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Future Scenarios

Climeworks' Orca plant in Iceland
Book ReviewsFuture Tech

Enabling a low carbon future: Emerging Tech – What’s the Hype about?

As companies and countries around the world pursue net zero targets, one big question is: How do you ensure the carbon removal technologies we will need 20 to 30 years down the road are available, affordable and easily scaled? S&P Global recently published a podcast mini-series on emerging climate technology. The series not only introduces a range of much hyped about, CO2 saving or CO2 removing technology, but also looks at scaling, the truth of potential impact, and financial viability.It is for this reason that I would like to list the three episodes in this post – and invite everyone to spend the 3 x 20 minutes to wrap their head around these insights.
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Sustainability Funnel - Cost, Compliance
Biz StrategyGovernance

Net Zero Everywhere?!

Right now everyone, everything seems to talk about wanting to be come ‘carbon neutral’. Don’t get me wrong: The goal itself – getting to a net zero carbon balance at the very least, and all that on nothing longer than a 2040 trajectory – is a must for every business. But. After Circularity and Regenerative, we’re seemingly right onto the next term in the game of buzzword bingo: Net Zero. Net Zero should be every where indeed. But not as a mere wave to ride in order to catch the next press release headline.
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Virtuous Circle
Biz StrategyFinanceOpinions

A ‘system positive’ company. Bullshit bingo or separating the wheat from the chaff?

‘System positive’. The latest term I came a cross in the finance world, and which intends to identify business that are particularly well set up to survive the tribulations to be expected in the decades to come. Immediately the cynic in me asks: Another addition to the sustainability bullshit bingo? And yet: the 5 questions proposed for scrutinising companies are very sharp, very relevant and very insightful. They only fall short of one: Will the company thrive within or even thanks to the Doughnut Boundaries?
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Sky at Night
Biz StrategyCircularityOpinions

Why bother – with Sustainability? Start with Why

Over a decade ago, Simon Sinek pointedly demanded: Start with Why. Targeted at a then rather uninspiring marketing and branding industry, 10 years on is still as valid as ever. Just now, we need to ask businesses: Why are you bothering with investing millions, and thousands of hours into sustainability? Often the answer will be: because we have to. An answer just as uninspiring as the sales slogans Sinek was bashing a decade ago. Because when it comes to Sustainability: Know your genuine Why. Or don't bother.
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Board Member w Depression
Biz StrategyGovernanceOpinions

Mental health on the board? Vulnerability is real …

In July 2018 Australian Billionaire James Packer resigned from 24 boards in total where he held directorships. His spokesman in a statement announced that Packer was “suffering from mental health issues” and was seeking treatment for depression. Packer is not a lone case. Climate Anxiety can be a trigger to mental health challenges - for fear of the future and well-being of loved ones. Creating boards that are able to open up about doubts, challenges and concerns is like adding a booster gear to their functioning, reaching deep into an individuals motivation and passion. It also could add a whole new dimensions to professional discussions and help to ask harder, but equally necessary questions to the executives running the day-to-day business.
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Biz StrategyFinance

Inevitable Policy Response: The day when politicians will kick into gear (I/III)

We all can see it happening before our eyes: Despite the Paris Climate Agreement to a climate trajectory of ‘well bellow’ 2 degrees (hence where the 1.5C number stems from) – the trajectory is not anywhere near that number. The Inevitable Policy Response (IPR) is the response by governments and legislators around the globe in taking action – hence enacting laws – in line with the 1.5 Degree climate goals.
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Consumer-ismFuture Tech

Scenarios of the future: Future cities, future consumers

At Shirahime, we have worked quite extensively over the last few months on the development of fashion industry scenarios beyond the 2020 time frame, going as far as 2045. We mentioned for example Shell as one that used this approach to suit their own goals. Siemens' 'Future Life' video, as presented the The Crystal in London. A much more interesting approach, and very insightful in terms of methodology, but also how tangible the results are presented, is Siemens’ work on Future Cities
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Biz StrategyFuture TechOpinions

Future Supply Chains: Baselines, Outlook

Supply chains, as a discipline of expertise, have come out of the hiding and recognise their role in reducing corporate risk. This is notably and specifically the case in fashion and textiles. At the same time, 'design' - not just in the creation room, but in all facets where it impacts the making, delivery and use of a product or service, is increasingly recognised as relevant.
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CircularityFuture TechSupply ChainTrade Shows

Trends: Report from the 2013 Textile Exchange Conference in Istanbul

On November 12 and 13, 2013 the yearly Textile Exchange conference took place in Istanbul, Turkey. I was invited to run a workshop on Scenario Work as one of the 'Strategy' break out session on the first day. The workshop was fully booked with 25 highly interested and active participants. In 90 challenging minutes they experienced a compressed version of a Scenario Planning workshop.
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Biz StrategyFuture Tech

Scenario work: Risk mitigation plus long-term competitiveness strategy

The fashion industry, nearly like no other, has gone through dramatic changes in the last 20, 30 years. Indeed it finds itself in the present at a crossroad. Resource scarcity is triggering shifts in business models and supply-chains; waste is the new resource; customers are the sales channel of the future; and legislation is becoming ever more stringent. The fact though is: if looking back at predictions of the 1950 and 1960, or even earlier (physical artefacts not considered), the reality we live in compares best to the predictions that were considered ‘totally crazy’ in their time.
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