I’m thrilled to be writing April’s newsletter, as I celebrate three years as Chair of Caplor Horizons.
I remember leading my first board meeting very clearly. We met in person in Hereford (UK). I brought along my daughter Asta, who was almost three months old (see left below). She very much enjoyed being passed around the room and making new friends! Only weeks later, we experienced the first national Covid lockdown, which makes this memory of connection and celebration all the more poignant. The picture below on the right shows how much Asta (middle) has grown since then.
Keeping with the theme of three, I’d like to share three things I’ve learned as Chair over recent years:
Firstly, I used to think that ‘creativity’ was the domain of certain industries, such as marketing or advertising. But Caplor Horizons has taught me that creativity is possible anywhere and necessary everywhere! It is a key tool in effecting positive change. What is crucial is to embed creativity in an organisation's culture. Caplor Horizons does this by deliberately creating safe and encouraging spaces for aspirational conversations, granting permission for ‘throwing out the rule book’ and celebrating diversity and stories from lived experience. The creation and work of the Strategic Change and Development Group is testament to this.
Secondly, I now understand that compassion is a sign of strength and a key foundation for effecting lasting systemic change. Since the emergence of the Black Lives Matters movement in 2020, Caplor Horizons has been undertaking a programme internally to help its people embody and lead an anti-racist organisation. This intensive commitment has required individuals to face confronting truths about their own unconscious bias, commit to unlearning things they thought they knew, and focus on what the author Glennon Doyle describes as ‘transforming’ rather than ‘performing’. By which she means truly becoming an anti-racist rather than learning to say the right things.
(Rosie Bishop, Laura Adams, Kemal Shaheen, Peter Moore, Lorna Pearcey, Saf Ghapson, Ian Williams, Chandra Ladwa).
Thirdly, I appreciate that courage can show up in different ways in people. It can be easily visible through heroic acts of self-sacrifice, especially at obvious points of crisis or emergency. But it can also show up quietly, through sustained commitment to make a positive impact over time, despite set-backs and challenge. And it is through this ‘quiet courage’ lens, driven by passion and belief, that I want to pay tribute to the extraordinary efforts from everyone who has had a hand in creating and delivering The Commitment. 2023 will be a pivotal year for setting the future trajectory of this operation, first established four years ago, which has served to amplify the voices of over 11,000 people in the UK concerned about climate change and biodiversity loss, through the tenacity of its team.
Finally, I want to thank our wonderful Trustees, staff members, Advisors, partners and wider Caplor Community for your dedication, resilience and support during my time as Chair. I feel honoured to get to work with you and wish you every success in delivering a sustainable future for all.
Changemakers of the week
Quote of the week: “I refuse to believe that you cannot be both compassionate and strong” Jacinda Ardern
Best wishes
Laura Adams, Chair of the Board