How to be a Sustainability Leader

In August 2018, a 15-year-old Swedish student decided to protest the political inaction on climate by sitting outside Swedish Parliament holding a handmade sign. What began as a solitary act grew into a global movement. Her name was Greta Thunberg and today her leadership has mobilised millions of students over 150 countries to begin demanding climate justice. 

In 1973, Yvon Chouinard founded his own outerwear and outdoor gear company. The company challenged traditional business models by prioritising environmental stewardship and social responsibility. This company was named Patagonia. In 2022, Chouinard donated ownership of Patagonia to a trust, ensuring that all future profits were used to address climate change. 

In 2015, as climate negotiations teetered on the edge of collapse, one woman’s innovative thinking helped rally 195 countries behind the Paris Agreement. Her name was Christiana Figueres, and her leadership changed the course of climate history.  

These are just three examples of incredible sustainability leaders. Working at different levels, within different countries and across different sectors, each has made a profound impact on the future of sustainability. Of course, the power to change things doesn’t just come from international conferences or boardrooms, it comes from leadership at every level. Here at Change Agents UK, we believe each of us can develop the skills necessary to become sustainability leaders, both in our communities and at work.  

What is Sustainability Leadership? 

To be sustainability leaders, we first must understand the concept of sustainability. The UN defines sustainability as “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” As sustainability leaders, we want to practice guiding individuals, organisations, and communities towards decisions that protect the environment, promote social equity, and ensure economic well-being both now and for future generations. Sustainability leadership is of course about more than being “green”. It is about transformational leadership that imagines a visionary and equitable future. 

That’s a lot to tackle, which means being a sustainability leader requires time and skill development. Sustainability issues are complex, and they require us to develop the skills necessary to address the problems we care about. If you’re keen to become a sustainability leader, there are a few key skills we think you should be developing on your journey.  

Key Skills of a Sustainability Leader 

Develop these skills, and you will be on your way to becoming a sustainability leader: 

• Systems Thinking 

  Sustainability is complex. There are so many interconnected pieces coming together to form the whole picture and as sustainability leaders, we need to understand how all these systems work together. By developing our systems thinking, we can discover root causes and areas to make change! 

  
  

• Creativity & Future Thinking 

  Complex problems require creative solutions. As sustainability leaders, we need to recognise the role of creativity in achieving a sustainable future and develop the tools to begin visualising alternatives. Coming up with, supporting, and sharing out-of-the-box ideas is critical for building a sustainable future. 

  
  

• Inclusive Communication 

  Understanding the problem of sustainability isn’t the whole picture. We also need to be able to communicate and share key ideas to create change. Part of communicating is also working on our active-listening and empathy skills to best support our communities in issues affecting them. 

  
  

• Leadership 

  Do you know your own leadership style? Understanding how you can inspire others and lead them through complex problems is key to becoming a sustainability leader.  

  
  
  
  

Becoming a Sustainability Leader 

As we continue to face complex sustainability challenges, we need sustainability leaders who will make decisions not rooted in ego or authority, but in collaboration, courage, and the ability to take positive action. 

Here at Change Agents UK, we offer a Sustainability Leadership Skills Programme which can give you the opportunity to develop in a sustainability leader. Within this programme, you can develop your own skills in systems thinking, creativity, communication, and many other areas of sustainability leadership. We want to empower you to be the sustainability leader that you are destined to be! As part of the programme, you will learn with a cohort of other students passionate about sustainability and positive change all from diverse backgrounds and experiences. You will learn the skills you need to be a sustainability leader in your community and advance your career. 

Learn More about the SLSP