Regenerative Non-Profit Organisations
I believe Regenerative Non-Profit Organisations (RNPOs) can help us get to the tipping point for saving, regenerating and preserving the natural health of our planet.
Like so many others, I’m incredibly inspired by the lead Yvon Chouinard has taken with Patagonia and I hope it inspires many other corporate leaders to follow in kind.
It also got me thinking. How can we expand this into a broad collaborative network that follows and amplifies the same purpose? After all, we are all in this together.
What I set out below is based on my understanding of legal principles that I have learned from my background in law. However, for this system to fully work, it will require expertise from many disciplines including science, economics, politics, systems design and indigenous expertise.
Regeneration. Experts like Sarah Ichioka and Michael Pawlyn say sustainability and net zero carbon are not enough. To save the planet, we need to focus on regeneration. This requires a paradigm shift and fundamental systems change.
Business alone won’t solve the problem. Profit and planet don’t always mix. We need more RNPOs that serve the primary purpose of regenerating and preserving the natural health of our planet. This purpose will endure for all future generations. Each RNPO may be a charity, trust or any other organisation that serves this purpose. RNPOs don’t have to be global. In fact, it’s often better that they are regional or even local so that they can be more targeted and effective.
Establish a Universal Guiding Code for RNPOs to follow. This Code sets minimum standards but also standards of excellence based on biomimicry and other sound principles for planetary health which also allow for essential regional variation around the world. This should be drawn up by a broadchurch of experts around the globe. Indigenous cultures and their values must be at the core. The key thing is universal collaboration and co-operation as we are all in this together.
Establish a Global Network for RNPOs. For RNPOs to be truly effective on a global scale, they should be connected by a global network that is based on support and collaboration. This network should enable member RNPOs to seek or provide guidance or advice, share knowhow and expertise, pool and share resources together and collaborate on joint/collective initiatives.
Justification and Transparency. All decision making and use of all funds by RNPOs needs to be justified in accordance with the principles of the Code and 100% transparent with nothing to hide. This is essential for public trust and best practice.
Funding. More companies need to fund RNPOs whether by setting up their own RNPO or by contributing to existing RNPOs.
Eligible Projects from non-RNPOs. It might be that many other organisations or even businesses that are not RNPOs may want to implement a specific project or initiative that is consistent with the Code and be recognised for that. This should be permitted where such project or initiative satisfies the requirements of the Code including justification and transparency.
We all know it will require a significant amount of collective resource, collaboration and funding to get to the tipping point we all so desperately need. Might these RNPOs help? I strongly believe so.
Drew Dellinger famously asked of all of us in his powerful poem “What Did You Do Once You Knew?”. There are many amazing initiatives around the world that aim to save our planet and I’d like RNPOs to make a significant contribution to that aim.