London seminar mainstreaming_the_environment

Mainstreaming the environment? Third sector action on climate change and environmental sustainability
Dr Rebecca Edwards,
TSRC, University of Southampton

About the research
Part of the TSRC, research stream on ‘environment and the third sector’
Comprising three interconnected projects
Mapping the environmental third sector
Mainstreaming the environment
Innovations in low carbon practices
Who we are…

Mainstreaming the environment
What we are investigating:
How the third sector is engaging with the environment
Role of environmental performance management tools
Mainly driven by an inductive approach
Phase I research included:
Documentary analysis
24 interviews
Content analysis > discourse analysis
Participation in events

Initial findings – mainstreaming the environment (1)
Third sector (in theory) uniquely placed:
‘In the UK, the third sector holds the key to creating a new politics of climate change. The environmental community has been the dominant actor within the sector to date. But this is not simply an environmental issue. We must now unleash the full power of the sector…. The continuing trend towards less interventionist government and transferring responsibilities to individuals and communities makes new approaches even more imperative. This trend is apparent across the political spectrum’ (Hale 2010: 23) – also see Hale (Green Alliance) 2008

Building momentum
Government and third sector task force
Charity Commission advice
Umbrella organisations’ advice
Initiatives from major TSOs
Funders e.g. City Bridge Trust, Baring Foundation, Big Lottery Fund

Some organisations are engaging with the environment – inspirational examples
Difficult for third sector organisations to meet the challenge
Lack of grassroots action
Unclear direction (especially from government)
Very likely that all sectors will have to respond – third sector can set agenda
Potential for advocating collectively, both nationally and locally?

Role of environmental performance management tools
Is there a way that TSOs can mainstream the environment by using a tool to analyse how?
Are EPMTs a good way to engage?
Can organisations demonstrate their added environmental value in the same way as their added social value?

Initial findings – environmental performance management tools (1)
Many ‘eco-audit’ type approaches, but how suitable are they?
Existing tools are inappropriate for many, especially small TSOs
However, some have found them to be instrumental in understanding where they can make a genuine difference and transforming organisational culture

Initial findings – environmental performance management tools (2)
Often TSOs are low impact organisations – but need to think about their added value
Important for TSOs to define their added environmental value, especially in terms of service delivery
Potential for sector to define what it is doing in terms of the environment – rather than it being imposed

Innovating low carbon practices
Literature review
Practices approach
Phase 1: changing different practices through different organisations and interventions
Phase 2: probably a case study approach using a multi-modal ethnography

Initial findings - innovating low carbon practices (1)
Important to think about more than the individual, social structures are key
Need to understand more about how TSOs are involved in changing social practices
Importance of local political environments

Initial findings - innovating low carbon practices (2)
Many inspirational projects
Not one solution, many tensions including:
Efforts to change values or actions (or balance between them)
How to scale up initiatives

Conclusions
Environmental issues present a key challenge for the third sector
Likely that all TSOs will need to address:
How organisations operate
The needs of beneficiaries
How TSOs advocate collectively
Unclear route as to how the third sector will mainstream the environment
BUT, third sector is likely to play a key part in how we tackle the most pressing environmental concerns
But, now up to the sector how it defines the environmental agenda

Further information
Please do not hesitate to get in touch if you have any queries… or if you are a member of an organisation that might like to take part in our research… or want more information about the documents I have talked about…
Becca Edwards:
r.edwards@tsrc.ac.uk
07779 791661
Visit www.tsrc.ac.uk for working papers and further information

Discussion
Where should we be focusing our research?
How best to disseminate our research findings?
Core issues for third sector to address in relation to the environment?
How can third sector organisations demonstrate their added environmental value?
What role is there for third sector umbrella organisations?

London seminar mainstreaming_the_environment

by Third Sector Research Centre on Jul 27, 2011

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London seminar mainstreaming_the_environment — Presentation Transcript