Blueprint 7: Value Cycles

Purpose of the Blueprint
Aspect | Explanation |
Introduction | This Blueprint seeks to redefine Michael Porter’s linear notion of a Value Chain to the more holistic notion of a Value Cycle that operates in alignment with thermodynamic laws and the cyclical, regenerative aspects of natural, social, and economic systems. This redefinition also extends beyond the notion of the Circular Economy, which has been critiqued for focusing on material circularity without factoring in the sustainability of other natural and social cycles, including on human beings and wellbeing in general. |
Focus | This Blueprint focuses on both elements of its title:
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Link to other r3.0 Blueprints |
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Areas the Blueprint will cover
Aspect | Explanation |
System Value & Valueism | To redefine Value Chainsto Value Cycles first requires redefining Value by defining System Valueand Valueism, which challenge the fundamental underpinnings of prevailing economic theory. |
Circular Economy Cyclical Economy | A Circular Economy is a subset of a Cyclical Economy, which takes into account not only cycles in built capital (ie material), but also cycles across all other capitals (natural, social, human, etc). |
Scope 3 | A Value Cycles Blueprint will necessarily have to grapple with challenges inherent in Scope 3 accounting. |
Technology & the Value Cycle | Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT, or blockchain / holochain) in particular enables data tracking across the value cycle. |
Lifecycle Assessment | LCA has always encompassed the entire value chain, so shifting to a value cycle lens promises to further enhance LCA approaches. |
Resources the Blueprint will build upon
Resource | Explanation |
System Value & Valueism | System Value and Valueism represent emerging concepts that this Blueprint will build upon and extend. |
Circular Economy & its Critiques | The Ellen MacArthur Foundation has produced an invaluable body of knowledge around the Circular Economy that this Blueprint will build upon, while also addressing critiques of the Circular Economy that identify gaps. |
Scope 3 in Standards / Frameworks | Standards and frameworks such as the Science Based Targets Initiative address Scope 3 issues with variable degrees of discipline and cyclical holism, providing opportunities for enhancement. |
Data / Technology Resources | Data and technology play a key role in transforming mindsets and performance tracking, so resources such as this resource laying out the potential for DLT to address ecological valuation across the value cycle will be important to integrate into BP7. |
Expected outcomes of the Blueprint
Outcome | Detail |
Repository | Blueprints typically result in a repository of source materials numbering in the hundreds, compiled into a repository. |
Infographics from virtual dialogue | Blueprint development typically involves a virtual dialogue on Convetit for each Exposure Draft, resulting in infographic reports. |
Public comment | After vetting two Exposure Drafts with the Working Group of 20-40 global experts, a Public Comment period precedes final publication. |
Blueprint #7 | The final version of Blueprint #7 will be published as a r3.0 Blueprint Report. |
Parties who should be involved
Main role – (S)=sponsors; (W)=work/research partners; (D)= Data providers; (V)=validating / networking partners | |
Sponsors (S) | Economy-oriented foundations, governments, multilaterals; companies with complex value cycles. |
Research partners (R) | Research universities and think tanks; individual experts. |
Work partners (W) | Advocation Partners and Transformation Journey Program Participants. |
Data providers (D) | Supply and Demand Chain (Value Cycle) Data Providers. |
Validating / networking partners (V) | r3.0 involves influential players that aren’t in a position to contribute formally in this Blueprint Project to reflect and add opinions where deemed necessary. This increases the visibility of the project and recognition of the outcome. |
Management of the Blueprint project
Function | Role Description |
Program manager | Ralph Thurm |
BP Lead(s) | Bill Baue, Ralph Thurm |
Corporate Participants | 7-10 |
Network Representatives | 7-10 |
Non-Profit Representatives | 7-10 |
Timeline
Month | Activities |
1 | Call for participation, set up of working group, budget check, official launch |
2-3 | Literature collection, analysis, 1:1 expert interviews |
4 | Structuring of outcomes, 1st meeting working group |
5-6 | Development of first draft blueprint with participants |
7 | Online Think Tank, infographic development |
8 | Structuring of outcomes, 2nd meeting working group |
9-10 | Final draft to working group, public comment period |
11-12 | Final version of blueprint and release |
Resources
Contributions | Description |
Funding | 200k EUR, accepting donations as matching funding, and corporate contributions between 10k and 20k EUR |
In-kind | possible |
Value Cycles Blueprint Repository
Lead Authors
Bill Baue
Senior Director
r3.0
+1 413 387 58 24
Ralph Thurm
Managing Director
OnCommons / r3.0
+31 64 600 14 52
Working Group Members

Prof. Dr. Bernd Ankenbrand
Purpose Economist, University of Applied Sciences Wuerzburg-Schweinfurt

Trae Ashlie-Garen
Executive Coach, Animis Philanthropic Ventures Inc. and the WINfinity Framework

Paul Barnett
Founder & CEO, Strategic Management Forum

Renilde Becqué
International Sustainability Consultant

Sharona A. Ceha
Co-Founder, Stichting Nederland Kantelt

Jane Fiona Cumming
Co-Founder & Director, Article 13

Jed Davis
Director of Sustainability, Cabot Creamery Cooperative

Henk de Man
Co-Founder & Value Architect, VDMbee

Gil Friend
CEO, Natural Logic Founder Critical Path Capital

Delphine Gibassier
Associate Professor of Accounting for Sustainable Development, Audencia Business School

Linda Grieder
Founder & CEO, RethinkResource GmbH

Henk Hadders
Founder, Impact in Context

Dr. Reiner Hengstmann
Founder, Go4moreGlobal

Karin Huber-Heim
Circular Economy Systems Research, BCSSS ( Bertalanffy Center for the Study of Systems Science)

Ladeja Godina Košir
Founder & Executive Director, Circular Change

Alexander Laszlo
Director of Research, Laszlo Institute of New Paradigm Research

Karel Leeflang
CEO StrategyPod, powered by AlignAlytics

Zoe Le Grand
Principal Partnerships Manager, Forum for the Future

Alexander Lemille
Founder & Managing Director, Wizeimpact

Mark W. McElroy, PhD
Executive Director, CSO / CEO, SustainAccounting LLC, Co-Creator, MultiCapital Scorecard

Alexander Prinsen
Managing Partner, The Zero Waste Consultant

James Quilligan
Senior Advisor, Economic Democracy Advocates Senior Advisor, Peer to Peer Foundation

Martina Prox
Sustainability Strategy, iPoint Group

Caroline Rees
President, Shift

Prof. Dr. René Schmidpeter
Director Center of Advanced Sustainability Management (CASM), Cologne Business School

Josef Schöggl, Ph.D.
Christian Doppler Laboratory, University of Graz, Austria

B. Lorraine Smith
Writer, Independent Advisor

Antony Upward
Flourishing Enterprise Designer, Better My Business

Martijn Veening
Founder/Analyst, EntropoMetrics

Aldo van Duivenboden MBA
Project Manager Conscious Business Lab, Saxion University of Applied Sciences

Dr. Koos Wagensveld RA
Professor Financial Control, HAN (Hoogeschool Arnhem Nijmegen)

Andy Whitman
Director Sustainable Economies Program, Manomet