It’s Time to Thrive
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“If we don’t take action, the collapse of our civilisations and of the extinction of much of the natural world is on the horizon. In this world, a species can only thrive when everything else around it thrives too. We can solve the problems we now face by embracing this reality. If we take care of nature, nature will take care of us.”
– Sir David Attenborough
The Breakthrough Movement to Regenerate Nature, Society and the Economy
An innovation agenda for turning our biggest global societal challenges into opportunities to thrive
The future will be better than you think. THRIVING shows how innovation can regenerate nature, society, and the economy by taking us from degradation to restoration of ecosystems, from depletion to renewal of resources, from disparity to responsibility in communities, from disease to revitalization of health, from disconnection to rewiring through technology, and from disruption to resilience of infrastructure and institutions.
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 about 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 progressive leader, 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.
Praise
“It is time for all of us to step up or get out of the way”
“Wayne Visser is, above all else, a ‘possibilist’. And this is a state of mind, a state of being, that I recognise 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 civilisational inflection points that comes perhaps once in a lifetime. 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 has stepped up in THRIVING – and invites us all to do likewise.”
John Elkington, author of Green Swans: The Coming Boom in Regenerative Capitalism
“Indispensable reading for current and future leaders”
“This is a wonderful book that offers both practical and profound insights, guidance and inspiration for the transformational journey ahead. It 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 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
“A roadmap for nothing less than the reinvention of the world”
“Wayne Visser has written a whale of a book. He provides a roadmap for nothing less than the reinvention of the world—and how business can overcome the forces of breakdown to foster planetary thriving. A master of mnemonics, Visser provides a comprehensive framework for tackling the world’s greatest challenges, replete with alliterations and other creative aide-mémoires. A must-read—and one you will never forget.”
– Prof. Stuart L. Hart, PhD, author of Capitalism at the Crossroads
“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 co-create a world for us all to thrive in.”
– Jacques van den Broek, CEO of Randstad Group
“An inspiring and tremendously hopeful book!”
“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 multi-faceted 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, PhD, author of The Hidden Connections, coauthor of The Systems View of Life
“A must read guide for how businesses can realise their potential”
“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
“A brilliant and comprehensive overview”
“Thriving is a brilliant and comprehensive overview of the burgeoning movement to regenerate our land, products, forests, cities, and society. His 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
“An essential guide for leaders who want to make a positive impact”
“Consistent with Our J&J Credo, Prof. 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 where 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 of Johnson & Johnson EMEA
“Prophetic masterpiece brings a thriving future into the present”
“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
A must-read for everyone ignited by regeneration!
“Wayne Visser’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
“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.”
– Prof. R. Edward Freeman, PhD, author of The Power of And: Responsible Business Without Tradeoffs
“Drenched in wisdom that will stay with you”
“When you look at planet Earth from a living systems perspective, you realize that sustainability is not a goal in itself, it is the byproduct of the biological process of regeneration. Only those that leave the world better off are able to survive over the long haul. Regeneration therefore is a much more effective and appealing answer to resolve the multiple intertwining crises we are facing today. In his newest book Thriving Wayne Visser makes a solid case for regeneration. He not only offers points for action but many beautiful heart stirring poems.”
– Leen Gorissen, Innovation biologist and author of Building the Future of Innovation on millions of years of Natural Intelligence
“A must read for all those with an open mind aiming to have a positive impact”
“This leading and pioneering work of my colleague Prof. dr. Wayne Visser is a must read for all those with an open mind aiming to have a positive impact on society. At Antwerp Management School, our mission is to cultivate and develop the best leaders – not of the world – but for the world and for a better society. Together, leaders in academia, business, government, and each single individual, we hold a huge responsibility to realize a deep transition towards integrated and sustainable value creation. Thank you Wayne for guiding us towards a responsible management mindset.”
– Prof. Steven De Haes, PhD, Dean of Antwerp Management School
“Thriving is the new sustainability”
“Thriving is the new sustainability. To better understand why, go no further, and read this book. Wayne Visser has written an engaging and creative approach to the concept for a number of audiences – be it you are an academic, practitioner, or a bridge builder between different sectors and stakeholders.”
– Jonas Haertle, Chief, Office of the Executive Director, UN Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR)
“If we want to unlock global responsibility … thriving is the key”
“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. If we want to unlock global responsibility in how we learn, live and lead, thriving is the key.”
– John North, Executive Director, The Globally Responsible Leadership Initiative
“A true inspiration for the contemporary leader”
“In his book THRIVING, Wayne Visser 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. As a true scholar, global citizen, and business school professor, Prof. Visser pulls together insights from science, technology, and business, shares his testimony of initiatives around the world, and shows a practical way forward with the six forces of thriving. A true inspiration for the contemporary leader.”
Prof. Steven Poelmans, PhD, author of The Paradoxes of Leadership
“Just about as timely as any book published today”
“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, PhD, author ofTHE UPSHIFT: Meeting the Challenge
Author
DR. WAYNE VISSER is a globally recognised Cambridge “pracademic.” An idea-monger, storyteller, and meme weaver, he is the author of 40 books. His work as a champion for thriving, strategy analyst, sustainability academic, documentary filmmaker, poet, and professional speaker has taken him to more than 75 countries. He has been recognized by Trust Across America as one of the world’s top 100 thought leaders in trustworthy business and named a top-100 sustainability leader by ABC Carbon.
Dr. Visser currently serves as head tutor, fellow, and lecturer at the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership, as well as professor of integrated value at Antwerp Management School, where he holds the world’s first academic chair in sustainable transformation. He is also a director of the think tank and media company Kaleidoscope Futures Lab and founder of CSR International. Previous roles include director of sustainability services for KPMG and strategy analyst for Capgemini in South Africa.
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