CHAPTER 21

THE PHOENIX ECONOMY
AGENDA FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE

John Elkington
Co-founder and Executive Chairman, Volans Ventures

Amid the economic discontinuity, a paradigm shift toward a more equitable and sustainable future is underway.

Leading the charge into what could be called the Phoenix Economy are 50 identified pioneering organizations. Many are leading social purpose organizations, some are mainstream companies, and a couple of them are governments.

These organizations share a common model for scaling change: from the recognition of an opportunity, to experimentation, and then achieving critical mass—first at the enterprise level, next at the ecosystem level, and finally at the economy level.

The Phoenix Economy can be more rapidly achieved with concerted action around an Agenda that comprises three building blocks: a Manifesto that drives necessary change in the public sector, a Prospectus that shapes investor and business decision making and strategy, and a Syllabus that informs future business education.

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