Humanizing the Corporation
A Regenerative Leadership Playbook
Jan De Visch and Kashmir Birk are going to facilitate a one hour, open exploration online, on how to balance traditional binary Change Management with disruptive, regenerative approaches that Embrace Ambiguity on June 5, 2025 (6pm CET; 12 noon EST; 9am PST; 9.30pm IST).
They will introduce how Conversation Design shapes Key Perspective Indicators (source of Key Performance Indicators) and then they will open up the online space for everyone to share how they navigate through uncertainty and embrace ambiguity.
Regenerative Leadership
is a strategic imperative.
Regenerative Leadership aligns organizational success with societal, environmental and personal well-being. It takes organizations beyond traditional approaches to sustainability.
Regenerative leadership builds capacity for systems thinking, innovation and resilience enabling organizations to adapt to rapidly changing market conditions, environmental shifts, and societal demands.
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Future-proofing: By prioritizing regenerative practices, companies become less vulnerable to risks such as scarcity, disasters, supply chain and talent shortages.
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Economic Stability: Regenerative businesses experience stronger performance over time because they invest in systems that sustain growth, innovation, and stability.
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Investor Appeal: Impact investors such as large institutional investors, pension funds, forward thinking banks, insurance companies and activist venture capital firms prioritize regenerative businesses.
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Attract, Engage and Retain Top Talent: A humane principle driven culture attracts, engages and retains Millennials and Gen Z, as they seek values alignment and holistic work environments.
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Mental Health and Well-being: Regenerative leadership founded on human-centered practices, reduces burnout and stress; increasing employee health and engagement.
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Brand Reputation: Companies with regenerative strategies stand out, appealing to customers and regulators who seek out integrity and ethics.
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Crisis Management: Regenerative organizations are adaptive, equipped to sense and navigate unexpected changes as they are built on principles of transparency, accountability and trust.
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Enduring Legacy: Regenerative organizations are thought-leaders who disrupt the market and leave a lasting legacy.
Why CEO's
are invested in Regenerative Leadership.
Organizations applying Regenerative Leadership:
Regenerative
Leadership in Action.
IKEA (Ingka Group)
Achieved a 31% revenue increase from 2016 to 2022 while reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by 24%, thanks to investments in renewable energy, circularity, and sustainable business practices.
Regenesis Group
Integrates ecological restoration with economic development, increasing biodiversity and enhancing local livelihoods. Restoring coastal ecosystems and promoting sustainable tourism has improved local water quality and provides economic opportunities for the community resulting in measurable reductions in carbon emissions and energy.
Patagonia
Incorporates 87% recycled materials in its apparel. Organic cotton is sourced from regenerative farming practices They are investing in regenerative organic agriculture to source raw materials and reduce emissions.
Unilever
Reported that regenerative practices enabled their start-up businesses to grow 69% faster than other parts of the business.
Interface
Is embracing circular economy principles. They have reduced manufacturing waste by 91% and cut water usage by 83%, saving millions in operational costs.
Fair BnB
Reinvests 50% of its commissions to social projects, directly benefiting communities affected by tourism. Collaborating with local authorities and community groups ensures tourism activities align with the needs and values of host communities.
Whole Foods
Has expanded its selection to include over 41,000 organic products and 154 certified regenerative products across its stores. More than 57% of its fresh produce sold is organic.
Baloise Insurance
Their real estate investments align with environment, societal and governance criteria. They have transitioned to renewable energy sources and are on target for carbon neutrality by 2030.
House of Hackney
Offsets its carbon footprint by planting a tree for every product sold, contributing to global reforestation and biodiversity. They have planted over 1.5 million trees. Collaborations with artisans and local communities preserve traditional crafts while fostering economic resilience.
The North Face
Over 85% of their polyester and 75% of its nylon used in their apparel is made with recycled content. They have recycled more than 6 million polybags, promoting circularity and waste reduction.
SYSTEM DIMENSION
An organizational System is composed of structures, processes, policies and technologies.
Some people focus primarily on the System and its many inter-related sub-systems such as the financial, accountability, staffing, talent development, performance management, data and information management system, etc.
To move beyond sustainability to a Regenerative Mindset, the System and its sub-systems balance the dynamics of diversity and stability. This results in differentiation and integration.
In a regenerative organization System changes are drawn from the Sense-Making. Sub-systems are designed in a circular fashion to enable a continuous, iterative, evolutionary perspective.
In a regenerative organization the System is developed consciously as a mission critical capability.
INTERNAL REGENERATIVE OUTCOMES
Realizing business imperatives through the iterative cycle
of self-regenerating
Systems and Sense-Making.
EXTERNAL REGENERATIVE OUTCOMES
The Internal System and Sense-Making are attuned with real-time changes in external contexts and outcomes.
The regenerative flow(er) image
is a metaphor for the interconnectedness of relationships
that drive sustainable growth.
SENSE MAKING DIMENSION
Sense-Making and Meaning-Making
are the ways people listen, learn, relate, make judgements, decisions and take action. It is the way people and groups make sense of what is going on, what needs to get done and how to do it.
Some people focus their change efforts on the human dimensions of communications, brand building, cultural change, coaching, development, assessment and ways to collaborate.
To move beyond sustainability to a Regenerative Mindset, Sense Making balance the dynamics of autonomy and cohesion. This results in differentiation and integration.
In a regenerative organization Sense Making is developed consciously as a mission critical capability.
How the Content Flows
The playbook is written in a series of memos and letters from a CEO, each memo taking us through the journey from an industrial-age mindset to regenerative leadership.
The book provides a framework for creating positive reinforcing personal, mutual and organizational development in ways that boost bottom-line results and support mental health and well-being.
Every chapter provides proven examples of how organizations are applying regenerative principles, dynamics and dimensions to drive top-line and bottom-line results.
Table of Contents
Preface: How Our Stories Shape Us
Chapter 1: Laying the Foundation
Chapter 2: Reciprocal Empathy
Chapter 3: Ecosystem Integrity
Chapter 4: Co-Creation
Chapter 5: Caring Leadership
Chapter 6: Embracing Ambiguity
Chapter 7: Perpetual Design
Chapter 8: Critical Reflexivity
Chapter 9: Applying the Regeneration Flow(er)
Chapter 10: Where and How to Begin
Epilogue: Our Sources of Inspiration
Book Summary
SCiO Be Book Pre-Launch - 12 November 2024
Steve, UK
"Finally, a book that does not try to placate us with quick fixes, feel good recipes and a one-size-fits-all silver bullet solutions. It challenges us to reexamine our system through holistic approaches to sense-making."
Testimonials
Rekha, India
"Humanizing the Corporation lays out practical, proven ways for leaders of local and global institutions to create regenerative values and value for the people, communities, customers, citizens, societies and ecosystems they serve."
Joyce , USA
"The sources of stress and burnout are often invisible before they become unavoidable. This book shows how our sense-making and our system can be transformed for positive mental health and well-being"
The Authors
Kashmir is an a strategic
organization designer,
open space facilitator,
and certified, experienced
executive coach.
Kashmir Birk
CEO and Co-Founder
The True North
Jan De Visch
Owner and Managing Director Connect and Transform
Jan is an organizational capital thought leader.
Jan facilitates complex change processes and
co-creates through collaborative intelligence.
Upcoming Events
Introductory Workshop
Interactive online workshop on the application of Regenerative Leadership principles and tools.
Learn how to assess, develop and align your work systems and sense-making.
Reading Circles
Dialectic conversations to develop custom ways to
regenerate your organization and its leadership.
5th Memo Writing
Enabling you to write your own memo's
customized to your organization.
Real-Time Realization of Regeneration
Coaching and Consulting Services
to build your regenerative leadership.
Regenerative Leadership Workshop
Three Day Custom Workshop
Flanders Business School (in Dutch)
Integrate the principles of Regenerative Leadership
with practical applications and development paths
that enable you to realize and go beyond sustainability.
Based on the book 'Humanizing the Corporation: A Regenerative Leadership Playbook'
by Flanders Business School Prof. Jan De Visch and Kashmir Birk.
Day One: Integrative Principles and Core Dynamics.
Theme: Understanding the basic principles and dynamics of regenerative leadership.
CONTENT
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7 Principles Regenerative Leadership – uncovering and applying.
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Systemic and Meaning-Making Dimension, integrating and balancing dynamics to move beyond the limits of traditional approaches to sustainability and human capital.
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Group Break-Out Working Sessions to draw lessons and inspiration from successful regenerative leadership transformations (Patagonia and Terra Genesis)
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Mapping out a Concrete Dialogic Approach to align your company's strategies, design and culture through regenerative leadership
Day Two: Setting up the Transition Process
Theme: How to create structures and processes for the transition to a regenerative organization.
CONTENT
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Visioning Exercise: Applying Purpose through Principles and Balancing Dynamics.
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Laying the Foundation for development, beginning with the question, "Where is our organization under pressure?”
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Shaping Innovation Strategy by rethinking challenges to design a holistic strategy (cases: Guyaki and Fairbnb Cooperative).
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Designing A Custom Holistic Conversation Framework. Establishing the capacity for intentional listening and co-creation with stakeholders for every phase of the transition.
Day Three: Implementation in your organization
Theme: Applying the principles of regenerative leadership to participants' unique organizational context.
CONTENT
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Implementation Roadmap. Key milestones, stakeholders and timelines for implementation (case: House of Hackney).
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Coherence in Organizational Goals: designing measures and performance systems consistent with regenerative principles.
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Mapping Development Paths for individual and team growth
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Establishing Governance and Conflict Management support structures for long-term evolution.
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Handling Essential Balances (stability vs. diversity, autonomy vs. cohesion, differentiation vs. integration) and how to make them manageable in your enterprise.
This program combines deep reflection with actionable strategies so that participants leave equipped to foster regenerative leadership and create meaningful change in their organizations
CONTACT
Jan De Visch
jan@connecttransform.be
Kashmir Birk
kashmir@thetruenorth.com
General email: info@humanizingthecorporation.com
Or complete the direct contact form below.
We will respond within 24 hours.