Overview

⏱️Schedule:  Doors 18:30 → Talk 19:00→ Q&A → Mingle

Explore how we might move from extractive, profit-at-all-costs business models to regenerative ones that actually heal society and the planet with Adina Deacu.

For most of the 20th century, business has been defined as maximizing shareholder value. But in a century marked by climate breakdown, rising inequality, and burnout, that definition is starting to crack. What if business is not just an economic engine, but also a cultural and psychological force shaping how we relate to each other and to the world around us?

This session dives into new, practice-based definitions of business and what they reveal about the social, ecological, and emotional systems we are part of—and shaping—every day.

Together, we’ll explore:

• Why the traditional definition of business as profit maximization above all else is no longer fit for the social, ecological, and psychological realities of the 21st century.

• A practice- and research-based alternative: business as “an entity that solves social issues and creates social value in a financially sustainable way.”

• The role of narrative, perception, and our “invisible backpacks” of belief and experience in shaping business mindsets and behaviors.

• Practical pathways for transitioning organizations from profit-centric to value-centric models—without sacrificing financial sustainability.

Expect an evening of honest conversation, systems thinking, and grounded optimism, led by environmental psychology researcher and consultant Adina Deacu, whose work focuses on redefining leadership and business as pathways for collective healing and flourishing. We’ll close with audience Q&A and concrete ideas for how you can influence the businesses and organizations you’re part of—starting now.

Speaker

Adina Deacu

Social Entrepreneur | Environmental Psychology Researcher & Consultant

 Adina Deacu is a Klaus Töpfer Sustainability Fellow at the Research Institute for Sustainability (RIFS) in Potsdam and an environmental psychology researcher focused on regenerative business and leadership. As founder of Tianmei World Academy, she works with leaders and organisations across Europe and China to redesign business as a force for solving social issues while staying financially sustainable.