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

Initial findings – mainstreaming the environment (2)

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

Initial findings – mainstreaming the environment (3)• 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: [email protected] 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?