“A pound of feathers won’t take flight, if there ain’t a bird inside.”
IVO is an independent platform that makes visible the invitation to cooperate within an open dynamic network of experts that actively support the envisioned mission from a separable functionality yet respecting each other’s expertise to ensure reliable implementation. From a well defined, first Cradle as an effective multiplier to the next.
Experienced and with build up knowledge, we state that the beginning of the journey in discovering true sustainability lies in the will to participate in cooperative partnerships that last. On both ends of most contradictious challenges we encountered, clashing egos often made it hard if not next to impossible for good ideas to really flourish.
“Its time to park our ego, acknowledge that we are all on the same road of discovery, set our clocks alike and work from well defined points of departure. A challenging future lies ahead!”
Frans Aerdts
“One will find the meaning of life, if the many will live meaningful to life itself.”
Working in the field of communication strategy, corporate identity and design I’ve had the opportunity to work with some inspiring and awesome companies as art-director over more than thirty years now. Amongst them Computer Sciences Corporation and Herman Miller. While introducing Herman Miller’s Mirra office chair – produced according the Cradle to Cradle design protocols – in the Netherlands for HME, I started promoting the need for predefined material cycles. Locally recovered material flows in which Herman Miller products as nutrients could eventually be found via re-utilization in locally produced products. Ahrend furniture for example.
In concept an idea worth fighting for, in reality hard to land. Although, this journey led me to meet Hans Havers, who had worked with Ahrend for quit some time. With an open mind and persisting in his will to help, we already started 2Evoke, two months after meeting each other in January 2007.
Hans accompanied me on a trip to Basel (Switzerland) for where I did the design of a combined EPEA (Hamburg) and Herman Miller, Cradle to Cradle exhibition during Messe Natur. Meeting EPEA, Professor Michael Braungart and his team, explaining our goals, made it possible to become the world wide first, Cradle to Cradle Satellite Partner for EPEA in the Netherlands, first in Venlo and later in Eindhoven (ICSE – Lichttoren), introducing the revolutionary concept to many industrial partners and governmental bodies. Amongst them Van Houtum, Van Ganzewinkel, Desso, DSM, Phillips and Ahrend.
No not everything always went perfectly well defined and smooth but working with people that are open for discussion, passionate about their work and willing to listen can be considered a gift. Next step though; if only we all could park our ego from time to time, I truly believe we can do so much more.
Hans Havers
“En route,
with a positively
guided ego“
It seems to be a challenge to approach the world of interfering egos pursued by our experience and perception. Motive is the knowledge that our ego led us through time with great achievements but also displays an incompetence of maintaining reforms and dissemination to next generations. Within the creation of a new worldview and consciousness it is upmost important to temporarily park our ego in order to achieve an coherent and harmonic unification.
Continuously colliding egos question loyalty to be well intended. This loyalty conflict emanates from the fact that we as human kind are not positive or think alike about the necessary changes. In addition, as world citizens we are dependant on a peaceful transformation of the current system.
Shared points of departure for setting goals is not only about content, important is also that all partners agree upon the steps to be taken, respect each others capabilities and time to act. Most important though is once agreed upon the challenge to face, its crucial for all partners to help each other not to loose face, for the main goal is getting there together.
I’ve been working for many years for Takashimaya, a Japanese Retail Multinational, both in Japan as well on projects through Europe. I seriously misjudged my believe that the respect and trust I encountered, could easily be translated to projects based on sustainability. The bigger the challenge, the bigger the ego, it seemed!
The International Viability Organisation
IVO finds the challenge in making visible the projects that matter, the cooperative organisations that make these projects viable and by giving you as Viable beHolder the opportunity to be part of the solutions by supporting the project of your choice and give it your vote for Viability.
With a possible 7 billion beholders we can create a Vibe, that will transform:
TIME’S POWER
into
POWER IT’S ME!
A beHOLDER of Mutual Viability.
These Video’s may inspire you as they did us in developing the IVO-Concept! Back in 2014 and now in 2020.
TED | How do you explain consciousness
David Chalmers| 14 July 2014
TED | How to disagree productively
Julia Dhar | 10 December 2018
TEDxVenlo, To Be or Not To Be
Frans Aerdts | Video-pitch 2015
TED | The power of vulnerability
Brené Brown | 3 January 2011
TEDxCERN | Consciousness & the Brain
John Searle | 24 May 2013
The naivety of 2Evoke!
Over 12 years 2Evoke, C2C, ICSE, discovering, evaluating, connecting, philosophising and most of all making visible effective solutions trough co creation, Hans Havers and Frans Aerdts strike a balance. Experienced and with build up knowledge, 2Evoke still finds itself at the beginning of the journey in discovering true sustainability. 2Evoke as in “making visible” existing knowledge, works on projects that through cooperation and co creation will lead to feasible sustainable goals. Challenges on a global scale will have to be defined and focused towards local, regional questions and possible developments.
Projects based on a commonly agreed upon and transparent set of environmental criteria describing the final goal of environmental optimisation as well as the achieved current status can form the basis for management systems based on quality; Quality of life. Core is to obtain defined and shared points of departure that are
- feasible for industries
- supported by government and
- accepted in society.
This suppresses the need, next to (C2C) material flows, for also defining energy flows, creativity flows, awareness, social flows, and not the least economical flows. A call for a system change; one might call it progressive, ambitious, even complex. We see it as the naivety of 2Evoke!
Naïve? In other words meaning not artificial, simple or natural? The answer is a straightforward “Yes!”
The context and intention of the question is of existential importance for they withhold 2Evoke’s method to empower companies, governments and educational institutions to naïvely ask the right questions. Based on their identity, authenticity and expertise they discover that their solutions are qualified but do not answer the right questions; at least not from a perspective of a mutual responsibility and certainly not serving a mutual interest.
To follow the current developments in politics, sustainable purchasing policies and society from a naïve perspective is a choice. The willingness to activate this naivety, serviceable for the empowerment of the exploration journey towards solutions that answer concrete questions is an intentionally defined choice. A choice made from a consciousness that we have a shared sense of urgency. A shared sense of vulnerability and a growing sense of viability or the lack of it. But even apart from this urgency and therefore free of any convention, if we become conscious of our place and (possible) function within the complex dynamic system Planet Earth, it is of infantile simplicity to understand and make visible that we need to do things different.
This very infantile simplicity or naivety finds its origin in nature. “Naïve” derives from the Latin “nativus”, meaning native. From a local and holistic point of view, by adding the “t” of technology, trust and truth, 2Evoke sees the greatest challenge in the one question:
Can we become Native to the planet (again)?
Would you like a naive answer?
Yes we can!
With IVO we developed a platform to make visible and empower the innovative capacity of people and organisations that strive for solutions that ensure a defined quality. In accomplishing effective goals through co creation with knowledge partners by enabling their expertise to become added value within a mutual cause. Not from a marketing perspective of the individual participant, but trough cooperation deliver a clear insight and perspective goal – safe, responsible and accepted – because all build up knowledge and expertise is respected. Working from shared points of departure, Viable beHOLDERS and their projects will become part of the solution. Within reach of their own potentials, innovative capacity and appropriate speed to act. This will give meaning to technological development, innovation and spirit that will result in solutions. Solutions that will function as a showcase in positioning the Projects that matter and to Vote for on IVO.
Defining, evaluating and managing processes and material flows to meet the need for a circular economy has put a spotlight on natural cyclic phenomena, like the Cradle to Cradle design strategy – waste equals food – and Biomimicry – nature as our teacher. The build up experience of 2Evoke in working together with these knowledge partners within industries, acquired the insight that the complexity and diversity of the individual questions and needs, makes the journey of discovery hard or even impossible. Open-minded and transparent communication, information, will dissolve the lack of organisational capacity. In becoming aware of the need for cooperation we will have to ask each other the right questions. Self-consciousness and a vulnerable attitude in asking for help will show what is already available but poorly used.
Making the possible… possible!
The quality of the current technological developments exceeds the regulations companies have to work from by law. In the midst of a pandemic and financial crisis many mid, small and large enterprises will not feel invited to invest at large in implementing innovative technologies if their current used, are in line with set rules and regulations by government and fulfil the demand for survival. Sustainable concepts, philosophies and certifying systems are useful if only they serve a need and answer to realistic (true-to nature) questions. Answers that dynamically can move along a continuously changing market and serve a mutual and significant goal.
What inspired us!
Following one of the main recommendations contained in the report entitled “A World That Counts”, presented in November 2014 by the United Nations Secretary-General’s Independent Expert and Advisory Group on Data Revolution for Sustainable Development, the Statistical Commission agreed that a United Nations World Data Forum on Sustainable Development Data (UN World Data Forum) would be the suitable platform for intensifying cooperation with various professional groups, such as information technology, geospatial information managers, data scientists, and users, as well as civil society stakeholders.
“A World That Counts” inspired us to develop:
“A Vote That Counts”
The International Viability Organisation finds the challenge in making visible the projects that matter, the cooperative organisations that make these projects viable and by giving everybody as Viable beHolder the opportunity to be part of the solutions by supporting the project of their choice and give it a vote for Viability.
With a possible 7 billion beholders we can create a Vibe, that will transform
TIME’S POWER into POWER IT’S ME!* A beHolder of Mutual Viability.
In short:
IVO guides the individual qualities and expertise of people and companies towards a visible transparent support model that shapes
a platform for cooperation,
a showcase of projects that matter
the direction to the exploration of a viable future.
“Sustainability” then is a permanent discovery of potentials and opportunities based on a positive and naïve approach.
“En route towards a viable future!”
