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Innovation Inspired by Nature a powerful way to operationalize nature-society synergies
ALTERNET CONFERENCE GENT
Nature and society: synergies, conflicts, trade-offs
03/05/2017 Leen Gorissen
Premise
“The business world is an important partner
to rebuild the relationship between
nature & society”
By inspiring businesses to innovate like
nature they can shift to a value logic of
“doing well by doing good”
Insights based on
A DECADE OF TRANSITION RESEARCH
Key findings
THE SUSTAINABILITY CHALLENGE IS NOT ABOUT
TECHNOLOGY.
IT IS ABOUT
‘HOW TO ORGANISE THE TRANSITION’
‘HOW TO CHANGE THE LOGIC OF VALUE CREATION’
DEGENERATIVE GENERATIVE REGENERATIVE
$$$ “sustainable”
‘HOW TO DEVELOP & IMPLEMENT NEW ROLES’
E.g. Teaming Innovation Biologists & CEOs to learn how to
‘Innovate like Nature’ Pics © nexxworks San Francisco Tour (April 2017)
‘HOW TO DEVELOP NEW PARTNERSHIPS & NETWORKS’
Innovation Biologists & System Thinkers team up with entrepreneurs
But most of all
‘HOW TO RECONNECT HUMANS TO NATURE’
“We the people” vs “what is out there”
FOR, THE ILLUSION OF SEPARATION BETWEEN HUMANS -
NATURE IS THE ROOT CAUSE OF OUR CURRENT CRISIS
AS LONG AS WE DO NOT UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE NATURE,
WE REMAIN TRAPPED IN “MANAGEMENT OF UNSUSTAINABILITY”
Momentum Now, there is extraordinary
BUSINESS CHALLENGES
Peak oil, peak burn-out, disruption, volatility, complexity,
uncertainty, ambiguity, political & ecological crises,…
BUSINESS PIONEERS RECOGNIZE THAT THEY NEED A
NEW PARADIGM FOR INNOVATION
“I think the biggest innovations of the 21st century will be at the intersection of biology and technology.
A new era is beginning.”
- Steve Jobs -
What can we learn from superorganisms that have been succesfull for billions of years?
BIOMIMICRY – mimic mother nature
Framework
BIOMIMICRY
Innovation inspired by nature
WHY?
It is the largest R&D project in history
BIOMIMICRY
the Art and Science of studying the natural world,
translating nature’s time-tested, life-friendly
strategies & principles and applying these to
human design & organisational challenges.
=
FORM model – surface - texture
PROCESS Series of operations
(ECO)-SYSTEM Networks of which the sum
is more than the parts
DIFFERENT LEVELS
FORM: E.G. MODELLING TRAIN FRONT AFTER THE
KINGFISHER’S BEAK TO INCREASE STREAMLINING
PROCESS: E.G. PRODUCING NON-TOXIC YET
HIGHLY EFFECTIVE ADHESIVES LIKE THE MUSSELS
SYSTEM: E.G. WASTE RECYCLING AND UPCYCLING LIKE NATURE’S DECOMPOSER-FILTER SYSTEMS
ORGANISATIONAL DEVELOPMENT: LEARNING FROM
SUPERORGANISMS HOW TO BUILD RECIPROCAL NETWORKS,
COLLECTIVE INTELLIGENCE, DISTRIBUTED LEADERSHIP AND
REGENERATIVE VALUE
E.G. Reciprocation histories are a
good way to
snowball
cooperation and
discourages cheating:
Business sense Bio-inspired innovation makes
Towards a rstorative enterprize
1$ billion turnover
110 countires, 5 production locations
3500 employees
Business in EU:
95% RE
98% reduction of GHG
50% lower footprint
50% recycled and bio-based material
Reduced costs
Increased reputation
Engaged employees & stakeholders
Driving innovation
Future resilience
Wider system change: innovation spirals
along the supply chain
It is about co-innvation & co-llaboration
It is so much more fun to work this way
95% Renewable Energy
98% reduction of GHG 50% lower footprint
50% recycled and
bio-based material
1$ billion turnover
110 countries
5 production locations
3500 employees
“Be the first company that, by its deeds, shows the entire
world what sustainability is in all its dimensions: people,
process, product, place and profits – and in doing so,
become restorative through the power of influence.”
Business in the EU
No two leaves are the same on the
forest floor.
Why would carpet tiles need to be
identical?
Gecko’s don’t need glue to stick
ENTROPY CARPET TILE TAC TILE
No two leaves are the same on the
forest floor.
Why would carpet tiles need to be
identical?
Gecko’s don’t need glue to stick
FROM ZERO TO POSITIVE IMPACT
“DOING WELL BY DOING GOOD” INTERFACE SHOWS THAT IT CAN BE DONE
Interfaces We need more
BRING SYSTEMS THINKING & BIO-INSPIRATION TO THE BUSINESS WORLD
WHILE BUILDING CAPACITY FOR EVOLUTION
INTO OUR ORGANISATIONS
OUTSIDE IS WHERE RECONNECTING TO NATURE
HAPPENS!
CEOs experiencing rules of self-organising systems in the heart of San
Francisco and taking entrepreneurs outside in Oakland (April 2017)
THE NL MINISTRY OF ECONOMIC AFFAIRS ALREADY INVESTS IN BIOMIMICRY
THE BUSINESS WORLD IS READY TO IMPLEMENT INNOVATION INSPIRED BY NATURE.
RESEARCH & GOVERNMENTAL INSTITUTIONS
COULD HELP SCALE BIO-INSPIRED INNOVATION
Together we can transform exploitative value
regimes into regenerative ones.
WHAT ARE WE WAITING FOR?
