The Five Stacks Framework™ converts requirements into revenue streams
A systematic approach that closes the sustainability implementation gap where 67% set goals but only 3% deliver results.
Start with CSRD compliance, then scale into efficiency, circularity, resilience, and regeneration.
Trusted by manufacturing, consumer goods, agriculture, and food companies across Europe.
Why Most Sustainability Initiatives Fail & How to Fix It
67% of SMEs set sustainability goals. Only 3% achieve measurable results. The gap isn’t commitment. It’s implementation.
Most companies approach sustainability backwards: they chase certifications without systems, report metrics without optimization, or implement scattered initiatives without strategic coherence.
The result?
- Cost without return
- Compliance without advantage
- Effort without impact
What works instead: A systematic framework that builds from operational foundation to premium market positioning—where each layer creates both environmental benefits and economic returns. That’s what the Five Stacks delivers.
67% set goals
Only 3% achieve results
The implementation gap is widely documented across sustainability research and business audits.
Five Stacks of Profitable Sustainability™
Our framework turns sustainability from cost center to profit driver through five strategic layers—each building on the previous one, each delivering measurable business value.
Stack 1 Market Premium & Certification
Access premium markets through sustainability credentials. The right certifications unlock market access, premium pricing, and competitive advantage in RFPs. But certification without operational foundation creates risk.
- Premium pricing for verified practices
- Access to sustainability-focused buyers and retail channels
- Advantage in tenders requiring third-party verification
- Marketing credibility without greenwashing risk
Where companies start: CSRD compliance provides the data foundation for future certification. This connects to Stack 2—the data foundation becomes the engine of efficiency.
Stack 2 Energy & Resource Efficiency
Reduce operational costs while building resilience. Systematic resource tracking reveals where you’re losing money. Efficiency improvements reduce costs while strengthening operations against supply disruptions.
- Lower energy, water, and material costs
- Reduced waste disposal expenses
- Improved margins through operational optimization
- Risk mitigation against resource price volatility
Foundation: Builds directly on CSRD data collection (you can’t optimize what you don’t measure). Efficiency gains reveal Stack 3 opportunities.
Stack 3 Circular Value Creation
Transform waste streams into revenue streams. What you pay to dispose of often has value to someone else. Circular systems turn cost centers into revenue opportunities.
- New revenue from byproduct monetization
- Reduced disposal costs
- Supply chain resilience via closed-loop systems
- Innovation in product design and material use
Circular thinking leads to Stack 4—understanding material flows prepares you to work with natural systems.
Stack 4 Ecosystem Resilience
Build anti-fragile operations through natural systems. Working with natural systems increases resilience, reduces input dependency, and improves long-term performance.
- Reduced input costs (irrigation, fertilizer, pest control)
- Climate resilience against extreme weather
- Regulatory future-proofing
- Risk mitigation across supply and operations
Resilience enables Stack 5—understanding ecosystems makes regeneration practical.
Stack 5 Regenerative Operations
Create long-term competitive advantage through restoration. Regenerative practices improve the systems your business depends on, creating compounding value.
- Premium market positioning with proof of positive impact
- Long-term cost reduction via ecosystem health
- Brand differentiation competitors can’t replicate
- Future-proofing against tightening demands
Stack 5 completes the framework—regeneration becomes your sustainable competitive advantage.
The Five Stacks Method: Systematic, Stackable, Scalable & Profitable
Most approaches fail because they’re too theoretical, too scattered, or too rigid.
Want to build step-by-step with confidence? Our systematic approach means building in sequence. No certification without data. No regeneration without efficiency.
Need to start where you are? Each layer is stackable and adds value independently. No need to rip and replace.
Expect it to grow with your company? The framework is scalable and adapts to company size, sector, and priorities.
Does it need to improve your bottom line? Every initiative must be profitable. If it doesn’t drive real ROI, it’s not in our framework.
The Five Stacks Method at a Glance
If it doesn’t improve your bottom line, it’s not in our framework.
Adapts to company size, sector, and priorities.
Start where you are. Each layer adds value independently.
Build in sequence. No certification without data.
How to Work with Us: Choose Your Starting Point
CSRD Toolkits
& Templates
Start with the foundation and prepare for the future.
Organize your sustainability data with proven frameworks and templates.
- Complete CSRD reporting framework
- Materiality, metrics & action planning templates
- Video walkthroughs & reference guides
- 30-day email support
Time: 20–30 hours over 30 days
Start
Ecolabels & Premium
Market Access
Earn credentials that unlock premium pricing.
Strategy, readiness, and audit support for certifications that drive revenue.
- Which labels matter for your market
- Gap analysis vs. standards
- Documentation & audit prep
- Ongoing maintenance
Format: 4–8 month hybrid
Launching Q4 2025
Five Stacks Consulting & Workshops
Transform compliance into optimization.
Implement Stack 2–4 to reduce costs, increase efficiency, and build resilience.
- Efficiency audits with ROI analysis
- Circular opportunity assessment
- Waste stream monetization
- Resilient operating models
Format: 3–6 month engagements
Launching Q1 2026
CSRD: Your Launchpad for Sustainable Profitability
If you’re facing CSRD requirements (or getting asked for sustainability data by partners who are), starting here makes strategic sense.
CSRD isn’t just compliance—it’s Stack 1 foundation data:
- Feeds Stack 2: Energy and resource metrics reveal efficiency opportunities
- Enables Stack 3: Waste tracking identifies circular economy potential
- Supports Stack 4: Environmental impact data guides ecosystem resilience strategies
- Documents Stack 5: Baseline measurements prove regenerative practice effectiveness
Companies that treat CSRD as “check the box and move on” waste the opportunity. Companies that use CSRD data to inform Stacks 2-5 turn compliance into competitive advantage.
Closing the Sustainability Implementation Gap
Cat Yeldi — Founder, Ecosystems United. 15+ years helping SMEs turn sustainability from aspiration to implementation. Creator of the Five Stacks Framework™.
The Five Stacks Framework™ draws from 15 years of sustainability strategy, operations management, and systems design—integrating best practices from TÜV, ISO, and regenerative business theory into one practical system.
The implementation gap is real: most companies know sustainability matters, but struggle to translate intention into results. The Five Stacks provides the systematic approach that turns goals into measurable outcomes—and environmental responsibility into business advantage.
Based in Germany. Working with manufacturing, consumer goods, agriculture, and food companies across Europe.
Our belief: Sustainability initiatives should strengthen your business. If they don’t reduce costs, increase revenue, mitigate risk, or improve operations, they won’t sustain themselves anyway. We help companies build sustainability systems that last because they deliver business value.
Ready to Join the 3% Who Actually Deliver Results?
Choose your starting point:
Every day without systematic implementation is another day in the 67%. The 3% aren’t luckier—they have better frameworks.
Ecosystems United — Turning sustainability goals into business results through the Five Stacks Framework™