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Sustainable Growth:
for now and the future
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At Future Planet, we are an impact-led, global venture capital firm built to invest in growth companies from the world's top universities. We provide venture and growth funding to entrepreneurs and businesses, profitably solving the world's greatest challenges in Climate Change, Education, Health, Sustainable Growth & Security.
From our focus areas, the challenge we get asked about most is Sustainable Growth. People are often confused by the term. We all know that it is a good thing - but what does it really mean? We wanted to re-explore this topic that we last picked up at the end of May.
It is clear that everything is continually changing and growing. It is also increasingly evident that many of the challenges facing humankind, such as climate change, water scarcity, inequality, and hunger, can only be resolved at a global level by promoting growth sustainably.
As a part of the sustainable development roadmap, in 2015, the United Nations approved the 2030 Agenda, which contains the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). They are a call to action to protect the planet and guarantee the global well-being of people. These common goals require the active involvement of individuals, businesses, administrations and countries around the world - and they are what we at FPC have built our thesis around.
Sustainable Growth is central to SDGs - it is a commitment to social progress, environmental balance and economic growth.
Last year's Sustainable Development Report noted that five years since the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals, progress had been made in some areas, such as improving maternal and child health, expanding access to electricity and increasing women’s representation in government. Yet even these advances were offset elsewhere by growing food insecurity, deterioration of the natural environment, and persistent and pervasive inequalities.
It is evident that we need to refocus and ensure that we are supporting sustainable growth that meets the present's needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
Progress toward any worthy objective is enhanced when people work together to create solutions. We have this opportunity - it's ours to grasp together!
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The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), are a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity.
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1. Economic Growth
Sustainable economic growth means a rate of growth which can be maintained without creating other significant economic problems, especially for future generations. There is clearly a trade-off between rapid economic growth today, and growth in the future. Rapid growth today may exhaust resources and create challenges for future generations. At the same time, sustained and inclusive economic growth is absolutely vital and can drive progress, create decent jobs for all and improve living standards.
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2. Environmental Balance
The global economy faces significant environmental challenges, from averting dangerous climate change to halting biodiversity loss and protecting our ecosystems. Natural resources are ultimately vital for securing economic growth and development, not just today but for future generations - and we are pleased to see a number of exciting companies leading the way and demonstrating that it is possible to achieve economic growth whilst also tackling these challenges.
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3. Social Progress
The human condition is not reflected simply by GDP statistics. Social progress can be overlooked but is incredibly important. Social sustainability is a process for creating sustainable successful places that promote wellbeing, by understanding what people need from the places they live and work. Social sustainability combines design of the physical realm with design of the social world – infrastructure to support social and cultural life, social amenities, systems for citizen engagement, and space for people and places to evolve. It is the ability to develop processes and structures which not only meet the needs of now, but also support the ability of future generations to maintain a healthy community.
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Architect, and FPC Advisory Board Chairman, Norman Foster discusses his own work to show how computers can help architects design buildings that are green, beautiful and "basically pollution-free." From the 2007 DLD Conference, Munich; www.dld-conference.com
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Challenge Investing
Within our universe, we have a significant number of companies that are helping to profitably address this significant and vitally important global challenge. If you’d like to invest in some of the most promising growth companies based on top research then please don't hesitate to get in touch.
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