On this inspiring episode of Sustainability In Your Ear, we reconnect with storyteller, systems thinker, and regenerative agriculture pioneer Douglas Gayeton to explore the latest developments in the Ecological Benefits Framework (EBF)—a potentially game-changing tool designed to redefine how we value nature. First introduced during an Earth911 podcast event in 2023, and discussed by a roundtable on a second show, he EBF offers a bold new way to measure what matters most to nature—air, water, soil, biodiversity, carbon, and equity. Unlike traditional carbon accounting, the EBF provides a comprehensive view of how projects can restore and regenerate ecosystems. Douglas calls the EBF a “Rosetta Stone” for ecological impact that offers a shared language for communities, companies, nonprofits, and funders.
In our conversation, Douglas takes us inside the making of the EBF—its philosophical roots, its rigorous methodology, and its potential to become a new baseline for evaluating impact in the regenerative economy. He reflects on what has been learned so far and how early adopters are helping shape a framework that’s equal parts science, storytelling, and social contract. Now being piloted in 24 projects across the globe and featured in the upcoming BBC series Unearthing The Future, the EBF is quickly becoming a foundational tool in the regenerative movement. In this conversation, Douglas shares how the framework is helping shift investment and storytelling toward the systems that sustain life. Learn more at ebfcommons.org and thelexicon.org.
Editor’s Note: This episode originally aired on May 5, 2025.