About The Author

 Thank you for being interested in this blog.  I hope you like the content and discussions this blog provides space for.

A little bit about me:

I am Giles Hutchins. I was born near Aylesbury, England in 1972. Giles Hutchins Twitter

Around the age of seven I recall being perplexed at what seemed to me to be a rather unhealthy relationship between us and nature. From what I could make out, our way of living seemed destined to run up against natural limits with many of our routine activities having scant regard for the natural world around us. I recall thinking, for instance, if the sewage is pumped out to sea, how do the fish get along with it and how much can the sea put up with before it and the fish get sick? I recall smelling the fumes from vehicle exhausts and thinking how it does not simply disappear out of sight and mind.  Certain things grated deeply with me, like factory farming and animal testing. Were these really the hallmarks of being civilised? Others tried to assure me with the notion that such matters were beyond what a seven year old should be thinking about and that I need not take such things so seriously as all was being ‘taken care of’. I promised myself that when I became an adult I would find out how this seemingly unhealthy relationship was being ‘taken care of’.

I fast-forward to now having lived for over forty years on this planet. I am thankful for many things in life and still in complete awe of it. Rich life experiences have shown me the immense power of the human potential (to both solve problems and create them). And I have found out how this seemingly unhealthy relationship is supposedly being ‘taken care of’. In the process of this, I discovered what makes my heart sing.

This blog focuses on one important aspect of our human relationship with nature – business. Business is a powerful force and ought to be a force for good. Business has an immense amount it can learn from nature and in so doing help itself back on its rightful path of value-creation that enhances life (not destroys it).  Business needs nature, not just physically in terms of ‘ecosystem services’ and ‘natural capital’ but mentally for inspiration and innovation, emotionally for nourishment and balance, as well as (dare I say it) spiritually for connecting with the web of life and spirit.

Nature holds the key to solving the pressing challenges business faces today.

In seeking to aid business evolution through re-establishing our vital bond with nature we help heal our own human nature.  Human nature suffers from a dis-harmony prevalent within our consumerist society and economy.  This dis-harmony is righted through a deep connection with, and love of, life: human and non-human.  This blog explores how nature can benefit business now – over the next few years amidst these challenging and volatile times – as in that way a relationship can form between business and nature which, with wisdom, shall evolve to becoming mutually beneficial for humanity and nature.

This blog does not seek to provide answers (nor should it); it is hoped it catalyses exploration, understanding and sharing as we ponder the question: ‘Can nature aid business transformation in these volatile times?’

There is a Face Book community called ‘The Nature of Business’ which you can join here

I blog for a number of different blog sites some adhoc, some more regularly.  Have a look at these two related blogs if interested:

The Guardian Sustainable Business:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/profile/giles-hutchins

The Network for Business Sustainability:

http://nbs.net/member/giles-hutchins/