Today, one of the biggest threats to the planet is the way we produce and consume goods. In a strictly linear manner we are taking raw materials, making products, purchasing these with money we just earned, only to waste the same products a moment later. The negative effects of this linearity on the environment are well-known, as are the various efforts to mitigate them. However, when it comes to starting and running new businesses and thus adding something new to the table, the challenge is not just to do less harm — but to actively do more good.
This workshop is designed to tackle these challenges head-on. By deconstructing and opposing this linear way of thinking, we will provide you with the tools and knowledge needed to foster sustainable and regenerative business practices. Building on insights from the SSES Weekend Workshop Make it Circular (held in March 2023), we will revisit key sustainable development concepts — such as the planetary boundaries, the doughnut economics model, and life cycle analysis — to then dive deeper into principles for and examples of regenerative businesses. We will also engage in hands-on research into a product or business and use our new skills and toolkit to explore ideas that may contribute to a regenerative economy. This is your chance to not just learn, but to actively shape a more sustainable future through hands-on experience and team collaboration.
Learning outcomes:
- How to understand some of the most fundamental models of sustainable development.
- How to apply principles, tools and strategies for regenerative business models and practices.
- How to work in teams with research and development.
- Develop networking skills through engaging social activities, expanding your professional connections.
ELIGIBILITY & SELECTION
All students and alumni of SSES member universities are eligible to apply to this weekend workshop. We get many applications and unfortunately cannot accept everyone. The selection process is outlined below:
SELECTION PROCESS
- Application is reviewed
- Selection is made and a confirmation email is sent out
- Participants must confirm their seat in order to secure the spot
- If spots are not confirmed in time, the waitlist will be reviewed and new participants selected
About the instructors
Sara Araya is the textile designer turned sustainable design strategist constantly on the lookout for creative opportunities in sustainable development. While on maternity leave from her role as innovation manager at Openlab, she has founded RHĪZ AB alongside designer, curator and writer Emilia Engblad. RHĪZ is a circular design studio with the mission to turn textile waste into value, aiming to make the fashion and textile industry more rhizomatic. Together with design ecologist and Hyper Island industry leader Anna Gyllenklev, Sara and Emilia are curating this Weekend Workshop to offer participants a socially, scientifically and creatively regenerative experience.
