New trend report: Regeneration Rising: Sustainability Futures

Change is coming. We are on the cusp of an impactful new era that harnesses regenerative practices, with an unparalleled opportunity to reshape the way we live, learn, work and do business for the better.

In the wake of the pandemic, a growing consensus is emerging that the current system is failing people and planet. Economic and social inequality is widening, driving unrest. Meanwhile, human impacts have led us to a climate emergency and a biodiversity crisis.

As we laid out in our 2018 report, “The New Sustainability: Regeneration,” regeneration goes beyond sustainability—aiming for a positive and restorative impact, rather than just seeking to do less harm. Brands that adopt regenerative practices will build resilience and be well-placed to tap emerging opportunities.

In the words of John Elkington, founder of change agency Volans and an authority on corporate responsibility and sustainable capitalism, “we are at an inflection point.” This will be a time of transition, turbulence and disruption, as old systems creak and shift, and a new order seeks to impose itself.

The 92-page report identifies nine emerging trends across the three pillars of planet, people and prosperity. Within each pillar lie opportunities for brands to use regeneration as a framework for driving lasting change.

Highlights include:

Back to the Earth

Brands are helping to grow and scale the practices of regenerative agriculture, which harks back to traditional farming practices. The approach makes for healthier soil, better biodiversity and even sequesters carbon.

Intersectional Environmentalism

Social and environmental justice are inextricably intertwined. To be truly sustainable, brands and businesses must adopt an intersectional approach, tackling systemic inequities alongside the climate crisis.