Thriving: The Breakthrough Movement to Regenerate Nature, Society, and the Economy

By Wayne Visser

An innovation agenda for tackling our biggest global societal challenges, including the climate emergency

Written by a top thinker in sustainability and responsible business, Thriving promotes change through innovation and transformation in nature, society, and the economy. It showcases new approaches in economics, business, and leadership to address a wide range of topics, including ecosystem destruction, species extinction, plastic waste, air pollution, gender equality, social justice, physical health, mental well-being, access to technology, job automation, pandemics, and climate change, among others.

Thriving strives to:

• Inform about why change is necessary and how it happens in society, as well as counter prevailing despair and pessimism about the state of the world with hope and optimism
• Inspire with what change is possible and where it is already happening, showing how we can go from problems of breakdown to breakthrough solutions
• Impel by creating a desire to turn information and inspiration into action, adding momentum to the growing regeneration movement

​Thriving is not an exercise in blind optimism in technology or other miracle-cure solutions; rather, it is an accessible approach to systems thinking and an offer of pragmatic hope based on purpose-driven creativity and innovation. Whether you’re a professional in the sustainability field or someone who simply wants to be better informed about ways to take positive action, this thorough guide is for you.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Greenleaf Book Group
• Release date: Mar 8, 2022
• ISBN: 9781639080083

Book preview

Advance Praise for

THRIVING

"Thriving is a brilliant and comprehensive overview of the burgeoning movement to regenerate our land, products, forests, cities, and society. Wayne’s infectious optimism is borne from the possibilities that are emerging when people fully embrace the ecological and social crises we face and human imagination aligns with the life of the planet."

—Paul Hawken, author of Regeneration:

Ending the Climate Crisis in One Generation

A key insight of the theory of living systems is the realization that life, at all levels, is inherently regenerative. In this book the author explores the social, economic, and political implications of this insight, which are critical to overcoming our multifaceted crisis. He skillfully lays out a coherent framework for regeneration, illustrated with countless examples of innovative solutions, at the levels of ecosystems, societies, economies, and organizations. An inspiring and tremendously hopeful book!

—Fritjof Capra, author of The Hidden Connections

and The Systems View of Life

Visser’s book is not just another call to action—it is a must-read guide for how businesses can realise their potential by fundamentally changing their relationship with nature, society, and the economy.

—Mads Nipper, CEO of Ørsted

At last, a positive, upbeat set of ideas for our future. This book will inform all of us who are committed to a great future for our children.

—R. Edward Freeman, author of The Power of And:

Responsible Business without Trade-Offs

Wayne Visser offers the reader a wide-ranging blueprint for a better future rooted in regeneration, which is different from sustainability as practiced in today’s corporate boardrooms. Combining prospective storytelling with hard data on existing social and global challenges, as well as practical guidance on how to take action, this prophetic masterpiece brings a thriving future into the present.

—Chris Laszlo, PhD, author of

Quantum Leadership and Flourishing Enterprise

Thriving is the new sustainability. To better understand why, go no further, and read this book.

—Jonas Haertle, Chief of the Office of the Executive Director,

UN Institute for Training and Research

A must-read for everyone ignited by regeneration! Wayne’s clear style, underpinned by eye-opening data on global challenges, addresses a wide audience, fostering engagement and integrated thinking in all who want to take action and thrive.

—Jacques Vandermeiren, CEO of the Port of Antwerp

Wayne Visser’s book is just about as timely as any book published today could possibly be. It is a must-read—NOW!

—Ervin Laszlo, author of The Upshift: Meeting the Challenge

"Thriving is a wonderful orientation to the thinking and practices required for our society to address the many shortcomings and great possibilities before us today. "

—Jed Emerson, author of The Purpose of Capital:

Elements of Impact, Financial Flows, and Natural Being

This is a wonderful book that … draws both expertly and brilliantly on the underlying science of systems thinking to offer an original framework on the keys to thriving. This book should be a set text for students of sustainability and is indispensable reading for current and future leaders, who must step up to deliver the business innovations, societal changes, and ecosystem regeneration that we so urgently need.

—Dame Polly Courtice, DBE, LVO, emeritus director of the

University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership

"I hope and expect that our future selves and the next generation will look back on the Regenerative Twenties and the Thriving Thirties as a celebration of the insight, inspiration, and intent gained from Wayne Visser’s book Thriving."

—John North, executive director of the

Globally Responsible Leadership Initiative

Wayne Visser has written a whale of a book. He provides a road map for nothing less than the reinvention of the world—and how business can overcome the forces of breakdown to foster planetary thriving. … A must-read—and one you will never forget.

—Stuart L. Hart, author of Capitalism at the Crossroads and

Steven Grossman Distinguished Fellow in Sustainable Innovation

at the University of Vermont Grossman School of Business

"Thriving … inspires hope to regenerate our planet before it is too late—not based on blind faith but based on a dazzling myriad of insights, data, testimonies, cases, role models, and stories of real heroes. … A true inspiration for the contemporary leader."

—Steven Poelmans, PhD, author of Paradoxes of Leadership

This leading and pioneering work … is a must-read for all those with an open mind aiming to have a positive impact on society. … Thank you, Wayne, for guiding us toward a responsible management mindset.

—Steven De Haes, PhD, dean of Antwerp Management School

"When you look at planet Earth from a living-systems perspective, you realize that sustainability is not a goal in itself; it is the by-product of the biological process of regeneration. … In his newest book, Thriving, Wayne Visser makes a solid case for regeneration. He offers not only points for action but many beautiful, heart-stirring poems drenched in wisdom that will stay with you."

—Leen Gorissen, innovation biologist and author of Building the

Future of Innovation on Millions of Years of Natural Intelligence

"Positivity is the main takeaway of Thriving. Visser demonstrates how people, the planet, and business can prosper sustainably in the future. This commitment to regenerative solutions is also why Randstad is a proud supporter of the world’s first academic chair in sustainable transformation at Antwerp Management School, resulting in the development of the Future Resilience Index and the Good Work Goals. Along with Visser, we strongly believe that putting people first is essential for the health of our economy, society, and nature. That is the only way to cocreate a world for us all to thrive in."

—Jacques van den Broek, CEO of Randstad Group

Consistent with our J&J credo, Professor Wayne Visser shows that caring deeply about people and the environment, and using science and innovation to create scalable solutions, is the best way to ensure a future in which nature, society, and the economy can all thrive together. The book’s inspiring examples, underlying science, and pragmatic advice make it an essential guide for leaders who want to make a positive impact and leave the world better than they found it.

—Kris Sterkens, Company Group Chairman of

Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies, Johnson & Johnson, EMEA

This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that the publisher and author are not engaged in rendering any professional services. If expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional should be sought.

Fast Company Press

New York, New York

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Copyright © 2022 Wayne Visser

All rights reserved.

Thank you for purchasing an authorized edition of this book and for complying with copyright law. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission from the copyright holder.

This work is being published under the Fast Company Press imprint by an exclusive arrangement with Fast Company. Fast Company and the Fast Company logo are registered trademarks of Mansueto Ventures, LLC. The Fast Company Press logo is a wholly owned trademark of Mansueto Ventures, LLC.

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22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29    10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

First Edition

For all who inspire hope through action,

who refuse to give up on people and the planet,

and who are helping regenerate nature, society, and the economy

To Indira,

who embodies the spirit of thriving

To Andi, Dorian, and Veneta,

who will inherit the world we regenerate

To Mom, Dad, Juanita, and Jordan,

who remind me that there are many ways to thrive

THRIVING

Our life is so much more than a duty or a chore

Of merely getting by without a why or what for

The law of tooth and claw, the struggle to exist

To rally and resist against life’s slow decay

The way of entropy, of living just to see

Another day, to stay, to endure and survive

No, life is meant to thrive

In nature all things grow, from seed to tree, we know

The cycle of living through giving, of reap and sow

The flow, things come and go, the cycles of grooming

From sprouting to blooming, of stretching for the light

The bright palette of hope, the diverse ways to cope

To cherish and flourish, bursting forth and alive

For nature means to thrive

Society lives too, a melting pot we brew

From cultures and crises, with spices for flavor

And kindness to savor, ideas for conceiving

And goals for achieving that stretch us and bind us

That find us, together in all kinds of weather

Wanting what’s fair, to care, longing to love and strive

For society to thrive

The markets live and breathe in complex webs we weave

The synapses of trade have made the things we need

Each deed a chance to lead, while tech is getting smart

Yet still, it needs a heart, a compass as a guide

To tide us through the storm and find a better norm

A breakthrough to renew, an innovation drive

Yes, markets too can thrive

All life is meant to rise, to reach up to the skies

To move beyond the edge, to fledge with hopeful cries

Life tries until it flies, it shakes and spreads its wings

And trills each note it sings, while given time and space

The race of life is run, full powered by the sun

On land, in seas, like bees’ sweet nectar from the hive

All life is made to thrive.

Contents

Foreword by John Elkington

Prologue: Hope

Section I. The Great Reset

 1. Thriving

 2. Paradox

Section II. Regenerating Nature

 3. Restoration

 4. Renewal

Section III. Regenerating Society

 5. Responsibility

 6. Revitalization

Section IV. Regenerating the Economy

 7. Rewiring

 8. Resilience

Section V. Regenerating Organizations

 9. Integration

10. Leadership

Epilogue: Witness

Acknowledgments

Notes

Bibliography

Index

About the Author

Foreword

Having once nearly drowned off the coast of South Africa, Wayne Visser knows what it is like to be frightened for one’s own life—and he also knows what it is like to be terrified that our very civilization is heading for the abyss. But there is an immense gulf between those who respond by marching up and down the high street with placards and those who work into the system to effect real, and increasingly radical, change.

An effective educator, Wayne is also a poet—and it shows. The words, the language, in this book are chosen and honed to build a sense that even this existential crisis of ours can be successfully overcome. This stubborn optimism, as Christiana Figueres describes it,¹ is critical if we are to make the transition to societies and economies that help create and sustain the conditions for more life, of all species.

A central theme in Thriving is that all organisms, including humans, live and breathe and continue to exist because they regenerate. The same is true for other living systems, such as ecosystems, societies, and economies. Without regeneration, there would be no spring flowers; no seasonal return of birds, bees, and butterflies; no babies being born; no infants turning into children, teenagers, and adults; no start-up enterprises; no corporations; no technology innovations; no political parties or governments; no development of countries; no rise of civilizations; no forests and oceans alive with species; no living earth.

At the same time, Wayne stresses, we also see many forms of degeneration—processes of decline, decay, and death. Worse, he notes, scientists "say that there is an inherent tendency in the universe toward disorder or chaos, called entropy. The world tends toward disorganization, they say, and we see the signs all around us. We are born, but we also die. Beyond the human life cycle, whole species emerge and go extinct. Companies are formed and file for bankruptcy. Stock markets have bull runs and crashes. Economies boom and go bust. Civilizations rise and they fall. Ecosystems thrive but can also collapse."

Still, as he assures us, "life constantly triumphs over death; it tends toward synergy, where parts join to form a greater whole. Living systems create structure in the midst of randomness; they allow order to emerge from chaos. This is thriving, and it is a life-affirming process that does not happen by chance. It takes energy and resources and time. It requires the forging of complex relationships."

Around the world, people are now finally waking up to the fact that regeneration has to be central to everything we do. No longer is it enough to try to slow down the processes of degeneration. Thriving applies equally to nature, society, and the economy, encompassing our health, organizations, infrastructure, technologies, resources, and ecosystems. To use a medical metaphor, … thriving is not a drug cure for a particular disease but rather the necessary shift to a healthy lifestyle.

Ask Wayne what he intends his book to be, what he wants us to take away from it, and this is how he puts it: Thriving is not:

•A denial of the scale and severity of the problems now facing the world

•An exercise in blind optimism in technology or other miracle-cure solutions

•A self-help book or a collection of happily ever after prescription

Instead, he explains, Thriving is:

•An attempt to make systems thinking more accessible and applicable

•An offer of pragmatic hope linked to purpose-driven creativity and innovation

•A possibilist book rooted in the power of transformational movements

That last point is the essence of his story. He is, above all else, a possibilist. And this is a state of mind, a state of being, that I recognize from all the great changemakers I have been privileged to meet and, in many cases, work with over the decades.

My own conclusion is that we are at one of those great civilizational inflection points that comes perhaps once in a lifetime. But this time, instead of world wars waged against other societies, we have been waging an unwitting war against our own planet—and, tragically, we have been winning.

The black swan trajectories that now have the power to send our economies spiraling off into the abyss press in with increasing urgency, among them the climate and biodiversity emergencies that are increasingly obvious to ordinary citizens in the form of once-in-a-lifetime floods, droughts, and conflagrations.

Happily, we also see growing numbers of green swan trends, driving us toward breakthrough forms of progress. It is time for us all to step up— or get out of the way. Wayne Visser has stepped up in Thriving—and invites us all to do likewise.

John Elkington

Cofounder of SustainAbility and Volans

Author of The Green Consumer Guide and

Green Swans: The Coming Boom in Regenerative Capitalism

PROLOGUE

Hope

In the face of an absolutely unprecedented emergency, society has no

choice but to take dramatic action to avert a collapse of civilization.

Either we will change our ways and build an entirely new kind

of global society, or they will be changed for us.

—Gro Harlem Brundtland and colleagues, "Environment

and Development Challenges: The Imperative to Act"

Be Aware but Not Afraid

I will never forget the day I nearly drowned. My wife and I were enjoying a beach vacation at Sodwana Bay along the South African coast of KwaZulu-Natal. My parents were there too, and it happened to be their wedding anniversary. When we arrived at the beach, we paid scant attention to a sign warning of dangers. Beware of hippos, sharks, crocodiles, and the strong current, it said. I was born and grew up in Africa, and signs like this are not unusual or cause for any great panic. They simply mean keep your eyes peeled and your wits about you; be aware but not afraid.

Of the four risks, the least obvious one turned out to be the deadliest. When my wife and I went for a swim in the ocean, the waves were big and the tide was strong, but this only made it more fun. Neither of us is a stranger to swimming in the ocean, and we had no fear. However, at a certain moment, we noticed that we were no longer able to touch the seabed. A riptide, which is a strong undertow current, was dragging us farther and farther out to sea. When we tried to swim back to the shore, it was futile; the current was too strong.

In the end, by swimming diagonally across the current, we made it back to the beach. But there were a few frightening minutes, as we became fatigued, when we didn’t think we would make it. We nearly drowned. When you come face-to-face with death like that, it gets you thinking deeply about life. Life is fragile and precious, and we have so little time on this earth. My relief was quickly followed by gratitude for being alive—for being given a second chance—and then reinforced by a strong resolve to make a positive difference in the world with whatever time I had left.

I see this personal story as a powerful metaphor for the state of the world. The fact is that we face many serious risks as a global society—climate change, pandemics, growing inequality, species extinction, extremism, cyberattacks, toxic pollution, and many others. And like the sign on the beach, they are all dangers that we have been warned about but have chosen to ignore or downplay.

I understand why we do this. Responding to the global challenges we face interferes with our plans. They are, as Al Gore put it, inconvenient truths.¹ The outcomes may be too scary to contemplate, and the solutions may be too expensive. No wonder ignorance is bliss. There are none so blind as those who do not want to see. But closing our eyes does not make the problems magically disappear. On the other hand, if we can face up to the dangers and turn them into opportunities, our lives can be even better than before. If we can weather the storm, we will be more alive than ever.

I learned some interesting lessons that day—and maybe we can apply them to our global challenges as well. I realized that it was not the riptide that would have killed us. Rather, it was the fact that we panicked and nearly lost hope. We almost gave up the fight. This book is about not giving up. Its main theme is thriving, which is not unlike what I experienced in the wake of my encounter with death. I felt alive, invigorated, rejuvenated, and filled with renewed purpose.

In the same way, right now, we are navigating extraordinary global crises that could result in either the collapse or the thriving of nature, society, and the economy. It is a time of great transformation in the world, when rapid changes are bringing innovative solutions to counter the great dangers we face. In the pages that follow, I share stories of the hundreds of ways in which we are choosing life over death and possibility over despair. My message is simple: Don’t panic! There is hope. We will survive. We will even thrive. I know this because it is already happening all around us.

Thriving as a Force for Life

Thriving is possible for life on earth because of regeneration. All organisms, including humans, live and breathe and continue to exist because they regenerate. The same is true for other living systems, such as ecosystems, societies, and economies. Without regeneration, there would be no spring flowers; no seasonal return of birds, bees, and butterflies; no babies being born; no infants turning into children, teenagers, and adults; no start-up enterprises; no corporations; no technology innovations; no political parties or governments; no development of countries; no rise of civilizations; no forests and oceans alive with species; no living earth.

Thriving is a natural process. But it is not the only process of life. We also see degeneration—processes of decline, decay, and death. Scientists go further to say that there is an inherent tendency in the universe toward disorder or chaos, called entropy. The world tends toward disorganization, they say, and we see the signs all around us. We are born, but we also die. Beyond the human life cycle, whole species emerge and go extinct. Companies are formed and file for bankruptcy. Stock markets have bull runs and crashes. Economies boom and go bust. Civilizations rise and they fall. Ecosystems thrive but can also collapse.

Yet it is this very somber reality of degeneration that makes life all the more incredible, since living organisms—and living systems more generally—regularly and continuously defy those processes of destruction and death. Life constantly triumphs over death; it tends toward synergy, where parts join to form a greater whole. Living systems create structure in the midst of randomness; they allow order to emerge from chaos. This is thriving, and it is a life-affirming process that does not happen by chance. It takes energy and resources and time. It requires the forging of complex relationships.

To be sure, life does not always thrive. But as humans we can consciously choose to create or destroy, to build up or break down. We do not always choose wisely. We sometimes choose short-term gain over long-term survival. We choose selfish actions over sharing with others. We choose personal comfort and convenience over fairness in society or balance in nature. But we also often make positive choices—choices of solidarity and conservation, choices that will benefit our children and their children, choices that respect the dignity of others and the right of all life to exist. These are choices in support of thriving.

Our choices matter now more than ever. The decisions we make and the actions we take in the next 10 years will determine whether nature, society, and the economy break down or break through. I am confident we will choose to thrive—as many have done before us. Regeneration as a path to thriving can be traced throughout history, as seen through the eyes and actions of philosophers and scientists, governments and religions, merchants and artists. What is new, however, is our deeper understanding of the science of thriving and how it can be practically applied in areas such as agriculture and architecture or business and leadership.

Each discipline has been quick to claim a version of the concept for itself—especially the regenerative agriculture movement—and in the pages that follow, I celebrate many of these practices. But I also hope to show that, to thrive, we must apply regenerative thinking equally to nature, society, and the economy, encompassing our health, organizations, infrastructure, technologies, resources, and ecosystems. To use a medical metaphor, the movement toward thriving is not a drug cure for a particular disease but rather the necessary shift to a healthy lifestyle. The metaphor is especially apt, because our world is sick; in some instances, it is even dying. In the fateful tango between life and death, degeneration has claimed the upper hand in many areas. But we still have the chance to tip the odds back in our favor, toward life and thriving.

What Happened to Our Common Future?

As a global society, we began paying attention to thriving a little more than 30 years ago—and I have been fortunate enough to have been along for the ride. In August 1990 I embarked on one of the most exciting journeys of my life, flying from Cape Town, South Africa, where I was still an undergraduate taking a degree in business science, to Tokyo, Japan. There, I was joining 200 other young people from 50 countries at a global conference on sustainable development, organized by the Association of International Students in Economics and Commerce (AIESEC).

At that time we represented the next generation, and by all accounts our future was not looking so bright. In 1987 the United Nations had issued its investigative report called Our Common Future, in which the term sustainable development was coined and defined for the first time, as development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.² The report painted a disturbing picture of the world, with looming crises in population, food security, species loss, ecosystem collapse, energy, climate change, and urbanization.

We had all gathered in Tokyo, bursting with enthusiasm and brighteyed naïveté, to discuss those problems and to give our input—as the voice of the next generation—to the upcoming World Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, more commonly known as the Rio Earth Summit. Strange to say, but as we grappled with those weighty issues, we all felt a sense of overwhelming optimism. These were solvable problems, we believed, and the world’s political leaders were finally taking notice.

Fast-forward to the present, and I find myself taking stock. How far have we come? Did anyone pay attention to our young voices of concern and hope? The answer, it seems, is a paradox. Many of the problems are much worse today, while many of the solutions are further advanced. Social and environmental issues were peripheral in 1990, especially for business, which tended to respond with social responsibility and charity initiatives. Today sustainability is high on policy-making and boardroom agendas, often even baked into their manifestos and strategies.

Of course, saying sustainable development is important is one thing, but changing how we do things is an entirely different challenge. So have we made any actual progress? On some issues, absolutely. Spectacular progress, in fact. Literally hundreds of millions of people have been lifted out of poverty and given access to food, education, health care, and economic opportunities. We know, because that’s what the world set out to do in 2000—under the aegis of the UN Millennium Development Goals—and we tracked those remarkable achievements until 2015. We have real cause for celebration.

At the same time, on other issues, we have made far less progress. In truth, that’s just me putting it politely. When we look at the trends for challenges such as income inequality, biodiversity loss, climate change, chemical pollution, and gender inequality, the world has been going backward, not forward. It’s as if we are speeding toward a cliff at 100 miles an hour, and instead of hitting the brakes and making a U-turn, we are stepping on the accelerator with no apparent intention of deviating from our suicidal course.

The Choice to Hope

Why would we behave in such an irrational way? Over the years, I’ve come to realize that investing in thriving is a lot like going to the dentist. Most of us really don’t want to do it, even though we know it’s good for our health. We rationalize that it may not be necessary. And, besides, it’s inconvenient, expensive, and probably painful too. So we ignore our better judgment and delay taking action. And, of course, the longer we wait, the worse the problems become and the more painful and expensive the treatment will be when we finally take remedial action.

The good news is that the various forms of decay we see in nature, society, and our economies are serving as triggers for six societal shifts or great transformations, which we explore in this book. That is part of the reason why, despite the challenges, I am hopeful about our common future. But you should not confuse my hope with blind optimism. Let’s be honest: If thriving were easy, I would not be writing about it. Rather, hope is an action verb—a way of seeing and being and having an impact in the world. Hope is a choice. I choose to be hopeful because hope is grounded in the possibility for change. Hope knows that people are resilient and resourceful. It taps into work on solutions. Hope understands tipping points. It is fueled by progressive social movements. Hope lights a candle in the darkness. It is infectious. Hope inspires. If you want to understand hope as an active force for change, I highly recommend Rebecca Solnit’s book Hope in the Dark.³

Being hopeful, in turn, allows me to be positive, which is another choice. Austrian psychiatrist Viktor Frankl observed that even in the Nazi concentration camps (of which he survived four), people could choose their attitude.⁴ And having a positive attitude often means being for rather than against, being pro rather than anti. This is also the spirit embraced by Hans Rosling, author of the fabulous book Factfulness, who encourages us to all be possibilists.⁵ A better world is always possible, for three compelling reasons: (1) We have seen improvements in the past; (2) we have a hand in creating the future; and (3) being positive is a more effective and satisfying way to be in the world.

Having said that, if our hope and optimism is to be grounded in reality, we also need to be more radical. Maybe you already are and don’t know it yet. Radical, from the Latin radicalis, simply means forming the root. It is common knowledge that we need to get to the root of problems if we want to solve them. In the same way, if we want to change an organization or our society, we have to change its underlying roots—its values and culture, its rules and beliefs, its embedded power and incentive structures. To be radical, therefore, is to work at the level of systems change.

This book tells the stories of many who are working tirelessly to create a radically better tomorrow. The hundreds of examples I share are all testimony to the fact that each of us can be a constructive force for thriving—and, more importantly, that there are many who are rising to the challenge and taking bold action. At a time when we are asked on a daily basis to stand up for our values, this is a book about why we have every reason to be positive about the future. But to succeed, it will take everything that we are as humans—our capable hands and our compassionate hearts, our brilliant minds and our creative imaginations. Therefore, I invite you to join me on this journey. And I trust that by the end, you, too, will hope and believe that a better world—a world regenerated—is not only possible but already being born, that you will, as expressed in my poem to conclude this prologue, be an optimist.

BE AN OPTIMIST

Be an optimist

Not because the future is bright

But because bright people are working

To make the