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Steven Sarasini
Forskningsledare
Contact StevenRegenerative Business and Design
Regenerative Development is increasingly salient with society and a strategic focus for industry, both within and beyond Sweden. Through regenerative business and design, companies can restore and enhance social and ecological systems and become frontrunners in the exciting field.
Regenerative design
This theme focuses on exploring how principles of regenerative development can be addressed in product and service design, and the implications for mindsets, design practices and methodologies. Key topics and questions within this theme include:
- What does it entail to design products and services with regenerative principles in mind?
- How can regenerative principles be integrated into design methods and practices?
- How may the inclusion of pluralistic knowledge bases in regenerative design promote ideation, co-creation and participation in the design process alongside social inclusion and the improvement of natural ecosystems as outcomes?
Experts in this area include Anneli Selvefors and Sara Renström.
Why regenerative?
The most cited definition of a circular economy is: “…a regenerative system in which resource input and waste, emission, and energy leakage are minimised by slowing, closing, and narrowing material and energy loops” (Geissdoerfer et al., 2017). However, the term “regenerative” is often overlooked in debates and practices related to the circular economy. The term derives from Regenerative Development, which targets the restoration and enhancement of ecological and social systems. In practice this means that innovation moves beyond efforts to improve resource efficiency and reduce environmental impacts towards the betterment of nature and society. How may this be achieved?
Recent research from RISE (Selvefors and Renström, 2024) identifies a number of key foundations on which development work should be based, including:
- Design approaches that are co-creative, inclusive and place-based
- Developments that embrace complexity and support ecosystem resilience
- Processes that draw from collective wisdom by embracing pluralistic knowledge bases.
RISE is actively pursuing research on integrating regenerative principles into business practices and design through an emerging research and innovation agenda that encompasses a number of key themes:
Regenerative business models
This theme identifies, develops and evaluates commercial business opportunities linked to regenerative business models. Key topics and questions within this theme include:
- What are regenerative business models?
- How can companies derive profit and competitive advantage from regenerative opportunities?
- How can companies incorporate and integrate regenerative business logics, strategies and design practices?
- How may companies collaborate with local communities and natural ecosystems as key partners in broader, co-evolutionary processes of transformation?
Experts in this area include Rut Meyersson, Marcus Linder and Steven Sarasini.
Regenerative business ecosystems
The term Regenerative Business Ecosystems refers to nested circular systems that contribute to regenerative outcomes, as part of a place-based approach. An example is that of regenerative neighbourhoods, which combine circular buildings, water and waste systems with permaculture and renewable energy systems to make net positive contributions to local ecosystems. Regenerative Business Ecosystems refer to the constellation of actors and related activities that are needed to make such neighbourhoods a reality. Key topics and questions within this theme include:
- What skills and techniques are required to enable leadership within Regenerative Business Ecosystems?
- How may barriers and obstacles to effective coordination and collaboration in Regenerative Business Ecosystems be overcome?
- How may critical stakeholders, including future generations and nature, be represented in Regenerative Business Ecosystems?
- What role/s can artificial intelligence (AI) play in providing key capabilities in Regenerative Business Ecosystems ?
Experts in this area include Rut Meyersson and Steven Sarasini.
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