The new economics foundation was launched in June 1986, along with the publication of Paul Ekins' book The Living Economy, which was a compilation of the presentations from the two international conferences known as TOES (The Other Economic Summit).

This began with the idea that a group of new economists, environmentalists, development campaigners and futurists TOES should challenge the right of the G7 leaders to speak for the economic future of the planet, and grew out of a series of meetings in Jonathon Porrit's flat in 1984.  The first TOES was held when the G7 came to London in July that year.

nef was designed as a permanent secretariat for TOES, but has developed into one of the largest and most prominent think-tanks in the UK, and one of the leading organisations in the world developing an economics which puts people and planet first.

It's all the same neither new nor small.