In recent years, RSF has developed its own assessment and advisory tool, the Regenerative Framework, to assist member companies in applying the regenerative model.
The framework is an assessment tool developed by RSF’s measurement group, led by NATIVA, incorporating technical input from subject matter experts on the Scientific Committee. It was created with the threefold purpose of enabling a comprehensive self-assessment of projects or an independent/assisted evaluation, comparing projects in similar fields of application, and designing projects to achieve maximum regenerative potential.
How to measure regeneration?
The Regenerative Framework is based on the five pillars of the RSF regenerative model: circularity, natural capital, climate, well-being, and education.
A project is evaluated in its entirety based on its climate impact, its circularity in terms of material use and recycling, its educational potential for the relevant sector and the public, and its overall impact on natural capital and the well-being of the people and communities involved.
The assessment is conducted in a semi-quantitative manner and is based on 30 questions distributed across the 5 axes and grounded in international sources and standards (e.g., Science Based Targets for Nature, IPBES). Based on the answers to these questions, along with interviews conducted to facilitate a more in-depth evaluation, the result of the assessment is a regenerative profile of the project or activity under review.
The final score is a value on a scale from 0 to 10 for each axis, representing how much the project’s practices differ from those applied in a “business as usual” scenario within the specific area of analysis. The result of the analysis can be summarized with a “regenerative profile” visualized across the five axes. The framework can be used both during the design phase of a project, to ensure it has the most positive impact possible across all five axes, and during the conclusion phase, to assess its actual regenerative potential.
The axes and factors within each axis have been evaluated and validated by RSF’s Scientific Committee.
With the Regenerative Framework, we have translated RSF’s vision into an operational language for businesses. By integrating international standards with scientific rigor, this tool serves as the essential bridge between intention and measurable action, guiding project design toward its full potential.
Paolo Di Cesare – Co-founder of NATIVA and team leader of the measurement group