Participation in decisions – consent

* Decisions
* Colleagues, project team or working partners
* Desire to try something new


How can we decide together without grueling consensus discussions or majority voting (for-against), where in the worst-case scenario just under half of the people can simply be outvoted? There is a decision-making principle that tries to involve everyone equally, while avoiding long discussions. This is the consensus.
The consensus principle comes from the model of sociocracy
What matters - as opposed to consensus - is the decision question: "Does anyone have a serious objection to this proposed decision?"
Consent is more about no one saying "no." (As opposed to consensus, where everyone is supposed to say "yes.") So it's not about finding the perfect decision, but rather finding a decision that everyone can live with, that is in the "OK zone." Or, in other words, a decision worth trying. ("Good enough for now, save enough to try.")
The person who wants to bring about a decision formulates the decision proposal and brings the issue to the table. Then comes the opportunity for everyone involved to ask clarifying questions. Then it's on to the consensus decision: "Does anyone have a serious objection to this proposal?" Someone who has a serious objection must argue why he or she disagrees. In this way, the objection also serves to improve the previous proposal. If no one has a serious objection, or the objections have been resolved, the proposal is accepted! The decision is made.
The consensus method promotes constructive counterarguments and alternative proposals. It is the argument that counts, not the majority or position. Everyone is equally involved.
If the decision then does not prove itself in practice, any:r can provide a serious objection and thus withdraw his consensus. Then the issue comes back to the decision.
There are now some companies/organizations that apply the consensus principle. Is your organization one of them?

Have fun cooking!

Anyone who has tried or modified the recipe, feel free to comment!





This recipe is from Kerstin Seeger

Search engine selection: with brain + heart

* a brief pause
* a sustainable search engine


In 2019, a study by the think tank "The Shift Project" caused a stir worldwide: According to the study, the Internet - if it were a state - would rank sixth in terms of energy consumption. Search queries are a not insignificant factor in this enormous power consumption. The market leader Google alone has to handle more than 5.6 billion search queries DAILY, that's 65,000 search queries every SECOND. There are no official figures on the power consumption for a search query from Google, but Expert:innen estimates that a search consumes around 0.3 watt hours. In other words, if you search 20 times (I'm trying to get rid of the word "google" so that I don't become a free advertising medium for this company), you've used about as much energy as an energy-saving light bulb in one hour. Often, searching has become a substitute for thinking, it's so easy and quick. Before you've thought about what you're actually looking for, the first search on the web has already sunk in and 0.3 watt hours have been wasted.

So, before the next search, pause for a moment and consider whether this search is really needed.
We also have alternatives to a certain extent when it comes to choosing a search engine. The essential aspect for me is the protection of my data. Unfortunately, there's no getting around Google when it comes to the quality of search results. But there is still an alternative that helps us not to turn our data into a commodity:

Startpage draws on Google's search results, but is a kind of intermediary between us and the Internet giant. Startpage thus ensures that our personal data remains protected, that we can surf anonymously and that we cannot be tracked, because Google itself does not get to see our location or our IP address. In addition, no cookies are set.
Although the results come from Google itself, the search results may differ. This is because no personalized results can be played out due to a lack of data. Maybe a good compromise in your company as well?

Have fun cooking!

Anyone who has tried or modified the recipe, feel free to comment!





This recipe is from Frank Brown

Change the proportion of speech in team meetings

* regular team meeting
* Colleagues, project team, working partners
* Desire to try something new
* Convince the team
* Moderator:in


„Everyone sleeps, one speaks – that's called ... teaching “ 😉
Team meetings are sometimes similar. There are typical spokespeople, and the leader often has a high speaking share. Some think that you have to express your position or importance by speaking. Others have settled into a passive role.

But we can also try it out differently, trusting that everyone will contribute something. New moderation formats are needed to ensure that everyone participates in the team meeting and that everyone has roughly the same say, regardless of their position.

Remark: For some topics, it naturally makes sense for experts to speak more. In this case, however, the proportion of speaking time should also correspond to the level of professional expertise and not go hand in hand with position or speaking habit.


So that everyone can have their sayand the quiet ones can also contribute their ideas and thoughts, „speaking in a circle“ is suitable: each person takes it in turn to give an impulse on the respective topic. It is important that it is only one aspect (4-5 sentences, not a short presentation) and that there is no discussion during the round. The moderator ensures this. Everyone has the opportunity to speak in turn.

This has nothing to do with going round in circles. On the contrary: everyone is heard, everyone has the chance to express themselves and all ideas and positions are put on the table immediately. Good decisions can be made on this basis.
Don't worry, it doesn't take any longer than the usual monologues of individuals and the results of swarm intelligence are impressive.

Along the way, the quiet ones practise speaking and the loud ones practise listening. It's a real pleasure to hear everyone, and also takes the pressure off the individual, as you can be very confident that a topic will be comprehensively illuminated by the short statements.
This method is particularly suitable when an opinion on a topic is important, or as a review / outlook, as well as preparation for decision-making.

Anyone who has tried or modified the recipe, feel free to comment!





This recipe is from
Kerstin Seeger

lieferkette-faire-maus

The Fair Mouse - an example of why transparency in global supply chains is urgently needed

The prices we pay for products at the checkouts of supermarkets and online stores lie. The ecological and social costs of overexploitation of people and nature, as is still the case today in the mines, factories and fields of Peru, are outsourced and are not reflected in the prices of the products. The supply chain law recently passed in Germany is intended to remedy this situation. But what are the consequences of the law for people and nature, and why is it so difficult to implement? Using the example of a simple computer mouse, I would like to give you an understanding of the complexity of the issue.
It is actually absurd that in the 21st century it is still necessary to enact a law to protect people against exploitation in the workplace. However, it reflects the sad reality that the observance of human rights is far from being a matter of course in many countries. This is also the case in Peru, where I currently live. Here are just a few examples of this dark side of the economy: Chinese and Western companies are mining copper, silver and gold in Peru. Poisoned water, displacement of people from their homes and inhumane working conditions are only 3 of the consequences for the people who live here. Most of the profits from the raw materials business flow abroad, while the environmental and social costs remain in the country and are socialized. Mining communities such as La Oraya in Peru, which has now been abandoned by the operating companies, are the losers of this system. Today, no one wants to live here anymore, because years of mining have contaminated the soil and water with heavy metals such as sulfur dioxide, lead and arsenic. The mining town of La Oraya, located in the Andes, was listed by Time magazine as one of the most polluted places in the world. About 35,000 people, Time estimates, have been directly affected by years of destruction. Lead is the pollutant that arguably causes the most damage because the effects on children can be so devastating. Here, 99 % of children have blood levels that exceed acceptable limits. The average lead level was three times the WHO limit, according to a 1999 study. Even years after the smelters close, spent lead will remain in the soil of La Oroya for centuries – and there is currently no plan to clean it up. And all this so that we can get cheap metals out of the ground, necessary for the production of a computer mouse, for example.
A step in the right direction with need for improvement
The "Law on Corporate Due Diligence in Supply Chains", as the law is officially called, is intended to ensure that stories like La Oroy's are a thing of the past. The law will come into force in 2023 and will initially cover companies with 3,000 or more employees, and from 2024 companies with 1,000 or more employees. From now on, these companies must identify risks of human rights violations and environmental destruction at direct suppliers and, if necessary, also at indirect suppliers, take countermeasures and document these to the Federal Office of Economics and Export Control (BAFA).
The complexity of a transparent supply chain, even for a simple product like a computer mouse, is demonstrated by the Fair Mouse project, which has since given rise to the Nager IT association. The starting point of the project was the desire to create a 100%ig transparent supply chain using the example of the computer mouse and to produce a mouse that is manufactured without any exploitation in the entire production process. The association is approaching this goal step by step, according to the motto Fairest → Fairer → Fair. At Nager IT, fair means that production takes place without violating human rights and without exploitation (see ILO labor standards). The following graphic shows how difficult this is. Green means, the association has reached its goal. Yellow means that the suppliers are known but it is not clear under which conditions production took place, red means that it has not yet been possible to obtain further information.

The following graphic shows the entire supply chain.

You see, despite years of research, there are still plenty of blind spots in the supply chain. And this is "just" a computer mouse.
It is time for exploitation to become a thing of the past. Germany has committed itself to respecting human rights and to implementing the SDGs (17 sustainable development goals) by 2030. Unfortunately, here too, words are followed far too slowly by deeds. In order to get closer to these goals, transparency and awareness of the problem are needed first. This should be mandatory for all companies. It is not acceptable to shift this responsibility onto the customers. For example, screw manufacturers would then have to ensure the working conditions for their raw materials. The manufacturer of switches would have to ensure the same for his components, and so on. Unfortunately, this is still a long way off and fairness is still the exception, not the rule. But fortunately, there are now pioneering companies in most industries, such as the Fair Mouse producers. Until this has become the norm, we have to vote with our wallets for products that have been produced sustainably and fairly.


____________________________________________

Author: Frank Braun, www.fairbinden.eu

Sources:
Image: https://www.nager-it.de/maus
https://lieferkettengesetz.de/
https://www.unicef.de/informieren/aktuelles/blog/kinderarbeit-fragen-und-antworten/166982
https://www.ecoi.net/en/document/2048739.html
http://content.time.com/time/specials/2007/article/0,28804,1661031_1661028_1661020,00.html
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/151202-Cerro-de-Pasco-Peru-Volcan-mine-eats-city-environment
https://www.destatis.de/DE/Themen/Wirtschaft/Aussenhandel/Tabellen/rangfolge-handelspartner.pdf?__blob=publicationFile
https://bdi.eu/artikel/news/auf-dem-weg-zu-einem-europaeischen-lieferkettengesetz/
https://peruconsult.de/top-20-die-groessten-unternehmen-in-peru/
https://minsus.net/seminario-analizo-el-impacto-de-las-regulaciones-de-debida-diligencia-en-las-cadenas-de-suministro-en-europa-para-el-sector-minero-de-la-region-andina/



Social Permaculture - so that ecology and justice bear fruit

As nature lovers, you probably know the term permaculture from your garden. There, it is certainly self-evident to you that diversity is an important building block for a thriving garden. But permaculture is an approach that can be applied to all areas of life. It takes the following ethical principles into consideration: Care for the Earth, Care for People, and Care for the Future - this third ethic is often referred to as "fair share." Sharing surpluses and reducing consumption. Permaculture takes nature as its model.Patrick Whitefield, author of The Earthcare Manual, called permaculture "the art of designing beneficial relationships." Here, plants in the garden are not considered in isolation, but in terms of how they affect each other, how they interact, how we can get a diverse yield from each element. Much can be learned from this also for our interactions at home and at work.

How does change happen? How can we create a healthy breeding ground for the much-vaunted sustainable development at all levels, especially in the workplace? How can we develop the skills to make the long overdue change in our lives a success? In my opinion, the key to this is our culture, how we deal with each other. In the ECONOMY we want, respect, tolerance, diversity and openness prevail. In this context, this could mean shaping our organization in such a way that transparency, permeability and co-determination are natural components of our daily interaction, and that our vision and values also reflect this. That, for example, failure is just as much a part of daily life as success. Social permaculture and sociocracy can create a healthy soil culture in organizations, on which motivation and joy of work can grow again. 
The essential insight of social permaculture is that while it is difficult to change the individual, we can create social structures that foster beneficial patterns of human behavior. We can seek to create conditions in our environment that foster nurturing, empowering relationships. 

The relationships between plants, insects, soil, water and microorganisms, complex as they may be, are relatively simple to manage. We are far more complicated beings in their web of relationships. Each:r of us has individual needs and goals. Our needs and goals often collide with each other, power structures get in the way of finding solutions more than they help us, and we often do not have the resources we need to resolve conflicts. This is even more complex in the professional context, where in addition to the relationship level, the dimensions of income, power realization and career thinking, etc., also have an impact on everyone's behavior. In most cases, we have internalized competition and self-interest as key drivers. These systems affect us deeply, often unconsciously, no matter how much we regret them and fight against them. But constant cost and optimization pressures also have a destructive effect on organizations and the people working in the system. This is particularly noticeable among people in nursing, hospitals and social work, where the intrinsic benefit is often matched by little economic value, and so the actual goal of the work, to see people as a whole, to work with head, heart and hand, is lost sight of. This leads to a loss of identification with one's own work, loss of motivation, and, in the worst case, to "inner resignation" or even burnout.

According to Diana Leafe Christian, author of the book, Creating a Life Together, 90 percent of intentional communities – fail in large part because of conflict. This statistic represents a tremendous amount of shattered dreams, personal pain and wasted resources. This is likely true for NGO's and companies alike.

But there is another way! With the help of social permaculture, it is possible to create a cultural breeding ground in organizations that promotes creativity, solution orientation and a sense of community in the entrepreneurial actions of employees. In this way, a cultural framework can be created in which co-responsibility and cooperation of all are the basic elements of togetherness. In this way, appreciation of diversity could lead us to value our differences instead of letting them separate us. Wouldn't it be much more pleasant for everyone to work together instead of against each other and thus deepen rifts? It is important not to lose interest in each other, to listen to each other and to understand where the roots of each other's fears and concerns are. These are not always rational. All this does not create a common agenda for possible solutions, but it helps to see things through each other's eyes and to build bridges on which we can meet again. We could all be such bridge builders. This thought makes me feel very Christmassy.


____________________________________________

Author: Frank Braun, www.fairbinden.eu



WIRtschaft-Stammtisch 1

Regulars table #2

Of course, a real WIRtschaft also includes a regulars' table.
The second WIRtschafts-Stammtisch takes place on Tuesday 28 September from 18:30 to 20:00. A warm invitation to this! We look forward to seeing and hearing from many of you. We meet online here via fairmeeting.

What happens at the WIRtschafts-Stammtisch
Once again, we want to exchange views on ECONOMIC topics and make plans together. Save the date - we will inform you about the exact program shortly before.

Happy to have a regular drink and vesper on hand 🙂
We would be pleased to receive feedback on who will be attending. Spontaneous regulars are also welcome. WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU!!!



Rezept ReplacePlastic

ReplacePlastic - the platform for conscious companies + consumers

* a product for end consumers:inside
* Reduction of plastic and packaging waste as a goal.
* Desire for visibility


For consumers who help shape the future:
* Smartphone
* View for packaging containing plastic


For consumers
The smartphone always at hand? Annoyed by too much plastic and packaging waste, e.g. the regional tomatoes in plastic packaging or the new board game in cardboard and hard plastic packaging, plus extra foil? Best condition to include the app ReplacePlastic in your everyday life:
With the ReplacePlastic app, you scan the barcode of an affected product. If the product is already stored, you send, fully automatically and with all pre-filled data, from the app a note to the manufacturer:in / retailer:in whether it is possible to reduce the plastic content. Sounds simple? It is! If the data is stored, the process takes less than 2 minutes and the message is sent to the person responsible. If there is no data available for a product, you have the possibility to add the data.

For companies
And this is where you, the entrepreneur:in, come in:
Do you already pay attention to reducing plastic and packaging waste in your company, or are you in the process of doing so? The ReplacePlastic app not only draws companies' attention to too much plastic, but also helps consumers find alternative products. Could yours be one of them? Here you can show yourself as a "Andersmacher:in".

The reach of the app is made clear by the figures that can be viewed: In the app or also on the website you can view statistics showing how many packages have been scanned, how many emails have been sent, which suppliers are contacted most often, which products have been scanned recently and which products have been emailed recently. A delight for environmentally conscious statistics fans, statistics-loving environmental enthusiasts and many more.

Suitable for the theme
- For companies, this is a further impetus to reduce packaging and plastic waste. If you want to develop your business in the direction of zero waste, you can also look for local zero waste communities. Here there is often support / advice / joint public relations work!
- Recipe "Making good things visible" with the map of tomorrow

Anyone who has tried or modified the recipe, feel free to comment!





This recipe is from
Sebatian K.

Practice silence in nature

* No cell phone or at least turn off cell phone
* Perception of nature in tangible proximity (tree, plant, stone, landscape, animal...)
* silence

* a nice place to sit or lie down


Find a place where you can spend an hour in peace. This can be outside by a city tree or in a landscape or on the balcony or in the apartment. The main thing is that in this place you can undisturbed feel the presence of nature - including nature in you. Nature can also be a houseplant or simply the air and light in the room. Or a forest, a meadow, the sky or a stone. Breathe calmly and look indeterminately into the room.
Pay attention to your perceptions, your thoughts, feelings. Let them pass by like clouds and detach yourself from them by not judging anything and not holding on to anything. Should you catch yourself judging and holding on, pay attention to your breath and direct your gaze again into the undefined.
Let the terms, phrases and images that arise simply appear and disappear. Walk courageously for an hour through this process of transformation in perception.
At the end, pay attention once again to your breath and focus your gaze or even your hearing on what you are now encountering. Afterwards, give thanks for what you have received, even if you cannot grasp it or put it into terms. In the following hours and days, simply and on your own, let what nature has communicated to you in this hour mature within you. And be sure: Something will show itself - even if it is only the curiosity about something that has fallen out of the usual human view.

Anyone who has tried or modified the recipe, feel free to comment!





This recipe is from
Michael Schels

Planting trees for the future

* Forest, ideally one that is not doing well at the moment. But there is no shortage at the moment
* A:n forester:in to help select trees & create planting plan.
* ideally, lots of like-minded people who also want to do something for a sustainable forest

* some spades


Find forest owners who cannot or do not want to maintain and develop their forest. Convince them of the idea of creating a sustainable forest together.

Coordinate with the:r forester:in the trees.

Build a fence around the forest to protect the young plants from deer & rabbits.

Clear the forest of branches, leave the branch material in the forest to rot, habitat for insects & fungi, fertilizer for future trees.

Put the young trees in the ground with a spade according to the planting plan.

To be happy about what you have created!

treeplantingprojects.com offers exactly this for forest owners & helpers!

A good idea also as a joint activity with your own company!

Have fun cooking!

We are very curious about the experience with this recipe.

Try this recipe right now.
Anyone who has tried or modified the recipe, feel free to comment!





This recipe is from
an organic farmer from Bavaria