3.3 Regenerative businesses I: Doughnut design for business

Regenerative firms are businesses designed to create positive social and environmental impacts. It’s not enough for firms to consider only what they produce, though this is a start. 

This subtopic first explains the importance of business design for regenerative firms, followed by a deeper dive into purpose, networks, governance, ownership and finance. After learning about these elements, you can start to examine and redesign the businesses you have contact with, such as your own school, to unlock transformative business action (Figure 1).

By the end of Subtopic 3.3 Regenerative businesses I: Doughnut design for business, you should be able to:

• explain the broad transitions that businesses must make to become regenerative: linear to circular, extractive/divisive to distributive, and endlessly/aimlessly growing to needs-based and sufficient

• discuss the role and importance of purpose for regenerative businesses, including how purpose goes beyond mission/vision statements

• discuss the role and importance of networks for regenerative businesses, including the responsibilities of businesses to internal and external stakeholders

• discuss the role and importance of governance for regenerative businesses, including the disputed concept of fiduciary duty

• discuss the role and importance of ownership for regenerative businesses

• discuss the role and importance of finance for regenerative businesses