An urgency of gratitude. Towards a regenerative future.
By Yvonne Richardson
“Enjoy the little things, for one day you will look back and realise they are the big things” Robert Brault.
Rethink
What if we rethink how we view what Mother Earth gives us as a precious gift and not an object or commodity?
The term “regeneration” is gaining traction and is increasingly being used in place of “sustainability”. This shift is representing a shifting focus from doing less harm to doing more good. But what exactly is regeneration and how does it differ from sustainability?
Wunderman Thompson (2021) refers to regeneration as going “…beyond sustainability and mitigating harm, to actively restoring and nurturing, creating conditions where ecosystems, economies, and people can flourish”. Linked to this is the term “triple bottom line” coined by John Elkington in 1994 which was about embracing all three elements of value creation (people, planet, and profit).
But what ‘regenerative’ truly means is as ancient as it is new. It is more than simply sustainability+ and is linked to the journey of becoming more human, more in harmony with life. It is not just about survival, it’s also about thrival. Life thrives through relationships. It’s the shift from ‘I’ to ‘We’ where flourishing is reciprocal.
This leads on to how can we cultivate a regenerative mindset. I believe that at the heart of a regenerative future is gratitude.
What is gratitude? Well, it is so much more than a polite thank you. Gratitude connects our physical and spiritual and offers us perspective, reminding us to appreciate what we have. It creates a sense of abundance, unlocking the fullness of life, and makes us consider, that what we have is enough, abating our hunger for more. When you feel gratitude, a natural human response is to give back to the giver, to give a gift in return.
Robin Wall Kimmerer, in her wonderful essay “The Service Berry” (2020) refers to this as the gift economy.
“Gratitude and reciprocity are the currency of a gift economy, and they have the remarkable property of multiplying with every exchange, their energy concentrating as they pass from hand to hand, a truly renewable resource. I accept the gift from the bush and then spread that gift with a dish of berries to my neighbour, who makes a pie to share with his friend, who feels so wealthy in food and friendship that he volunteers at the food pantry. You know how it goes.”
To think of something as a gift changes our relationship with it. We are more likely to take better care of it. Kimmerer gives the example of a woolly hat bought in the shop to keep your head warm vs one hand-knitted for you by your favourite auntie. This is the power of gratitude and gift thinking.
What if we rethink how we view what Mother Earth gives us as a precious gift and not an object or commodity? Would we be more grateful and take better care of what we are given? At the heart of regenerative thinking is relationship and reciprocity – if we take, we should consider what we can give back to make it better. The currency in a gift economy is relationship. “The economic unit is “we” rather than “I,” as all flourishing is mutual.” (Kimmerer 2020)
A ‘regenerative’ mindset is one that genuinely appreciates what we have and sees the world as built around reciprocal and balanced relationships between humans, other living beings, and ecosystems.
I lost my father recently which was a stark and heart-breaking reminder that everything is finite. However, it was also a moment of enlightenment highlighting the potential power of gratitude. Adopting a gratitude mindset helped transform the raw emotions of sadness into something more positive. Of course, it is not as simple as that, but it certainly helped. It was a positive pathway, helping me realise his life was not finite. Being grateful for all his gifts to me of love, support, and his life values, means his legacy lives on. My gift back to my father is to live a life that I and my family will be proud of. To try and make a difference, to try to put things out into the world to make it better. Of course, the visceral immediacy of losing a parent is different from the longer-term threat of a dying planet or societal collapse. But if the sentiment of gratitude and reciprocity could be harnessed, maybe…just maybe we can steer our path towards a regenerative future?
Reimagine
You have probably heard it before - we live in weird times and the world is on fire. But something is changing in the world of business and society overall. Consumer expectations are high, and they are demanding change from companies. According to a 2020 report by IBM Institute for Business Value, six out of 10 consumers are ready to change their purchasing behaviour to minimise their environmental footprint.
But to change the world for the better needs you to imagine a better one. As businesses, we have two choices. We can continue on the same path until we drop off the cliff. Or we can start building an alternative path towards a more regenerative future.
The business of the future is taking shape. It appreciates that everything is connected, and it is reimagining its role in creating positive change in the world.
A ‘regenerative business’ is a business that believes in a better world. It is grounded in people and the planet. Not just profit and products.
It can enrich all stakeholders including wider society and the environment both now and in the future. A business with a regenerative mindset ensures that social and environmental benefit is on the table for all decisions, all the time.
At the heart of this shift is being more mindful of our actions particularly when it comes to innovation. We need to be thinking about the cultural, social, and environmental impact of our race to chase the next new thing. We need to look into the future and imagine all the possible effects these innovations could have on society and the environment rather than a shiny ideas-fest.
Mindful innovation is more than having a bland CSR agenda and it is not about being “activist”. It is a humanistic way of being and how you contribute to the cultural narrative around major issues. Mindful innovation is ultimately about connecting with human beings and what’s important to them. It is also about connecting with how as a business you want to make a difference and leave a positive legacy.
Reset
Building a better future presents a great opportunity for brands and huge risks for those who don’t move with the times.
In the spirit of reciprocity, what can businesses give back to build a better future?
Brands need to be thinking about education, mindful innovation, and collaboration.
Rethinking education - people want help with improving their environmental, social footprint. According to a 2021 report by Deloitte people want to do more but many want brands to take the lead - 64% want brands to reduce packaging, 50% want information on how to recycle and 46% need clarity on sourcing of products. Consumers want to be green but are a bit lost and confused about company claims. What if brands helped people change the world for the better? There is an opportunity here for businesses to unpack this for people. Establishing themselves as thought leaders, providing clarity, and guiding customers to a more responsible future.
Rethinking innovation - Be more mindful of your actions particularly when it comes to innovation. According to the Design Council, approx. 80% of environmental costs are pre-determined during product conception and design stage. 45% of current emissions come from products (the energy required to transform raw materials into products). Therefore, emerging innovations are key pieces of the jigsaw in how the world can achieve net-zero emissions by 2030. What if the materials and products businesses develop took into account: the impact on society, durability, reliance on water, ease of recycling, suitability to sales channel, consumer end-use, and end of life? According to the Deloitte report (2021), the five sustainable brand practices that people value most include: waste reduction, reducing carbon footprint, providing sustainable packaging, committing to ethical work practices, and respecting human rights. What if businesses develop propositions that democratise access to sustainable lifestyles and enable people greater agency to shape their lives? People say they want sustainable products but there is still a significant say-do gap. In a survey by the Harvard Business Review, 65% of consumers say they want to buy purpose-driven brands that advocate sustainability, but only 26% actually do. To enable this shift, affordability and accessibility to lower-impact propositions will be key.
Rethinking collaboration - everyone contributes to a regenerative future, so we all have some responsibility and some power. At an individual level our choices matter. But! It’s not enough to change the system. Climate change is a global issue that needs collective action. If the pandemic taught us anything, it’s that people and organizations are interconnected and responsible to one another and to society. We need to create shared ownership of challenges and find shared solutions. Grassroots movements don’t always have the resources or capabilities to drive the wider change needed. What if businesses collaborated with government, media, sustainability advocates, communities, and individuals, helping to provide truthful, easy-to-understand content and propositions to help consumers navigate the complexities, facilitating the movement towards a regenerative future?
Whilst a regenerative mindset does not provide all the answers, it facilitates a shift in intention and prompts businesses to ask better questions about what actions and commitments they can make today to build a regenerative future for tomorrow.
References
Deloitte United Kingdom. 2021. Sustainability & Consumer Behaviour 2021. [online] Available at: https://www2.deloitte.com/uk/en/pages/consumer-business/articles/sustainable-consumer.html
IBM Institute for Business Value (2020), Meet the 2020 consumers driving change.[online] Available at: https://www.ibm.com/downloads/cas/EXK4XKX8
Kimmerer, R.W. 2020. The Serviceberry: An Economy of Abundance. [online] Available at: https://emergencemagazine.org/essay/the-serviceberry/
White, K., Hardisty, D.J., Habib, R. 2019. The Elusive Green Consumer. [online] Harvard Business Review. Available at: https://hbr.org/2019/07/the-elusive-green-consumer