What happens when a team steps out of the meeting room and into nature? Clarity. Connection. Momentum. Hello Transformation is our nature-based learning experience designed to bring head, heart, and hands together for real change. While the original format runs over four days, many organisations asked for a compact version they can plug into their busy calendars. And here we are – piloting the Team Day edition as part of GS1 Germany’s annual SustainDay.

 

Head, heart and hand …

Hello Transformation is an outdoor programme that blends experiential learning, systems thinking and reflective practice. It is full of real conversations and touching moments beyond PowerPoint presentations. Participants explore how sustainable transformation can be achieved through everyday decisions, team routines and organisational strategy. We create moments that shift perspectives and inspire action – because people don’t just learn about change; they practise doing it.

… brought to the team level

Not every team can step away for multiple days. However, especially teams can benefit from energising, hands-on formats that:

Build shared language & direction in a single day

Connect strategy to practice through concrete activities

Strengthen team culture with experiences you’ll remember (and reuse)

What the day can look like

The original format provides us with a full basket of opportunities to do, learn and experience. Your team day can be based on a selection of those tailored to your team’s current needs – and also enriched with what is strategically or operationally important to date. A typical flow might include:

1. Arrival & grounding in nature
Arrive in a green setting, shift gear, and set personal intentions.

2. Circularity in action
Short impulses and walk-and-talks on circular economy – from materials to everyday choices. Hands-on elements make systems visible and actionable.

3. Vertical farming encounter
Step into a repurposed container and experience urban food production up close. Taste, question, connect ideas to your context.

4. Micro-gardening: plant a seed
A small ritual with a big meaning: sowing something to nurture beyond the day – back at the office or at home.

5. Co-creation kitchen
Cook together using seasonal ingredients right from the field; translate recipes into “ingredients for transformation”. It’s playful, practical, and deeply social.

6. Campfire conversations
Guided prompts spark honest exchanges about purpose, trade-offs, and next steps. Simple, human, memorable.

7. From insight to action
Close with a crisp “first 3 moves” plan: what we start, stop, and share tomorrow.

We couldn’t do all of that with the GS1 Germany team, as they also had a one-hour bus tour to and from Cologne, followed by an evening party at their offices. This made us think of alternative formats. We came up with a personal transformation exercise that started with the seat neighbour on the bus. On the team’s way back to Cologne in the afternoon, we held a fun and inspiring quiz to help consolidate some of the learning and open up new perspectives.

Voices from the GS1 SustainDay

We are grateful that GS1 Germany was brave enough to pilot this approach with us and for the contributing participants that also provided us with feedback:

“We took the fast lane through Hello Transformation and still went deep: we laughed, harvested, cooked, and learned – sustainably, holistically, innovatively. The vertical farm was a highlight.”

“An inspiring atmosphere with lots of practical ideas to take back – circular economy made tangible.”

“From building with clay to rethinking consumption, I left with doable steps for my own life. And yes, the peas we picked for lunch were amazing.”

“Sitting on hay bales, sowing Swiss chard, and shifting focus to ‘living better’ – plus seriously delicious food. I’ll be back.”

“Even as someone seasoned in the topic, being outside changed the conversation. Planting a seed became a symbol: we’re taking this energy back to the office – greening our workspace to keep it alive.”

What teams take away

Shared clarity on what sustainability means for your work

Practical tools & habits you can implement immediately

Renewed motivation, because doing and being firmly connected beats debating

A story to keep: photos, artifacts, and a small living reminder (yes, that seed)

So, when to say “Hello Transformation”?

Hello Transformation fits different needs depending on its format. The four-day journey is ideal when a future transformation leader, a team or an organisation wants to dive deeply into transformation, building shared understanding, personal growth, and concrete roadmaps. A one- or two-day format is perfect for moments when inspiration, reconnection, and a practical push are needed quickly. Whether you are launching a new initiative, seeking to re-energise existing efforts, or simply wanting to reconnect as a team, Hello Transformation provides the grounding, perspective, and spark to make change possible.

Ready to host your own?

We’ll co-design the experience around your goals, team size, and context – on our nature campus at Gut Einern (Wuppertal) or at a suitable partner location. You bring your curiosity; we’ll bring the space, the methods, and the spark.

Let’s make transformation something your team can feel and do.

Get in touch: hello@co-do-lab.org | Learn more: co-do-lab.org/hello-transformation

 

Photo by (c) Juliane Herrmann