A dear and respected friend of mine leveraged a pandemic layoff to leave a fairly toxic corporate culture to pursue a new way of living that was more fulfilling. I was curious about his new passion for regenerative agriculture and asked for recommendations for learning more. The film Kiss the Ground provided me with a launching pad for a new way of seeing the world - not just relative to agriculture, but regeneratively, as a whole. This led me to learn about regenerative economies, business models, and leadership strategies.
The pandemic has been tremendously hard for many people. Myself included. Add to that the intersecting crises we are facing - ecological, economic, and social - and things can quickly feel overwhelming. I have found that the regenerative business community offers a hopeful alternative to “business as usual” and inspiring strategies for a better future for our work, society, and the planet.
Our work at Phillinnova has always been to facilitate better collaboration between stakeholders and to ensure an outcome-focused approach to creating social change. By infusing regenerative principles into our model, we are aligning with a more global vision of impact and a restorative method of business that views the organization as an ecosystem with a complex system of components that require nurturing. Examining how these systems connect and relate can help us create more effective strategies - from programming, communication, stakeholder engagement, and fundraising. The result is a thriving organization, creating better outcomes for their beneficiaries, and the world.
The nonprofit industry is composed of passionate humans who care deeply about people and the planet. Imagine the impact if collectively we prioritized contributing to a restorative, regenerative economy? I believe we can accelerate the social change needed to reverse the many crises we face.
If you are feeling a desire to recreate your organization, I encourage you to consider new, more life-affirming actions that you can take to reignite the passion for your mission. As I create strategy, I ask myself questions like the following:
Does this work help create a better environment for future generations?
Does this activity positively impact ALL stakeholders in the organization?
Am I allowing for input and collaboration that includes diverse perspectives?
If you are interested in learning more, here are a few resources to explore:
Stories of Regenerative Philanthropy
I’d love to hear your thoughts! If this resonates, or you have questions, drop me a line at julianna@phillinnova.com.