Alice Schmidt
A bigger-picture thinker since early in her career, Alice Schmidt has spent more than twenty years addressing a wide range of social, environmental and economic sustainability issues. She has worked with over 70 of the world's best organisations, from UN agencies, the European Commission and the World Bank to various NGOs and large corporations as well as small social enterprises in 30+ countries on four continents. Besides teaching BA and MBA students about sustainable business and management for the future, she runs a boutique sustainability consultancy firm and carries the sustainability flag as a member of various boards and in her pro-bono engagements.
Claudia WinklerClaudia Winkler is an internationally recognised award-winning social innovator, entrepreneur and serial founder. She believes in the power of shaping a positive tomorrow by transforming traditional business models that work for the next generation. She is passionate about sharing her corporate executive experience managing leading international tech companies to mentor and coach impact initiatives across the globe. Claudia also consults organizations on technology, digital transformation and innovation.
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Our vision
Everybody has needs and wants. Some people want very basic things, like shelter, food and at least some sense of physical security. Other people are looking to maximise their careers, travel around the world and want to find personal fulfilment. What all these people have in common is that they want better lives. And, in a globalised world, these people are all connected. Technology should be at our service.
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'We imagine a world in which social responsibility is not something exceptional but where it is the norm and not limited by geographic, ethnic, religious or other borders. Where individuals take care of their communities; where companies understand and optimise their social and environmental impact; where governments put their citizens’ welfare above political and personal gain; and where global solidarity is taken seriously and development aid is provided and received in an effective and efficient manner. In other words, we imagine a world where societal progress is measured not only in economic but also in social and environmental terms. We believe that this is possible.' |
Our approach: creating triple wins for people, planet and the economy
We all want to lead healthy and happy lives, and it is in our interest to ensure the same for others. At the same time we are faced with a myriad of global challenges, from climate change to equity and social justice issues. These challenges are not impossible to address, but they are complex and cannot be solved by one individual, government or company on its own. Such global challenges can only be addressed through collaboration across sectoral, geographic and thematic boundaries. This requires thinking outside the box and keeping the bigger picture in mind. Above all, it requires a systems perspective.
In order to succeed, we need to look for incentives, synergies and solutions that resonate with more than one sector or stakeholder group. Some people call this multisolving, other people call it creating double opportunities and we like speaking about triple wins. Whatever you may call it, the point is that we are seeking to address many of today’s most pressing global issues at the same time rather than pitting them against each other.
For example, addressing climate change is not an end in itself, but it contributes to better health, happiness and wellbeing - not only at some distant point in the future, but right now. By breathing better air we become physically healthier and feel mentally better, we are more inclined to go for walks rather than taking the car, which in turn benefits our health even more. Preventing global warming also means preventing old diseases from spreading and new ones from emerging. It means reducing poverty and inequality, and thereby contributing to economic progress. Very importantly, the investments necessary to prevent climate change actually pay for themselves, not least because of the related health benefits and hence the reductions in health expenditure by public institutions and private households. Addressing climate change from a systems perspective thus is a way to solve several societal issues at the same time, and thus creating triple wins in the social, environmental and economic spheres.
There are many more examples of such triple wins. We work to understand, describe, track and spread these solutions, and to engage with others in order to find opportunities that health us solve the sustainability puzzle and maximise health, wealth and wellbeing for all, no matter where they live.
In order to succeed, we need to look for incentives, synergies and solutions that resonate with more than one sector or stakeholder group. Some people call this multisolving, other people call it creating double opportunities and we like speaking about triple wins. Whatever you may call it, the point is that we are seeking to address many of today’s most pressing global issues at the same time rather than pitting them against each other.
For example, addressing climate change is not an end in itself, but it contributes to better health, happiness and wellbeing - not only at some distant point in the future, but right now. By breathing better air we become physically healthier and feel mentally better, we are more inclined to go for walks rather than taking the car, which in turn benefits our health even more. Preventing global warming also means preventing old diseases from spreading and new ones from emerging. It means reducing poverty and inequality, and thereby contributing to economic progress. Very importantly, the investments necessary to prevent climate change actually pay for themselves, not least because of the related health benefits and hence the reductions in health expenditure by public institutions and private households. Addressing climate change from a systems perspective thus is a way to solve several societal issues at the same time, and thus creating triple wins in the social, environmental and economic spheres.
There are many more examples of such triple wins. We work to understand, describe, track and spread these solutions, and to engage with others in order to find opportunities that health us solve the sustainability puzzle and maximise health, wealth and wellbeing for all, no matter where they live.
