All Cases
Design, Facilitation and Communication for International Conferences on Sustainable Supply Chains
A Collective Theory of Change for the Amazon
CONTEXT
This multi-stakeholder Platform aims to scale up private sector investment in nature-based solutions and environmental start-ups in the Amazon basin. As part of a move towards a new leadership structure, the platform invited its members to work together to draw up a Theory of Change for delivering on positive transformation in the Amazon.
PROCESS
Across a series of workshops and meetings, the Olab team facilitated interactive reflection on the why, the what and the how of scaling up the platform’s work in the Amazon. The resulting report became the key document for scaling up strategic delivery of interventions in the Amazon.
DELIVERY
The Theory of Change needed to be simple enough that it could be communicated to a wide variety of audiences, while also capturing the complexity of working in a dynamic and often challenging environment like the Amazon. The publication of the ToC has given the group a renewed sense of purpose, built upon their shared vision for positive transformation in the Amazon, where businesses, civil society and local government all have a role to play.
StrategyThe Investor Collaborative for the Amazon, Cerrado and Chaco
CONTEXT
Land use change is recognized to be an significant contributor to biodiversity loss and climate change, but is also an important strategy for ensuring the world’s food supply. Investors have increasingly come to recognize that they play an important role not just in the choice of their investments in supply chains; but that they can also influence positive change by identifying investment opportunities in scalable nature-based solutions.
PROCESS
In South America, a group of leading investors agreed to establish a Collaborative aimed at identifying and scaling nature-based solutions in the continent’s three major biomes, as part of a move towards alternative, regenerative forms of agriculture. Olab’s role has been to design the Collaborative (including membership, governance and management), set it up and facilitate its regular meetings, as a means of ensuring engagement, commitment and scalability.
DELIVERY
After an initial start-up phase, in which groundwork included interviewing more than 30 leading investors and innovators to identify the most impactful nature-based solutions that could be scaled, the Olab team and its partners were responsible for establishing the Investor Collaborative, its launch and its subsequent delivery that accelerates investment in NbS enterprises that deliver on a more sustainable form of production in South America.
GovernanceDesign, Facilitation and Communication for International Conferences on Sustainable Supply Chains
CONTEXT
Food system transformation requires all key stakeholders in that system to come together and agree on how to move forward collectively to create a healthier, more productive and more sustainable supply chain. Since 2016, Olab has partnered one of the world’s leading commodity round tables in the design, facilitation and communication of international conferences aimed at sector-wide change.
PROCESS
Effective delivery of an international conference on sustainability begins at least six months in advance, and involves identifying the most critical issues, organizations and individuals that are driving the debate towards change. Conference design involves interviewing many people, and putting together an agenda that includes a mix of dynamic, participatory learning and sharing; and technical input from specialists.
DELIVERY
Delivery of a dynamic international conference includes venue scouting, agenda design, prepping speakers, conference narrative, facilitation techniques and content preparation. The conferences themselves are facilitated by the Olab team, who also play a key role in ensuring that communication material is engaging and reaches the widest possible audience.
DevelopmentGovernance and Landscape Strategies for Collective Action in Food Systems
CONTEXT
This leading sustainability forum in the agricultural commodities sector commissioned the development of a new governance structure to improve collective decision making and enhance impact. This led to a second project focussed on a shared strategy for investing in landscape transformation.
PROCESS
The development of the two key strategies involved a mix of collective and individual processes, including interviews, workshops and desk-based reviews. Both strategies require an in-depth understanding of the realities of agricultural production in Brazil, along with a recognition of the nuances of sustainability demands on the agricultural sector.
DELIVERY
The Olab team worked closely with the members of the forum to design, revise and deliver the two strategies, the result of which was a greater sense of ownership and collective responsibility. The landscape strategy has resulted in significant investment in landscape transformation by the forum members, and the streamlined governance structure means that decision making is now more fluid.
Global Research on Savannahs and Grasslands
CONTEXT
Savannahs and grasslands represent important biomes for livelihoods, food production, and biodiversity, though they are often overlooked in discussions around food systems. Olab was commissioned to carry out a major new study on the main strategies and indicators used to sustain livelihoods and ecosystems across 18 countries in the world’s most important grassland areas.
PROCESS
The research directly involved representatives from all 18 countries in the study. Once the methodology and study design had been drawn up, these colleagues validated the process and provided relevant data and research relating to strategies and indicators on savannahs in their countries. In addition to critical socioeconomic data, content included livelihood activities, capacity building opportunities, funding, strategies and indicators.
DELIVERY
The final report, which was produced by one of Brazil’s leading designers, has been used to elevate the importance of grasslands and savannahs in the 18 countries that participated in the study, as well as mobilizing global efforts and funding in favour of initiatives that support livelihoods and ecosystems in these important locations.
ResearchFounders Offsite - Alignment
PROFILE
Real estate unicorn.
NEED
As soon as the company was created, the co-founders team needed to ensure a good alignment on the business and cultural bases, roles and responsibilities of each one in the management.
OFFSITE
Three days with an intensive agenda of strategy, governance, culture and relationship.
Founders Offsite - Shared Values
PROFILE
Healthtech, Linkedin’s Top Startups 2022.
NEED
When they created the company, the 4 founders felt the need to get to know each other better and define the shared values that would form the basis of the company’s culture.
OFFSITE
Three immersive days with a teambuilding and culture agenda.
C-suite Workshops - Building The Number 1 Team
PROFILE
Insurtech, Linkedin’s Top Startups 2022.
NEED
When the c-level team was formed, the client’s need was to develop leadership and strengthen teamwork.
DEVELOPMENT JOURNEY
Immersive offsites with online pulses in group and individually.
C-suite Workshops - Strategic Alignment
PROFILE
A global leader in environmental services with a growing business.
NEED
C-suite strategic alignment on opportunities to accelerate the achievement of business growth goals in Brazil.
OFFSITE
Full day with a business, strategy and relationship agenda.
Leadership Development - Team Building and Engagement
PROFILE
Financial services company.
NEED
Top 50 Leadership engagement for year goals – “Climbing to the Trillion”.
INSPIRATION AND TRANSPIRATION
Full day at Casa de Pedra – climbing school, with a intense agenda of inspiring speakers, working together and team building.
Leadership Development - Alignment and Collaboration
PROFILE
A global leader in environmental services with a growing business.
NEED
Top 100 leadership alignment and collaboration to accelerate the achievement of business growth goals in Brazil.
OFFSITE
Three days with an agenda of strategy, team building, inspiration and leadership development.
