In the face of increasingly complex societal challenges, the field of social design is being called upon to deepen its ability to create long-term, systemic impact. This project, conducted with five experienced social designers and one workshop in our ESConference in 2025, explored how systems thinking, …

Sustainable Ceramics: Shaping the FutureWhat will ceramics look like in 20, 50, or even 100 years? This engaging lecture explores the future of ceramics, where social and environmental responsibility take center stage.Ceramics production has a significant environmental footprint, but innovative artists, …

Over the past ten years, the ecosystem concept has been used to frame innovation and transition endeavours undertaken by multi-actor groups. Systemic design initiatives are broadly engaging with ecosystems. The concept and phenomenon have been central in theory as well as practice, though remain contested …

Dear Reader, Welcome to Sustainable EU Economy. This book is more than a textbook—it is an invitation to explore how the European Union shapes business, society, and sustainability in today’s interconnected world. My hope is that it will inspire you to think critically, engage actively, and see how Europe’s …

This study examines how philanthropic foundations develop innovative approaches to grant-making by collaborating with social entrepreneurs who are embedded in marginalized communities. Traditionally, foundations award grants that meet predetermined strategic objectives that support their theories of …

Presented as part of the National XR Day, this contribution aims to involve academia in exploring how XR technologies can foster social connectedness in increasingly individualized digital environments.

We are pleased to present this Book of Proceedings following the international conference “Innovating Health & Daily Life through Living Labs”, co-organised by the Dutch Empathic Environment Living Labs (DEEL Academy) and the European Network of Living Labs (ENoLL). The two-day event took place in May …

Higher education institutions (HEIs) are increasingly called upon to both respond to and drive societal change. To better understand how HEIs can enhance their ability to innovate, an integrative literature review was conducted, examining the concept of innovative capacity. Key resources, such as social …

Across cities and urban regions in The Netherlands unusual collaborations emerge which aim to develop new circular business models that facilitate product and resource longevity through various upcycling strategies, such as reuse, repair, refurbish, repurpose and/or remanufacture. Municipalities, social …

Seafood is a highly traded commodity that is exposed to a wide range of environmental and social sustainability challenges. Digitalization of the seafood value chain helps to address these challenges. Using Global Value Chain (GVC) analysis, this paper presents a qualitative case study on the conditions …