Sustainable Futures Project
The Sustainable Futures Project brings together the world’s best ideas and insights, resources and toolkits, on the fast-evolving topic of business sustainability, specifically focused on helping business leaders embrace and implement it in their organisations.
It is supported by a range of world class keynotes, seminars, workshops, consulting approaches and executive development programs, led by global expert Peter Fisk and supported by a portfolio of international partners.
The content is structured as below but can be customised into any format, and supported by additional content and case studies, depending on audiences and objectives.
Additional case studies just added include Airbus, Allbirds, BlackRock, Neste, Outerknown, and Radius Recycling.
The project brings together the best frameworks, concepts and case studies, and also practical and applied in the form of tools and templates to support effective application and implementation.
Topic 1: Better Business
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Business and society … Consider why the world’s problems are business problems, the scale of the diverse challenges environmentally and socially, as well as economically and operationally, and how business has the power to make a significant difference.
- Practical tools: Business and Society
- Additional resources:
- Video: For Tomorrow, by United Nations Development Program
- IPCC Press Release 2022: Time for action is now
- Transforming Business, Changing the World by UN Global Compact
- Compass for a Just and Regenerative Business by Forum for the Future
- Megatrends: Changing world built around nature by SITRA
- Climate Scenarios by BCG Henderson Institute
- Video: Yvon Chouinard, Growing the Sustainable Company
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Purposeful business … Explore how the world could be a better place because of your business, addressing the challenges and opportunities in this changing environment, and how an inspiring business purpose, can align your business and society’s goals.
- Practical tools: Purpose Circle
- Additional resources:
- BlackRock’s Larry Fink’s Annual Letter to CEOs
- 5 principles of a purpose driven business
- The Purpose Premium by Deloitte
- Video: Start with Why by Simon Sinek
- Example: Coca Cola CEO Purpose Letter
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Sustainable business … Understand what we mean by sustainability in business today, and why it is more than CSR or ESG, how sustainability is now opportunity-focused, purpose-driven, circular rather than just linear, and a catalyst for creativity.
- Practical tools: Sustainability Agenda
- Additional resources:
- Video: The World on Fire by Rebecca Henderson
- Strategies for Sustainable Business by MIT
- The Sustainability Transformation by Deloitte
- World’s 100 Most Sustainable Companies by Corporate Knights
- Video: 44.01, carbon mineralisation in Oman
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Responsible business … Consider more broadly what are the responsibilities of business within society, and how reputation and trust are fragile yet essential for business success, but require new ways of leading and operating business.
- Practical tools: Responsible Business Framework
- Additional resources:
- SDG Compass for Business by GRI and UN
- Video: Doughnut Economics by Kate Raworth
- Doughnut Business Design Process by DEAL
- Edelman Trust Barometer Global Report by Edelman
- Video: Vestas, sustainability in everything we do
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Value creation … Evaluate how business success is now much more than financial results, short or long-term, and how sustainability is crucial to igniting innovation, building brands, competitive advantage, and driving profitable growth.
- Practical tools: Challenge Map
- Additional resources:
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Creating a business case for purpose by Peter Fisk
- Why sustainability is crucial for corporate strategy by WEF
- What is the Blue Economy? by Guntar Pauli
- Reinventing Capitalism, A 2050 Vision by WBCSD
- The Visionary CEO Guide to Sustainability by Bain
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Topic 2: Sustainability
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Sustainability drivers … Consider the diverse range and relative importance of different types of sustainability issues – social, environmental, ethics, biodiversity, equality, inclusivity, etc – and specifically the role of the 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs).
- Practical tools: SDG Evaluator
- Additional resources:
- 232 SDG Indicators by Our World in Data
- Global Risks Report 2023 by WEF and McLellan
- Creating a strategy for a better world by PwC
- Living Planet Report by WWF
- Living Planet Index by WWF
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Circular business … Explore the development and definitions of the circular economy, and how companies are using it to seek a “net zero” or better approach to overall impact, within their business and across their broader ecosystem.
- Practical tools: Business Footprint
- Additional resources:
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What is the circular economy by Ellen MacArthur Foundation
- Circular Transformation of Industries by Bain/WEF
- Circular Examples, Arup to H&M, BlackRock to Phillips
- On, the Swiss circular running shoe
- Circularity Gap Report 2023 by Deloitte
- Nordic Circular Economy Playbook
- Growth with Circular Economy Business Models by SITRA
- Video: Circular Economy Examples
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Quantifying sustainability … Understand what are the different types of frameworks, including doughnuts and B Corps, and standards which help companies to structure their approach to sustainable development, and to measure and articulate their progress.
- Practical tools: ESG Audit
- Additional resources:
- In Search of Impact by Cambridge University
- Planetary Boundaries Framework by Johan Rockström
- What is ESG? by McKinsey
- What is ESG reporting, and how to do it by MovingWorlds
- Carbon Handprints
- Video: The B Corp Movement
- The B Corp Handbook: How to use business as a force for good
- B Corp Impact Assessment and B Corp Directory
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Sustainable design … Evaluate ways in which smarter design approaches combine function and form in more sustainable ways, achieving more from less, and ensuring that creative ideas are desirable, viable and feasible.
- Practical tools: Sustainable Design Process
- Additional resources:
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Natural solutions … Be inspired by the designs, innovations and systems of the natural world to consider business can “biomimic” them in order to create solutions which are novel, more effective, and more sustainable.
- Practical tools: Opportunity Map
- Additional resources:
- EcoFlix streaming channel
- Biomimicry Resource Handbook
- Video: Biomimicry by Janine Benyus
- Video: Mushrooms, the future of fashion by Dan Widmaier
- Video: 5 examples of biomimicry in architecture
Topic 3: Innovation
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Sustainable innovation … Consider how the diverse range of sustainability challenges can be opportunities to spark new ideas for innovation and growth, and how sustainable innovations can be more engaging to customers, and deliver profitable, positive impact.
- Practical tools: Impact Innovation
- Additional resources:
- 10 Types of Innovation by Doblin
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Video: Lucky Iron Fish by Christopher Charles
- Video: 8 sustainability ideas that will change the world by FT Rethink
- Video: 22 Inventions that are saving the earth by Inside Tech
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Conscious consumers … Explore what do customers really want, in consumer markets and ultimately for industrial companies too? How can you meet customer aspirations and do good at the same time, and will they even pay more for the solutions?
- Practical tools: Innovation Platforms
- Additional resources:
- Video: Pat Brown’s Impossible Burger
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Sustainability and consumer preferences by Cap Gemini
- Empowering sustainable consumers by BCG
- Video: NotPla, winner of the Earthshot Prize
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Problem solving … Consider how the biggest problems can become your best opportunities, and why business has the potential to solve them in better ways. However you need to connect the sustainability challenge with the customer problem if it is to be desirable and relevant.
- Practical tools: Innovative Solutions
- Additional resources:
- Too Good to Go, the story of zero waste
- Wicked7 by Christian Sarkar
- 50 reasons to be optimistic (sustainable innovations)
- Video: Red Sea Farms
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Enabling technologies … Bring together an understanding of the best emerging technologies, and in particular the data analytics capabilities which emerge from them, to understand how they can be used to drive more sustainable innovation.
- Practical tools: Sustainable Business Models
- Additional resources:
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Sustainable Technologies driving ESG by Gartner
- 20 Sustainable Technology Innovations by Sociable
- Video: Icon, 3D printed homes
- Video: Twelve, Co2 Made
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Business models … Reflect on how you can innovate your business holistically to address sustainability in more powerful and profitable ways, by utilising some of the many different types of sustainable business models.
- Practical tools: Innovation Map
- Additional resources:
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20 Sustainable Business Models by SustainAbility
- Video: Innovate your business model by Alex Osterwalder
- Sustainable Business Model Canvas by Threebility
- Video: Schneider Electric Global Innovation
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Topic 4: Transformation
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Sustainable transformation … Develop a transformational roadmap for implementing the wide range of changes which are required over time to deliver sustainability-based changes and innovations, and how they collectively deliver a journey with more impact.
- Practical tools: Strategic Shifts
- Additional resources:
- Video: Sustainable Transformation of Orsted
- Sustainability: Good for Business, Executive Playbook by EY/Microsoft
- The Transformation Playbook by Thinkers50
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Aligning business … Bring together the whole organisation in to deliver its purpose and sustainability at scale, understanding the many systems-based connections and contributions in every part of the business, as well as a shared culture and strategic priorities.
- Practical tools: Sustainability Roadmap
- Additional resources:
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Sustainable ecosystems … Understand how sustainability typically requires an ecosystem-wide view of what an organisation does – from suppliers to distributors, collaborators and even competitors, in order to deliver a systems-based circular solution with mutual benefits.
- Practical tools: Ecosystem Design
- Additional resources:
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Transforming experiences … Reflect on the experience of customers, where and how sustainability has most significance – particularly in its usage, storage, disposal etc – and how you can enable customers to achieve more sustainably too.
- Practical tools: Experience Design
- Additional resources:
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Enabling others … Explore the ways in which your business can enable other businesses, and other individuals, to be more sustainable, for example by sharing capabilities, technologies, or giving them platforms to multiply their impact.
- Practical tools: Transformation Map
- Additional resources:
Topic 5: Impact
- Positive impact … Explore what it means to be a “net positive” company, which seeks to go beyond net zero, and to make a positive difference to the world – to give back more than it takes from society and the environment.
- Practical tools: Positive Impact Evaluator
- Additional resources:
- A new, net positive role for business
- Is the world better because your business is in it?
- Video: Net Positive Company by Paul Polman
- Net Positive Readiness Test by Paul Polman
- Unilever Sustainable Living Plan
- Handprints: A net-positive approach by Greg Norris
- Carbon Handprints by Alliance Bernstein
- 98 “Better” KPIs, Stakeholder Integration with Conscious Capitalism
- Sustainable communities … Consider how communities can achieve more together, and how to build a community – be it an online brand community, or a physical local community – who can share in the resources, desire and actions of being more sustainable.
- Practical tools:Good Growth Portfolio
- Additional resources:
- Communicating sustainability … Articulate how to communicate the sustainability initiatives of your business, and propositions of your products and services, in ways that are authentic, relevant, desirable and simple – and to avoid the dangers of greenwashing.
- Practical tools: Sustainable Communications Framework
- Additional resources:
- Communicating Sustainability by Futerra
- Effective sustainability communications by Amfori
- Video: P&G brands as a force for good by Marc Pritchard
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Video: Dove Campaign for Real Beauty by Mark Ritson
- Sustainable leadership … Reflect on what it takes to lead a sustainable business, the specific leadership skills required to engage people, but also to drive and implement transformational change that delivers profitable and purposeful impact.
- Practical tools: Sustainable Leadership
- Additional resources:
- The Regenerative Leadership Journey by Regenerators Academy
- Life-Centric Organisations, 10Cs Capability Framework by RSA
- Closing the Sustainability Skills Gap by BCG/Microsoft
- Leading with a sustainable purpose by Cambridge University
- CXO Sustainability Priorities be Deloitte
- Sustainable Leadership by Russell Reynolds
- Natural optimist … Be inspired by the opportunities for business to make a bigger, bolder difference to the world – and also by progress which has already been made to create a better world. To be bold, brave and brilliant.
- Practical tools: Impact Map
- Additional resources:
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Reasons to be Cheerful: Incredible Progress by Peter Fisk
- Video: Javier Goyeneche, founder of EcoAlf
- Video: The Future will be shaped by optimists by Kevin Kelly
- An Epic Message to Save the World by spoken word artist Prince Ea
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More from Peter Fisk
Inspiring keynotes, executive workshops, strategy and innovation projects, and much more:
- Next Agenda of best ideas and priorities for business
- Megatrends 2030 in a world accelerated by pandemic
- 49 Codes to help you develop a better business future
- 250 companies innovators shaking up the world
- 100 leaders with the courage to shape a better future
- Education that is innovative, issue-driven, action-driving
- Consulting that is collaborative, strategic and innovative
- Speaking that is inspiring, topical, engaging and actionable