When we are thinking about environmental responsibility I guess that at people make it work we are asking how do our core disciples (leadership, change management, culture change, systemic transformation) relate to the wider societies relationship to the climate emergency, global heating and extreme weather events? As with many cultural organisations we think about our own practices and processes (working hard to procure responsibly and have the smallest negative impact we can) while also thinking about our role in creating positive changes not just avoiding negative ones.

We know that we all struggle to engage with long term complex ideas, and that we are often better at reacting to the short term. But we also know that complex abstract ideas (fairness, justice, charity, destiny, compassion) drive humanity most powerfully. How do we bring these things together in ways that enables each of us to realise our citizenship ambitions?

We are looking for ways to use our knowledge and experience to affect systemic change, and if you are too, maybe we should talk… Perhaps there is some environmental responsibility in that stance and commitment too?

We’ve been thinking about some ways you might explore diversity and inclusion. You might enjoy connecting with some of the ‘postcards to the future’ our podcast series last year on Culture Reset – including interviews with Sharmaine Lovegrove, Nina Simon, Bryony Kimmings, Farooq Chaudhry, Nato Thompson and Wesley Enoch.

We have been inspired by many organisations who have been demonstrating a sustained and extraordinary impact on environmental issues, here are some of our favourites at the moment. Invisible Dust, Julies Bicycle, Coventry City of Culture programme, Heather and Ivan Morison, and Lucy Neal.

people make it work is a collection of 60 freelance cultural workers, leaders in their fields. A selection of them share their views on environmental responsibility here. See more about our team here 

Some practical exercises and tools you might use to open up and explore environmental responsibility with your leadership team, board or wider staff group.

Let us know what links and resources you are finding useful in the area of environmental responsibility – so we can share them here.