It’s only natural to be alarmed by what our society is doing to the living world and anxious about what it means for our families, for people and the other species with whom we share this beautiful planet.
Your interest and concern may be longstanding or a more recent shift in perspective, but you know that positive change is now urgently needed – and you want to be part of making it happen.
Whatever your profession or your sector, over your career you’ve developed a wealth of experience, skills and connections that could be applied for good in the world.
But sometimes it feels like the more you learn about the environment crisis and about human behaviour, the more difficult it is to know what you should do, and whether it will make a meaningful difference.
We know what it's like....we've been there
We know what it’s like to be deeply concerned about the state of the world, trying to make a difference, but sure you could do so much more. Each of the Natural Change team is a sustainability leader and although we work in very different contexts, there are three fundamental strengths we all share that helped us find and follow our path:
- The confidence to hold true to the fact we are part of nature – in a society that would have us believe and behave as if humans are somehow separate from the rest of the living world.
- The capacity to engage not just our heads but also our hearts – to combine intellect with emotional intelligence, instinct, and imagination.
- The support of trusted companions – like-minded peers who help us when the going is tough and the way forward is unclear.
We’ve found this confidence, capacity and support in different ways but a common thread has been the transformative power of spending extended periods of time in wild places. For several of us, this was by taking part in earlier versions of a Natural Change sustainability leadership programme.
Rachael Bice, former Head of Environmental Growth, Cornwall Council found that “it created a deep feeling of empowerment, a feeling of ‘if not me now, then who, when?’”. For Richard Profit, former Global Operations Sustainability Senior Manager, PepsiCo, Natural Change gave him “the confidence and capability to set and lead the company’s climate strategy”. At WWF, Morag Watson managed the project that started Natural Change. She experienced first hand how she and other participants worked together and supported each other to embed sustainability in the Scottish education system.
Along with others, all three went on to train as Natural Change facilitators and are now part of the ten strong Natural Change team.
Over a decade of expertise distilled into one extraordinary week
Our sustainability leadership programme has been refined over more than ten years. It remains true to the ethos and methods of the first three month long Natural Change Project developed for WWF in 2008. The duration, structure and process have been carefully evolved to offer the greatest benefit within the shortest time, providing a truly meaningful and worthwhile experience.
Join nine of your peers and three of our sustainability experts for six days in the Scottish Highlands. Based in a comfortable, remote, off-grid lodge, we will spend most of our time outside, where our facilitators will guide you through a unique programme of personal, paired and group practices. They include wild mindfulness, guided meditation, wilderness solos, structured dialogue and reflection. Inspired by ancient cultural and spiritual traditions, these practices have been adapted for our modern society.
Our next Sustainability Leadership Programme begins September 2021 in the Highlands of Scotland.
Time and space to develop fundamental strengths for sustainability leadership
Deanich Lodge, Alladale Wilderness Reserve ©Pete Helme Photography
A week talking and reflecting in the Scottish hills sounds amazing doesn’t it? But you, or your colleagues, may be asking: what’s it got to do with sustainability leadership?
Sustainability management systems, science based targets and net zero initiatives all have their place. But they can only be as good as the values, vision and commitment with which they are applied.
The fundamental strengths at the heart of our sustainability leadership programme provide the values, vision and commitment the world needs. Read on to discover why these strengths are so fundamental, and why a week with us in the Scottish hills is such an effective way to develop them…
The confidence to hold true to the fact we are part of nature
The root cause of the environment crisis is that we are part of nature, but our culture would have us believe, and behave as if, humans are somehow separate from the rest of the living world. It’s really difficult to break free from the thoughts of our culture, not least because we are continually immersed in infrastructure, media, advertising and social norms which reinforce this mindset.
That’s why the retreats at the heart of our programme are in wild places, off grid and internet free; as far from the thinking of our culture as we can get. Escaping from the demands of the day to day isn’t a luxury, it’s essential if we are to find the freedom to think differently.
The capacity to engage not just our heads but also our hearts
We can only make real progress if we can draw on our full human capacity, combining conventional intelligence with our abilities to connect deeply with others, to listen to our heart as well using our head, to be open to instinct and imagination. Today’s education system privileges logic and rational analysis above all else. Most sustainability leadership programmes do the same, leaving participants to solve the most complex problems humanity has ever faced without using all the tools available to them.
That’s why on our retreats we work outdoors, using practices in wild, awe-inspiring places that are proven to deepen our compassion, sharpen our instincts, stimulate our creativity and increase our problem solving abilities.
Trusted companions who can support you when the way forward is unclear
Sustainability leadership is much more than applying a particular framework or methodology. It’s about finding your own path, a path that’s right for you, your particular circumstances, interests and passions. And as you work together with your peers on the retreat you will also develop bonds of trust, the seeds of future mutual support as you each progress on your paths.
That’s why your facilitators guide you carefully through a powerful yet gentle process where you work with your peers and the living world around you, to find clarity of purpose and to determine the next steps on your sustainability leadership journey.
The Natural Change Sustainability Leadership Programme
Hi. We’ll be your team for the September 2021 sustainability leadership programme.
We are: Richard Profit, corporate sustainability strategy expert and bushcaft practitioner; Morag Watson, climate change and sustainability policy expert and former UNESCO adviser; Osbert Lancaster, organisational and local sustainability strategy expert and professional facilitator.
Just between the three of us we have worked on sustainability and climate policy, strategy and implementation for organisations as diverse as PepsiCo, the Scottish Government, the University of Edinburgh, Scottish Renewables as well as small but groundbreaking third sector groups.
We have all undertaken the two year specialist Natural Change facilitator training and each hold a Hill and Moorland Leader qualification from the UK national awarding body.
We look forward to working with you and guiding you through this extraordinary week. One of us will meet you around midday on Saturday and we’ll travel the final miles into the hills by 4×4. The retreat ends the following Friday afternoon. Here’s what we’ll be doing together:
Saturday – Gather in the afternoon for a welcome to the venue, introductions and an overview of the retreat. Discover the local area on informal walks with fellow participants. Continue getting to know participants and facilitators over dinner.
Sunday – Begin to break free of the thoughts of our culture and start learning to engage your intuition and imagination. Gentle walks, nature-based mindfulness and meditation prepare you to focus fully on the week ahead.
Like most of the coming week, the day will be spent mainly outside. Evenings all include time for private reflection, informal discussions with your peers and one-to-one conversations with facilitators – as well as sharing good food together around the dining table.
Monday – Explore your motivation and future direction as you break free of the thoughts of our culture and start to engage deeply with the immediacy of living world in which you are immersed. Become open to powerful new metaphors of change and progress rooted in natural systems to inform your leadership.
These individual, small and whole group reflective practices not only ‘reconnect’ you with nature, but also grow mutual understanding and trust with each other.
Tuesday – Building on your experiences so far this week, draw on your imagination and intuition to reflect profoundly on what truly matters to you, how you will make meaningful change for sustainability and what support you may need.
You will spend from dawn until dusk alone in a place you’ve chosen in the surrounding land. Part of many traditions since the dawn of humanity, but lost from our own culture, this “solo” is a rare opportunity to open up to the transformative power of nature.
Wednesday - Start the day with time alone to begin processing the insights and ideas that emerged yesterday. Then come together with your peers to recognise your strengths and opportunities, accept your limitations and constraints, and acknowledge the support you may need.
This is a beautiful and profoundly powerful experience, following a practice inspired by the Lakota Sioux.
Thursday – Reflect on your insights and how they will inspire and motivate you. Identify your next steps and what you need to sustain and support you when you leave the retreat and lead change for a better world in your organisation, sector or wider society.
Working outside in pairs and in the group, today you will again engage deeply with the living land around us, allowing it to stimulate your imagination and creativity.
Friday – Prepare to return to the world beyond these hills and this week together. Take with you:
- your new insights into the living world and your place within it;
- your new-found ability to draw on all your capacities;
- strong connections with others in the group, so you can support each other as you put your intentions into practice.
You will also be able to use many of the practices you have experienced in future to maintain and strengthen your sense of being part of nature.
Post-retreat – Three two-hour group mentoring sessions over two months complete our sustainability leadership programme:
- Week 2: Reviewing your actions and insights since your return.
- Week 5: Developing and refining your plans.
- Week 8: Maintaining resolve, seeking and offering support.
The confidence, capacity and support to make a meaningful difference in the world
On our sustainability leadership programme, working with us and your peers, you will:
- Develop your own approach to sustainability leadership, that builds on your particular background and expertise, and reflects your personal commitment and professional context.
- Gain deep insight into the root causes of the environment crisis, and the emotional and psychological dimensions of the changes that are needed.
- Decide how to apply your new and existing skills and insights most effectively to catalyse and support change for sustainability.
- Learn powerful techniques to support your sustainability leadership journey: to find clarity and inspiration; to overcome blockages and difficulties; and to maintain focus and energy.
- Build strong relationships with you peers, and the opportunity to continue supporting each other on your sustainability leadership journeys.
Your retreat experience is only the start…what really matters is that you will then step into the next stage of your sustainability leadership journey with the confidence, capacity and on-going support to make a meaningful difference in the world.
A specialist programme for small groups with an exceptional facilitator ratio in an amazing location
Given the specialist nature of our sustainability leadership programme - the retreat, just ten participants, the exceptional facilitator to participant ratio and three post-retreat mentoring sessions - based on the fees of typical leadership programmes you might expect ours to cost upwards of £5000.
We are deeply committed to working with others to help bring about the changes that are so essential for people and the rest of the living world to truly flourish. One of the most effective, and enjoyable, ways that we can do this is to lead this transformative week with a small group of committed people who then go on to influence change in their organisations and beyond.
We love doing this, and because we don’t carry the overheads of conventional management training centres, we are delighted that we can offer the programme at a cost that means a diversity of people can join us.
Most importantly, this experience will profoundly influence your ability to lead change for sustainability for years to come. All this for just £2700 per person.
The experience was truly incredible, and I was taken by surprise at the level of intensity and personal response.
It will take you to places you haven’t imagined… it will be truly formative as an investment of your time and energy.
It gave me a deeper sense of resilience, and more rounded, grounded and compassionate approach to work, life and its balance.
The Natural Change Project is definitely the most powerful and long lasting experience I’ve ever been part of.
It’s not just about the programme. It’s also about you.
Our sustainability leadership programme is for people who want to champion sustainability in their professional lives. We will help you catalyse and support meaningful change for sustainability - in your organisation, profession, sector or wider society.
Your opportunities are likely to be influenced by your professional knowledge, expertise and networks, and by your freedom of action within your team, organisation or sector to convene meetings and influence agendas, work plans, budgets and policies.
To make the most of the programme you are therefore likely to be an experienced leader, professional or business owner.
In our experience truly effective sustainability leadership is not a career choice, it’s part of an eternal human drive to make a meaningful and worthwhile difference in the world and the lives of others.
If you are an experienced leader, professional or business owner with a deep personal concern about sustainability, regardless of whether it is part of your ‘day job’, we’d love to work with you.
Our next sustainability leadership programme begins with a retreat on 18 – 24 September 2021 at Alladale Wilderness Reserve, north of Inverness in the Scottish Highlands. The fee of £2700 includes:
- Three sustainability experts, just ten participants and an unrivaled programme;
- Six nights accommodation, fully catered with excellent meals in one awe-inspiring place;
- Three two-hour online group mentoring sessions after the retreat.
Over your career you’ve gained valuable skills, experience and connections. Now is the time to transform your ability to apply them.
Be part of the change the world needs, now and for years to come. Only a few of the 10 places remaining.
You might also like to know…
You don’t need to be especially fit or ‘outdoorsy’
Much of the time on the retreat at the start of your sustainability leadership programme is spent outdoors, but we don’t walk far or fast. It includes gentle walks in the hills, sometimes leaving the path and going cross-country, but it’s not a test of physical endurance and doesn’t require a high degree of physical fitness. As a guideline – you will need to be able to carry a day pack containing your personal equipment (waterproofs, spare jacket/jumper, lunch, flask, etc.) for periods of up to four hours. This four hour period will be a combination of walking at a gentle pace and sitting to talk, reflect, meditate and undertake mindfulness practices.
We can adapt the programme to meet the needs of participants
We are committed to making our sustainability leadership programme retreats an experience accessible to a wide range of abilities. Our pace is set to that which can be comfortably managed by all group members and we design the programme to meet the needs of everyone in the group. However, for participants who would find this difficult for any reason, we will do what we can to adapt routes, terrain and activities. If this is the case, please contact us as soon as possible before booking to discuss your needs.
We will advise you what outdoor clothing you should bring
As well as your own clothes to be worn while travelling and in the lodge, you will need clothing and equipment that will keep you warm and dry in the outdoors. Download our Participant Kit List.
Relax in warm, comfortable accommodation
Deanich Lodge is remote but comfortable and warm with relaxing sofas, wood stove and hot showers. Bedrooms are shared with others of the same gender – 2 to 4 per room.
Enjoy good food
Each day one of the facilitation team will prepare you freshly cooked meals using local, seasonal produce whenever possible. Expect home baking, bowls of warming soup, delicious evening meals and indulgent puddings. Between meals, freshly brewed coffee, a variety of teas, biscuits and fruit are always available. We do not allow the consumption of alcohol during retreats. We will make every effort to accommodate dietary requirements which must be advised well in advance – we can’t pop out to the shops as that’s a four hour round trip.
Embrace being seriously off-grid!
Deanich Lodge on the Alladale Wilderness Reserve is one of the remotest houses on the UK mainland. There is no mobile phone signal in the glen where the lodge is located and there is no wifi at the lodge. We encourage all participants to embrace the opportunity their sustainability leadership programme retreat offers to spend a week away from digital technology and grasp the liberating experience that is a ‘digital detox’.
We’ve got you covered in an emergency
There is a private telephone landline at Deanich Lodge in case someone needs to contact you in an emergency. We also carry a satellite phone when we’re out on the hills.
Support for participants from NGOs and voluntary organisations
The Natural Change Foundation can support one bursary place on each sustainability leadership programme for participants from NGOs and voluntary organisations. If you wish to apply for a bursary from the Natural Change Foundation to support your participation, please visit the Natural Change Foundation page for details of how to apply.
COVID-19
Hopefully by September 2021 most people will have been vaccinated and restrictions on activities will be minimal. However, if we need to cancel any of our sustainability leadership programme retreats as a result of COVID-19 restrictions, you will be offered the choice of a full refund of your payment or re-booking onto a future programme. This also applies if you need to cancel your booking as a result of contracting COVID-19 or because COVID-19 restrictions in the place where you live prevent you from joining us.
Still have questions?
Email us to arrange a time to talk.
Ready now?
Don’t let the opportunity slip away.
Can’t join us in Sept 2021 for our sustainability leadership programme?
Get priority booking for future dates.
If you can’t make our 18 – 24 September 2021 programme retreat, join our waiting list for our next scheduled programme retreat:
- 30 April - 06 May 2022
- 01 - 07 October 2022
Booking will be opened to people on the waiting list before being available publicly on our website.
