The Flourishing Enterprise Institute

Originally posted on LinkedIn

Earlier this month we launched the Flourishing Enterprise Institute (FEI). Seven years in the making, 1600+ members strong, and 80+ monthly meetings later, it aims to be a planetary network of applied research nodes dedicated to accelerating the development and mobilization of practical knowledge and innovative solutions that will enable all organizations and their stakeholders to accelerate progress toward a flourishing future. 

Our members include experts in the field, from around the world, who have collectively produced dozens of peer-reviewed articles and delivered countless workshops and conference presentations, benefiting immensely from being part of this community. Core functions of the FEI include applied research, network development, as well as building the movement.

It is the next evolution and maturation of the successful global community known as the Strongly Sustainable Business Models Group (SSBMG) formed in 2012, of which I have been a member for over two years, and currently serve on the FEI Advisory Committee as the only representative for the Australasian region. For those based on this side of the world, I encourage you to contact me and explore opportunities to collaborate.

The group comprises a growing field of researchers, experts and leading professionals innovating to enable the shift by organizations from incrementally doing less harm, toward achieving the science-based definition of sustainability through transformational change at the scope, speed, and scale necessary to ensure the long-term thrivability of humankind. We currently have a node in North America and are making inroads in Europe in a number of locations.

Given my strong ties with Australia, China, Singapore, Philippines, and Thailand, I am currently working towards establishing FEI nodes in these countries. Solving the sustainability challenge requires collaboration rather than competition at all levels from the nano scale to the micro, meso and macro scales. We can all contribute towards the long term thrivability of our species from at home through to the workplace and during our leisure time.

In fact, more specifically our group is collaborating with a number of organizations on the sustainability front dedicated to fighting human extinction as we know it, and assisting organizations to flourish through projects like Aim2flourish, Future-Fit Business Benchmarking, r3.0, Refocus and our very own THRIVE sustainability performance scorecard.

The reality is that whilst organizations to date are the largest culprit for our degenerative plight, they concurrently represent our greatest opportunity to resolve the crisis, with humanity standing to benefit the most. Although I have touched on this key point in past blogs, the message is worth repeating. There is no sustainable business in an unsustainable world, thus our efforts to save humanity from its own demise requires all of us to pro-actively participate by encouraging companies to do good to do well.

There is no one organization, government body or even country that has the ability to succeed alone. Hence I ask you to become part of the FEI community, signup, contribute and be heard. Whether you are a social entrepreneur, manager at a large multinational, a single tradesperson or house-person or even student, we can all contribute to the solution rather than exacerbating the problem. Examples including switching to renewable energy and battery storage, halting deforestation and biodiversity loss, partaking in the sharing economy and implementing reduce, re-engineer, reuse, and recycling at scale.

If we are to combat the climate crisis, deforestation and loss of biodiversity, social inequity and injustice, destruction of our environment by excessive pollution and toxic waste and more, we need to act now based on what the best available science tells us is necessary (eg: read is veganism sustainable?). Twentieth-century value creation has brought us mono-capitalism. Now, the twenty-first century has ushered us in a race to avert our very own extinction. We must do more than just survive, but rather flourish and thrive.

Innovate or be exterminated? With necessity being the mother of all inventions, we are now well poised to accelerate at speed, scale, and scope necessary and sufficient to achieve the required transition. Great research and findings abound, examples of which I have discussed before such as in the realm of space science or with safer nuclear reactors or meatless burgers, just to name a few. Whatever the challenge, solutions are forthcoming, and it is up to us now to be motivated to make the thrivable transformation.

The FEI is seeking expressions of interest by those wishing to aid the transition of organizations towards sustainability. If you like to contribute, know more or even explore the process, then please contact me. I am also available and can be reached here by request to speak to your social or business groups on this very important topic. Be sure to strive to thrive!

* More details as well as a downloadable document on the Flourishing Enterprise Institute available here.