Why regenerative business is the future
The world is facing unprecedented challenges. Climate change, biodiversity loss, and growing social inequality are forcing businesses to look beyond sustainability.
While sustainable businesses such as circular and net-positive models focus on minimizing harm, regenerative business goes a step further. It’s not just about minimizing damage but actively contributing to the restoration and strengthening of natural and social ecosystems.
“Regenerative business is not just a trend—it’s a necessity to secure the future.”
What does regenerative business mean?
Regenerative business focuses on restoring and strengthening ecological and social systems. This means:
Restoration instead of limitation: Instead of just reducing negative impacts, businesses aim to actively restore ecosystems and communities (Konietzko et al., 2023).
Natural balance: Regenerative businesses promote biodiversity, improve soil health, and support natural cycles (Maassen et al., 2024).
Social justice: Creating societal value, fair wages, equal opportunities, and strengthening local communities are central (Van der Zwaag, 2023).
These principles form the core of regenerative business models, which go beyond conventional sustainability and challenge businesses to truly contribute to a resilient future.
How to make regenerative business concrete?
Transitioning to regenerative practices might be challenging for companies. It’s not just about reducing harm but actively restoring ecosystems and communities. This transition requires deeper insight: Where does your company stand? What are you doing well? And where are your opportunities for improvement?
At this point there are no tools that facilitate answering these questions. That’s why researchers at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences have developed a regenerative framework (see figure 1). This framework aims to help companies analyze their ecological and social activities and formulate specific action points.
The regenerative framework as a solution
This framework combines insights from existing methodologies, such as:
Life Cycle Assessments (LCA): A thorough analysis of the full life cycle of products and services.
Triple Layered Business Model Canvas: Integration of ecological and social aspects into the business model.
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Global sustainability goals as a guide.
The framework includes 12 indicators for ecological and social dimensions, supporting companies in their transition to a regenerative model (Cuypers & Drupsteen-Sint, 2024).
How does the framework work?
The framework is designed to help companies gain insight into their ecological and social activities. It divides business activities into phases, such as production and distribution, and analyzes them based on indicators like fair wages and biodiversity. Companies discover where they contribute to regeneration and where opportunities for improvement lie.
With the framework, you can easily see where your company contributes to ecological and social regeneration. Although the framework needs further development, it may already help to get a clear overview of your impact and where you can improve by following these four steps!
Map your business activities: Divide your processes into six phases, from materials and production to distribution and end-of-life. Link these to ecological dimensions, such as climate change or ecosystems and biodiversity, and social dimensions, such as income and work or equality.
Highlight your successes: Circle where you’re already operating regeneratively. For example, are you contributing to reducing CO₂ equivalents? Or are you investing in local communities? Give yourself that recognition!
Identify areas for improvement: Note where you’re still causing harm, such as high CO₂ emissions during production or limited working conditions within your company. This provides insight into your biggest opportunities for improvement.
Set priorities: Use the results to plan actions that strengthen both your ecological and social impact.
The framework can serve as a guide to a regenerative future for every entrepreneur who wants to go beyond sustainability and truly contribute to restoration
Background of the framework
To develop the framework, a literature review and a Delphi study were conducted. For the delphi study experts and entrepreneurs shared their insights in multiple rounds, clarifying which principles are essential for regenerative business and how these differ from circular or net-positive business. The core takeaway? Regenerative business models require a long-term systems approach. This for instance means companies must not only improve their own processes but also take responsibility across their supply chains.
The research also shows that regenerative businesses go beyond sustainability. While circular and net-positive models focus on minimizing harm, regeneration is about restoration and renewal—both ecologically and socially. This requires new tools and a different approach to value creation. The framework (figure 1) builds on existing methodologies like the Triple Layered Business Model Canvas and Life Cycle Impact Assessments but emphasizes the balance between negative and positive impacts.
Initial tests with regenerative pioneers like Wilder Land and Bamboo Import Europe confirm that this approach requires transparency, collaboration, and the courage to think differently. Companies that take this step not only take responsibility but also create new value for nature, society, and their own future.
Curious how your company can operate regeneratively? It starts with insight and the willingness to look beyond sustainability.
How the framework can be improved: research findings from Master’s students in Economic Transformation
The framework was initially developed based on the literature and Delphi studies and in collaboration with two entrepreneurs. And although it gives a clear overview of the types of indicators that could be included when describing your regenerative activities, the framework requires further development. It wasn’t easy to apply for entrepreneurs and the indicators weren’t tested in a broad range of companies. This is why three students from the Master’s program in Economic Transformation conducted further research on the framework. This practice-oriented program focuses on change management and the transition to a fair and sustainable economy. Students work on transformation projects and seek solutions to complex societal challenges.
I myself (Rafaël) am one of the students who researched how the framework can be made more user-friendly, so entrepreneurs can better understand their regenerative activities.
Key findings from the research
Unclear and hard-to-measure indicators: Companies need measurable points, for example for soil health or CO₂ equivalents.
Lack of user-friendliness: An intuitive interface, visual aids, and a clear manual are crucial.
Too generic for different sectors: The framework needs to be more flexible to be applicable in sectors like food, fashion, and construction.
No mechanism to track progress: A traffic light model helps companies monitor their progress.
No clear step-by-step guide: A manual with practical instructions is needed to lower the barrier to use.
How can we make the framework truly user-friendly?
The research offers five recommendations:
- Develop clear and measurable indicators: Companies need specific metrics.
- Improve user-friendliness: An intuitive interface, visual support, and a clear manual are essential.
- Add a validation mechanism: A traffic light model helps companies track their progress.
- Implement a feedback protocol: Regular evaluations with companies ensure the framework continues to improve.
- Develop a clear manual: A guide with clear instructions helps entrepreneurs use the framework effectively.
Join the regeneration movement!
The framework facilitates a step toward a regenerative future. We call on you to collaborate and realize this transformation. Use the framework, share your insights, and help us build a world that not only causes less harm but actively does good.
Take the first step today and make a lasting impact!
References
Cuypers, C., van der Zwet, E., Wakkee, I., van Hille, I., Lange, K., & Drupsteen-Sint, L. (2024). Naar een raamwerk voor regeneratieve praktijken [Towards a framework for regenerative practices]. Holland Management Review, 41(209), 51-59. https://hmr.nl/artikel/naar-een-raamwerk-voor-regeneratieve-praktijken/
Drupsteen, L., & Wakkee, I. (2024). Exploring Characteristics of Regenerative Business Models through a Delphi-Inspired Approach. Sustainability, 16(7), 3062. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16073062
Konietzko, J., Das, A., & Bocken, N. (2023). Towards regenerative business models: A necessary shift? Sustainable Production and Consumption, 38, 372–388. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.spc.2023.04.014
Maassen, T., Drupsteen, L., & van der Zwet, E. (2024). 10 Voorbeelden van Regeneratief Ondernemen: van schade minimaliseren naar herstel maximaliseren [10 examples of regenerative entrepreneurship: from minimising damage towards maximising restoration]. Centre of Economic Transformation.
Van der Zwaag, E. (May 9th, 2023). What is a regenerative economy, really? LinkedIn. https://nl.linkedin.com/pulse/wat-een-regeneratieve-economie-nou-eigenlijk-erwin-van-der-zwaag.
