Womindjeka RY23/24

As we pass the Solstice and the first Wattle begins to bloom, Naarm Melbourne’s business community enters a new Regeneration Year (RY). This time of personal, professional and organisational introspection is an opportunity to reflect on the deeper purpose of our ‘work’ on this Planet.

At Regeneration Projects, one of the ways that we celebrated this annual transition was with a Fire Circle featuring two incredible Elders, Grandmother Lánésáan Moonwalker and Aunty Donna Kerridge. In a 90-minute virtual gathering that brought together people from around the world, the Elders spoke about the dance of Earth, Sun and Moon which governs our lives and careers. Through their powers of storytelling they invited us to think about our interdependent relationships with other life forms as well as the need to consciously adapt as Mother Nature’s cycles and climates change.

While entering another economic period of continued uncertainty and turbulence, we feel so lucky to have access to Indigenous knowledge, Western science and Purpose-driven business tools to help us, and our collaborators, to navigate through. Take for example the Kulin word ‘Womindjeka’, not only a word meaning ‘Welcome’ it’s also a challenge to ‘Come with Purpose’. As purpose-driven leaders, it serves as a reminder to maintain the integrity of why we say and do the things we do.

So, what should our stakeholders expect of us in RY23/24?

Let me share three short stories that paint some kind of picture:

Firstly, while visiting the recent Whale Festival on Millowl / Phillip Island, I was reminded that we operate our business on the lands of the two Great Bays, Nairm / Port Phillip and Western Port. The Bays and the communities of people, plants, birds and animals that live within their catchments are our foremost stakeholders.

Looking out to Bass Strait (waiting for an epic splash!), I felt the anxiety of the Triple Planetary Crisis as well as the global Nature finance gap on my mind. I know that what we do on land affects these majestic mammals and their young.

This year we’re going to be extra conscious of our commitments to care for the Two Bays bio-region, noting that action in the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration needs to start in our own backyard but also connect to other bio-regions.

Secondly, a powerful artwork at the Melbourne Now exhibition at Federation Square has really caught my eye. Senior Boonwurrung Elder N’arweet Dr Carolyn Briggs AM and Palawa built environment practitioner Sarah Lyn Rees developed Gathering Space: Ngargee Djeembana. The piece presents a map of Victoria’s biological regions and materials stacked in front representing each. When I was standing there, N’arweet Carolyn’s words came into my mind; how are businesses reinvesting back into Country after they extract materials from her? For example, does that show up on B Impact Assessments, annual integrated reports or regen scorecards? I’ve introduced many colleagues to the artwork since because it captures so clearly the need for increasing private investment in ecological and cultural regeneration.

The last story came unexpectedly when I dropped into Patagonia’s CBD in Melbourne and picked up a copy of ‘Tools for Grassroots Activists’ on classic rainy day. Over time I’ve realised that supporting grassroots and frontline leaders holds such important value for myself personally but also for Regen Projects as a business.

Whether it’s the CEO of an environmental non-profit plunging into a river to raise awareness or a policy maker navigating government bureaucracy, an ecological entrepreneur setting up their 1% for the Planet commitment, an academic elevating Indigenous worldviews or any other person standing up against the odds to enable market-led regeneration, Regen Projects wants to be right there to support you!

So, this year we’re going to focus even more on resourcing who we call frontline ecological leaders (including those who work is without trendy labels like ‘regenerative’ or ‘circular economy’). We’re going to do this by investing time in growing our village where people can belong, distributing more innovative tools, building capacity inside pioneering organisations and playing our role of connecting the dots (i.e. herding cats) to increase the coordination and coherence of multi-sector actors.?

It's going to be a busy and exciting year, as always we’ll put Nature at the heart of our decision-making and follow the rhythm of Naarm Melbourne’s six Kulin seasons. Let’s heed the call ‘Womindjeka’. Let’s come with purpose this Regeneration Year!

Drop a note!

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