How can self-care support climate action?

The path to climate action starts with our mindset. In her TED Talk, researcher Clover Hogan explains why challenging the stories that make us feel powerless can help us to take the first step to protect the planet for generations to come. To listen to her talk, click here.

The impact of climate change affects people and the planet in multiple ways. For many across the world, it can cause great harm to mental and emotional health. In some areas, it can significantly threaten a community's livelihoods, for example, through increased hunger.

In the UK, Climate Emergence is holding an event to consider the interplay between self-care and the climate emergency. It is a free online event taking place on Monday the 12th of July from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm (UK time). You can register here.

We have just had a strategy renewal process with The Commitment, incubated by Caplor Horizons. In our discussions, we reviewed the current elements of the strategy, and defined a new vision, "a world with a safer climate and recovering nature" and purpose "giving politicians a powerful reason to act on the climate and the natural world". We look forward to sharing more soon!

Change maker of the week:

Quote of the week: “Self-care is never a selfish act - it is simply good stewardship of the only gift I have, the gift I was put on earth to offer others. Anytime we can listen to true self and give the care it requires, we do it not only for ourselves, but for the many others whose lives we touch.” – Parker Palmer

How we meet and why it matters

We can create collective meaning in modern life, one gathering at a time. In a conversation with Priya Parker, the author of "How we meet and why it matters", Brené Brown explores how organisations can harness the power of coming together in a changing world, both virtually and in person, to create meaningful connections. To listen to the podcast, click here.

We all have different responses to change. For some countries, opening up and the return to in-person gatherings after a year online will entail a significant process of adaptation and reflection. Professor Sharon Turnbull, one of our advisors, has developed a framework to show how we respond to change in different ways. Her research reveals these responses are not fixed and that it is possible to influence change through clear leadership strategies, bringing about strengthened team-working. To read the paper, click here.

This week, we have been supporting our partner, Ella’s in reviewing and renewing their strategy. Ella’s is a UK-based charity that works with women who have survived trafficking and sexual exploitation. We are working with the team to strengthen their leadership and organisational effectiveness, whilst emphasising the importance of wellbeing and compassion.

Change maker of the week:

Quote of the week: "Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress and working together is success" - Henry Ford

Is there a power to leading with kindness?

Kindness has the power to transform teams, including those working remotely. A recent article, written in the context of the coronavirus pandemic, discussed how cultivating a culture of kindness in the workplace can lead to greater collaboration, innovation and productivity. This is more difficult for teams not meeting face to face like they did before the pandemic, as serendipitous encounters sparking kind interactions do not happen in the same way. Thus, it is more important than ever to proactively create opportunities for kindness. To read the article, click here.

Organisational values play a big role in encouraging a culture of kindness. Values can be at the heart of teamworking. Our Thought Leadership paper ‘Understanding, Living and Leading the Values of your Organisation’, written by Professor Sharon Turnbull, explores how having a values at the heart of organisational culture can help provide a greater sense of purpose, direction and focus. To read, click here.

We’re hiring! Could you use your experience of fundraising and communications to help us to continue to learn, think and act differently? We're hiring two new positions to start in September 2021. To find out more and to apply, click here for the ‘Partnerships Coordinator’ role and here for the ‘Partnerships Director’ role. The deadline for applications is 1st June 2021.

Change maker of the week:

Quote of the week: "My religion is very simple. My religion is kindness" - Dalai Lama

How can we lead with our moral compass?

The coronavirus pandemic continues to cause great suffering in many countries, including India. To read an article by Arundhati Roy, that explores some of the challenges faced, click here.

Like so many people responding to the pandemic, T. Raj, who leads the NGO Children Watch, is helping to address some of the inequalities communities are facing. Based in Tamil Nadu, Children Watch has engaged with the Irula community in significant ways. For example, it has worked with 200 families to support their emergency response and rehabilitation initiatives. We would like to extend out gratitude to the people within the Caplor Community who have supported Raj and his team through previous appeals.

Raj embodies what it looks like to lead with a moral compass, showing how, through action, it is possible to inspire people to build a better world. Click here to read Professor Sharon Turnbull’s paper "Learning to Lead with a Moral Compass". It sets out how leaders who use their moral compass are conscious of two overarching points: how they contribute outside their organisations to make a sustainable difference in the world and how they contribute inside their organisations to build a lasting, moral and values-based culture.

Change maker of the week:

Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

Quote of the week: "Never be afraid to raise your voice for honesty and truth and compassion against injustice and lying and greed. If people all over the world... would do this, it would change the Earth" - William Faulkner

How can real conversations lead to real change?

To find a solution to the world’s most pressing challenges, inclusive, honest, and diverse conversations are needed. As a society, we are not only confronted with coronavirus and other challenges but also a shadow pandemic: increasing rates of sexual and gender-based violence in all its forms. To bring this issue to light, click here for a ‘Real Talk’ recording of conversations to co-create actions to tackle this disturbing trend.

Some organisations, like ActionAid Ireland, who we are just starting work with, are striving to put Violence Against Women and Girls at the forefront of the global agenda. They focus on promoting women’s rights and women’s economic empowerment, also calling for an end to gender-based violence and genital mutilation.

This week we are embarking on a strategy review process. This will involve a range of sessions with the ActionAid Ireland team and wider stakeholders to take stock of the progress that has been made against the current strategy.

Change maker of the week:

Quote of the week: "Every day, you have the power to choose our better history — by opening your hearts and minds, by speaking up for what you know is right." -Michelle Obama

Going forwards with courage, compassion and creativity!

It has been argued that the best way of achieving an organisation’s aspirations is to look inward before looking outward. This can involve change at an individual level; which will lead to organisational change; and then to change in society more widely. To read the article, click here.

This is one of the driving principles behind our new strategy at Caplor Horizons: the “ripples of effect”. We have adapted our strategy to better fulfill our vision of creating a world where leaders deliver a sustainable future for all. By being courageous, compassionate, and creative in facilitating transformational change, we can transform the leadership of individuals, strengthen the resilience of organisations, and increase collaboration within society.

To read our new strategy, click here. You can find our new strategy on a page below:

Change makers of the week:

Quote of the week: “Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself.” - Rumi

Celebrating International Mother Earth Day!

We celebrate International Mother Earth Day! Susan Lieberman and Christian Walzer propose that we must promote a new paradigm: ‘One Health’, which recognises that planetary and human health are inseparable. You can read their paper here. To better understand why we celebrate this day, see a UN article here.

The Big Give? A remarkable opportunity exists to support The Commitment, our advocacy initiative to put climate change and biodiversity loss higher up the political agenda. The Big Give's Green Match Fund is a match funding campaign for charities that are working on environmental issues as part of their core mission. From midday 22nd April to midday 29th April, all donations made through The Commitment's campaign page will be doubled! To make a donation, click here.

What else can we do to fight biodiversity loss? This is a question the Gwent Wildlife Trust is working hard to answer; educating, influencing and empowering people to value the countryside they live in. Gareth (Jones), our Communications Advisor, created the short video below to showcase how the organisation is working to create a sustainable future for all.

Change maker of the week:

Quote of the week: “We do not inherit the Earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children” - Unknown.

Is Curious Questioning, Not Looking For Clear Solutions, What Will Define Future Leadership?

It’s been reasoned that a new paradigm of leadership is emerging; one that seeks to ask more questions. A recent article suggests post-pandemic leadership, may emphasise the importance of curiosity and exploration given the increasingly challenging context. To read the full article, click here.

We’re currently exploring the role of science and spirituality and how this can help develop human potential. One way of achieving this is to engage with children to help them to develop their creativity, including to shed the constraints placed upon them. This is being facilitated by our Advisors Kemal (Shaheen), from Paper Boat, and Clive (Hyland), from Make Sense.

Change maker of the week:

Here is one of Ariram's beautifully captured moments:
About it, he says: “I was given a zoom lens and encouraged to take more pictures. Happily, I went back looking for more interesting moments. There were these beautiful flowers that drew me. But before I clicked, I remembered what I was taught, that ‘photography is about telling stories’. So I waited for a moment to happen. To my surprise a beetle flew near the flower to collect nectar. I took the camera, looked through the lens and clicked. I was spellbound to see what I captured. I never knew I would be able to take such photographs. At that moment I felt so proud of myself and wanted to capture more and more stories.”

Quote of the week: “The best way to capture moments is to pay attention. This is how we cultivate mindfulness. Mindfulness means being awake. It means knowing what you are doing.” - John Kabat-Zinn

How can art be a catalyst for peace-building and healing?

Art can be a catalyst for healing and peacebuilding. The Colombian armed conflict was for a long time the world's longest active civil war until 2016, when the Peace Agreement between the government and Colombia's largest guerrilla group was signed. To commemorate this event, the Colombian artist, Doris Salcedo, undertook the difficult task of using art as a mechanism to heal, share stories and build back better. You can read more about her work and her “anti-monument” here.

We’re excited to announce that Laura Gravini-Rodriguez has joined our Caplor Horizons team. She will be taking on the “Development Coordinator” role. We had an open recruitment process, receiving 110 applications and shortlisting 12 candidates for interview. Laura has worked in the international development sector at different levels. As a Colombian, she also had the opportunity to work with demobilised guerrilla members and victims of the armed conflict. She has recently been studying a degree in BA Philosophy, Politics and Economics (with a placement year) at the University of York.

Change maker of the week

Quote of the week: “If you assume that there is no hope, you guarantee that there will be no hope. If you assume that there is an instinct for freedom, that there are opportunities to change things, then there is a possibility that you can contribute to making a better world.” - Noam Chomsky

Best wishes
Ian, Lorna, Rosie, Dan and Laura

What are the 4B's of the pandemic?

What are the “4Bs”?! Gillian Tett, from the Financial Times, recently outlined 4Bs of the pandemic…

• Boredom – being unable to do our usual activities.

• Burnout – becoming frazzled by the additional work and challenges involved.

• Breakdown – depression and anxiety caused by the pandemic and related trauma.

• Blessings – ways we have grown, adapted, learnt and discovered new things.

How can we deal with such challenges and opportunities? “Radical candor”? Kim Scott proposes an interesting framework to help build stronger organizational cultures involving effective feedback. She reasons that “caring personally whilst challenging directly” can be two helpful qualities in important conversations, whether these are about big challenges or opportunities. To watch a short video to learn more, click here

TechnoServe enables people “to lift themselves out of poverty” by harnessing the benefitsof good business. It is a leading international NGO with over 1,400 staff in 30 different countries. During its 50 years, TechnoServe has made a meaningful difference to the lives of millions of people. We have been fortunate to work several times at Country at Regional levels since 2015. Many Advisors have been involved.

Now, for the first time, we will be contributing to TechnoServe at an international level. This is exciting. Over the next six months we’ll be facilitating a participatory process to renew their international strategy involving different stakeholders. Here is a picture of members of the TechnoServe team.

Kim Scott quote: “The essence of leadership is not getting overwhelmed by circumstances.”

Have a great day!

Ellie, Lorna, Rosie and Ian