Regenerative Approaches to Systems Change
How might we co-create a shared compass to navigate and operationalize the principles of regeneration?
#regeneration #systems change #co-creation
Regenerative Approaches for Systems Change was a two part, collaborative webinar series designed to move beyond the theory of regeneration and into its practical application.
It functioned as a global inquiry and co-creation space, bringing together diverse voices to build a shared tool for navigating the complexities of systemic transformation.
co-creation.miro webinar #1 webinar #2
Overview
In a world grappling with systemic crises, "regeneration" has emerged as a powerful and hopeful alternative to simply sustaining a broken status quo. This two part webinar series was designed as a collective exploration into this vital field.
Hosted by the Si Environment Hub, Fito Network, and Greaterthan, the series convened innovators, practitioners, and community members to ask a fundamental question: What does regeneration truly mean, and how can we put its principles into practice?
Why it existed
To bridge the gap between the aspirational philosophy of regeneration and the practical needs of systems change practitioners.
The goal was to move beyond abstract definitions and co-create a tangible "Regenerative Compass" a guiding framework to help individuals and organizations navigate their work in a way that is truly life affirming, holistic, and impactful.
How it worked
Through a carefully sequenced, two part journey.
Part 1 was a Panel Discussion, where diverse thought leaders shared their unique insights and experiences, inspiring the community and setting the stage for the inquiry.
Part 2 was a Co-Creation Session, an interactive workshop where all participants used a shared digital canvas to synthesize ideas and collectively build the first version of the Regenerative Compass.
What it was
A public, two part webinar series that took place in May and June of 2025. It was a dynamic learning and co-creation experience, blending expert presentations with deep, participatory engagement.
The series produced not only a rich public dialogue but also a valuable open source tool, the Regenerative Compass, for the broader systems change community.
Who it was for
A diverse global community of "Regenerative Practitioners," including systems thinkers, sustainability advocates, researchers, community organizers, designers, and anyone passionate about fostering life affirming change.
The series brought together participants from dozens of countries, from Mexico to Germany.
The Challenge
The "How" of Regeneration
The idea of regeneration is gaining momentum as a powerful response to our global polycrisis. However, a significant gap exists between the inspiring "what" (the vision of a flourishing world) and the practical "how" (the specific tools, methods, and mindsets needed to get there).
Practitioners are often left with inspiring philosophy but without a clear compass to guide their daily work and strategic decisions.
A deep understanding of this challenge formed the essential foundation upon which this co-creation series was designed.
Key Barriers for Users
Defining Regeneration
"Regeneration" can be an abstract and often co-opted term. A core challenge is to move beyond superficial or "shallow" interpretations and toward a deep, shared understanding of its principles, from decolonization to seventh generation thinking.
Operationalizing Holism
Systems change practitioners are tasked with addressing deeply interconnected problems. They lack practical tools that help them see the whole system and design interventions that are truly holistic, rather than fragmented or siloed.
Navigating Complexity & Paradox
The work of regeneration requires navigating immense complexity and holding difficult paradoxes, such as the need to balance survival in existing, extractive systems while building new, regenerative ones.
Fostering Authentic Co-creation
True co-creation requires more than just a Zoom call. It requires skillful facilitation, a safe container for diverse perspectives, and a clear process for moving from dialogue to synthesis and tangible output.
Intervention
The intervention was a purpose built, two part digital event series designed to act as a global sense making and co-creation process. The strategy was grounded in blending expert inspiration with deep community participation to produce a practical, co-owned, and immediately useful tool.
Core Strategic Intent
The core strategic intent was to accelerate the practice of regeneration by co-creating a shared navigational tool for systems change practitioners.
By convening a diverse global community, the series aimed to collectively map the territory of regeneration and build a "Regenerative Compass" to guide future work.
Guiding Questions
The entire series was structured around four guiding questions that framed the inquiry:
What is regeneration?
Why is regeneration relevant for systems change?
What are the challenges of regeneration for systems change?
What are the opportunities of regeneration for systems change?
Intervention Model
Part 1: Panel Discussion (Inspiration & Inquiry)
The first session brought together a panel of leading innovators, including Christian Sarkar, Joy Njeri, Andrew McCue, and Federico Llamas Vidales.
They shared their diverse perspectives on regeneration, seeding the conversation with rich insights and inspiring the community for the journey ahead.
Part 2: Co-Creation Session (Synthesis & Creation)
The second session was an interactive co-creation guided by "Session Weavers" Hajar Tazi and Adrian Röbke. Participants worked together on a shared Miro board to synthesize the learnings from Part 1 and collaboratively design the first iteration of the Regenerative Compass, a framework for exploring the dimensions of place, design, perception, and healing.
Evolution
The series was a focused, high impact initiative that unfolded over two months in the spring of 2025.
May 14, 2025 – Part 1: The Panel Discussion: A global audience convened to hear insights from a diverse panel of thought leaders, sparking a rich conversation and framing the core questions of the series.
June 5, 2025 – Part 2: The Co-Creation Session: Participants from around the world gathered for an interactive workshop, successfully translating the insights from Part 1 into the first co-created version of the Regenerative Compass.
Team & Partners
This project was a collaborative effort, stewarded by a dedicated facilitation team and brought to life by a global community of speakers, weavers, and co-creators.
Team
Speakers
Partners
Get Involved
Contribute to the Co-Creation Board on Miro
The Miro Board is open to everyone. You are welcome to share resources, add comments, and contribute your reflections.
