Resources for ethical business regenerative economics and post-growth capitalism
Welcome to North Star Project’s resource hub. This library offers a curated collection of resources to help organizations embed ethical practices into their foundation. We’ve gathered tools, models, and frameworks from pioneering organizations working at the intersection of business ethics, regenerative economics, and social impact—many of whom are our trusted partners and collaborators in creating a psychedelic industry guided by integrity and compassion.
Articles
On Psychedelic Systems Change
- Is it Possible to Create an Ethical Psychedelics Company
- How Psychedelics Might Fuel a Paradigm Shift
- Accountability & Transformative Justice in the Psychedelic Space: A Roadmap for Change
- How Tripping Can Help Us Reimagine Capitalism Ahead of Psychedelic Commercialization: Here’s what the success and failures of the cannabis industry can teach those in the psychedelic space about a healthy relationship to profit.
- Psychedelics for System Change: How Psychedelics could help facilitate system change to a new economy
- Psychedelic Communities, Social Justice, and Kinship in the Capitalocene: Is therapy and “self-help” the best or only paradigm for psychedelic culture to flourish? A critical assessment of humanity and suggest how psychedelic communities can become hubs of social change.
On Social Technologies & Capacity Building
- Collective Presencing: A New Human Capacity
- Social Presencing Theater for transformative embodied learning
- Design as a tool for Leadership and Social Change
- U School: For Transformation in Presencing Institute
- The Magic of Collective Emotional Intelligence in Learning Groups
- Psychological Safety and the Critical Role of Leadership Development
On the Shift to Mutualism / Holistic Methodologies
On the Paradigm Shift in Business Towards Social Responsibility
- Forbes: The Power of Purpose-Driven
- Case Study: Omidyar Network
- Psychedelics and Health: A Sacred Economics Path to Restoring Wholeness
- Harvard Business Review: Lead by Example
- MIT Sloan Management Review: The False Choice Between Business and Ethics
- Harvard Business Review: An Inconvenient Truth About ESG Investing
- Do ESG Funds Make Stakeholder-Friendly Investments?
Corporate Diversity, Equity, Inclusion (DEI) Efforts
On Commoning
On Steward Ownership
On Regenerative Economies
- Embodied Economics: What is Value?
- 8 Forms of Capital
- Democracy at Work Institute
- Sustaining a Regenerative Pattern of Building a Business
- Regenerative Patterning The Pollination Approach to Delivering Psychedelic-Assisted Mental Healthcare
- Regenerative Capitalism: How Universal Principles and Patterns Will Shape Our New Economy
- Regenerative Leadership
- Regenerators Network
Financial Options
Business Topics
- What Are Stockholder Voting Rights, and Who Gets a Vote?
- Derivatives, options markets, puts, and calls
- Call and Put Rights
- Board of Director Governance
- Preferred Director Approval
- First Right of Refusal
- Principles of Corporate Governance
- Corporate Governance Defined
- Social Enterprise Structures
- Legal Structuring of Social Enterprises
Books
Beloved Economies: Transforming How We Work
Brave New Work
Collective Courage
Collective Presencing: an emerging human capacity
Emergent Strategies
Holding Change
Honor Thy Label
How to be an anti-capitalist in the 21st Century
In-Between: A Companion for Uncertain Times
Interdependent Capitalism
Liberating Structures
Mutualism – it’s not capitalism, it’s not socialism, it’s the future
Mission Economy – A moonshot guide to changing capitalism
Radical Healership
Raise Capital on Your Own Terms The Regenerative Business
The Responsible Business
The Responsible Entrepreneur Reinventing Organizations
Sand Talk: How Indigenous Thinking Can Save the World
Brave New Work
Collective Courage
Collective Presencing: an emerging human capacity
Emergent Strategies
Holding Change
Honor Thy Label
How to be an anti-capitalist in the 21st Century
In-Between: A Companion for Uncertain Times
Interdependent Capitalism
Liberating Structures
Mutualism – it’s not capitalism, it’s not socialism, it’s the future
Mission Economy – A moonshot guide to changing capitalism
Radical Healership
Raise Capital on Your Own Terms The Regenerative Business
The Responsible Business
The Responsible Entrepreneur Reinventing Organizations
Sand Talk: How Indigenous Thinking Can Save the World
Podcasts
Frameworks
Tools and Software
Stakeholder Score – Stakeholder Survey & Assessment
Murmur software – Agreements Coordination Platform
Real Economy Lab – beta version of a mind-mapping off the emerging new economy
Novata – ESG Tracking
Tools and Software
ALKEMI was founded in 2019 with the idea to build a bridge between up and coming companies in the psychedelic-therapy industry and the psychedelic grassroots community. The ALKEMI team is committed to holding the psychedelic movement accountable to embodied integrity. The work is first rooted in a deep dedication to aligned systems, processes, and structures. ALKEMI takes the time to ensure mission and value alignment, and starts within before moving the needle forward on any project, with internal processes reflecting external offerings. ALKEMI spends time getting to understand the dreams, goals, triggers, and traumas of each company they work with to co-create a plan to optimize systems of operation in order to become more aligned with the communities they seek to serve, deeply embodied in the ethics and values they aim to uphold.
B Corp – For-profit companies certified by B Lab as meeting rigorous standards for social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency. In an effort to transform the global economy into a more inclusive, equitable, and regenerative system, B Lab is building a movement and network of B Corps that make legal commitments to include stakeholder consideration and accountability in their governance structures.
Better Business Bureau is a non-profit organization that sets standards for ethical business behavior and monitors compliance of nearly 400,000 BBB-accredited companies. Guided by its mission to advance marketplace trust, BBB designates its accreditation standards based on the following principles: build trust, advertise honestly, tell the truth, be transparent, honor promises, be responsive, safeguard privacy and embody integrity.
Collective Transitions is an action-learning and research hub building and refining a set of practices that build capacity for transformational shifts. They provide awareness-based tools that amplify collective knowledge and approaches to effectively navigate complexity.
Doughnut Economics Action Lab (DEAL) is part of the emerging global movement of new economic thinking and doing. They work worldwide – in communities, education, cities and places, business and government and more – to turn the ideas of Doughnut Economics into transformative action and aiming to bring about systemic change.
Democracy at Work Institute is a movement-based think-and-do tank supporting worker cooperatives to grow to a scale that creates meaningful change in the economy. It was created by the US Federation of Worker Cooperatives (USFWC) to expand the worker cooperative model to reach communities most directly affected by social and economic inequality, specifically people of color, recent immigrants, and low-wage workforces.
The Democracy Collaborative is a research and development lab for the democratic economy. Their mission is to demonstrate in theory and in practice the principles of a democratic economy, offering a vision of what that economy can be, designing models that demonstrate how it operates, and building in coalition with others the pathways to a new reality.
Denizen is a partner of Northstar’s whose mission is to accelerate a global awakening and galvanize collective action to transform society. Its work is centered on its podcast, Becoming Denizen which investigates systemic change across six themes: economics, politics, justice, technology, culture, and consciousness. Economic reform, corporate governance, and the psychedelic industry are recurring topics of exploration. At the heart of Denizen is a community dedicated to redesigning modern society to be more just, equitable, and regenerative. It is a diverse group that includes leaders at organizations such as Zebras Unite, Purpose, the Center for Humane Technology, the Post Growth Institute, and the Buckminster Fuller Institute.
Enspiral is a global network of individuals and companies collaborating to create a thriving society by “working on stuff that matters.” It’s a laboratory of participatory organizing where members share money, power and information to nurture a new economy of purpose-driven social ventures.
House of Beautiful Business is a global membership community, inspiring and equipping individuals and organizations to reinvent themselves, and to shape more humane futures for business and society.
LIFT Economy is an impact consulting firm whose mission is to “create, model, and share a racially just, regenerative, and locally self-reliant economy that works for the benefit of all life.” LIFT works with organizations, investors, and partners to increase their social and environmental impact by developing their vision, culture, strategy and operations. [Their 9-month Next Economy MBA program trains and supports emerging leaders of an equitable, inclusive and regenerative economy.]
nRhythm is a consulting organization that designs, operates and resources organizations, networks, and communities using the nRhythm Regenerative Framework. This holistic, living systems approach creates conditions where health and abundance are the natural outcomes. nRhythm also offers a variety of tools, workshops, and online courses to support shifts towards a regenerative approach.
New Economics Foundation NEF “works with people igniting change from below and combines this with rigorous research to fight for change at the top.” Through policy solutions, on-the-ground projects, movement building and consultancy, it aims to create a new economy that works for people and the planet. NEF has pioneered ideas and practices including co-production, local money flow analysis, social return on investment, ethical investment and social auditing.
Next Systems Project is an initiative aimed at bold thinking and action to address the systemic challenges the United States faces now and in coming decades. Featured readings are Possibilities & Proposals and taxonomy and analysis of the Next System Project essays
One Project is a non-profit initiative working globally with communities to design, implement, and scale new forms of governance and economics that are equitable, ecological, and effective.
Presencing Institute was founded in 2006 by MIT Sloan School of Management Senior Lecturer Otto Scharmer and colleagues to create an action research platform at the intersection of science, consciousness, and profound social and organizational change. U-School for transformation – responding to a call for a new consciousness and a new collective leadership capacity to meet these challenges in a more conscious, intentional, and strategic way. Book: Theory U, Leading from the future as it emerges
Purpose Economy is a constellation of nonprofit and for-purpose organizations supporting businesses and entrepreneurs on their path towards steward-ownership. This approach to building a more equitable and sustainable economy shifts away from value-extraction and short-termism towards stewardship, independence, and long-term purpose.
Psychedelic Bar Association PBA is a professional association of accomplished attorneys from all practice areas and perspectives dedicated to solving the novel legal and policy issues impacting the emerging psychedelics sector. The Psychedelic Bar Association has implemented a tailored version of the North Star Pledge as the cornerstone of its organization and invites member attorneys to practice in alignment with these values and is a good resource for identifying values-aligned counsel.
P2P Foundation is a non-profit organization and global network dedicated to advocacy and research of commons-oriented peer to peer (P2P) dynamics in society.
Sustainable Economies Law Center SELC is a nonprofit cultivating a new legal landscape that supports community resilience and grassroots economic empowerment. They provide essential legal tools including education, research, advice, and advocacy, so communities can develop their own sustainable sources of food, housing, energy, jobs in order to thrive.
Zebras Unite is a founder-led, cooperatively owned movement guided by a vision of entrepreneurship that serves everyone. As a community of entrepreneurs, investors and allies, they are dedicated to creating the culture, capital & community for the next economy.
B Corp – For-profit companies certified by B Lab as meeting rigorous standards for social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency. In an effort to transform the global economy into a more inclusive, equitable, and regenerative system, B Lab is building a movement and network of B Corps that make legal commitments to include stakeholder consideration and accountability in their governance structures.
Better Business Bureau is a non-profit organization that sets standards for ethical business behavior and monitors compliance of nearly 400,000 BBB-accredited companies. Guided by its mission to advance marketplace trust, BBB designates its accreditation standards based on the following principles: build trust, advertise honestly, tell the truth, be transparent, honor promises, be responsive, safeguard privacy and embody integrity.
Collective Transitions is an action-learning and research hub building and refining a set of practices that build capacity for transformational shifts. They provide awareness-based tools that amplify collective knowledge and approaches to effectively navigate complexity.
Doughnut Economics Action Lab (DEAL) is part of the emerging global movement of new economic thinking and doing. They work worldwide – in communities, education, cities and places, business and government and more – to turn the ideas of Doughnut Economics into transformative action and aiming to bring about systemic change.
Democracy at Work Institute is a movement-based think-and-do tank supporting worker cooperatives to grow to a scale that creates meaningful change in the economy. It was created by the US Federation of Worker Cooperatives (USFWC) to expand the worker cooperative model to reach communities most directly affected by social and economic inequality, specifically people of color, recent immigrants, and low-wage workforces.
The Democracy Collaborative is a research and development lab for the democratic economy. Their mission is to demonstrate in theory and in practice the principles of a democratic economy, offering a vision of what that economy can be, designing models that demonstrate how it operates, and building in coalition with others the pathways to a new reality.
Denizen is a partner of Northstar’s whose mission is to accelerate a global awakening and galvanize collective action to transform society. Its work is centered on its podcast, Becoming Denizen which investigates systemic change across six themes: economics, politics, justice, technology, culture, and consciousness. Economic reform, corporate governance, and the psychedelic industry are recurring topics of exploration. At the heart of Denizen is a community dedicated to redesigning modern society to be more just, equitable, and regenerative. It is a diverse group that includes leaders at organizations such as Zebras Unite, Purpose, the Center for Humane Technology, the Post Growth Institute, and the Buckminster Fuller Institute.
Enspiral is a global network of individuals and companies collaborating to create a thriving society by “working on stuff that matters.” It’s a laboratory of participatory organizing where members share money, power and information to nurture a new economy of purpose-driven social ventures.
House of Beautiful Business is a global membership community, inspiring and equipping individuals and organizations to reinvent themselves, and to shape more humane futures for business and society.
LIFT Economy is an impact consulting firm whose mission is to “create, model, and share a racially just, regenerative, and locally self-reliant economy that works for the benefit of all life.” LIFT works with organizations, investors, and partners to increase their social and environmental impact by developing their vision, culture, strategy and operations. [Their 9-month Next Economy MBA program trains and supports emerging leaders of an equitable, inclusive and regenerative economy.]
nRhythm is a consulting organization that designs, operates and resources organizations, networks, and communities using the nRhythm Regenerative Framework. This holistic, living systems approach creates conditions where health and abundance are the natural outcomes. nRhythm also offers a variety of tools, workshops, and online courses to support shifts towards a regenerative approach.
New Economics Foundation NEF “works with people igniting change from below and combines this with rigorous research to fight for change at the top.” Through policy solutions, on-the-ground projects, movement building and consultancy, it aims to create a new economy that works for people and the planet. NEF has pioneered ideas and practices including co-production, local money flow analysis, social return on investment, ethical investment and social auditing.
Next Systems Project is an initiative aimed at bold thinking and action to address the systemic challenges the United States faces now and in coming decades. Featured readings are Possibilities & Proposals and taxonomy and analysis of the Next System Project essays
One Project is a non-profit initiative working globally with communities to design, implement, and scale new forms of governance and economics that are equitable, ecological, and effective.
Presencing Institute was founded in 2006 by MIT Sloan School of Management Senior Lecturer Otto Scharmer and colleagues to create an action research platform at the intersection of science, consciousness, and profound social and organizational change. U-School for transformation – responding to a call for a new consciousness and a new collective leadership capacity to meet these challenges in a more conscious, intentional, and strategic way. Book: Theory U, Leading from the future as it emerges
Purpose Economy is a constellation of nonprofit and for-purpose organizations supporting businesses and entrepreneurs on their path towards steward-ownership. This approach to building a more equitable and sustainable economy shifts away from value-extraction and short-termism towards stewardship, independence, and long-term purpose.
Psychedelic Bar Association PBA is a professional association of accomplished attorneys from all practice areas and perspectives dedicated to solving the novel legal and policy issues impacting the emerging psychedelics sector. The Psychedelic Bar Association has implemented a tailored version of the North Star Pledge as the cornerstone of its organization and invites member attorneys to practice in alignment with these values and is a good resource for identifying values-aligned counsel.
P2P Foundation is a non-profit organization and global network dedicated to advocacy and research of commons-oriented peer to peer (P2P) dynamics in society.
Sustainable Economies Law Center SELC is a nonprofit cultivating a new legal landscape that supports community resilience and grassroots economic empowerment. They provide essential legal tools including education, research, advice, and advocacy, so communities can develop their own sustainable sources of food, housing, energy, jobs in order to thrive.
Zebras Unite is a founder-led, cooperatively owned movement guided by a vision of entrepreneurship that serves everyone. As a community of entrepreneurs, investors and allies, they are dedicated to creating the culture, capital & community for the next economy.