Launch of Foresight’s “Tackling Obesity: future choices” report.

October 2007 – Tackling Obesity: Future Choices, the latest report to be published today by Foresight, part of the UK Government Office for Science, examines a wide-range of aspects around obesity from biology to social and cultural factors in order to understand how to prevent and treat obesity in the future.

shiftN has been deeply involved in the work leading up to this groundbreaking report. Working with top scientists across the UK, shiftN has built a comprehensive system map that provides the most systemic view to date on the many interdependences between biological, social, cultural, psychological and economic factors associated with obesity.

Sir David King alongside the lead science experts on the project:  Dr Susan Jebb (on the picture at left), Dr Peter Koppelman and Prof. Klim McPherson, and the project sponsor Minister Dawn Primarolo, presented the findings at a stakeholder event at the Royal Society of Arts on Wednesday 17th October 2007.

Launching the report Sir David King said: The report is a major step forward in understanding the complex nature of this problem and how to approach it, and will be a helpful tool for Government and policymakers in exploring the key challenges and designing robust strategies to prevent and treat obesity in the future." Sir David referred to the system map as a “marvellous piece of work.”

Most adults in the UK are already overweight but by 2050 we might expect 60% of men and 50% of women to be clinically obese. Without action, obesity related diseases will cost an extra £45.5 Billion per year, suggesting that tackling obesity requires a societal approach as well as individual efforts.

More information on the project and the full report can be downloaded from here.

shiftN is currently engaged in Foresight’s Mental Capital and Wellbeing project, using the best science and evidence from across a wide range of disciplines to identify and analyse the most important drivers affecting  Mental Capital and Wellbeing in the future.

Umicore launches the Umicore Way Game

October 2007 – Umicore has recently rolled out its Umicore Way Game. It is a learning game that has been developed by shiftN in partnership with design bureau pars pro toto to help Umicore’s employees worldwide to reflect on the relevance of the company’s Values, Code of Conduct, and Sustainability and Human Rights policies in their own work situation.

The game has been developed over a six month-period under the championship of Mark Dolfyn (Director Corporate HR) and Bert Swennen (Director Environment, Health and Safety Management). Most members of the company’s Executive Committee have been actively involved in the development process. CEO Thomas Leysen has been personally overseeing the project.

The Umicore leadership sees a proactive approach to sustainable development and ethical business practices as vital in realising the company’s goal of creating sustainable value by developing, producing and recycling “materials for a better life”.

Four pilot runs in different parts of the world have demonstrated the game’s potential to engage Umicore’s employees on these issues in a playfully serious way (picture on the left was taken during the Shangai pilot run).

More information on Umicore’s approach to sustainable development can be found on www.sustainabledevelopment.umicore.com

WS morphs into shiftN

December 2007 - As of January 1st 2008, the brand WS will cease to exist. We will continue with our work under a new name: shiftN (pronounced “shift en”).

shiftN will continue to build on almost 15 years of experience in helping clients deal with complex strategic and societal issues. Our key contribution; to foster clarity in conditions of complexity, relying on state-of-the-art skills in systems thinking, futures methodologies and collaborative intelligence.

The shiftN core team consists of Kim Becher, Marshall Clemens, Alexandra Kanitz and Philippe Vandenbroeck. As was the case in the past, our own capabilities will be complemented by those of trusted partners whenever appropriate.

We look forward to continuing an exciting intellectual journey, to building new relationships, and contributing to pressing societal problems.