerative Sustainability
2.1 SDG 12 in Global Context
SDG 12 focuses on ensuring sustainable consumption and production patterns, emphasising efficient resource use, waste reduction, circular economy models and behavioural change.
The goal’s underlying principle is to “do more and better with less”, increasing well-being while reducing environmental impacts across value chains.
SRI’s work extends this paradigm by integrating regenerative principles, which move beyond sustainability to actively restore social-ecological systems.
2.2 Regenerative Tourism as an SCP Strategy
Regenerative tourism, as articulated by SRI, focuses on restoring and enriching social and ecological systems while ensuring economic stability and authentic experiences.
This approach reframes tourism as a transformative system capable of reshaping consumption and production patterns in destinations. By embedding regenerative principles in tourism, SRI operationalises SDG 12 in a sector characterised by complex supply chains, resource intensity and socio-cultural impacts.
3. Core Contributions to SDG 12
3.1 Project Regenerative Tourism
Project Regenerative Tourism represents SRI’s foundational initiative to advance regenerative thinking in tourism research and practice. The project promotes research, experiential learning and stakeholder engagement while developing a comprehensive regenerative tourism model and framework.
Contribution to SDG 12
- Knowledge production and frameworks
The project generates conceptual and methodological frameworks that guide sustainable production and consumption in tourism. These frameworks provide tools for measuring environmental, social and economic impacts across tourism systems. - Transformation of tourism value chains
By addressing economic stability, environmental impact and social equity, the project aligns with SDG 12 targets related to sustainable value chains and responsible business practices. - Stakeholder engagement and behavioural change
The initiative encourages visitors and communities to actively participate in regenerative practices, thereby influencing consumption patterns at individual and collective levels. - Systems-level innovation
Project Regenerative Tourism integrates resilience thinking with sustainability, enabling destinations to adapt to shocks while maintaining responsible production and consumption practices.
Through these contributions, the project functions as a strategic platform linking academic research with practical implementation, thereby strengthening SDG 12 outcomes.
3.2 The Routledge Handbook of Regenerative Tourism
The Routledge Handbook of Regenerative Tourism is a major scholarly contribution edited by SRI-affiliated researchers and published by Routledge.
The handbook provides a comprehensive overview of theoretical foundations, methodological approaches and practical applications of regenerative tourism.
Contribution to SDG 12
- Academic leadership and global discourse
The handbook consolidates international scholarship on regenerative tourism, positioning sustainable consumption and production as central themes in tourism research. - Interdisciplinary integration
By integrating indigenous knowledge, business models, communication strategies and monitoring frameworks, the handbook advances holistic approaches to sustainable production and consumption. - Policy relevance
The handbook informs policymakers and practitioners about transformative pathways for tourism systems, supporting evidence-based strategies aligned with SDG 12. - Capacity building
By disseminating knowledge globally, the handbook enhances institutional and professional capacity to implement sustainable and regenerative practices.
The handbook thus represents a structural contribution to SDG 12 by shaping global knowledge systems and influencing policy and practice across tourism and sustainability sectors.
3.3 Smart Regenerative Tourism (SmaRT) App (in development phase)
The Smart Regenerative Tourism (SmaRT) App is a digital innovation co-funded through a New Zealand government tourism innovation programme.
The app provides a platform that connects travellers, businesses and communities with regenerative tourism options and tools.
Contribution to SDG 12
- Digital transformation of consumption behaviour
The SmaRT App empowers travellers and businesses to make regenerative choices by providing access to eco-conscious travel options and information. - Sustainable production practices
The platform encourages businesses to adopt regenerative practices, thereby influencing production processes within tourism value chains. - Carbon footprint measurement and reduction
The app integrates tools to measure and reduce carbon emissions, supporting SDG 12 targets related to resource efficiency and environmental impact reduction. - Community-centred economic development
By ensuring that tourism benefits local communities, the app supports equitable distribution of economic value and responsible production systems. - Education and awareness
The app provides educational content and guidance, facilitating behavioural change among tourists and industry stakeholders.
The SmaRT App exemplifies how digital technologies can operationalise SDG 12 by bridging knowledge, behaviour and practice.
4. Broader Institutional Contributions to SDG 12
Beyond its flagship initiatives, SRI contributes to SDG 12 through multiple institutional pathways.
4.1 Research and Knowledge Dissemination
SRI supports research through platforms such as the Journal of Sustainability and Resilience, which connects academic research with industry practice and explores sustainability challenges in tourism and related sectors.
This research ecosystem contributes to SDG 12 by generating evidence-based insights into sustainable consumption and production.
4.2 Consultancy and Policy Engagement
As a consultancy and think tank, SRI develops tailored strategies for organisations and communities, integrating sustainability into operational and strategic decision-making.
These activities influence organisational behaviour and institutional governance, thereby contributing to systemic changes in production and consumption.
4.3 Community and Stakeholder Empowerment
SRI emphasises empowerment of individuals, businesses and communities through tools, frameworks and digital platforms.
This approach aligns with SDG 12’s emphasis on behavioural change and collective responsibility in achieving sustainable consumption and production.
5. Strategic Significance and Systemic Impact
5.1 Integration of Sustainability and Resilience
SRI’s distinctive contribution lies in integrating sustainability with resilience and regeneration. This integration addresses limitations of traditional sustainability approaches that focus primarily on impact reduction rather than system renewal.
5.2 Contribution to Global SDG Discourse
By advancing regenerative tourism as a model for sustainable consumption and production, SRI contributes to global debates on SDG implementation and measurement.
5.3 Alignment with Global Sustainability Trends
SRI’s initiatives reflect global trends in circular economy, digital innovation and community-based sustainability, which are central to SDG 12 strategies worldwide.
6. Impact Pathways and SDG 12 Outcomes
SRI’s contributions to SDG 12 can be mapped across three interconnected impact pathways:
- Knowledge and research impact
Development of frameworks, models and academic publications that shape global understanding of sustainable consumption and production. - Practice and implementation impact
Digital tools and consultancy services that influence real-world production and consumption patterns. - Systemic and cultural impact
Transformation of values, behaviours and governance structures in tourism and related sectors.
Together, these pathways demonstrate SRI’s multi-level contribution to SDG 12.
7. Future Directions and Strategic Opportunities
To deepen its contribution to SDG 12, SRI has opportunities to:
- Expand digital platforms to other sectors beyond tourism.
- Develop quantitative indicators for measuring regenerative consumption and production.
- Strengthen partnerships with governments, universities and industry.
- Scale regenerative frameworks globally through policy engagement and international collaboration.
These directions align with global calls for integrated approaches to sustainable development and reinforce SRI’s role as a thought leader in regenerative sustainability.
Conclusion
The Sustainability and Resilience Institute makes a substantive contribution to SDG 12 through an integrated ecosystem of research, innovation, digital tools and stakeholder engagement.
Project Regenerative Tourism provides conceptual and practical foundations for regenerative consumption and production. The Routledge Handbook of Regenerative Tourism shapes global knowledge and discourse, while the SmaRT App operationalises regenerative principles through digital innovation.
Together with broader consultancy, research and community engagement activities, these initiatives position SRI as a leading actor in advancing sustainable consumption and production through regenerative transformation.
By moving beyond sustainability towards regeneration, SRI offers a strategic model for achieving SDG 12 in complex socio-economic systems, particularly in tourism. Its work demonstrates that responsible consumption and production are not merely technical challenges but systemic transformations requiring integrated knowledge, digital innovation and collective action.