Dialogues
One Earth Leadership Dialogues are a transformative process that intertwines personal development with broader concerns of a community and the world at large. They serve as a catalyst for deeper understanding and connection among participants, paving the way for meaningful exploration and reframing of perspectives.
One Earth Leadership Dialogues are not mere problem-solving sessions, but rather, they offer unique opportunities to explore topics and their relationship to the people and places we gather. This distinct approach sets them apart from traditional discussions or debates.
Upcoming Dialogues
Leadership Dialogue with Interface - 2 July, 2024 - Scherpenzeel, NL
Interface, a flooring manufacturer, continues to push the boundaries of regenerative business with a goal of not only mitigating but reversing climate change. They are one of the few companies in the world that not only have become carbon neutral in their products and operations, but now have within their portfolio carbon negative carpet products. They are eager to share and to learn from others.
Our Dialogue will be held at Interface's European HQ and factory located in Scherpenzeel, an hour from Amsterdam. This unique setting offers a firsthand look at Interface's innovative practices. The agenda includes topics on the strategic implications of regenerative business, business model innovation, investment incentives for business transformation, and the role of leadership development in transformation.
We will be joined by Eline Oudenbroek, VP of Supply Chain & Operations at Interface. Eline will speak to Interface's regenerative journey, share how Interface has made its aspirations come to life through a factory tour, and engage in dialogue with the group.
Cleantech CEO Retreat - Early 2025 - United States
The Cleantech CEO Retreat is a multi-day “un-conference” style growth accelerator convening a select group of high-potential cleantech startup CEOs with industry partners, experts, and thought leaders.
This retreat will provide an intimate and collaborative environment for candid peer-to-peer sharing and exploration of the most pressing challenges facing cleantech entrepreneurs.
Through fireside chats, small group design sessions, and open discussion, the retreat will focus on the critical issues of leading and scaling a successful cleantech venture. Topics will include capital strategies, global expansion, government as a customer, partnerships with large corporations, and more.
Attendance will be limited to one hundred participants. More information will be available shortly.
Past Dialogues
Leadership Dialogue with Rand Mutual Assurances - 4 March, 2024 - Johannesburg, SA
Our spring One Earth Dialogue took place in Johannesburg, South Africa, at Beechwood Gardens. This beautiful setting, with its old-growth trees in the heart of the city, provided a serene and nurturing environment. We recognized how the setting itself influenced the dynamics of dialogue, underscoring the interconnectedness between our internal states and external surroundings.
Senior leaders from Bidvest Group, Cadena, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Halls Group, Idea Engineers, PMX, Rand Mutual Assurance, Saint-Gobain, Transcend, and Vulacoin deeply engaged in the dialogues.
As we shared insights from our own stories the space began to expand with interest and curiosity for each other and the themes we were touching upon -- the value of learning to leadership, the work of transformation in reimagining the purpose of business, the nature of connection and service to stakeholders, and how these all build upon and relate to each other.
These interdependencies became more readily apparent as we talked about growth and transformation. Collectively, we found that transformation began with our own leadership and reexamining our purpose and our capability to live that purpose, which in turn led to reframing our organization's purpose and its role within a multi-stakeholder ecosystem.
Rand Mutual Assurance’s transformation journey was illustrated by Kyle Fredericks, Group Head of Strategy. As a company that administers workman's compensation programs for the mining and minerals industries of South Africa, Kyle illustrated how Rand Mutual has taken that a step further in supporting development projects that provide life-altering pathways for injured and pensioned miners, their families, and communities through the creation of hydroponic food production systems that is shaping their next career and creating healthier communities.
Leadership Dialogues with Interface - 30-31 January 2024 - Atlanta, US
In January we launched our first Dialogue of the series at the Interface HQ, engaging with CEO Laurel Hurd; Director of Design Purpose Chip DeGrace; Head of Global Sustainability Strategy Liz Minne; and Director of ESG and Strategic Projects Lindsay Stoda.
Interface, a carpet and flooring manufacturer, has set the audacious goal of becoming the most sustainable company in the world and we at OELC expect them to achieve it. Why – because they have been on the sustainability journey for over 25 years and have created a culture that supports their strategy of sustainability and beyond.
Interface emphasizes design and that it is never a question of sustainability or financial profits. If they can’t achieve both, then it is a design issue to be solved – be it the design of a product, their manufacturing process, or their way to market. They also focus on life-centered design from carbon neutral and carbon negative products to envisioning their factories as forests. As part of their Take Back Climate initiative, Interface is partnering with Biomimicry 3.8, in redesigning their factories to provide some of the same ecosystemic values as a forest: filter water, clean air, store carbon, and provide habitats for local plants and animals.
More than a sustainability agenda, transforming their factories and creating carbon negative products emerges from Interface’s regenerative approach and their vision of business leading the reversal of climate change. Wonderful to spend time with a company that embodies the One Earth Leadership philosophy!
