It is about eating enough quality, nutritious food to meet physiological needs — while also meeting taste, cultural, functional and emotional needs.

Not too little. Not too much. Enough.

The problem for people, planet and prosperity

Food sits at the centre of three intersecting challenges: climate pressure, public health strain and rising inequality.

Globally, the food system is responsible for an estimated 26–37% of total greenhouse gas emissions (IPCC). Agriculture is also a primary driver of biodiversity loss, land degradation and freshwater use.

In Australia, agriculture accounts for around 14–16% of national emissions (Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water), excluding broader land-use impacts and supply chain emissions.

At the same time, public health trends are moving in the opposite direction of resilience:

• Around two-thirds of Australian adults are overweight or obese (AIHW).

• Diet-related chronic disease places growing pressure on the health system.

• Highly processed, energy-dense foods remain widely available and heavily promoted.

Yet scarcity coexists with excess.

Foodbank Australia reports that 33% of Australian households experienced food insecurity in the 12 months to late 2025 — skipping meals, reducing portion sizes or worrying about running out of food.

Globally, around one-third of food produced is lost or wasted (FAO). In Australia, food waste is estimated at 7.6 million tonnes annually (Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water).

We have engineered a system that produces too many low-nutrient calories, wastes a substantial proportion of what it grows, and still struggles to ensure consistent access to nutritious food for all.

With climate volatility, soil degradation and water stress intensifying, the supply challenge is unlikely to ease.

What needs to shift?

There is increasing alignment across economic, sustainability and agricultural institutions that food is a priority sector for transition - particularly evident in new economies and net positive business models.

Shifting to sustainable, regenerative, and plant-forward food systems and reducing overconsumption provides food security for a growing global population while protecting natural resources, reversing biodiversity loss, mitigating climate change and promoting human health.

Even mainstream economic modelling recognises that healthier, lower-calorie diets reduce long-term system costs and resource demand.

The shift required is both production-side and consumption-side. Improving how food is grown is essential, but what and how much is consumed also matters.

The role of business

Food brands and manufacturers operate at the intersection of supply and demand. That creates both responsibility and opportunity.

Future-focused businesses can play a significant role in shifting the industry by addressing five key areas:

1. Regenerative sourcing and agriculture
Supporting soil health, biodiversity, animal welfare, water resilience in supply chains and reforestation.

2. Circular processing and production
Using by-products effectively, reducing energy intensity, decarbonising operations and recycling water.

3. Sufficiency in product design and nutrition
Prioritising nutrient density over calorie density, improving plant-forward ratios, reducing additives and preservatives linked to poor gut health and portion control.

4. Elimination of waste in packaging and distribution
Material reduction, compostability, reuse systems and avoiding unnecessary plastic.

5. Social and ethical equity
Living income, human rights, safe working conditions, gender equity and local sourcing.

The abundance in eating for sufficiency

Is there a genuine consumer need for products that nourish without excess?

Australian consumer research indicates that “people are starting to be more mindful of what they eat, with a growing number of Aussies paying closer attention to what is on their plate and how much of it they actually want.... Eating less is no longer framed as deprivation. It is being reframed as listening to your body, choosing quality over volume.”1

This aligns with observable shifts:

• From ultra-processed foods to whole ingredients, organic and local food

• Growing interest in functional foods such as gut health and brain health

• From illness prevention to health optimisation and longevity

• Options for diversity in audiences and eating occasions

• Not wanting the feelings associated with eating too much or throwing food away

• A reframing of “value” from quantity to quality

Sufficiency in food can be understood in practical terms:

• Nutrient density over calorie density

• Satiety over stimulation

• Quality over quantity

• Long-term health over short-term indulgence

It does not mean eliminating enjoyment. It means maximising enjoyment from nourishment.

For high-income markets like Australia, where average calorie intake exceeds physiological need, reductions in excess consumption can improve health outcomes as well as easing pressure on land, water and emissions and addressing social and ethical equity. All whilst enjoying the experience.

Opportunity for brands

For brands, sufficiency is about shifting value creation:

• From empty calories and pointless preservatives to nutrient-rich formulations

• From oversized portions to right-sized products

• From volume-driven promotions to quality-driven positioning

• From wasteful design to efficient systems

If sufficiency becomes part of how Australians think about health and wellbeing, and as resource constraints continue to tighten, where does your brand sit?

Are you designing products primarily for stimulation and excess? Or for nourishment and enough?

The shift is gradual, but it is underway. The question is how deliberately brands choose to participate.

The Regenerative Business Collective is a global network of independent specialists, co-founded by Rachel Bevans and Patrick Tully.

We collaborate with clients to challenge paradigms and find new ways to thrive that embrace sufficiency, restore and regenerate people, planet and prosperity.

Please contact us for more info@regenerativebusinesscollective.com

1. Quote source: https://7news.com.au/7you/aussies-are-eating-less-and-guzman-y-gomezs-mini-menu-is-the-fast-food-trend-taking-over-c-21511576

2. Image source: ID12193689 ©Alexander Rath | Dreamstime.com

Next week is Reclaim the Economy Week (26 Jan – 1 Feb), positioned as “a moment to unite to demand an economy that puts people and planet first”.

Proponents of Doughnut Economics, Ecological Economics, Regenerative Economics, the Wellbeing Economy, the Sufficiency Economy, and the Economy of Small are all pointing in the same direction—towards a model of growth that moves beyond GDP, linear systems, and extraction. One that focuses instead on social and ecological wellbeing, and prosperity for all.

Over the past five to six years, we’ve seen steady progress from theory into action. Much of this momentum began around 2019/2020—driven by the Covid pandemic, the Davos Manifesto’s redefinition of business purpose, and a growing focus on sustainability.

Now, with the compounding pressures of the polycrisis, people are again looking for a better way of living.

What we heard from people

In interviews conducted recently, people told us that even with the cost-of-living pressures, they still feel the need to consume and keep up. But when we introduced the concept of sufficiency, they described a sense of relief.

Sufficiency gave them freedom in having and being enough, using what they already have, and not adding more waste. It gave them space for regeneration - to reset, restore and renew themselves, to consume more consciously and give back more than they take.

This shift is also showing up culturally. There’s a move away from influencing towards #deinfluencing. Pride in not spending is growing (#consumptioncore). People are setting new habits like using what they have before they buy more (#projectpanning). They’re upcycling, composting, repairing, and exploring new ways of living like minimalism and low-tox.

Where is business?

Some businesses are already responding quietly and practically.

• Unilever, Danone, Mars, Nestlé and PepsiCo are working with local farmers on regenerative agriculture.

• Fashion designers are sourcing regenerative materials.

• Start-ups are creating new materials from fungi, algae, and bamboo.

Carpet tile manufacturer, Interface, known as a sustainability pioneer, is going so far as to reimagine “Factory as a Forest”, so that they and other companies can transform their facilities from ‘zero footprint’ to providing the same benefits as high-performing ecosystems.

In the space of sufficiency, also referred to as “the business of less”, we’re seeing clear examples:

• RM Williams repairs over 20,000 pairs of boots each year.

• Citizen Wolf offers made-to-order tees with no inventory waste and repairs for life.

• Koskela offers a marketplace to rehome used furniture.

• Unyoked’s cabins are low-footprint, solar-powered and encourage digital detox in nature.

• Nightingale Housing designs smaller apartments with shared spaces to build community, not just homes.

Other brands are stepping away from practices that no longer align with their values:

• Lush stopped posting entirely on social media in 2021, citing concerns over customer wellbeing and the harm of algorithms.

• Basecamp (now 37signals) removed all tracking from their website and communications, standing against surveillance marketing.

• Patagonia challenged norms with its “don’t buy this jacket” campaigns and we’ve seen others follow suit. For example, start-up Naming This Later not participating in Boxing Day sales.

Where could business go next?

Businesses can’t fix the economy on their own, but they can influence it. They have the scale, capital and consumer connection to make a meaningful difference.

At the same time, they face growing pressure to deliver profitable growth. But infinite growth, extraction and overconsumption are increasingly seen as key contributors to environmental and social harm.

While many businesses are making good progress on sustainability, most of this work focuses on reaching a neutral state (net zero). It doesn’t yet address the role of overconsumption, or what growth should look like in the future.

If we want to move from sustaining to restoring and regenerating, then how we grow must change. It means shaping demand within planetary and social boundaries. It means moving beyond neutral to net positive. And it means making sufficiency part of the solution.

The Regenerative Business Collective is a global network of independent specialists, co-founded by Rachel Bevans and Patrick Tully.

We collaborate with clients to challenge paradigms and find new ways to thrive that embrace sufficiency, restore and regenerate people, planet and prosperity.

Contact us for more information info@regenerativebusinesscollective.com

Image ID 210388047 | Abundance © Igor Mojzes | Dreamstime.com

Prologue

Over many months, I’ve been gathering examples of how brands are moving beyond net zero and do no harm to net positive, restorative and regenerative. The more tangible examples, the more stimulus we have to help more brands become more regenerative, and the more hope that we can play our part in restoring and regenerating people, planet and prosperity.

To organise these examples into themes, I started using the 4-7P’s: Product, Place, Price, Promotion, People, Process and Physical Evidence, starting at Product.

It wasn’t easy finding examples (even with AI tools now), as very few of the brands are claiming to be regenerative - but they are writing about where they are working towards being more regenerative, and “Regenerative Agriculture” has emerged as one of the most prominent areas where brands across industries are active.

When I started talking about my findings to a longtime friend who is an expert in the areas of soil health and sustainable development, and comes from a farming family, I gained an interesting additional perspective - that proponents of regenerative agriculture position agriculture as unsustainable but farmers in countries like Australia have been practicing crop and herd rotation, water stewardship and many of the aspects of regenerative agriculture for years to ensure healthy production outputs today and that their farm is in better condition for the next generation.

Through our exploration and application, we remain open-minded and curious advocates of restoration and regeneration practices that provide opportunity for the many not a niche.

Key findings

Agriculture is the third largest contributor to GHG emissions, estimated at around 11-14% global emissions following electricity and heat production 30% and transport 15%. So it’s promising to see many brands pursuing regenerative agriculture in their production and supply chains.

Whilst there isn’t a hard and fast definition of Regenerative Agriculture, there are commonalities across certification sources - such as Regenagri, Regenerative Organic Alliance, Rainforest Alliance - that we have summarised into What it is and What is involves, ensuring that it covers aspects relating to people as well as planet.

What it is

Regenerative agriculture is a way of farming that works with nature to restore and enhance ecosystems while producing food, fibre, and materials. Instead of just trying to be “less harmful” (the sustainability mindset), regeneration is about making the land, water, biodiversity, and communities healthier year after year.

What it involves

• Soil health: no/low tillage, cover cropping, composting

• Biodiversity: planting diverse crops, agroforestry, integrating pollinator habitats

• Animal integration: rotational grading, holistic livestock management

• Water stewardship: building soil that retains water, reducing runoff

• Community & fairness: fair pay, farmer empowerment, local food systems

Why it is gaining momentum

Risk mitigation. Regenerative practices help organisations achieve net zero goals and offer long-term resilience of supply chains in the face of climate and resource risks.

Puts more back in than it takes out. Beyond do no harm, regenerative practices actively restore soil, revive biodiversity, rebalance water cycles and capture carbon.

Consumer need. Regenerative agriculture is linked to superior product benefits, products that are better for you to eat, put on your skin or in your environment. Increasingly consumers don’t want chemicals, in particular synthetic pesticides and hormones, in their food, on their skin or in their environment.

Connection to the land. Regenerative agriculture is deeply rooted in Indigenous knowledge which is increasing in awareness and appreciation for its holistic connection to nature, land, sky and water. Multi-generational farmers also have an instinctive connection to the land.

Industries, organisations and brands playing in the regenerative space

In the Food & Beverages industry, most of the big players - Unilever, Danone, General Mills, Nestle and PepsiCo - are embedding regenerative agriculture practices across dairy, oat and wheat, coffee and cocoa, potatoes, oranges and tomatoes.

In Personal Care & Beauty, the specialty wellness market leads the way with brands that are typically found in health and wellbeing stores like Weleda, Dr Bronner’s and Tassie Tallow sourcing ingredients from regenerative farms. L’Oreal is one of the larger players focusing on regenerative ingredient sourcing to strengthen its 100% cruelty-free and vegan offer with brand Garnier.

Offering provenance and craftsmanship, the Wine & Spirits industry naturally leans into regenerative agriculture. Inkell Wines in McLaren Vale South Australia and Tablas Creek Vineyard in California USA are Regenerative Organic Certified. Spirits producers offer variants within the master brand such as Maker’s Mark Bourbon Star Hill Farm and Koskenkorva Vodka Climate Action.

As the 4th largest contributor to greenhouse gases, Apparel & Footwear is also gaining momentum in regenerative agriculture. Timberland sources leather from farms that implement regenerative grazing practices and is working to build a regenerative rubber supply system that mimics natural forest ecosystems. Allbirds is working towards 100% regenerative wool this year as well as using other regenerative materials such as carbon-negative sugarcane-based foam and methane-capturing bioplastics. Patagonia supports farmers to grow cotton using Regenerative Organic practices and helped establish the Regenerative Organic Certified program. Premium fashion brands Christy Dawn, KitX, Matteau and Maggie Marilyn are at different stages of sourcing regenerative materials.

Other industries are emerging - Pet Food, Packaging, Home Furnishings, Tourism & Hospitality.

In Pet Food, Mars Petcare is actively transitioning its supply chain to regenerative agriculture and premium brand. Ethical Farmers offers preservative free pet food from animals raised on their regenerative farm.

In Packaging and Bioplastics, regenerative seaweed is being used to produce sustainable, biodegradable packaging alternatives to single-use plastics by Notpla and straws and cups by Loliware.

In Home Furnishings and Interiors, premium brands like Coyuchi offer organic cotton bedding, sheets and towels made from regenerative California cotton. Sero Performance Hemp uses high performance hemp fibres manufactured from regenerative hemp cultivation, designed for carpet, underlays and ceiling panels.

In Tourism & Hospitality, Woollen Station in WA and Regenerative Vanua, Vanuatu are part of the move to regenerative agritourism offering experiences to guests to learn about regenerative agriculture practices, indigenous culture, knowledge and spiritual connection to the land.

Industries that are further behind include Home Care where regenerative practices take time and scale to transition and Nutraceuticals & Supplements where its challenging to trace multiple ingredients.

Where next

It’s good to see so many examples of brands across industries that are transitioning to regenerative farming practices and materials from regenerative sources.

To move from niche to mainstream farming, the benefits of regeneration need to be clearly defined and measurable, providing evidence that it works for farmers to be able to transition and scale with confidence. (Regenerative agriculture needs a remake, Trevor Whittington, CEO WAFarmers).

What the commentary indicates is that the large multi-nationals will likely be waiting until they have scaled their operations and measured their success in 3-5 years to avoid greenwashing when they do start talking about it and embedding in their brand. But we’re on the way…

The Regenerative Business Collective is a global network of independent specialists. We collaborate with clients to challenge paradigms and find new ways to thrive that embrace sufficiency, restore and regenerate for people, planet and prosperity. .

The Covid pandemic was the perhaps the first significant live demonstration of how human health, planetary health and economic health are inextricably linked that impacted everyone. Unlike climate disasters and social issues which tend to impact “others” - specific communities and vulnerable populations - it brought the truth home to the individual.

During the first wave, Doughnut Economics and the Wellbeing Economy were being advocated as the way for economies to build back better by balancing the wellbeing of people and planet along with the economy. At the time, both were focused on economies – national, state and local governments.

With the shift of the purpose of a company (World Economic Forum’s Davos Manifesto, ASX, US Business Roundtable) to create long-term sustainable value for all stakeholders, Sustainability, the SDGs and B-Corp certification gained traction with businesses – noting that Raworth and the DEAL team have since applied the Doughnut Economics framework to business design.

As businesses shift growth to regenerative and distributive models so that what the individual buys isn’t negatively impacting people and planet, the missing piece is still addressing the consumption side of the equation. And that’s what I like about the concept of Sufficiency.

Not too much, not too little, but just right – Sufficiency is the Goldilocks of Consumption. It provides a pathway for brands to create a “safe and just space for humanity to thrive” for and with consumers… if the lucky ones who have enough, can be happy with enough.

So, what’s stopping us from stopping at enough?

There are many instinctual, social and psychological drivers that marketing has historically amplified across the brand experience. Here’s our Starter for 10:

1. We instinctively gather resources for survival, accumulating resources for times when they are scarce. Amplified by bulk deals and free shipping thresholds.

2. Resource accumulation is also connected to social status, signalling success and security. Typified by large homes and walk-in closets.

3. We gather information about ourselves and our place in the world to be safe and belong, but in doing so fall into the comparison trap, measuring our own worth against the success, possessions and lifestyles of others. Fuelled by social media and influencers.

4. We choose products, services and experiences that express our individual identity and social identity. Projected as you become what you buy and encouraged by social proof.

5. Our brains are naturally motivated by novelty, and the anticipation of acquiring something new can trigger “feel-good” dopamine activity, which drives our desire to seek out new experiences or possessions, continuously. Stimulated by constant product drops and seasonal trends.

6. We favour instant gratification over long-term benefit – when pursued repeatedly, it creates a cycle of immediate dopamine release that can become addictive. Facilitated by buy now, pay later payment methods and express delivery.

7. Once formed, habits are hard to change. So, whether it’s your weekly food shop or your clothing shop, if you typically buy more than you truly need, that behaviour has become an automatic habit. Powered by purchase points, stored payment methods and one click purchase experience.

8. On the flip side, we avoid loss i.e. not buying something because the pain of losing is psychologically twice as powerful as the pleasure of gaining. Influenced by scarcity tactics like “only 2 left” or “ends tonight”.

9. We anticipate the regret of not buying something. Especially when it comes to perceived good deals.

10. And because we are averse to risk, we buy more than we need to feel safe or “covered”. Hyped by checklists of must-have items and enabled by buying multiple sizes on returns policy (that never get returned).

How do we encourage enough?

Through the Lens of Sufficiency, brands can provide the link between businesses and individuals to thrive without overconsumption. These are just some initial thoughts on how to address the issues and have the potential to add value to the brand:

1. Inject value into the brand by not rewarding purchasing multiple items – user pays for carbon emissions on shipping, limit the number of items that can be purchased, stop using pantry stocking to block competitors.

2. Redefine success as minimalist discretion – capsule wardrobes, minimalist design, decluttering, downsizing and apartment living. Inject value into the brand through regenerative experiences over material accumulation.

3. Use comparison to build connection instead of consumption – share stories of people wearing the same outfit multiple times or living simple lives.

4. Make sufficiency a badge of integrity and help people align with values of “buy less, care more”.

5. Offer more classic staples, fewer fads and encourage ways to make current purchases look and feel new without buying a whole new outfit or furniture setting. For example, modular furniture that can be arranged in new ways.

6. Encourage layby instead of buy now pay later. Slow down the shopping experience and make it more enjoyable through storytelling.

7. Insert pause points that provide the option to go to shopping cart or continue shopping. Provide budgets compared to other similar households or waste statistics in your neighbourhood to encourage people to rethink their purchase amount.

8. Vow to stop using scarcity tactics and up the ante on the joy of purchasing one great item.

9. Reframe regret so that it’s about buying too much rather than missing out.

10. Offer “bricks-and-mortar” shopping experiences so people can try their size, right first time they buy

.Do people really want to stop at enough?

Multiple research studies have been commissioned to understand whether having more money or buying more things makes people happier. The key finding across them that “more” does not necessarily make us happier – but we do need enough to be safe, well and thrive.

I wrote an earlier perspective that there does seem to be a groundswell.

In social media there are multiple initiatives in this space and, whilst some of the momentum has been gained because of the cost-of-living crisis, it is evident that some new social norms are being created:

- UnderconsumptionCore: advising your audience on how to reduce consumption

- Deinfluencing: telling your audience what they don’t need

- Project panning: encouraging your audience to not buy anything new until you’ve finished what you’ve had

- Outfit repeater: reassuring your audience that it’s OK to wear something more than once

- Less is more: tips on decluttering, minimalism and digital minimalism

There are consumer-facing propositions that encourage people to consume enough like: Patagonia’s “Don’t Buy This Jacket” advertising campaign on Black Friday; U-Beauty created an all-in-one skin care product to replace women’s multi-step beauty routine with the same functional benefits of the range but with less time and less waste; and Muji brand’s minimalism philosophy, designing products with simplicity, functionality, sustainability to create “emptiness” that allows the user to fill the abstract space with their own meaning, uses and context.

A research study for the fashion industry indicated that intervention strategies inspired by Sufficiency can be effective. In this study, communication intervention motivated young adults to purchase less clothing with poster headlines like “The infinite choices are bad for our mental health and leave us feeling dissatisfied no matter what we choose” and “Buy less, Choose well, Make it last”.

And there is a return to “bricks and mortar” retail shopping for younger consumers who want to try before they buy and augmenting their shopping experience with conversational AI to find products that are right for them – more joy and less waste.

The concept of Sufficiency or “Enough” does provide brand leaders with the opportunity to offer businesses and individuals a myriad of ways to thrive without overconsumption.

The Regenerative Business Collective is a global network of independent specialists. We collaborate with clients to challenge paradigms and find new ways to thrive that embrace sufficiency, restore and regenerate for people, planet and prosperity.

Traditionally, business and marketing have focused on competitors as the enemy and competition as war. Classic texts such as Marketing Warfare by Ries and Trout, Competitive Strategy by Michael Porter, and The Art of War for Executives by Donald Krause all reinforced the idea that strategy is about outmanoeuvring rivals, defending territory, and seizing advantage. Competitors are framed as threats, and success as dominance.

This thinking still permeates mainstream business practice. Even as sustainability has gained traction, many strategies remain focused on internal performance and competitive advantage—optimising operations, managing risk, and ensuring compliance. Collaboration is encouraged, particularly through initiatives that align with SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals, but usually in the form of short-term projects or supply chain improvements. This is sometimes referred to as coopetition—a term used when competitors work together for mutual benefit, often focused on economic efficiency or strategic alignment. But this kind of collaboration is still largely transactional and often limited in scope. Businesses still largely operated as isolated units within a system, rather than as active participants in shaping the health of that system.

Regenerative business thinking challenges that assumption. It recognises that organisations are not separate from the social, ecological and economic systems they depend on. Long-term resilience and relevance require contributing to the health of those systems—not just mitigating harm but helping to restore and renew.

This is where systems thinking becomes essential. It focuses on relationships and interdependencies, not just individual parts. It helps organisations surface root causes, understand unintended consequences, and identify opportunities for transformation. It supports a shift from control to participation, from extraction to regeneration.

This article was inspired by a recent LinkedIn post from Ashleigh Morris, CEO of Coreo – a circular economy thought leader and systems thinker.

In Queensland’s Bowen Basin, Coreo identified an opportunity to redesign how 58 mining operations manage waste. Rather than treating each site in isolation, they proposed a shared, multi-mine circular resource recovery facility.

By mapping 23 circular solutions, the model could divert 110,000 tonnes of waste from landfill each year, unlock $4.7 billion in value over a decade and demonstrate a blueprint for systemic transformation in a traditionally extractive industry. This approach is now being considered by the World Bank as a model for systems-level change in the resources sector.

Morris summarises this mammoth effort in its most net positive, regenerative light: “The future of mining isn’t just about what we take from the ground, it’s what we choose to give back to the system”.

We see similar thinking in how companies are approaching innovation:

· Patagonia developed Yulex®, a natural rubber alternative to petroleum-based neoprene, and made it available to other brands to support wider industry transition.

· Allbirds shared its carbon-negative SweetFoam™ material to help reduce fossil plastic use across the footwear sector.

· Tesla released its electric vehicle patents to encourage faster industry-wide adoption of clean transport.

· Interface shared its Climate Take Back™ framework to enable regenerative design practices in the built environment.

· Unilever opened access to its low-emission freezer technology patents to support decarbonisation of food retail infrastructure.

Each of these choices reflects a broader regenerative shift from acting in siloes to protect competitive advantage to contributing to the health of the whole system and amplifying impact.

These examples illustrate what becomes possible when organisations stop competing to extract and start collaborating to regenerate. It’s the kind of shift that will shape the next era of business and marketing strategy and is one of the key paradigms and principles that sit at the heart of The Regenerative Business Collective.

The Regenerative Business Collective is a global network of independent specialists. We collaborate with clients to challenge paradigms and find new ways to thrive that embrace sufficiency, restore and regenerate for people, planet and prosperity.

They aren’t just practicing sustainable sourcing or products - they're reimagining how business itself functions within society, with the regenerative economy integrated into the business and brand.

Weleda is a natural and organic skincare and medicines brand built on over 100 years of organic farming, research and deep knowledge of medicinal plants. Known for its commitment to sustainability and ethical sourcing, Weleda states in the sustainability section of its website it “embraces an inclusive, fair and regenerative economic model” and “Regenerative practices shape our entire value chain.” In one campaign, they are using regeneration as a differentiator and linking it to functional and emotional benefits to all stakeholders – “regenerating soil, people and planet”.

For Australian fashion brand, KitX, moving beyond sustainability to regeneration is more prominent in their purpose and principles advocating an inclusive, equitable and regenerative economy with their 3 key principles of regeneration - rewild, renew and rehome – to drive solutions that deliver positive change in the fashion industry. This includes their circular framework and sourcing organic and regenerative materials. With “made to demand” ensuring no excess and no sales, “KitXchange” to buy and sell preloved garments and “future from waste lab” regenerating textile waste into their future denim collection, regeneration and circularity is built into the business model.

First Milk is a British farmer-owned dairy that is owning the label “The Regenerative Co-op” with the single commitment to enrich life every day to secure the future. Their co-operative business model, regenerative farming and treating everyone fairly are key aspects of the business that are working towards the inclusive, regenerative economy. Their cheese and milk brand “Golden Hooves” uses the brand idea “Deliciously Regenerative” on pack and website, underpinned by the “whopping 260,000 regenerative interventions” across the 700 independent farm members.

Patagonia as a business is regenerative by nature - although given they won’t say they’re sustainable because they’ve still so much work to do, they are even less likely to talk to being regenerative! From their Earth ownership model to their design approach that ensures their products don’t solve one problem whilst causing more, and their Worn Wear program that has been encouraging repair, reuse, and resale of their products since 2013. In 2018, Patagonia partnered with other pioneers to form the Regenerative Organic Alliance and create the Regenerative Organic Certification (ROC) for products that use regenerative agriculture to improve soil health, animal welfare and farmer livelihoods. They are well known for their investment into grassroots activism and promotion approach – such as their “Don’t buy this jacket” Black Friday campaign.

IKEA states they are “transitioning towards a circular economy” and “working towards regenerating resources, protecting ecosystems, improving biodiversity and animal welfare”. They aim to only use responsibly sourced renewable or recycled materials, and drive an organisation-wide philosophy to “always work to find new ways to make more from less”. From a social perspective, central to their product and service offering is contributing to healthy and sustainable lifestyles as well as empowering social entrepreneurs in marginalised communities to sell their unique products and services through IKEA sales channels.

Would you agree these five product brands are credible examples for regeneration? Do you know of any others?

Rachel Bevans is a founding member of The Regenerative Business Collective, a global network of independent specialists. We collaborate with clients to challenge paradigms and find new ways to thrive that embrace sufficiency, restore and regenerate for people, planet and prosperity. .

These entities are working to establish the vision for a regenerative future and support organisations and communities in their efforts. This kind of forward thinking and acting is what we need to make this happen.

Established in 2012 on the belief that “providing a compelling vision for the future is needed to reconcile humanity’s relationship with the natural world”, International Living Future Institute’s mission is “to cultivate a society that is socially just, culturally rich, and ecologically restorative”. They seek to make regenerative design of buildings the new normal where “architects, engineers, manufacturers, builders and business leaders are creating regenerative buildings and products to restore the health and resilience of economies, culture and people”.

Kate Raworth’s Doughnut Economics was published in 2017 to offer a vision of what it means for humanity to thrive in the 21^st century – within planetary boundaries and no person left behind. In 2020, Doughnut Economics Action Lab (D.E.A.L) was launched with an initial focus on supporting communities, education, cities and places, and government on reframing economic narratives, influencing strategic policy and innovating across the Doughnut. In 2022, DEAL launched a framework for businesses to apply the Doughnut model to redesign their operations and contribute to a regenerative and distributive future.

WWF Australia launched the Regenerate Australia program in October 2020 with an aim to shift Australia toward a regenerative economy to offer a future that builds economic, environmental and social wellbeing and resilience. Its “Innovate to Regenerate” program identifies and supports community-led ventures across agriculture & food, circular economy, energy, regenerative governance, land & ecosystems, oceans and tourism.

ReGen Ventures is a venture capital firm founded in 2020 – based in Byron Bay and operating in San Francisco and New York - focused on investing in early-stage companies using regenerative technologies. Their ReGeneration Manifesto is an inspiring look to the future of abundance and regeneration of our planet.

Across Regenerative Agriculture, there are a range of certifications and standards signalling the momentum regeneration is gaining. Certified Regenerative by A Greener World in was established in 2017 and Regenerative Organic Certified (ROC) in 2018 across 3 key aspects: improving soil health, improving animal welfare and providing economic stability and fairness to improve livelihood of farmers and workers. Certified Regenerative is mostly food whereas ROC™ is used across industries from food, personal and skin care, fashion and textiles. Certifications and standards developed since such as Regenified 2022 (UK), Regenerative Farming Standard Feb 2025 (Global) and Regeneration International Standard March 2025 (Global) focus on the environment, crops and livestock without the farmer livelihoods.

In April 2022, the Sustainable Markets Initiative (SMI) Fashion Task Force launched The Regenerative Fashion Manifesto, developed in partnership with the Circular Bioeconomy Alliance. Their commitments include protecting nature and biodiversity, promoting circular bioeconomy supply chains and regenerative landscapes and practices, and engaging local and indigenous communities to ensure their rights are respected and are involved in the benefits.

In June 2022, B Lab U.S. & Canada publicly stated a renewed focus on a "regenerative economy" as central to their Theory of Change. Jorge Fontanez, the newly appointed CEO, spoke about supporting businesses in building “a more inclusive, equitable, and regenerative economy.” It’s unclear how they are driving this beyond their existing B Impact Assessment which encourages businesses to improve their impact year on year to maintain B-Corp certification – but at this point, many of the businesses we’ve found advocating a regenerative economy are B-Corps (next post).

Do you know of any others?

The Regenerative Business Collective is a global network of independent specialists. We collaborate with clients to challenge paradigms and find new ways to thrive that embrace sufficiency, restore and regenerate for people, planet and prosperity. .

But as the polycrisis builds – from Covid pandemic to cost-of-living crisis from climate impact to human rights – social media is alive with citizens getting creative with ways to consume less, waste less, buy more consciously, live more healthfully, connect with each other, nature, culture and ancestral knowledge, and influence (or “de-influence”) others.

Within the context of The Regenerative Business Collective, we’re seeking to understand the market penetration of regeneration – circular, restorative and regenerative products, services, experiences and behaviours that replenish resources, health and wellbeing of people and planet – and sufficiency – as the way to balance out consumerism so that everyone consumes “enough” on the path to becoming a more regenerative society.

Regeneration

There’s not a lot of research specifically on regeneration.

What is available indicates that consumers are becoming more aware of regeneration because of regenerative agriculture in particular – but still don’t really understand what it is or what’s in it for me.

One US study on Values-based shoppers – those who purchase based on more than low price, taste and brand - indicates that once they do understand the meaning and benefits, around half of them say they are willing to pay a premium, hungry to learn more, will go out of their way to find products and eager to recommend.

Specific to regenerative agriculture, the top 3 benefits were: improve soil health; essential nutrients in food through natural soil process; and increase nutrient density in food. Linking the process benefit to the consumer benefit is important developing the value proposition, claims and communications.

The rising awareness and appreciation of indigenous cultures has surfaced traditional ecological knowledge and indigenous-led regeneration in particular regenerative agriculture, land stewardship, mindful living, connection to nature and care for country.

In some initial discussions we held, there is awareness of regeneration in wellbeing and beauty but its more about regenerating cells than it is about the sourcing and production: regenerative skin care for anti-aging, regenerative therapies and medicine for repair and longevity. And there is an emerging luxury trend of regenerative tourism which involves travelling to the resorts that are doing the hard yards in applying regenerative principles and the traveller turns up to experience it – don’t mind the emissions to get there! Both are amongst affluent consumers and not really passing the grade for regeneration or sufficiency.

Across social media, there are many initiatives that push the boundaries from sustainable living to regenerative practices such as:

- Composting waste to add nutrients back into the soil

- Upcycling to create more value from recycled products

- Biophilic design and architecture which reconnect people to nature within the built environment

Initiatives that gained traction during the Covid pandemic that continue to gain momentum that are regenerative in that they put more back in than they take out:

- Shop local and buying from farmers markets for health and wellbeing, environmental and connection and community benefits, and for some in response to the large corporates

- Community connection in response to the loneliness epidemic, overuse of digital media and desire to help less fortunate

Whilst much is happening in the social and environmental justice space, it is mostly gaining awareness of issues to prevent harm and reaching a neutral state rather than creating value. “Girlhood” is one that stands out as promoting positive aspects of female friendship in the face of body image and social competition.

When it comes to business models, there has been media coverage on 2025 as International Year of the Cooperatives, designated by the UN. Research indicates this is popular choice for customers, suppliers and employees, with approximately 8 in 10 Australians members of at least one cooperative or mutual – because of their focus on benefits and not profit maximisation, deeply rooted in their community and prioritising community reinvestment and long-term sustainability.

From our initial conversations, people don’t know that their behaviours and choices are regenerative but the difference between sustainability’s neutral state and regeneration – putting more back in, replenishing resources, health and wellbeing of people and planet, enhancing systems so they’re more resilient, vibrant and flourishing than before – really resonated, it seemed to amplify their individual power to do something about the problem. But again, they need education and support from governments, business and brands to shift the dial.

Sufficiency

With Sufficiency, given some context, people work through what it means and the narrative around materialism, consumerism and overconsumption is loud and clear.

In social media there are multiple initiatives in this space and, whilst some of the momentum has been gained because of the cost-of-living crisis, it is evident that some new social norms are being created:

- UnderconsumptionCore: advising your audience on how to reduce consumption

- Deinfluencing: telling your audience what they don’t need

- Project panning: encouraging your audience to not buy anything new until you’ve finished what you’ve had

- Outfit repeater: reassuring your audience that it’s OK to wear something more than once

- Less is more: tips on decluttering, minimalism and digital minimalism

This is just scratching the surface and as we progress, we’ll share more findings on what consumers, brands and businesses are doing in this space.

Rachel Bevans is founding member of The Regenerative Business Collective, a global network of independent specialists. We collaborate with clients to challenge paradigms and find new ways to thrive that embrace sufficiency, restore and regenerate for people, planet and prosperity.

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Organisations are moving towards sustainability with strategic marketers embedding sustainability in their brands and plans – evidenced by an increase in innovation, claims and advertising, with greenwashing guides updated across Australia, UK and EU in 2023 with the US in progress, and the recent launch of the UN’s CMO Blueprint for Sustainable Growth.

Within the context of sustainability, what’s not being addressed is Consumerism - marketing’s realm of getting consumers to buy, use or experience stuff at a price to generate profit for shareholders – apart from some regulatory boundary setting for responsible marketing such as ACCC for false and misleading claims, AANA for marketing to children, and ABAC for alcohol advertising.

From “Affluenza” and “The Minimalists” to “Supersize Me” and Patagonia’s “Shitthropocene”, we’re bombarded with books and films that call out Consumerism as the lynch pin in a global economy that is extractive, divisive and degenerative through its addiction to unlimited growth.

Yet there is no guide for marketers wanting to know what they can do about Consumerism whilst also being tied to objectives of infinite growth.

Sustainability, by definition, is a neutral state where the aim is to meet current needs without compromising future generations.

But humanity is currently overshooting at least 6 of the 9 planetary boundaries and many of the social boundaries are also not being met. The interconnectedness of global political, economic, social and ecological systems means that crisis in one area also has a knock-on effect on others – you’ve heard it before, we’re in the middle of a polycrisis.

This means that we need to do more than sustainability. We need to push to Restoration and Regeneration – creating value by restoring, improving and enhancing systems, making them more resilient, vibrant and flourishing for the future.

To achieve a Regenerative Economy and Society, we need to address Consumerism, rallying strategic marketers – CMOs and marketing teams, researchers and strategists – to rethink what we’re asking consumers to think, feel, do and apply a lens of Sufficiency.

The concept of Sufficiency is not new.

The Sufficiency Economy Philosophy originated in Thailand in late 1970s and 80s encouraging local resilience amongst farmers, managing the land sustainably and balancing resources. Then following the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis it gained prominence as the way to rebuild the economy through moderation, resilience and self-reliance. It was incorporated as a core strategy for economic and social stability in 2006 and recognised by the UN in 2006.

In 2021, COP 26 there was a stream of thinking on “Sufficiency should be first…” with a focus on the building sector, leading to the launch of the World Sufficiency Lab launched and EU Sufficiency Manifesto in 2024. Its definition aligns closely with Doughnut Economics:

“Sufficiency is a set of policy measures and daily practices which avoid the demand for energy, materials, land, water, and other natural resources, while delivering wellbeing for all within planetary boundaries. Sufficiency bridges the inequality gap by setting clear consumption limits to ensure a fair access to space and resources.”

Put simply, it’s enough - not too little or not too much, it’s just right for every human to thrive within planetary boundaries and not slipping into the social hole. Sufficiency is the Goldilocks of consumption.

Strategic Marketing then has a very active role in Regeneration:

- Influencing the business to embed circularity, restoration and regeneration across operations and supply chain

- Reframing growth in social and ecological wellbeing, with shareholder value the result not the goal

- Embedding regeneration into the brand and across the brand experience/4-7Ps

- Applying a sufficiency lens to consumer goals and the marketing funnel or flywheel so that you’re not encouraging consumers to buy stuff they don’t need, making regenerative products, services and experience accessible and simultaneously supporting those who don’t have enough

- Seeking new regenerative ways to grow, educating people on the definition of benefits of regeneration and communicating what’s true and relevant about your organisation and brand

- Helping regenerative and circular businesses grow

Rachel Bevans is founding member of The Regenerative Business Collective, a global network of independent specialists. We collaborate with clients to challenge paradigms and find new ways to thrive that embrace sufficiency, restore and regenerate for people, planet and prosperity.