Paul wants to reframe ESG (a way of managing risk) to one of regeneration (the potential for new value) as he approaches organisational systems through a framework that is inherently aligned with nature. His goal is to present his consultancy to commercial as well as public authorities, embedding regeneration in their value systems and ways of doing their work.
Could you tell us a little about your background
I have supported senior leaders in leading large-scale change across across Europe and in the US for more than 20 years. (My partners are all similarly skilled in change)
Clients include RWE/Innogy in Europe, NPower in the UK, Essent in the Netherlands, Pacific Gas and Electric in the USA, Marks & Spencer, Rolls Royce, the Welsh Government, the Ministry of Defence (UK), Santander Bank and the Church of England.
My clients describe me as empathetic, a close listener, a support at their shoulder but also as unflinchingly challenging.
I have many qualifications in facilitation (University of Surrey), in sustainability (University of Cambridge), in coaching and coaching supervision (Leeds Metropolitan University) but my wake-up call was training last year with Regenesis in the US, pioneers of 30 years work in regeneration. Their care for life, its fragility as well as its potential is supported by rigorous whole-living system frameworks. I am now combining all I have learned about leading successful change, across a variety of new and challenging regenerative projects.
What’s your business’ purpose and vision.
We are here to support you to reach the vision and goals you really care about, and to deliver the greatest value possible. To do this we help you put your customers’ own desire to thrive and create value in their lives, and with their own customers at the heart of your strategy.
The approach we use is ‘living systems thinking’ – because Nature creates value effortlessly - and keeps growing and evolving. We also help you see your value stream as a living system, to help ensure the value you source through the stream will keep on coming, keep ‘regenerating’ so you can grow and thrive over the long term. This brings harmony and balance between profit, society, and environment. And thus the need to comply with mounting regulation is turned from managing a risk, into an opportunity for new value creation.
If you are a public service you’ll want want local citizens, local communities to thrive. The focus is again value. We have facilitated and participated in many local planning processes. Conventional engagement rarely builds in a process to surface and codify what local people find meaningful, yet this is the source, the value that wants to regenerate. I will help you tap into this source so as to discover a fresh purpose and energy for ‘place’ that citizens and communities co-create together.
Tell us about your Sustainability journey up to today.
I’ve been trying to bring the two sides of my professional self into harmony for 20 years: the environmentalist and social entrepreneur (setting up local community supported agriculture projects, and a national membership organisation the National Forest Gardening Scheme), and the consultant, working in organisations, the specialist in the leadership of change.
As I mention above, it was my training in the US two years ago in Regenerative Practice that was the reconciling experience. Taking a living systems approach to change can teach us how to give profit a place in a way that supports life, and the potential for more life. 30 years of practice and inspiring case studies from the Americas shows us what an enormously positive impact this has socially, economically and environmentally.
Tell us a little about the work your company is doing.
We’re working on a range of projects:
1. With a global business introducing ‘living systems’ thinking to leaders to get the business to the next level of value creation and performance
2. Supporting a diverse group comprising community and public sector organisations in Devon motivated to create a Doughnut (Kate Raworth’s Doughut Economics) for Devon to ensure Devon stays within safe limits environmentally and ‘just’ limits socially but also that people can thrive too
3. Supporting the leader of an outdoor learning centre in Gloucestershire to map a pathway towards flourishing post pandemic, which frames the role of the centre as serving its local community, not only schools who use the space
4. Launching a podcast series called the Third Horizon which features conversations with visionary people who are bringing their visions of a future economy to life in their organisations, as an inspiration to the rest of us.
5. Working on a voluntary basis to support a local ‘bioregional’ group to discern the unique identity of the region and therefore its potential, and to work towards a River Avon Celebration in 2022.
What does being part of a community such as the Future Economy Network mean to you?
I’ve been interested for a while in how we feel more rooted on the land we stand on, and the benefit to feeling like we ‘belong’ here. I acted on this in my voluntary work, but I haven’t till recently brought this sentiment into my business. The FEN is already helping me feel more rooted in this place, in this region. I would like to work locally, grow my business here, and in my small way support this region to thrive. FEN has the network of pioneers where I’m likely to find people to start good conversations with!
Any resource that has helped you in your sustainability journey that you would like to share with our readership?
On the sustainability and complex systems side my inspirational people and authors have been James Lovelock, Donella Meadows, Rachel Carson, Stephan Harding, Henri Bortoft, Kate Raworth, Bill Baue, Ralph Thrum and Alexander von Humboldt.
On leadership of change, no question it has to be Deborah Rowland, author of Sustaining Change, and Still Moving.
What does a Future Economy look like for you?
More regionally focused, as a balance to the global economy
Slower, as we value well being over accumulation
More caring and resilient as the networks we build and strengthen with each other enable us to weather coming storms