London, October 5, 2023 – Analysis from global consultancy Kearney has found that more than half (56%) of executives say their business transformations aren’t working. Despite moving from a focus on resilience during the pandemic to a new perspective of being regenerative, only 43% of businesses effectively operate in this way. More is needed, and more is yet possible.

What is a regenerative business?

Embedding new digital models and advanced analytics while making supply chains and people models sustainable for business and society is now mission critical. Businesses that want to fulfill these commitments will require a long-term approach to becoming truly regenerative. This means looking beyond resilience and proactively asking where value can be added back into society and the wider world.

Instead of optimizing for efficiency, the next generation of business will regenerate for speed, using external data plus analytical and advanced AI to quickly and accurately see and make sense of what’s happening outside their own four walls.

By regenerating the entire business system—from the supply chain to the customer experience and the organizational culture, businesses and the public sector can both ensure that our teams, companies, and the broader environment can reach and sustain their full potential.

The view from the C-suite

Kearney’s new research report Regenerate: for a future that works for everyone surveyed 800 C-suite business leaders from across the globe and found that 99% of global business leaders think that becoming a regenerative business is important. However, more guidance is needed on this new business paradigm, as only 43% say their companies are already operating this way effectively. This is a meaningful gap to close.

Similarly, only 40% of businesses report effectively implementing a regenerative culture, and 45% say they are already operating a regenerative supply chain.

Attitudes across the C-suite differ, too. Almost half (48%) of CEOs globally say their business is very effective at operating regeneratively. While COOs broadly agree that their companies are operating regeneratively, 58% say there is still more progress to be made.

The research shows that regenerative business is also influencing the leadership style of the C-suite globally. A very small minority (2%) of CEOs say they don’t see any need to factor the regenerative model into their leadership, but almost half (47%) say they are doing so effectively. This is a business gap worth closing.

Which industries are leading the way?

Although 92% of C-suite leaders believe in the responsibility of business to create “a future that works for everyone”, Kearney’s research found that the retail sector is ahead of the curve in making this happen. More than half of retail businesses (53%) are operating regeneratively, and more than a third (35%) are doing it very effectively, in part by relying on technology to help limit the waste of energy and materials.

For example, the energy sector is taking a regenerative approach to sustainability, with 46% of C-suite leaders in this sector reporting that they are already operating regeneratively very effectively. Alongside changes to the supply chain, energy leaders believe the greatest opportunity for regeneration lies with systematic changes to their business model, including leveraging a responsible and deepened view of advanced analytics.

Alex Liu, managing partner and chairman at Kearney, comments:

“The results of our survey make it clear that businesses want to shift from a merely resilient strategy to a fully regenerative one that is more transformative at its core, whether that requires truly digitalizing their obsolete global supply chains, embedding analytics into the entire operating model, or upgrading the way they develop and inspire diverse and sustainable workplaces. Unexpected is the new expected; there is no normal as we navigate these necessary self-disruptions. More is needed, and more is possible.

“A regenerative business model plugs this gap and takes businesses a step farther by facilitating fundamental change at the core. Businesses must take a step back to review their business models, assess their products or services, and drive maximum value for all stakeholders and the broader ecosystem that they operate in.”

Abby Klanecky, partner and chief marketing and client services officer at Kearney, adds:

“While our research confirms that businesses are edging closer to regenerative models, it is equally important that they don’t lose sight of the end goal while on this journey. Becoming regenerative is not just about restructuring and ironing out the pain points. It’s important that any plan sets the pace for long-term success, breaks down internal silos to share expertise, and really adds value back into the world in which we operate.

“Businesses must build on their strengths and identify new opportunities for growth and impact in the future. Resilience was the watchword of the past few years. Now, it’s going to be regenerative.”

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