Regenerative Business and Design

Interest in regenerative development is growing, and more and more companies in Sweden and abroad see it as a strategic area to become frontrunners in. But how can companies actually work with regenerative business and design to help restore and improve the health of the ecological and social systems they are part of?

The concept of regenerative development represents a holistic and system-oriented view of how human activity can contribute to net positive effects that promote resilience and long-term well-being in socio-ecological systems. For a company, this approach means that business models, offerings and solutions should not only be designed with minimal environmental impact, but should also contribute to improving nature and society. This may involve strengthening biodiversity in various ways or contributing to strengthening key resource and nutrient cycles.

A regenerative approach rests on a number of cornerstones that are important to bear in mind and base practical development work on, including:

Design methods that are co-creative, inclusive and place-based
Development that takes into account the complexity of ecosystems and increases their resilience
Processes that draw on collective wisdom by embracing pluralistic knowledge bases.

Our research shows that these foundations often require a shift in mindset and new ways of working. In our projects, we therefore study how companies can integrate regenerative principles into their business development and design work. We explore this in relation to three different thematic areas: Regenerative Design, Regenerative Business Models, and Regenerative Business Ecosystems.

Regenerative design

This theme focuses on exploring how principles of regenerative development can be addressed in product and service design, and the implications for mindsets, design practices and methodologies. Key topics and questions within this theme include:

What does it entail to design products and services with regenerative principles in mind?
How can design methods and practices contribute to place-based approaches?
How may the inclusion of pluralistic knowledge bases in regenerative design promote ideation, co-creation and participation in the design process alongside social inclusion and the improvement of natural ecosystems as outcomes?

Regenerative business models

This theme identifies, develops and evaluates commercial business opportunities linked to regenerative business models. Key topics and questions within this theme include:

What are regenerative business models?
How can companies derive profit and competitive advantage from nature-positive opportunities?
How can companies incorporate and integrate regenerative business logics, strategies and design practices?
How may companies collaborate with local communities and natural ecosystems as key partners in broader, co-evolutionary processes of transformation?

Regenerative business ecosystems

This theme focuses on synergies between actors and nested circular systems that together contribute to regenerative outcomes. One example is regenerative neighbourhoods, which combine circular buildings, water and waste systems with permaculture and renewable energy systems to make a positive net contribution to local ecosystems. Regenerative business ecosystems refer to the constellation of actors and related activities needed to make such neighbourhoods a reality. Important themes and issues within this theme include:

What skills and techniques are required to enable leadership within Regenerative Business Ecosystems?
How may barriers and obstacles to effective coordination and collaboration in Regenerative Business Ecosystems be overcome?
How may critical stakeholders, including future generations and nature, be represented in Regenerative Business Ecosystems?
What role/s can artificial intelligence (AI) play in providing key capabilities in Regenerative Business Ecosystems ?