For several decades we have been actively researching how to become more sustainable in everything we do. In spite of all this work the world is on path to an uncertain, even dangerous, future.

It is no longer sufficient to tread lightly on the planet. 

We now have to learn how to improve the health of the air, the soil, the water and the people.

Data is available to show us a range of information, trends, risks and predictions. For example, see articles on:

• Scientists deliver ‘final warning’ on climate crisis: act now or it’s too late 
• How to feed the world - without killing everything
• Global water agenda: What to expect in 2022
• Climate change and health

Image: Harvey, F. (2023). Scientists deliver ‘final warning’ on climate crisis: act now or it’s too late. The Guardian. [online] 20 Mar. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/mar/20/ipcc-climate-crisis-report-delivers-final-warning-on-15c.

The global manufacturing challenge

We manufacturers enjoy making things.  Modern life is delivered through the furniture, goods, clothes, cars, medicines and so on that are the output of manufacturing.  To many people these products magically appear in shops while the system that creates them is hidden and mysterious.  To others manufacturing is simply a giant machine that pollutes. 

For those of us close to manufacturing we know we have created jobs from Stuttgart to Shenzhen, jobs that have helped lift billions from poverty. By using our relentless focus on innovation and productivity we have made our products accessible to those billions.

We also now know that each time we make a product we are degrading the air, soil, water and people we rely on.  And the vast scale of global manufacturing is pushing that degradation close to, or over, planetary sustainability. 

Leading manufacturers are now asking:

• How do we ensure the health of our supply chain?
• Is Net Zero enough?
• Is Circular enough?
• What are the biggest adaptation challenges for us?
• How will manufacturing change over the next decade?
• How will we find recruit develop the people we need?
• What is the role of manufacturing in local communities and in the global community?

Regenerative answers

To answer these questions (and many others), we have created The Regenerative Laboratory.

We don’t have the exact answers to the questions yet, but significant progress has been made. We are joining with many experts across industry, business, academia, society and government to find both today’s and tomorrow’s answers.

The Regenerative Laboratory is our response to this shared purpose.  We are/will work with organisations as collaborative action researchers (Link to other page that explains this.)

Every industry and every place is unique and we are working across sectors and geographies to collaboratively define what being a regenerative organisation means in each of their worlds. How to get on the pathway to regeneration, and what investments and resources might be needed for future steps on the pathway.

We are already finding core principles that work for all and can guide local solutions; (ask us about the role of place, of terroir, and of local circularity, for example).  But, it is still early in our shared journey to a regenerative manufacturing system.  We need to learn together.

Come join us. 

Contact details:

Steve Evans  se321@cam.ac.uk

Ian Bamford  imb31@cam.ac.uk