Abstract
In Colombia, trusting others is challenging, according to reports from Edelman and other organisations. Trust, however, remains critical to the success of inter-organisations when addressing complex issues where one organisation alone is too small to convert challenges into a livelihood opportunity (e.g., waste management); besides, there are increasing pressures to transition to a circular economy, such as market trends and legislation (e.g., Resolution 1407/2018). Stakeholders in the waste system in Colombia, then, need to find ways to build trust, engage better and collaborate to support the transition. This paper reports on research to understand how stakeholders build trust and collaborate in sustainability projects based on a case study in Medellín with the plastic packaging industry as part of the Waste to Opportunity (W2O) Initiative. In this context, a literature review demonstrates that human beings’ emotional domain is relevant for building better collaborative relationships. Experiential data was collected from a range of government, industry, and non-government stakeholders through three design-thinking/adaptive leadership workshops; further, twenty-seven participant interviews complemented the data. Workshop participants were encouraged to identify challenges and propose solutions to perceived problems while building trust and engagement through fostering emotional connections. These activities have helped to broaden the understanding of how stakeholders build trust and collaborate in complex human systems. It could also help stakeholders to learn how to adapt to dynamic challenges and learn from every interaction. The authors acknowledge the contributions of the W2O team members Dr Carlos Serrano, Dr María Camacho, and Mr José González.
Presenters
Lucas Rafael Ivorra PeñafortAssistant Professor, Design, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Colombia Matthew Parnell
Principal, Greensynergy Consulting, Victoria, Australia Kurt W. Seemann
Professor, Faculty of Health, Arts, and Design, Swinburne University, Victoria, Australia
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
Design Feeling, Trust-Building, Stakeholder Engagement, Plastic Packaging, Circular Economy
