INTERBUSINESS

Independent knowledge lab · 2017–2022

Exploring
Holistic
Sustainability

Inter Business was an independent knowledge lab operating from 2017 to 2022. Over these five years, it undertook an exploratory journey with business leaders, sustainability experts, non-profit founders, philanthropists, students and other curious minds to examine holistic sustainability.

Discover the framework
Collage of people, nature, cities and systems
People · Organisations · Nature · Systems

The framework

Four competences for an ever-changing world.

At the core of Inter Business’ work was its framework for holistic sustainability. The four pillars of this framework are key organisational competences which together indicate the ability for sustainable development in an ever-changing world:

  1. 01

    Purpose

    Understanding and articulating why an organisation exists and the fundamental impact it seeks to create

  2. 02

    Systems approach

    Grappling with the global and local systems in which organisations operate, while recognising that every part of these systems, however remote, is inhabited by people (or nature)

  3. 03

    Empathy

    Using cognitive empathy, or social intelligence, to understand the perspectives of stakeholders near and far and truly learn about their needs and motivations

  4. 04

    Transformation

    Practising the pain and the bliss of continuous learning, adapting and growing – in short, the practice of transformation

The work

largest corporations in Sweden examined through the framework

From framework to practice.

Based on this framework, Inter Business undertook several projects. These included an index of Sweden’s 50 largest corporations – including H&M and Volvo – based on their application of the four key organisational competences; transformation projects for traditional social work organisations; impact measurement and evaluation methods; dialogues; seminars; publications; and more.

Research

Published work

The work of Inter Business resulted in six articles published in international academic journals. Follow the links below to read them:

2016 Developing a Human Centered Business IndexLeading with Purpose, Empathy, Systems-Approach and Resilience in ‘Business Beyond Sustainability’, The European Public & Social Innovation Review 2017 The Inter Business IndexDeveloping a Tool for Measurement and Comparability of Holistic Sustainability in Businesses, Journal of Management and Sustainability 2018 Swedish Business Leaders Prospecting SustainabilityFinding the Future with Purpose, Systems Approach, Empathy & Transformation, Business and Management Studies 2018 What Purpose Does a Company Serve?What Purpose Does a Company Serve in the World? Swedish Students and Sustainability Professionals in Dialogue on Corporate Sustainability, Journal of Business Theory and Practice 2018 Almost InterconnectedHow Sweden’s 50 Largest Companies Apply a System Approach to Sustainability, Applied Science and Innovative Research 2019 Transformation of Swedish CSOsTransformation of Swedish CSOs Using the Strengths of Purpose and Empathy, Applied Science and Innovative Research

Inter Business · Stockholm, Sweden

“Our most heartfelt gratitude goes out to every person and organisation who engaged in this work. Thank you ♥”

Inter Business was founded by Johanna Hallin. Based in Stockholm, Sweden, it engaged stakeholders from California to Cambodia.