St George's, British Chamber Event Looks at Role of Business in Regenerative Economics

Regenerative economics and the doughnut design for business were the topics of discussion at an event hosted on the evening of Tuesday 12 November 2024 by St George's International School and the British Chamber of Commerce for Luxembourg (BCC).

Guest speaker Jennifer Brandsberg-Engelmann, a teacher of economics, business management and environmental systems and societies for more than 25 years, discussed the role of business in regenerative economic transformation in her keynote address "Regenerative Economics: Can we get inside the doughnut?"

"Regenerative economies strengthen social and ecological systems," said Ms Brandsberg-Engelmann. "They take their cues from the way nature functions, emphasising circularity, reciprocity and sufficiency. These values stand in stark contrast to our current linear, extractive and endlessly and aimlessly growing economies".

"Especially in light of recent political developments, the connection between caring economies, thriving ecosystems and healthy civil societies seems clearer than ever," she continued. "Businesses have an indispensable role to play in the transition to a regenerative economy. It's important that economics and business education moves with the times so that current and future business leaders have the skills and mindsets to get us there."

Chair of the BCC Sustainability Group Giulia Iannucci, who gave the welcome address, explained how many people think of economy as a linear process of taking resources, transforming them and using and disposing of them while focusing solely on profit. "If we want to give a future to our planet and the people after us, we need to move to a regenerative economy approach where we prioritise the health of the planet and its inhabitants to ensure that nobody is left behind and that collectively we don't use more than what our planet can offer," she said.

The event, which brought together businesses, schools and experts, included a panel discussion with experts in sustainable development, funds administration, sustainable policy and sustainability education.

St George's Sustainabiity Coordinator, Anne-Marie McHugh, said the event aimed to inspire businesses and education to keep innovating for sustainability and to promote future connections beyond the classroom. "As St George's alumna Lauren Dishman explained during our panel session, there is clear gap between the reality of the business world, where transformation to sustainable finance is unavoidable and how the model is prioritised in economics curricula at universities," she commented.

The panellists included: Lauren Dishman, BCC Sustainability Committee officer; Kemo Fatty, founder of Green Up Gambia; guest speaker Jennifer Brandsberg-Engelmann; Sean Barrett, Director Private Equity at Aztec Group; Anne-Marie McHugh, St George's Sustainability Coordinator.