Planetary Health and the Role of Regenerative Economies, Regenerative Business and Wellbeing Economies in the Symbiosene

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to announce this Challenges Special Issue: “Planetary Health and the Role of Regenerative Economies, Regenerative Business and Wellbeing Economies in the Symbiosene”.

Whether producing and distributing goods and services, or some other formulation of value, the importance of business in contemporary society is undeniable. Indeed, business sits at the core of many economic models driving societal activity today. The appropriateness of focusing on economic growth to chart human progress, when such growth is dependent on the continual consumption of finite resources, is debatable.

Offering some response, contemporary economic thinking which draws on a vastly different set of economic principles embedded in doughnut economics, and which has been applied globally with much success, leads us along a very different and arguably healthier regenerative distributive path into the future, rather than along a trajectory that is degenerative, extractive and divisive.  

Today, it is difficult to imagine the existence of a business that has not in some respect considered the sustainability and societal wellbeing impacts of their activities. Driven both by external as well as internal pressures, many have adopted recognized frameworks such as the UNGC Principles or the SDGs to assist in the planning of their activities aligned with social and environmental justice, as well as a reformulation of their business ‘purpose’.  

While many businesses have been successful in charting more ecological and socially sustainable pathways, still others struggle to know what sustainability means for them let alone understand what it means to contribute toward a regenerative future. Consequently, they find themselves stuck in exploratory conversations. Given the above, though not the only human-made system sitting at a nexus between ecological systems health on the one hand and human health on the other, the role of business in contributing positively to planetary health is crucial.

Planetary health is defined in the Lancet commission report on planetary health (2015) as “the health of human civilization and the state of the natural systems on which it depends”. In a broader planetary health framework, the impact of many human-made systems, including business, is considered. However, to date little attention has been given in the literature to the intricate and complex impacts of business and the economy in respect to planetary health.

The special issue proposed here, acts not only as a catalyst for significant further research in the area, but also serves as a launching pad for a dedicated section within the Journal Challenges on Regenerative Economies (Regenerative Business and Wellbeing Economies).

It is our hope that this Challenges Special Issue will help contribute to the changes necessary to support the flourishing of people, places, and planet via the activities of business, and indeed, help shape a new business and economic ecosystem that has planetary health at its heart.

Given the relative infancy of this area of study, we invite contributions that explore a wide range of topics articulating the role of new economies and regenerative business on planetary health. Such contributions could include: regenerative business, what it is and how to become one; the role of leadership and management, characteristics and purpose; the identification of new business models that better serve to advance a planetary health agenda; the identification of new business types; case studies presenting examples of great ‘business’ practice; the concepts of interconnectedness and co-creation and their relevance to business and planetary health; the role of consumer individuals as co-creators of planetary health and the importance of spirituality, the inner persona, nature connection, biomimicry among many others (see below keyword listing for further examples).

We welcome efforts to assess qualitative, quantitative, or other experiential measures of personal individual (within business) or individual and/or collective business impact. We also welcome more philosophical explorations, creative contributions, and associated reflections into these issues, including a wide variety of cultural perspectives. The list is potentially endless. Feel free to reach out to the Section Editor-in-Chief Dr. Dave Webb dave.webb@uwa.edu.au with a brief overview of your contribution for confirmation of suitability to this Special Issue.

We look forward to your contributions.

Dr. David Webb
Dr. Guenola Nonet
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Challenges is an international peer-reviewed open access quarterly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• wellbeing economies as an alternative to destructive, growth-driven economies
• the grand challenges and the role of business and all organizations in support of a regenerative future and a regenerative economy
• threats and limitations of current business and economic models
• business and organizational structures, systems and processes associated with regenerative business
• creating regenerative business and matching organization purposes and cultures
• regenerative leadership in business and organizations
• regenerative values and their universality
• regenerative business and organization functions (marketing, hrm, accounting and finance, distribution and logistics, research and development etc.)
• business and industry sector implications for a regenerative future
• business, regenerative lifestyles and impacts on the natural environment and human health
• language, communication and narrative development: regenerative, regenerative development and regenerativity
• comparing sustainable versus regenerative approaches to business
• toward a regenerative future and a regenerative economy, issues of existence, structure, definition, governance in business and all organizations etc.
• value systems, worldviews, purpose, attitudes, mindsets, indigenous knowledges, traditional and non-traditional cultures, grassroots initiatives, belief systems, cultural change, co-creation, social change, behavioral changes, tipping points, collaborative emergence
• internal business systems and processes, structure, culture and information exchange
• business in its boundary-spanning role vis a vis planetary health
• leadership, spirituality, emotion, imagination, creativity, inspiration, empowerment, self-awareness, connected consciousness, mindfulness, wisdom
• connections between individual and collective well-being, planetary health, connectivity of business systems on all scales and at all levels, ecology, interdependence, connections between business on mental and physical health
• efforts to promote fundamental positive elements of business, such as love, hope, kindness, compassion, respect
• efforts to promote positive actions and caring for others and the world, reciprocity, mutualism, connectedness, appreciation, humility, empathy, mindfulness and compassion, connection to nature, nature-relatedness
• strategies to promote community contribution, cohesion, art, creativity, community initiatives, community circles, narrative shift, deep listening, spiritual practices, change narratives, reciprocity, mutualism, storytelling
• evaluating strategies for potential benefits for individuals, communities, society and environments.