What might radical collaboration look like?
To put the learnings into practice, we facilitated groups to create and test radical and collaborative initiatives. Each group was tasked with designing a company’s response to a global issue, building it out and testing it against an unexpected event such as a natural disaster or social movement.
One group, focussing on the climate emergency, proposed creating a coalition of major toy manufacturers putting purpose over profit by only selling to customers returning toys for recycling. They would use AI to scan for incomplete sets, have staff advising on repurposing, and create local swap-shops by collaborating with schools and community groups.
In tackling the cost-of-living crisis, another suggested supporting a retailer’s staff childcare costs by creating a shared childcare space in a shopping centre with subsidised rates and surplus clothing and food from fellow retailer partners.
While another group looking into the rights of marginalised people came up with a bank account for those without identification documents that could provide access to welfare benefits and financial education, supporting their financial resilience using state support through a private business.