Gnarly Tree Sustainability Institute: Empowering Sustainable Solutions Through Collaboration

What is the Gnarly Tree Sustainability Institute?

Gnarly Tree Sustainability Institute (GTSI) is a small, woman-owned, certified B-corporation based in Bloomington, Indiana. The institute focuses on building organizations’ capacity to address their social, environmental, and economic impacts. Their goal? To make sustainability resources stretch further right from the get-go and to prepare sustainability students to become tomorrow’s leaders. It’s a unique blend of consulting and education, where real-world experience meets academic insight.

Main Benefits of the Gnarly Tree Approach

GTSI’s approach offers several standout benefits, including:

• Certified B-corporation status, reflecting a strong commitment to social and environmental performance.
• A BCorp score of 111.3, showcasing their dedication to sustainability standards.
• Specialization in environmental policy analysis and consulting, tailored to complex sustainability challenges.
• Collaboration between consultants, NGOs, university faculty, researchers, and students for well-rounded solutions.
• Cost-effective, creative, and collaborative strategies that integrate policy and management theory with practical lessons.

How GTSI Teams Up for Success

One of the coolest things about Gnarly Tree is how it brings together diverse expertise. Consultants and NGOs join forces with talented university faculty, researchers, and students. This team dynamic blends academic theory with hands-on experience, creating solutions that aren’t just smart on paper but work in the real world. It’s a win-win — students get practical experience, and organizations get fresh, innovative ideas.

The Meaning Behind the Name “Gnarly Tree”

The name “Gnarly Tree” isn’t just catchy — it’s packed with meaning. The founders chose it because they tackle complex, challenging problems that some might call “gnarly.” Plus, the idea of decision “trees” is a handy tool in developing management strategies. Beyond that, trees symbolize strength, security, friendship, protection, wisdom, creation, and resilience across many cultures. So, the name reflects both the nature of their work and the values they stand for.

Preparing Sustainability Leaders for Tomorrow

GTSI’s mission goes beyond consulting. They’re deeply invested in preparing the next generation of sustainability leaders. By engaging faculty and students in applied projects, they create a learning environment that’s dynamic and impactful. This hands-on approach ensures students don’t just learn theory but apply it to create real sustainability solutions today — solutions that address some of the world’s most complex environmental problems.

Project Impact on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

• SDG 4: Quality Education – through preparing sustainability students and integrating academic expertise.
• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth – by building organizational capacity for sustainable economic impacts.
• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities – via environmental policy analysis and consulting.
• SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production – by making sustainability resources go further.
• SDG 13: Climate Action – through innovative, cost-effective sustainability solutions.
• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals – by teaming consultants, NGOs, and academia.

Why GTSI Stands Out in Environmental Consulting

In a crowded field, Gnarly Tree Sustainability Institute stands out because of its integrated approach. It’s not just about advising organizations but about creating a collaborative ecosystem where knowledge flows freely between practitioners and learners. This makes their solutions not only creative but also grounded in the latest research and best practices. Plus, being a woman-owned B-corp adds layers of authenticity and commitment to social and environmental responsibility. It’s consulting with heart and brains combined.

What Gnarly Tree Sustainability Institute actually does

GTSI is a Bloomington, Indiana consultancy that pairs its own sustainability consultants with university faculty, researchers and students to deliver applied projects for governments, NGOs and companies. Work spans carbon markets, climate finance and policy, greenhouse gas inventories, and net-zero frameworks, drawing on affiliations with Indiana University’s O’Neill School, Maurer School of Law and Kelley School of Business.

“Emily, Ken, and team did an excellent job helping our organization bring the idea of a net zero fossil fuel emissions framework to fruition.”

Katie Meehan, The Wilderness Society

Where the work shows up

• Government and climate finance: carbon tax and carbon markets guidance for African governments through the Eastern and West Africa Alliances on Carbon Markets and Climate Finance.
• NGOs: net-zero emissions framework design for The Wilderness Society.
• Multilateral development: consultancy support for UNFCCC, USAID and World Bank-linked projects.

Trusted by

Climate Focus’s Darragh Conway noted GTSI was “sub-contracted… to co-write the Carbon Tax Guide with us,” and GAC Ventures CEO Patrick Chan said Ken and Stephanie “have done a great job so far in supporting our ADB consultancy project.”

Why this belongs on a sustainability directory

GTSI’s work connects academic research capacity to real climate policy delivery, supporting SDG 12 (responsible consumption and production) through its carbon markets and emissions-framework consulting, and SDG 13 (climate action) via direct carbon tax and GHG inventory work for governments and NGOs.