RIFS Potsdam 107d ago

Panel 2 explored how businesses can move beyond profit-centered logic toward models grounded in care, human well-being, and social transformation. Drawing on perspectives from mental health, conscious marketing, and environmental psychology, the speakers highlighted how organizations can contribute to healing, empowerment, and community participation when they prioritize human dignity and long-term well-being. Framed by the question “What if the most radical thing a business could do was simply to care?”, the discussion showed that rehumanizing profit and redesigning systems around participation and trust are not abstract ideals, but approaches already being implemented through initiatives addressing pressing social challenges. Keywords regenerative economy, conscious marketing, mental health, community participation, systemic change, sustainability, trauma healing, social impact, environmental psychology, peacebuilding Key topics l The role of care and healing in systemic change l Conscious marketing as a tool for regeneration l The importance of mental health in peacebuilding l Decentralized, place-based approaches to community development l Reframing profit as a means to social and environmental value Panel Host: André Stürmer (South Africa) atreyu Co-founder LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andr%C3%A9-st%C3%BCrmer-aa477/ Speakers: Jin Dawod (Türkiye) Peace Therapist Founder & UN SDG Awardee LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jin-dawod-838726141/ Claudia Guerreiro (Estonia) Conscious Marketing Movement Founder LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/claudiabarrosguerreiro/ Adina-Iuliana Deacu (China/Germany) 2025 Klaus Töpfer Sustainability Fellow at Research Institute for Sustainability at GFZ (Germany) Tianmei World Academy Founder LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adinadeacu/ Speaker quotes "Healing creates participation, participation builds trust." – Jin Dawod "Marketing needs to be part of the solution." – Claudia Guerreiro "Trauma shapes systems, healing is essential for systemic change." – Adina Deacu "What if the most radical thing a business could do was simply to care?" - Andre Sturmer Chapters 00:00 Introduction to the Panel and Themes of Care 02:50 Mental Health and Healing in Crisis 12:00 Conscious Marketing: Transforming the Narrative 21:09 Redefining Business for Social Impact 28:20 Healing and Leadership: The Impact of Trauma 32:24 Rethinking Education: Tianmei World Academy's Approach 34:39 Marketing's Role: From Villain to Hero 38:14 Decentralization and Community Participation 46:11 Healing Through Participation: The Refugee Experience 49:01 Digital Tools in Therapy: The Role of AI 51:29 Conscious Marketing: Changing the Narrative 56:03 Self-Confidence and Consumerism: A New Perspective Key take-aways from the panel Several overarching conclusions emerged from the discussion. Business can become a force for healing and regeneration when it prioritizes human well-being, dignity, and participation rather than purely financial outcomes. Many of today’s systemic problems are linked to psychological patterns such as fear, scarcity, and insecurity. Addressing these underlying dynamics is essential for transforming institutions and economic systems. Communication systems like marketing play a powerful role in shaping social norms, and therefore must be redesigned to support positive cultural change. Regenerative business models require localization, collaboration, and long-term thinking, rather than standardized global solutions focused solely on growth. Meaningful systemic change depends not only on structural reforms but also on individual awareness, self-confidence, and the willingness to make conscious choices about how we participate in economic systems. To learn more about the event, please click here: https://www.rifs-potsdam.de/en/events/rehumanizing-profit-redefining-business-regenerative-future