Please welcome the Chief Regeneration Officer

Our language shapes our mindsets and vice versa. In the face of accelerating sustainability challenges, many existing narratives need to be challenged, evolved, and even replaced. To transition business life, and societies at large, from degenerative to regenerative practices, a good starting point may be to reconsider the executive roles in management boards. In this article I argue for the Chief Regeneration Officer as a key role in driving organisational development and value creation beyond the existing growth and sustainability narratives – upgrading and bridging the roles of the startup Chief Growth Officer and the corporate Chief Sustainability Officer.?

Why challenge the existing growth and sustainability paradigms?

In 1972, the Club of Rome published The Limits to Growth, a report written by a group of researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) led by Donella Meadows. It examined the impact of exponential economic and population growth on global resources and environmental sustainability. The report argued that if current trends in population growth, industrialization, pollution, food production, and resource depletion continued unchecked, the earth's carrying capacity would be exceeded, resulting in an inevitable collapse of global society within the 21st century.

Fifty years later, it is clear that the Limits to Growth are real and a new paradigm of regeneration is needed;

• "First, the growing world economy is indeed overshooting the Earth’s finite resources.?Scientists now speak of the global economy exceeding the Earth’s “planetary boundaries.”?
• Second, the violation of these planetary boundaries threatens the Earth’s physical systems and therefore humanity itself.?Specifically, humanity is warming the climate; destroying the habitat of millions of other species; and polluting the air, freshwater systems, soils, and oceans.
• Third, the market economy by itself will not stop this destruction."

"The growing world economy is overshooting the Earth’s finite resources. Scientists now speak of the global economy exceeding the Earth’s “planetary boundaries.”?The violation of these planetary boundaries threatens the Earth’s physical systems and therefore humanity itself." – Jeffrey D. Sachs

Despite the sounding alarm clocks, leadership and governance generally seem to be stuck in outdated ideals and narratives of economic growth:

Even impact-oriented startups, with sustainability issues close to their heart, are often victims of the growth narratives – partly driven by an urge to scale impact but also to deliver financial results to founders and investors. Also, the urge to quickly make impact and financial results tend to make a toll on founders and their teams, threatening their well-being and ability to build healthy businesses. Existing Chief Growth Officers and Chief People Officers play a key role in building a business, but the ideas of growth and leadership may be refined. What growth? At what cost? For what purpose? Regeneration?

Established corporations are facing even more challenging and painful transformations as outdated business models, governance models, and leadership practices are being challenged from both the outside and inside. If we are to stay within the planetary boundaries, whole industries need to be transformed from the ground – and probably also how we look at value creation at large. Corporate leadership and governance increasingly also face internal organisational challenges such as lack of engagement, sick leaves, and more recently the so-called conscious quitting – signalling that the way we look at people and work life need to evolve, for the benefit of our well-being, organisational performance, and value creation. Chief Sustainability Officers and Chief Human Resources Officers have started this journey, but based on what premises and ideals? Perhaps time has come to move beyond increasing our "ability to sustain"?

What do we want to sustain, create, contribute, and become as businesses? What ideals and practices do we need to leave behind because they are dysfunctional and degenerative?

"Corporations are facing challenging and painful transformations as outdated business models, governance models, and leadership practices are being challenged from both the outside and inside."

Regeneration is a promising concept and approach to create a more resilient and flourishing future. We need to explore and learn what regeneration means to us in different contexts, but it already feels like a valuable framework to find new ways forward. Let's have a look at what regeneration means with the help from ChatGPT, but please be aware that the traditional growth narrative is heavily present in the language models even when we explore the concept of regeneration:

What does regeneration mean?

Regeneration refers to the process of renewal, regrowth, or restoration of something that has been damaged or lost. It involves the growth of new tissues or cells to replace the old or damaged ones, resulting in the restoration of the structure or function of the affected organism or system.

The term is used in various fields, such as biology, ecology, medicine, and engineering. In biology, regeneration can refer to the regrowth of lost body parts in animals or the renewal of damaged tissues in plants. In ecology, it refers to the natural restoration of ecosystems after disturbances, such as wildfires or floods. In medicine, regeneration can refer to the repair or replacement of damaged tissues or organs in the body through natural or artificial means.

Overall, regeneration involves the renewal of something that has been damaged or lost, resulting in the restoration of its structure or function.

"Leadership and governance generally seem to be stuck in outdated ideals and narratives of economic growth."

What does regeneration mean in an organisational context?

In an organizational context, regeneration refers to the process of revitalizing or renewing an organization to improve its performance, competitiveness, and sustainability. It involves making significant changes to an organization's structure, culture, strategy, processes, or systems to adapt to new challenges or opportunities, enhance its effectiveness and efficiency, and ensure its long-term viability.

Regeneration can be driven by various factors, such as changes in the market, new technologies, shifts in customer needs and preferences, or internal problems and inefficiencies. It may involve restructuring the organization, redefining its mission and values, developing new products or services, improving its processes and systems, or changing its leadership and management practices.

"Regeneration is a promising concept and approach to create a more resilient and flourishing future."

Overall, regeneration in an organizational context involves making fundamental changes to improve an organization's performance, competitiveness, and sustainability in the face of new challenges or opportunities. It is a complex and ongoing process that requires strong leadership, strategic thinking, and effective implementation to achieve success.

What is a Chief Regeneration Officer?

A Chief Regeneration Officer (CRO) is a high-level executive responsible for leading and managing an organization's regeneration initiatives. The role of the CRO is to develop and implement strategies that drive sustainable growth, improve the organization's competitive position, and create long-term value for stakeholders.

"What do we want to sustain, create, contribute, and become as businesses? What ideals and practices do we need to leave behind because they are dysfunctional and degenerative?"

The responsibilities of a CRO can vary depending on the organization and industry, but typically include:

1. Developing and implementing a regeneration strategy that aligns with the organization's mission, values, and goals.
2. Fostering a culture of innovation, continuous improvement, and risk-taking to drive growth and adaptability.
3. Identifying and prioritizing regeneration initiatives that create value for stakeholders, including customers, employees, investors, and the community.
4. Managing and overseeing the execution of regeneration initiatives, including restructuring, innovation, digital transformation, and sustainability initiatives.
5. Collaborating with other senior executives and stakeholders to ensure alignment and support for regeneration initiatives.

Overall, the CRO plays a critical role in driving organizational transformation and growth, ensuring the organization's long-term viability, and creating value for all stakeholders. The position is relatively new and is gaining popularity as organizations recognize the importance of regeneration in today's rapidly changing business environment.

What does regeneration mean in societal development?

In societal development, i.e. the broader context of businesses, regeneration refers to a holistic approach to revitalizing communities and improving their social, economic, and environmental well-being. It involves making significant changes to the physical, economic, and social structures of communities to enhance their resilience, sustainability, and quality of life.

"Whole industries need to be transformed from the ground – and probably also how we look at value creation at large."

Regeneration in societal development can involve several initiatives, such as:

1. Urban renewal: Transforming blighted or underutilized areas of cities into vibrant, liveable, and sustainable communities through physical improvements, such as infrastructure upgrades, green spaces, and affordable housing.
2. Economic development: Promoting job creation, entrepreneurship, and investment to boost local economies and reduce poverty.
3. Social development: Strengthening social cohesion, inclusion, and equity through education, healthcare, and community engagement initiatives.
4. Environmental sustainability: Promoting environmentally friendly practices, such as energy efficiency, waste reduction, and sustainable transportation, to reduce the ecological footprint of communities and enhance their resilience to climate change.
5. Cultural preservation: Supporting the preservation and celebration of cultural heritage and diversity to foster community identity and pride.

Overall, regeneration in societal development involves a comprehensive and collaborative approach to improving the well-being of communities, enhancing their resilience, and promoting sustainable development. It requires the involvement and engagement of community members, policymakers, businesses, and other stakeholders to drive meaningful and lasting change.

Wrapping it up

Summarised, a Chief Regeneration Officer – and regenerative mindsets and practices at large – can help businesses become more holistic and progressive in their development efforts. By facilitating transformation of leadership and governance ideals, qualities and capabilities, and by pushing for radical innovation on all dimensions including business models, businesses will be better equipped to thrive and have a positive impact in the time to come.?

What are your thoughts on regeneration, and the role as Chief Regeneration Officer?