The Smart CSOs Lab

The Smart CSOs Lab is an international network of civil society leaders*, researchers** and funders aiming to develop and put into practice strategies that embrace the cultural and systemic root causes lying behind the social and environmental crises of our times.

We believe civil society organisations have a crucial role to play in catalysing transformative social and economic change, yet new ideas and strategies are needed to address the challenges we face. Our current focus on single issues and short-term goals means that while we may win many battles, we are losing the war.

Our shared vision is to embrace the journey ahead of us as a Great Transition to sustainability similar in its dimension to the Industrial Revolution. This journey will require reinventing or fundamentally transforming many of our current political, economic and cultural institutions. It demands overcoming the dominant paradigm of economic growth as well as shifting from today’s dominant culture of consumerism and nationalism towards a culture of wellbeing with simpler living and a sense of planetary solidarity and identity.

For more information about the Smart CSOs Lab please view our short brochure.

* Civil society leaders from environmental and developmental NGOs, community groups, trade unions, social movements, faith-based organisations etc.

** Researchers and academics from diverse backgrounds: Psychology, sociology, economics, systems thinking, innovation studies etc.