You're leading a sustainability team. How do you cultivate an inclusive culture within your organization?

Diversity of thought and perspectives provides competitive advantage in sustainablity. In fact, we have neuro-diversity program that has helped us tackle complex problems through a systems approach. But an inclusive culture providing psychological safety is pre-requisite for this. In team meetings, we're aware of different learner needs, we ensure everyone is heard, we support each other and prioritize mental health and wellbeing.

To build an inclusive culture in your sustainability team: Encourage open communication. Respect all perspectives. Promote collaboration. Celebrate diversity in ideas. Provide equal opportunities for growth. Offer training on inclusion. Listen actively to feedback. Lead by example with empathy. Create a safe space for all voices. Foster a sense of belonging.

How you cultivate inclusion falls back to the bigger topic of relating. How to cultivate a culture in which empathy is seen as a competence? Humans have the capacity to up- or down regulate their neural empathetic response depending on the label they allocate to another person (labelling them as in-group or out-group). It is difficult to understand why we build systems that make use of more labeling, categorizing people, instead of dropping to define differences.

Think of inclusion as the foundation of innovation—the more perspectives you bring to the table, the more holistic and impactful your sustainability initiatives become. Cultivating an inclusive culture in a sustainability team starts with valuing diverse perspectives. Sustainability is multifaceted, and a variety of viewpoints—across departments, cultures, and backgrounds—brings fresh solutions to complex problems. Encourage open dialogue where every voice is heard, and create safe spaces for sharing ideas. Recognize and celebrate contributions, ensuring team members feel ownership in shaping the vision. Provide learning opportunities that empower all employees to engage in sustainability, regardless of their role.

Leading a sustainability team isn’t just about hugging trees; it’s about embracing people too! I cultivate an inclusive culture by making sure every voice is heard—whether it’s the loudest one in the room or the quiet genius in the corner. I encourage open dialogue, celebrate diverse perspectives, and create a space where everyone feels valued and empowered to contribute. It’s about building a team that’s as diverse as the solutions we’re striving for, because the best ideas come when everyone has a seat at the table.