Environmentally friendly leadership
- Gazelle Buchholtz
- 6 days ago
- 6 min read
By Gazelle Buchholtz, Enviromental Adviser at GCVS
How do you involve leadership in driving an organisation in a more environmentally friendly direction? The question was raised by a member of the Glasgow Community Climate Action Network during a one-to-one session that we offer through the free Hub membership.
Fundamental change requires leadership commitment. With the environmental and climate challenges we face as a society, it is clear that we all have a role to play in driving that change. Discussions and actions tailored for your organisation, inspired by the experiences of other organisations, can catalyse processes that reduce energy bills and CO₂ emissions, and create positive climate cultural changes.
Why take action?
The problems associated with environmental destruction and climate change are widely recognised at the individual level, for example, The Scottish Government’s climate survey found, “… that almost three-quarters of those surveyed (72%) feel climate change is an immediate and urgent problem and almost all households have experienced a severe weather event in the past 12 months.” (Views on climate crisis, April 2025).
The problems are also acknowledged at a societal level, for example, the Scottish Government stated in 2019: “Scotland has declared a global climate emergency and now Scotland must act as one to safeguard our planet for future generations,” (The Global Climate Emergency). Glasgow City Council has a more localised climate plan with the goal of Glasgow reaching Net Zero in 2030 (Glasgow's Climate Plan). In the article: Biodiversity - our strongest natural defence against climate change, the United Nations has emphasised the importance of a richly varied natural world, “Biodiversity forms the web of life that we depend on for so many things – food, water, medicine, a stable climate, economic growth, among others. Over half of global GDP is dependent on nature.”
Besides the obvious reason of making a positive contribution to environmental challenges, there are also other benefits for an organisation to take lead in environmentally friendly actions. According to CHARITIES SORP 2026 charities should add sustainable actions in their work and reporting. This ties into the interest from stakeholders, as the statement of recommended practice notes, “It was acknowledged in the engagement process that stakeholders are increasingly interested in how charities are responding to environmental, governance and social issues,” and “… the charity’s impact on the wider environment also now forms part of the considerations that charity trustees must make and report on.”
The following topics can support a discussion:
Some funders request organisations to make climate action commitments to be eligible for funding. Others may see the initiatives as a positive asset to the application without requesting it directly.
Depending on the actions, these could save money, for example saving on energy bills.
Initiatives that improve a building, in addition to saving energy and bills, can also create a healthier and more supportive space for the people who work in and use the building.
It can create positive promotion – being environmental and climate friendly can be valued highly by staff, volunteers, funders, supporters, and service users.
Larger scale community owned renewable energy projects can become income generators for community benefit and organisational sustainability (See for example, Glasgow Community Energy and Community Energy Scotland).
Tailor your action with help from experience and knowledge of others
The important thing to make clear is that no one organisation can do everything. Resources and capacity are under pressure in the third sector, so it makes sense to tailor your actions with that in mind.
Kate V. Robertson, Co-Director at Sculpture Placement Group - Founders and Administrators of CAN - Circular Arts Network in Glasgow has shared with us her reflections and encouragement based on her own experiences:
“Taking positive action towards addressing the climate emergency is a really great way to feel empowered instead of paralysed - doing is better than thinking on this issue, and exercising whatever agency you have is a really great way to show leadership within your organisation, and to be an example to others in your sector. It’s important to not worry about being perfect, to be open about the challenges you are facing, and to build supportive networks with other organisations - we won't solve these issues in isolation. Knowledge exchange and resource sharing is a great way to form networks and partnerships that can have other benefits - community building, opportunities to collaborate, audience sharing. The best place to start is by using the resources and initiatives that are already out there and available to you, the most sustainable solution is the one that already exists.”
No one has to start from scratch. There is a great deal of experience to draw on from other organisations and resources.
Business Energy Scotland has shared a diverse collection of Case Studies, examples on small and medium-sized enterprises they have helped. The themes revolve around energy savings, which are not only good business, but are also linked to a reduced carbon footprint and increased well-being for staff and volunteers.
Using a toolkit to navigate planning and executing actions can help things moving forward. Glasgow Chamber of Commerce supports a wide range of organisations, and with knowledge and input from across sectors, they have launched five Actionable Climate Toolkits for Scotland. “Act now - be part of the change!” as they exclaim on the website which includes a guidance for Community Outreach and Charity.
Creating a policy & plan can provide momentum and keep you focused on the actual tasks. This is your internal, tailored tool. Besides the policy part, it is important to have a plan to carry out the good intentions and keep track of actions. This includes basic elements such as identifying tasks, adding deadlines, and making internal agreements about who is responsible for the tasks. Setting up a Green Team across different parts of an organisation can support momentum and have a unifying effect in the workplace. If your organisation is small, you might find like-minded organisations in the neighbourhood you can team up with.
To support a long-term plan, Glasgow Women’s Library Net Zero Handbook can be an inspirational source. The handbook is a practical plan that outlines the changes they will make to their building to reach “operational net zero” by 2030. Even as tenants in a category B listed building there are many possible actions. Some of their actions have been the installation of a new gas boiler and window units to add a second layer on the existing windows.
Leadership at new levels and forms
In a course on econarratives and ethical leadership, people, regardless of their role at work or in society, are encouraged to take ethical leadership by defining their value system, being critically aware of how things work, and take up dialogues on the topic to initiate change. Whether you are part of the leadership of your organisation or not, we hope you can use the tools mentioned in this article to lead dialogues that support a structural and viable path forward.
It is never too late to take a new direction - as a human being as well as an organisation. One example is Ray Anderson’s story. He was an industrial engineer and founder, chair, and chief operating officer of Interface, one of the largest carpet manufacturers in the world. After gaining environmental awareness, Anderson changes the company to a sustainable corporation and became a world-renowned advocate for sustainable industry. He is the author of ‘Confessions of a Radical Industrialist: Profits, People, Purpose: Doing Business by Respecting the Earth.’
“The need for reshaping of society is expressed in terms of the enormous environmental challenges that we face and the fact that so many indicators are going in exactly the wrong direction. This calls into question the stories that underpin our unsustainable and unequal civilisation, from the story that economic growth is the primary goal of society to the story that nature is just a resource to be exploited. The scale of changes needed means that everyone will need to search for new stories to live by that align with their values, and promote them within their sphere of influence, big or small.”
(Source: course material for econarratives and ethical leadership)
Support from Glasgow Climate Action Hub
Through Glasgow Climate Action Hub we reach out to member organisations and groups to explore how we can offer our free support. It is an opportunity for an informal chat about ideas on how to get started or how to update practice.
Whether you want to clarify ideas and thoughts, work in depth with, for example, developing a policy and plan, or delve into specific topics, we are ready to meet. By meeting one-on-one, we aim to offer support that is tailored to your circumstances and reality. Sometimes this involves referring to experts, connecting with like-minded organisations, or providing space to air frustrations, challenges, and dreams - in order to identify actions, move forward and keep momentum.
Please get in touch if you would like to speak to Glasgow Climate Action Hub about your situation: info@gcah.scot
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