1. Sustainable futures &
concepts
Louise Armstrong
Forum for the Future
l.armstrong@forumforthefuture.org
@louise_a

2. New York
Mumbai
London
Singapore
Forum for the Future is a sustainability non-profit that
works globally with business, government and others
to solve tricky challenges.
Who are we ?

4. We’re on a mission to create a
sustainable future by shifting
the key systems upon which
we rely.
Individual efforts will only take us so far
Together we can step up the pace of
change
Let’s lead the way in shaping the future
#theBIGshift

5. A set of initiatives that lead to shifting in a
whole system – a sector, a city, an economy –
onto a sustainable path
“solving the tricky sustainability challenges
that are too big for one organisation to tackle
on their own”
System innovation

6. System innovation

7. Leading company
transformation
17 years experience working with
ambitious companies who want to
develop strategies that combine
sustainability and business success
Innovation coalitions
Bringing together groups to solve
bigger sustainability challenges -
including whole value chains and
sectors.

8. visions
long-term trends
scenarios
emerging trends
futures is…
a structured exploration of the future to
improve decision making today

9. 1 ….new perspectives
2 ….better ideas
4 ….creativity & innovation
3 ….joining up & building consensus

10. A sample project…

11. “What’s the role of technology in
helping people lead more
sustainable lives in 2025?”

12. Scenarios…….

13. + +
Used to generate
concepts….

14. Concepts help people suspend disbelief
about what is possible….

17. Wandular ecosystem

18. Inspired by:
Business modelling
Platform for others
e.g. Fair Phone
Physical
prototyping
Technical feasibility
& prototype
Conversation starter
Fuelling further
research
-CLEVER
….?
……?
Toolkit for designers
& students

19. Inspired by:

20. Inspired by:

21. So what does all of this mean…?

22. Higher education can play a role….
1. Nurturing future thinking skills &
techniques for sustainability
2. Encourage system thinking
3. Collaborate to help bring more concepts
to life

23. Free
resources
& tools!
23
1. Nurturing future thinking skills
& techniques for sustainability

24. 1. Nurturing future thinking skills &
techniques for sustainability

25. 2. Encourage system thinking …

26. 3. Collaborate to help bring more concepts to life
GLOCAL
Pilot in Majorca: closed
loop production of local
cleaning products
Global R&D knowledge
+
Meets local skills &
resources
+
Applied international
research
Barcelona
University

27. • Experimenting
• Learning
• Communicating
about system innovation for
a sustainable world.
The Forum Lab

28. Louise Armstrong
Forum for the Future
l.armstrong@forumforthefuture.org
@louise_a