Journey Towards Regenerative: Insights to Leading Sustainability and Systems Change

The Burning Platform for Change

The earth is wounded and our planetary systems are dying. We face a frightening mix of planetary issues, a?poly-crisis . A planetary crisis.

Global climate, waste, destructive pollution, habitat and biodiversity loss, health pandemics, resource depletion, geo-political tensions, social inequality, mental burnout, and wellbeing issues all play out around us. Our planetary systems are not?able to sustain?the current ways of being.

Whilst anxiety inducing, burying our head in the sand will no longer suffice. Recognition is clear, we must change. But how, how much, who’s going to do the work, and by when?

How can we use this pivotal movement in time for more broader positive systems change?

Join me as I set out on a personal journey of exploration and learning, as I share discovering lessons from the field of Sustainability towards a reimagined and redefined system of balance and harmony. To sustainability, and further beyond towards the world of regenerative.

What does this all mean?

Where are our current levels of consciousness?

What is it that I am missing?

Where might this all be heading?

How can we be more effective?

Discovering this with you, I hope to build on personal experience in international development, leadership, coaching, change theory, and cultural and systems transformation. I aim to help make better sense of the systemic change that is unfolding in front of us, and how we mere (but undeniably powerful) humans can possibly help to have more of a regenerative planetary impact.

Journey to Regenerative: Key Themes

I’ll draw on my engagements with an awesome and inspiring ecosystem of friends, colleagues (and social media community) across Singapore, UK, The Gambia and beyond. As an experimental and emergent journey 3 early themes are likely to play out …

1. Sustainability Change?— how to authentically build sustainability into the ‘DNA’ of an organisation through employee and citizen bottom-up movements. Building new and updated sustainability mindset, looking through the lens of sustainability in everything we do. How to build ‘self’, and how to build ‘collective’ systems movements. How to build it into the employee experience, motivate, empower and incentivise the right behavioural change and build a purposeful and actioned sustainability culture.
2. Sustainable & Green IT?— alongside my professional work in coaching and consulting Tech4Good and sustainability transformation. Exploring the two dimensions of ‘Sustainability and Greening?by?IT’ (part of the solution) and ‘Sustainability and Greening?of?IT’ (the forgotten costs). Where IT is often seen as part of the solution it also has a footprint, a cost, and a positive and negative impact. How do we better understand and find greater balance?
3. Shift to Regenerative —?Looking more holistically at the globally transformative nature of these inter-connecting issues allows us to consider the broader patterns and cultural shifts from ‘doing less bad’ towards?‘doing more good’. Learning more from nature, the past, Indigenous communities and our inner conscience. Exploring the intersection between culture, leadership, values and behaviours within society, our socio-economic systems, and planetary boundaries.

Who’s This For?

“I don’t write *because* I’ve figured it out. I write *in order* to figure it out” — Daniel Pink

I am not a social or environmental scientist nor am I close to having concrete answers, just a conscious learner and purposeful driven coach with some life experience to share. I suspect my vulnerable, experimental, musings might be insightful to those interested in thought leadership. Whilst also accessible for those fairly new to sustainability, still trying to make sense of, or those trying to be more holistically effective.

As a…

• Systems Thinker?— I plan to be connecting lots of multidisciplinary dots
• Transformation Coach —?I’ll tackle questions on effective change
• ‘Regenerative’ Advocate?— I’ll connect planetary & people leadership
• Value/Purpose Coach?— I’ll strive for greater meaning, value & impact

I hope you find value. With a belief in community and ecosystems I also hope where comfortable you will connect, provide ideas, challenge and feedback (positive and constructive), as well as opportunities to contribute.

As Picasso once said:

“To know what you are going to draw you have to start drawing”

Thank you for joining!

Please be thoughtful. Please be open. Please be kind.

Here’s to the journey of learning, improving and doing more good!

Cheers,

Paul

…….

P.S very happy for introductions, recommendations, community building and connection.