Futures thinking in Singapore is usually associated with the work of the government, which is well-known to make use of futures techniques and planning for identifying key trends, challenges and opportunities. Most local businesses and non-profits, however, are not familiar with the use of futures thinking in their work. But this could change soon with the launch of the Futures Centre in Singapore last week.
The Futures Centre, developed by global sustainability non-profit Forum for the Future (Forum) with support from EDB and other Forum partners, is a digital platform for decision makers to track trends, share resources and identify opportunities for sustainable innovation and collaboration. This free platform allows businesses and non-profits to tap into Forum’s futures knowledge.
Stephanie Draper, Forum’s Executive Director Asia Pacific, said: “Forum has been using futures techniques to help our partners prepare for – and practically work towards – a better tomorrow for nearly two decades. The Futures Centre provides a fast track to long-term thinking, by sharing all our knowledge and experience in a way that enables leaders across the globe to plan for the future more efficiently, effectively and sustainably.”
Businesses and non-profits can start tapping on the Futures Centre now to understand key future trends. The platform lists 38 high-level trends that Forum believes are most important in shaping the future for sustainability. For each trend, there is a summary of the trend; signals of change that might affect the future path of the trend; and its current trajectory and implications.
Users can understand trends such as the Circular Economy, The Energy Transformation, and Smart Everything. The platform also allows users to create their own collection of resources, share articles and resources, and comment on the content. In addition, the Futures Centre will feature Topic Hubs, which bring together key influencers and organisations to explore a particular issue, and spark conversation and collaborations.
Thinking long term is no longer just for the government. Businesses and non-profits in Singapore should also adopt long-term thinking and learn to use the Futures Centre to identify and keep track of important trends, and align the organisation with the future and take advantage of it. Be ready now and the future becomes your friend.
Image: Screenshot of the Futures Centre website
