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The purpose of this transformative service research (TSR) is to apply, innovate on and extend the understanding of service-dominant logic (SDL) perspectives, sustainable service ecosystem design ideas, transformative value and meeting sustainable development goals (SDGs). This study explores these through volunteers’ lived experiences and their perceived health and well-being outcomes in the context of botanic gardens as health-care service settings.

A total of 3 UK botanic gardens and 84 volunteers between 22 and 87 years of age participated in this qualitative study. Volunteering stories were collected through emails, telephone exchanges, online and in-person interviews, free-flowing discussion and field observations. These were coded and analysed by using computer-assisted qualitative data analysis software, NVivo 14 Plus and Leximancer. Thematic analysis facilitated the mapping of well-being outcomes highlighting transformative value against existing health and well-being indices.

Insights extend knowledge into SDL, TSR and transformative value experienced by volunteers across three UK botanic garden service ecosystems. Environmental, organisational and personal factors, and physical, mental and social health outcomes are presented to emphasise transformative value experienced, especially in retiree volunteers. Theoretical contribution is in the form of empirical evidence to support and extend insights about transformative value and more so, significant epistemological change and meeting SDGs in botanic gardens. Results add to contemporary TSR on health-care-related well-being outcomes and ideas regarding sustainable service ecosystem design.

It is recommended that service research be extended across other botanic gardens, as well as other novel underexplored contexts for comparative studies of transformative value. Continued development and consideration of service designs as ongoing efforts to redefine and reimagine services marketing innovation for botanic gardens are recommended. Botanic gardens are complex service ecosystems worthy of rigorous service research to capture and measure the impact and outcome of ongoing work of the sector in advancing SDGs and having a transformative effect on individual and societal health and well-being.

This study highlights opportunities for greater area-based, coordinated, collaborative, multi-stakeholder services marketing partnerships for strategic sustainable service ecosystem design for the botanic gardens and health-care sectors. These sectors can make better use of service research and marketing to further innovate and co-develop health and well-being strategies, campaigns and opportunities to develop services to transform and influence positive health and well-being outcomes for people. Results reveal greater opportunities for collaborative partnership and services marketing’s role and practice for the ongoing vitality and viability of botanic gardens. Joint efforts would enable innovation on sustainable service ecosystem design, advancing SDGs and improving life on planet Earth.

Transformative value linked to newfound life experiences and meaning to life after retiring with a range of factors, and health and well-being outcomes were prominent. Social connections to the wider community were present, revealing links to a range of people who may not have traditionally had contact with botanic garden heritage and their strategic efforts. Therefore, it is services marketing opportunities for botanic gardens that hold one key to greater transformative value, sustainability and greater influence and impact on individual and societal health and well-being.

To the best of the author’s knowledge, this is the first TSR on botanic gardens as health-care service settings, resulting in a conceptual framework on transformative value and well-being outcomes in meeting SDGs. It extends insights on SDL, sustainable service ecosystem design and roles of marketing for the common good. Botanic gardens are unique research institutes, highly acclaimed for research, conservation, education and displays of special botanical collections, as well as providing health care, among other impactful SDG opportunities. This can be made more explicit through ecosystemic thinking, service research and integrated services marketing of botanic garden’ roles and contributions worldwide.