On 2 October, the first UPVolt sustainability centre will open in Raalte, a collaboration between UPVolt, PWER.ME and Landstede MBO. The sustainability centre facilitates the transition from prosperity to well-being by promoting all underlying transitions. Examples include the following transitions: Mobility, Energy, Finance, Food and Health. According to the PWER.ME foundation, people experience ‘well-being’ when they participate and influence a sustainable environment and economy. Through its innovative approaches and commitment to environmental management the foundation catalyses significant change in different sectors in various countries.

The PWER.ME Foundation collaboration

The PWER.ME Foundation believes in a future where the economy operates in harmony with its environment, and every step they take is a step towards making this vision a reality.

Everyone seems to be working towards change. What is unique about the transition approach is that it looks beyond technology (such as electric driving or digitalisation in healthcare) and considers the economic, cultural, environmental and institutional dynamics that can make or break new initiatives. Because social innovation is at least as important as technical innovation.

The PWER.ME Foundation facilitates the overarching transition – ‘the transition from Prosperity to Welfare’- by launching various initiatives. Sustainability centre UPVolt Raalte is one of them. Several transitions come together here: sustainable education and information are the basis here. For this reason, there will be cooperation with the MBO courses of Landstede Raalte. On the one hand, it is an information desk on sustainability, while on the other, entrepreneurship and retail knowledge are discussed in detail: A centre for both consumers and students!

The domains/transitions the centre’s focus are named below: