The Regenerators is a collective of professionals coming together to aid the emergence of a new thriving paradigm built on regenerative principles. A world where products, services and organizations leave more value than they take. Where our systems, structures and mind-sets provide the foundation for vibrant, invigorating, thriving societies and organizations.
We're here to help re-design a world where purpose, people, planet and profit can thrive collectively by tapping into the wisdom of nature.
Why the need for Regenerators?
There's a need to re-evaluate the way we live life and create value on this planet: the way we have designed systems, structures and organizations effects the well-being of ourselves and the wider fabric of life on Earth.
Broken systems & structures
We live in a post-industrial world influenced by a hyper-consumerist culture. We produce more stuff than we need and most of that ends up in landfill.
Our production system is based on a linear take-make-waste approach that is focused on exploiting human and natural resources to benefit the few.
Our financial models are based on short-termist profit-centric models that ignore life and often enslaves or debases human integrity.
Our work-culture is dominated by competition and a zero-sum mindset. Of hierarchies and control. Of friction and frustration.
And these systems and structures are currently creating havoc on eco-systems as well as human beings...
our industrial civilization has unleashed an ecological mega-crisis
We see an unprecedented loss of species daily - estimated by experts to be between 1,000 and 10,000 times higher than the natural extinction rate. Unlike previous mass extinction events of geological history, the current extinction challenge is one for which humans appears to be almost wholly responsible.
Soon we have more plastic in our oceans than fish, our air and rivers are polluted and our soil is depleted from critical minerals and nutrition. Climate change and weather-related disasters are increasing causing climate refugees and people to lose their homes. Global warming is already causing the melting of the Arctic ice sheets, which means that sea levels will increase by as much as three meters by 2050.
Forest fires, ocean acidification, hurricanes, plastic islands, decrease in fresh water supply, collapse of the bee population: It’s all on us. The systems and the culture we have created the past centuries have had a devastating impact on our eco-systems. And we cannot live on a planet without thriving ecosystems...
People are stressed like never before...and so the vicious circle continues...
We have never been so constantly stressed out of our minds as we are today. Stress has been called the “health epidemic of the 21st century” by the World Health Organization and is estimated to cost American businesses up to $300 billion a year. Self-reported stress-levels has increased by 30% in the last decade, in the EU 40% believe their worklife has become more stressful in the last 2 years and in the US a Harvard Medical School Study found that 96% of senior leaders often feel somewhat burned out, and a third describe it as extreme.
In the US we see a 2-300% increase in costs directly related to stress. In the UK 105 million workdays are lost yearly due to stress and burnout. In Europe sales of anti-depressive medicine has increased by 20% each year since 1995. There’s a 40% increased risk for heart-problems and a 60% increased risk of diabetes and in the US 60-90% of doctor appointments are stress-related.
From science we know that people in a constant state of stress are less compassionate, less collaborative, less creative, less innovative, less wise. On the other hand they consume more and are more focused on external gratification in the form of money, power, prestige.
Stressed out people will repeat the broken systems and structures.
You get the picture: This is a vicious cycle. Our current state of the world is by far sustainable and the opposite of regenerative: It's destructive.
The only way out of the mess we have created is to change our degenerative value logic into a regenerative one. This is the 21st Century challenge we collectively face. We must use our genius as a species to collaborate to create regenerative societies, cultures and organizations that thrives. Where people thrive. Where we innovate and evolve with nature instead of against it.
'Doing well by doing good' pioneers show that it can be done and makes good business sense.
Regenerators is devoted to support and scale a regenerative business logic. We join forces to help leaders, cities and industries embark on the needed shift to a world based on regenerative principles.
Our work is designed around 3 pillars
In transforming to a world where purpose, people, planet and profit collectively thrive we must reinvent the way we design products, services, organizations, cities and the way we live our lives. Yet we believe they are all interconnected and that our ability to succeed is affected by how we design our organizational culture and how consciously we live.
This new paradigm calls for a new approach where we move away from old-school management-lingo and silo-thinking and instead tap into the intelligence of nature’s eco-systemic and holistic approach to life.
1) REGENERATIVE DESIGN
REGENERATIVE DESIGN
To thrive on this planet we need to re-design the way we produce and consume. With the industrial revolution we have designed a system too dependent on fossil fuels and toxic chemicals that puts immense pressure on our eco-systems while causing health hazards. Instead we need to redesign products and services based on nature’s regenerative principles. The circular economy, bio-inspired innovation, take-back-systems, the sharing economy are all concepts we can tap into to create products and services that adds more value than they take. This is the most important design challenge of our time.
2) REGENERATIVE ORGANIZATIONS
REGENERATIVE ORGANIZATIONS
We live in a time where organizations and leaders need the ability to adapt, transform and find flow to succeed. Things are changing at an unprecedented rate and as leaders we need to step up and embrace the need for flexibility while being deeply grounded in what really matters: values that deliver value for all stakeholders.
Nature has immense wisdom for leaders able to tap-in and truly connect. Nature is emergent, adaptive, resilient, co-creative, receptive and responsive, the very qualities we need to succeed in the future.
3) REGENERATIVE LIVING
REGENERATIVE LIVING
The difference you can make, your ability to innovate, the quality of your work and how you show up in the world depends on the quality of your inner well-being. Your level of consciousness. The new paradigm calls for a new approach to how we prioritize the well-being and inner resilience of leaders and employees to ensure thriving, vibrant, innovative and creative organizations that are able to deliver in an ever more complex world.
OUR VISION FOR THE WORLD
We envision a future where systems and organizations gain resilient vibrancy by learning to attune with the systems of life. Where companies let go of the rigid, old-school, soul-starving structures and transforms to life-affirming, resilient, creative, innovative and wise ways. A world where leaders dare to lead with compassion for people and planet and understand that this is the foundation for flourishing business and society. A world where we are equal and collaborate across nations, race, sector, gender and generations. A world where co-creating, sharing, reusing and recycling is the norm. Where design, architecture and products are inspired by the intelligence of nature and toxic life-degrading products are a thing of the past. Where services provide holistic value, our energy comes from renewable sources, and agricultural systems no longer use harmful chemicals that pollutes our food and water. A world where we dare to slow down and create space for silence and reclaim our inner guidance, personal and relational well-being and reconnection with the rapture of life. A world where we all recognise that the quality of our work and the difference we can make depends on the quality of our inner-being.
A world where all life on this planet thrives.
OUR VALUES
The Regenerators Collective is founded on a strong set of values. These values guide us in decision-making processes and in our collaborative partnerships. To us they're not fancy or popular buzz-words - we hold ourselves and each other accountable by them. They are the glue that holds the Collective together.
We are stronger together
A new thriving paradigm shift calls for collaboration and the celebration of diversity within unity. It calls for breaking away from the silo-based approach and instead we need to co-create with people from diverse fields and backgrounds. We want to move away from an environment where organizations that are ultimately striving towards the same goal end up competing for the same funds and attention, instead pool our resources - networks and knowledge - to collaborate towards realising our shared vision for the world. We believe that collaboration is a prerequisite for success in every area of life. We will never transform to a thriving regenerative world if we don't join forces and work together.
We engage with respect and compassion
Turning to criticism and find what’s wrong with other people’s viewpoints or ways of doing things is easily done. Yet, pointing fingers and criticizing will not create the needed environment for evolvement, trust and innovation. Rather we do our best to deeply listen, empathise, seek to understand and acknowledge. We believe that with respect and compassion in the driving seat we can go so very far.
We keep an open and curious mind
The journey towards a regenerative world demands an open, flexible and curious mind where we constantly test and explore new ideas, materials and procedures to find what matches a specific situation or challenge the best. No fixed solutions or standard way of doing things. No off-the-shelf products or solutions as all organizations and situations demand their unique solution. We believe an open mind demands an open heart and a willingness to listen. Truly listen.
We are courageous and dare to blaze new trails
Staying within the comfort zone is one of the major barriers for innovation and progress. We all do it to some extent unless we become aware of our fears and limiting beliefs. The Regenerators Collective knows that the transformation we're embarking on demands courage and determination. We believe we need to let go of the old conventional ways of doing things and instead dare to walk into the wilderness to explore new ways.
"Nature is a totally efficient, self-regenerative system. IF we discover the laws that govern that system and live synergistically within them, sustainability will follow and humankind will be a success".
(R. Buckminster Fuller)
IF WE DON'T CHANGE DIRECTION WE'RE LIKELY TO END UP WHERE WE'RE HEADED
(Chinese Proverb)
Contact Us
We love to collaborate, cocreate and meet people who share our mission. Don't hesitate if you have an idea you want to discuss or anything exciting you want to tell us.