Integrated Report 2023

Navigating Resilience in the Era of Hyperconnectivity

During its second year as a Benefit Corporation, Studio SHIFT has made resilience the cornerstone of its activities.

The Integrated Report 2023, titled “Navigating Resilience in the Era of Hyperconnectivity,” tells the story of our commitment to promoting positive social impact through innovative design solutions.

In this article, we want to share the journey undertaken, the results achieved, and our future perspectives.

A Year of Challenges and Adaptation

2023 has been a year of extraordinary adaptability for Studio SHIFT. Inspired by Jeremy Rifkin’s “Era of Resilience,” we have adopted a method based on continuous learning and adaptation, embracing the principles of regeneration and co-creation to turn them into concrete actions.

Furthermore, we have embraced circular work processes, where needs emerge, transform, and are satisfied through increasingly sustainable solutions.

The concept of “flowers (and not products)” has guided our vision, acknowledging that success lies in the ability to thrive even in the face of challenges.

Together for Co-Creation

At the heart of our work lies a deep awareness of the power of co-creation. That’s why we have expanded our collaborations, involving not only colleagues and clients but also stakeholders, European partners, universities, and other key organizations. Thus, our value chain has become more hybrid, horizontal, and distributed, reflecting the complexity of the digital world in which we operate.

Through the principle of feedback, we have learned to receive and use external feedback to adapt and improve our way of working. This has made us more resilient and anti-fragile, able to face future challenges with greater confidence and determination.

Our Achievements in Summary

Increased focus on co-design: We have seen a growing demand for our co-design services, particularly for design sprints, hackathons, and collaborative strategic foresight activities.
Expanded research and development: We have increased investments in research and development, focusing on applying design thinking to the challenges of social innovation.
Strengthened pro bono commitment: We have dedicated a significant portion of our time (7% of total produced value) and resources to pro bono projects, supporting organizations committed to social good.
Expanded geographical scope: We have expanded our international presence, collaborating with partners and clients across Europe.

Tangible Impact: Benefits for All

Studio SHIFT’s work has had a tangible impact on all our stakeholders.

We have helped our clients develop innovative solutions that have met their strategic needs and created positive social impact for their key targets. The indirect impacts of our work this year primarily concern minors, disabilities (physical and cognitive), and the staff of other social enterprises. This latter segment of beneficiaries consolidates a growing trend related to the effective use of design thinking and co-design approaches/tools for organizational design or for improving Employee Experience.
The work environment offered by Studio SHIFT has continued to encourage the growth and professional development of our employees; in addition to on-field learning opportunities such as trips and conferences, which have helped maintain high levels of motivation and engagement among employees.
Our projects have contributed to the improvement of communities, both locally and internationally. For example, we have donated 1% for Planet to the DS 4Communities project with a first international edition in Bogotá, benefiting the Ocasa Cooperative and the Youth Council. We also made a mini-journey of strategic planning and marketing for the Berlin artist collective UTOPIA TOOLBOX and we have developed activities of design thinking and career design within the Erasmus+ program.

In addition, initiatives such as “IO Leggo” and “SFI – Experiment, Do, Learn” have had a positive impact on the communities in our territory, including fragile and underrepresented groups, confirming our commitment to a more inclusive and sustainable society.

Looking to the Future: New Opportunities

Looking ahead to 2024, we have identified several key areas to focus our efforts on: expanding our projects in the areas of culture and green transition, focusing on resilience to climate change, but also expanding our inclusion activities, supporting marginalized communities and promoting diversity and equity.

Furthermore, we want to continue to value collaboration and co-creation, and remain a reference point for our community, offering support and resources to those who share our vision of a more sustainable and inclusive future.

We are confident that 2024 will be another year of growth and success: we will do our best to contribute to a more collaborative and anti-fragile world and we would love to have you by our side. Therefore, we invite you to subscribe to our newsletter for all insights into our work and to be involved in Studio SHIFT’s upcoming initiatives.