Given how blatantly obvious it is that having a stable climate capable of sustaining human life is the absolute prerequisite for any of our charitable aims (and indeed for almost all third sector organisations) – we should almost certainly have realised this sooner.
Scottish Community Safety Network (SCSN)
From publishing a series of climate action case studies, we have noticed one thing: the more we read and talk about it, the more embedded in our thinking this topic becomes. It can be hard to take the first step and link your organisation’s objectives with something that seems so big, so all-encompassing, that it makes us believe that any action we take is just a drop in the ocean. But we have learned from all the stories that once we overcome this obstacle, a significant shift takes place: we can’t think of anything without considering the climate and environmental crisis.
We have highlighted five ideas from all these great initiatives to help you get to this point. There are no charitable causes that will be untouched by this crisis, and it’s time to act.
Here are five things you can start doing today
Include a regular 10-minute climate-related discussion in team/board meetings
Ask your colleagues, your board and your team to share any updates they might have seen or read. Are there any reports that the team should read or the CEO comment on? Has anyone watched an interesting documentary? Has anyone taken any actions in their personal lives that they would like to share and maybe inspire other team members to do as well? Create and circulate a document with all the suggestions so that people can refer back to it and important resources won’t get lost.
Attend events on the climate crisis to broaden your understanding
CharityComms recently delivered a conference on tackling the environmental crisis and the importance of communications (which is available to watch on demand), and here at ACEVO we are committed to organising and hosting two digital members’ meetings every year focusing on the topic.
Several organisations are now developing webinars and workshops to discuss climate change and disseminate ideas for actions, campaigns and projects. Check social media and events platforms such as Eventbrite to look for them. We use the hashtag #ACEVOclimate whenever we share anything related to the topic, including external events.
Create and share content
Communicating is key. If your organisation is on social media, sends newsletters, or publishes blogs, use these spaces to share news and resources from across the sector. You can start by following environmental organisations on Twitter or Instagram, and reposting their reports, statements and campaigns. Invite external contributors to write a blog explaining why it’s important that your stakeholders embrace climate action. Save space on the newsletter to tell subscribers about the organisation’s involvement and the steps you take to be more active in this area.
Incorporate sustainable practices bit by bit
Sift through your practices and go greener here and there, which eventually adds up to making your organisation more environmentally conscious. There are dozens of resources on the ACEVO website – from links to download recycling posters for your office to a guide on water efficiency. And, if you are a member of ACEVO, you can access and download an environmental policy template.
Involve more people
This is not a one-person job and it shouldn’t be treated as the responsibility of one department. There might be people in your team that really want to do something and just need encouragement. An internal working group can start by discussing how the climate and environment relate to their individual workstreams, and from this first conversation they can plan and take action, driving culture change across the charity. And maybe even influencing other organisations that you might work with.
One of our key lessons has been that it’s not only external stakeholders who expect to be able to hold us to account but also our employees who want to know the organisation they’re working for is truly walking the walk, not just talking the talk, in terms of its values. Not doing this will impact both our income generation activity and also our recruitment and retention.
Groundwork
Here’s what some of the ACEVO internal climate committee members have to say about taking part in this work:
Helena Bown, team admin: ACEVO’s work on and recognition of the climate emergency was one of the factors that draw me to the organisation. Being part of the working group and having the chance to contribute my ideas, express worries and discuss positive steps has really helped me not feel overwhelmed by the climate issue. It has also been a great way to put forward informal ideas for improvements and receive some feedback on the feasibility and potential impact of these, before presenting these as potential policy changes.
Marlene Cursoux, corporate partnership executive: I wanted to participate in conversations around climate issues in a safe space, where ideas, success stories and challenges can be shared. ACEVO successfully implemented this through this working group. Being a part of it showed me different aspects of the issue I was unaware of.
Natalie Westerman, membership & marketing manager: The climate emergency is all encompassing and we were hearing from members that they didn’t know where or how to begin in tackling it. We also didn’t really know where to start, so we set up a staff working group to give it a go. Being part of a group that has no answers, but a willingness to try new things and see what happens has been great. Even though our actions can be pretty small it feels good to know we are trying, and hopefully those small actions together with our members’ and sector can make real change.
Heloisa Righetto, comms & content lead: It’s gratifying to see that the staff group we formed around three years ago was able to accomplish so much. Back then you couldn’t even find the word ‘climate’ on our website. Now, we have a great resources hub, members engaged, lots of case studies, and most importantly, a climate and environmentally-led mindset. None of us was, or are, experts in this area. We were and still are worried, but also motivated – and encouraged by our colleagues – to try anything!
