Purpose Inspired #56

PICTURE OF THE WEEK - #FACES        

REFLECTION OF THE WEEK - #NOWNERSHIPS        

Private property is one of the foundations of capitalism. But are we seeing a shift to ‘nownership’? An Expedia study found 74% of Americans now favour experiences over products or things. This aligns nicely with the circular economy leasing business model. But it doesn’t always work. Sustainability pioneer Interface has tried for years to lease carpets, with little success. The tough nuts to crack are cost and convenience. Taking an Uber or Lyft is easier than driving and parking in a congested city. Can renting a lawnmower, drill, fridge, washing-machine, dress or jeans be as cost-effective and hassle-free?

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QUOTE OF THE WEEK - #BIOTIC        

“Our duty is to preserve the integrity, stability and beauty of the biotic community”

Quote from The Top 50 Sustainability Books | More quotes on?social responsibility,?sustainable business?and?transformational change

ARTICLE OF THE WEEK - #THE SIX HABITS OF REGENERATIVE LEADERS        

Today, we face numerous potential breakdowns in our global system, which calls for a new kind of leader, which I call regenerative leadership. Is regenerative leadership any different? Do we need leaders with different characteristics, for example? In the research I have done at Cambridge University and at Antwerp Management School, we have put this question to the test, and the short answer is yes—and no. We reached the conclusion that regenerative leadership (or whatever label you prefer to use) is not a separate school of leadership but rather a particular blend of leadership characteristics applied within a definitive context. For the sake of elegance and readability, I have distilled these into six regenerative leadership characteristics.

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PODCAST OF THE WEEK - REMAKING FASHION WITH REGENERATIVE COTTON        

My guest this week is Niccy Kol, Brand and Impact Catalyst for Raddis Cotton, which is building the world’s first regenerative cotton value chain, and Ambassador for Waste2Wear. Listen to Niccy talk about: Why promoting recycled and recyclable textiles in a circular economy do not go far enough – and why natural fibres are better; What it takes to create the world’s first regenerative cotton value chain – and four companies that are showing what’s possible; Why it is crucial for brands to invest directly in farmer livelihoods – and to cut out the intermediaries wherever possible; What certification brings in terms of benefits, but also why it acts as a barrier for small farmers to switch to regenerative organic agriculture; Why creating a regenerative corporate value chain is more responsible than spending money on corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities.

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POEM OF THE WEEK - THE MIGRANT'S LAMENT        

I am the crosser of borders / I am the sailor of seas / I am the cargo of smugglers / I am the hunted who flees

I travelled from cradles of violence / I travelled on paths full of grace / I travelled from terrors of nightmares / I travelled to dreams of this place

I echo your pattern of history / I foretell your future to come / I sleep in the cold of your shadow / I crave for the warmth of your sun

I do not come to make trouble / I do not come here to steal / I bring you the gift of my culture / I need but a moment to heal

I am the wilful survivor / I am the ghost of your fears / I am the triumph of spirit / I am the stain of your tears

I journeyed from harbours of safety / I journeyed on oceans unknown / I journeyed from homesteads of loving / I journeyed to new skies unflown

I wish for the same things you wish for / I share the same sadness and griefs / I strive for the life that you strive for / I don’t wish to change your beliefs

I do not come empty handed / I do not come here to take / I bring you the wealth of my talents / I need but a chance to remake

I am the story of ages / I am the angel of new / I am the bringer of changes / I am the migrant – like you

Poem link

BOOK OF THE WEEK - PURPOSE INSPIRED        

This is the third volume of Purpose Inspired, a collection of daily reflections written on conscious living and how that applies to business and everyday life. Each is a 100 word micro-essay on a different topic. Some are full of facts and figures; others are more philosophical and poetic. But they have a common theme, which is how we can change ourselves and the world for a better, brighter future. In this third volume, you can read about everything from carbon to curves, ants to Amabie, choice to cherries. You can learn about pandemics and Prometheus, bacteria and bioprinting, shactivism and synergetics. You can be inspired by music and mystery, fringes and faith, pollinators and possibilists. Every page is a new discovery.

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THOUGHT OF THE WEEK - #TIME        

We have carved up time, sliced it and diced it, kneaded and squeezed it, only to be left feeling divided, fragmented, stretched and pressured. We have tried to dam the flow of time, to freeze it and channel it, to make it work for us. Instead, we should think how we can serve others by giving our time away.

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THRIVING FEATURE OF THE WEEK - LEONARDO DA VINCI        

Who was the first systems scientist? That title probably belongs to the genius Leonardo Da Vinci, whose studies of nature and society showed a remarkable appreciation for their dynamic processes, whether it was the swirling vortices of water and air currents that he drew or his metabolic designs for cities as living organisms, where people, goods, food, water, and waste need to flow unimpeded. As modern-day systems scientist Fritjof Capra noted, reflecting on the theme of his book The Science of Leonardo, “His science was radically different from the mechanistic science that would emerge 200 years later. It was a science of organic forms, of qualities, of processes of transformation.

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