In this series of case studies, sector leaders outline some of the steps they have taken to drive climate action in their organisations. This doesn’t mean they have completed everything, but that they have picked a place to start, which unblocks fear and drives action in other areas. We hope this series gives you lots of ideas for climate action in your own organisation. If you would like to submit a case study to keep this series going, please email heloisa.righetto@acevo.org.uk.
This week, we hear from Muscular Dystrophy UK, the charity bringing individuals, families and professionals together to fight muscle-wasting conditions affecting more than 70,000 children and adults in the UK.
Area of focus: energy efficiency and water efficiency; forming an emissions reduction plan; travel; staff and community behaviours.
Can you describe the actions you have taken? How did you identify the problem and implement a process?
We have been building this work since 2019, when teams within the organisation with a total of 60 staff started to implement some changes to processes. Some of this work included:
- Changes at our events, including paper goody bags; reusable bottles; recycling onsite
- One of our trustees queried our investment policies which were reviewed at a finance committee meeting. Our board made a commitment to review our investments annually
- Exploring the medical impacts of climate change, with a talk from Professor Sanjay Sisodiya whose research explores the impact of climate breakdown on people with neurological conditions at a board away day. This enabled us to understand some of the clear implications for the communities we work with on climate breakdown. For example, global heating will cause issues for sleep hygiene in a community that already experiences fatigue. Similarly, increased rain and flooding will impact our community significantly, and those who use walking aids could find movement and travel more problematic.
We took a strategic step-change in late 2021, launching our climate change principles in line with ACEVO’s climate crisis leadership principles. We have set a number of targets around travel and hybrid meetings; encouraging a ‘print on demand’ culture; and our office culture, including reviewing which companies we partner with. These measures have been outlined by our climate change working group which meets regularly to develop strategies and implement actions. The group has created three subgroups exploring travel, documents and office culture. Specific teams have also been empowered to act where they can, for example in our facilities team recycling old furniture; and the events team employs re-usable cable ties at functions.
What has been successful? What would you most like to celebrate from the action you took?
This work has engaged all staff across the charity, and each directorate has demonstrated a real willingness to reduce its carbon footprint. It has been really inspirational to see each team’s dedication to this; their commitment to working on this important issue – rather than completing ‘tick box’ exercises – means we will continue to learn and will hopefully encourage our community to be greener.
What has been most challenging? Have you had to change your approach in any areas?
One of the biggest challenges in this space is managing the pace of change and seeing realistic expectations, alongside demands made by external partners who can make this work more challenging. For example, our engagement with key international conferences often requires face-to-face attendance, regardless of the implications for our travel footprint if virtual engagement isn’t possible. Similarly, engaging with external healthcare partners such as the NHS when families are travelling hundreds of miles to specialist centres is a particular challenge for our work which we need to navigate. Identifying what is within our remit and what we cannot yet control is difficult, and a challenge that charities will face across all different causes.
What did you learn from starting work in this area? What learning points would you most like to share with other leaders?
It is vital to ensure that not only the senior leadership team or board are empowered to act and contribute. Individuals across our charity have driven this work and led the change, and our Climate Crisis working group have recently implemented the #ThinkTwice hashtag to encourage teams to think before they act in relation to the climate. Allowing everyone to bring their experiences and concerns to the table has the potential for greater impact.
How could the sector more effectively collaborate or share knowledge in this space? Can ACEVO or other membership bodies support this work in ways which would have helped you?
It’s important for all charities – not just those with a clear environmental focus – to deliver work on reducing their carbon footprint. By sharing case study examples of what charities are doing, we can learn from each other and adopt best practices. The environmental impact on communities must be considered, and unpacking these links highlights the associated business decisions. Celebrating positive change is also important to motivate and inspire the sector, and membership bodies can build civil society’s collective knowledge by sharing these stories.
