System Change for Sustainability
Bringing the power of systems thinking to civil society, government, business and research. Generating hope for positive change in our interconnected world.
We are a diverse network of fellows and associates dedicated to delivering innovative systems solutions to the world’s most pressing problems through research, training, events and consultancy.
The Schumacher Institute is a think tank. We believe that our planet faces complex social, economic and environmental crises that defy simple solutions, however, we are optimistic that we can make positive changes. We apply systems thinking to explore and test sustainable options, which acknowledge the complexity of our world. We see social justice as integral to sustainability and look for answers that are fair to all, within the limits the Earth can sustain. Read our mission statement to find out more.
I certainly never feel discouraged. I can’t myself raise the winds that might blow us or this ship into a better world. But I can at least put up the sail so that when the wind comes, I can catch it.
E.F Schumacher, Good Work (1979)
https://schumacherinstitute.org.uk/
TSI and ASP Alliance
Background
TSI has around 260 fellows and members[1] spread around the world but with a concentration in the south-west of England, it has a small office in Bristol. The mission of the institute is to promote systems sciences for environmental and social justice (ESJ).
The institute offers its fellows opportunities to run supported projects or full fiscal hosting. The institute holds restricted accounts, takes on financial liability, and frees the fellow to get on with the project. As a charity that has obtained ‘institute’ status (not an easy thing to get), we have a trustworthy profile that is useful for grant applications.
We run workshops and conference on many topics in the ESJ field usually with a systems approach. The institute is a place for anyone who wishes to develop their skills in this subject.
We have an academic profile with links to many universities, we could be classified as an independent think tank.
Benefits
- Shared communications – where appropriate we can advertise ASP’s events and notices through our mailing list (currently 1,450). We issue about 10 newsletters a year.
- We can circulate requests for collaboration among our fellows and members.
- ASP members would be welcome to use the institute for supported projects or fiscal hosting. This would tend towards research or charitable foundation grants.
- We can organise shared events: workshops, conferences etc.
- Potential to run events at Create Centre in Bristol
ASP’s perspective
ASP has an international, multigenerational Membership of circa 150 with a diverse range of practices including academics, scientists, project managers, consultants, coaches, mentors, business-people artists, creatives and students.
We are a collaborative learning community that exists to connect, challenge and support sustainability practitioners as we learn together how to move from unsustainable to sustainable practices.
ASP also has alliances with like-minded organisations that are pursuing their own pathway to a future with enough for everyone forever, where there is synergy and overlap in our work. We collaborate and share information, and many of each organisation’s members are also members of one or more other alliance partner’s community.
Benefits of an ASP/TSI Alliance.
- TSI’s work is highly relevant to the practice of most of our members, even if they don’t explicitly delve into the theoretical aspects, their practices are often built on an embody systems thinking. So, all of TSI’s events, meetings could in principle be relevant for ASP Members
- Likewise, most of the events and conversations ASP organise would be most relevant for TSI members.
- Collaborations could occur between each organisation’s members and between ASP and TSI to achieve outcomes that would not otherwise occur.
- Similarly, there is strong resonance and shared practice between TSI and several of the other Alliance partners.
The Schumacher Institute and Bristol University
[1] Membership of the institute is by subscription to support us financially. Fellows are automatically members but are not obliged to subscribe.
