One of the elements we love about how we have developed the FuturePlanet community is that every piece of our ways of being and doing have been co-created with our members and in the conversations that we have.
FuturePlanet has helped sustainability professionals grow their connections and network, share and receive energy and support, find and share solutions to challenges, and collaborate with peers to achieve their goals and and co-create greater impact.
However, in our conversations on supply chain engagement, what we noticed was that to effectively convey its value to key stakeholders, we need to start to create a business case for community and, in particular, intentional community building.
So, in this article, we are sharing our thoughts on why intentional community needs to be at the heart of collaboration within our value chains.
First, let's look at the common challenges. Here are some of the common ones that were shared with us.
What we notice is that alongside practical policies and effective procurement strategies, customers and suppliers value mentorship, peer support, practical guidance and motivation to commit and achieve their reductions.
This and more can all be found in community.
The benefits of which include:
Joining and collaborating with a community is an approach validated by SBTI, WEF and others. Here are case studies we have discovered talking about it.
Companies in peer-collaboration programs decarbonise 30% faster, according to World Economic Forum report.
To help you decide, we have also compiled our own case studies showcasing how our members have transformed their organisations through community and collaboration. All these you can find below.
At FuturePlanet, we believe community must be intentional. The right people in the right rooms, connected and supported in the best way, and then given what they need to influence others and bring them on the journey too.
Here are some of the elements which are foundational to FuturePlanet approach of supporting you through community.
Mapping key people (stakeholders) and understanding them—what they are measured by, what kind of personalities they have, what their challenges are, and what is important to them.
Identifying, mapping and organising organisations including: territories, goals and targets, risks, value chains and connections of influence and relevance.
Mapping internal liabilities and external levers that can drive change, legislations, regulations and politics. All this information helps to create engagement and action.
There are of course webinars and supplier days and events that we are all familiar with. Here are some principles that we have discovered are valuable from a community first approach.
The stories that we share are a form of soft power, in the right hands they can have a very real impact.
Knowing which people and organizations are important to influence—and who and what influences them—can make all the difference.
At our recent value chain roundtable on critical minerals, the structure of the conversations was for each person to share their challenges and opportunities for collaboration. This openness and then our ability to synthesis, summarise share has the potential to save us all time and facilitate transformational collaborations.
These insights saved on a notebook or summarised in an event are not enough. We need to be much more joined up.
At FuturePlanet, we are curating a data and insights library. This is a closed and private database that helps us to identify patterns and support professionals to find answers to their challenges and collaborate effectively. Done at scale, we can transform sectors and systems.
Do you have unique challenges where FuturePlanet can help? Where could joining a community be of value for you?
When you join our community, you will receive support through community of peers to:
❤️ Feel energised, supported and a sense of belonging
🙌 Save time and discover solutions to your sustainability challenges
🤓 Share and receive knowledge and insights on impact themes
⚡ Collaborate to create and scale the tools for transformation
The Future Planet community of action is vetted and intentionally curated to include:
✅ Professionals from across functions in medium to large organisations
✅ Purposeful pioneers and leaders of innovative solutions, and
✅ Policy influencers
Individuals and teams are from organisations including Asda, Estee Lauder, Capgemini Invent Nestle, Sodexo, Suez and many more.