Looking Beyond SDGs
– moving past conventional sustainability frameworks toward more regenerative, systemic, or transformative approaches.
Although the ‚hype cycle‘ around sustainability may have cooled down a bit, especially in Europe and the US, I firmly believe that regenerative business will be the key driver of business innovation and the development of new organizational designs and business models for the 21st century.
Recently, I’ve encountered several posts about SDG workshops, training, and implementation. While the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) have certainly played a pivotal role in raising global awareness, they can sometimes be too simplistic for businesses. To unlock the full potential of regenerative business, we need to embrace more strategic opportunities and rethink how business models can evolve in alignment with sustainability.
That’s why I’d like to introduce two additional frameworks that offer unique perspectives on strategic opportunities within the sustainability space:
SPACE 01: Doughnut Economics
– aligning Planetary & Social Boundaries
These models offer a deeper, more actionable approach to balancing business goals with environmental and social realities. 🌱💡 Doughnut Economics helps businesses find the „sweet spot“ between human well-being and planetary boundaries, ensuring economic progress doesn’t come at the expense of the planet. The Business Design Framework focuses on purpose, networks, ownership, finance, and governance — key elements that, when unlocked, can support regenerative business practices. 🌍⚖️
Doughnut Economics offers more than just a conceptual framework — it challenges businesses to fundamentally rethink their role in the economy. It invites a shift from linear value chains to circular systems, from extractive growth to regenerative impact. Applying it in practice means asking difficult questions about supply chains, product design, and long-term value creation. It’s not always easy, but companies that engage with the Doughnut are beginning to discover powerful insights for resilience, innovation, and relevance in a changing world.
SPACE 02: B Corp
– global businesses as a force for good
A global movement that sees businesses as a force for good. B Corp companies are certified across five impact areas: governance, workers, environment, community, and consumers. It’s a practical and actionable approach to sustainability, helping businesses define their purpose beyond profit, improve their impact, and connect with a global network of like-minded companies. 🌍🤝
While B Corp provides a clear and structured path for companies aiming to improve their impact, it also invites deeper questions about the very purpose and design of business itself. What lies beyond certification? How can we move from simply doing less harm to actively doing good—and even regenerating the systems we depend on? This is where the conversation shifts from compliance to creativity, from frameworks to transformation. Businesses that dare to rethink their ownership, value creation, and long-term impact are already paving the way for models that go far beyond sustainability checklists.
Business Opportunities within Sustainability = Looking Beyond the SDGs 👀
By exploring these potentials, businesses can lay the groundwork for their future strategy — not just for the next 10 years, but for a sustainable future. These frameworks allow companies to align innovation with global sustainability goals while staying grounded in ecological and social realities. The SDGs provide a broad foundation, but these additional frameworks give businesses the tools to turn sustainability into a clear, measurable, and impactful business strategy.
Regeneration goes beyond reducing harm — it’s about actively giving back to the planet and society, restoring ecosystems, rebuilding community wellbeing, and creating harmony between business and the natural world. It’s a shift from doing “less bad” to designing systems that are inherently beneficial. And this is not only ethically urgent — it’s becoming a true source of value, resilience, and competitive advantage. Operating in this space will increasingly define the business leaders of the second half of the 21st century.
Right now, much of the conversation still centers on mitigation and reduction — carbon, waste, risk. But what we truly need are new models that are regenerative by design and capable of creating positive impact within the boundaries of natural systems. This is the challenge of our time—and the opportunity
So—where do you stand on the path to regeneration?
Curious About Regenerative Business? Let’s Explore Together
Hi, I’m Vanessa. I focus on business model design for sustainable, regenerative innovation and future-vision strategy.
💭 I’d be curious to know if you know these frameworks.
What are your experiences? And where do you stand within the Regenerative Maturity Scale?
