Dialogue for Change Programme

The toughest problems are solved through dialogue. The best ideas are inspired by dialogue. The world is changing constantly, in real time, through dialogue. We interact with other people every day in conversations. These interactions transform the way people feel, think, and act.

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Background

The need for organisations to embed sustainability and business transformation across their operations and broader value chains has never been more important. Sustainability teams often hold the responsibility for managing and addressing an increasingly complex, strategic, and broad range of sustainability issues whilst delivering on environmental, social and governance objectives, but they cannot do this alone.

To achieve change, company boards, employees and other stakeholders must be engaged. Research shows that people care about issues such as climate change, but do not feel empowered to drive change in their role or have the relevant skills to do so. The sustainability challenges businesses face are complex, but solutions exist, and these will be most successfully realised when diverse groups of people with different skills and experiences engage in effective dialogue.

The Programme

The UN Global Compact Network UK and Impact have designed, ‘Dialogue for Change’, an 8 week programme to support those responsible for sustainability performance within their organisation to mobilise action across departments. This UN Global Compact Network UK members-only programme aims to support participants to develop the interpersonal skills needed to effectively communicate and engage with colleagues and stakeholders on sustainability challenges to build the internal buy-in needed to drive progress towards their companies’ climate and sustainability goals.

Dialogue for Change will give you improved self-awareness and practical skills to use in 1:1 and group conversations, from casual encounters to formal meetings. As a result of the Dialogue for Change journey, you will:

  • Understand your role in making change happen through dialogue
  • Understand how to get the best out of your team and personal network
  • Get the right balance of ‘ask’ and ‘tell’
  • Dial down your biases and tune into what people are trying to communicate
  • Ask questions that prompt new ways of seeing a situation
  • Learn to give your opinion and personal feedback with confidence and strength

“I like the simplicity of the areas of focus, which gave me enough dedication required to dive deep into theories, methodologies, and practical tools. The flow of the course also equipped me to understand the importance of combining all aspects of consideration. I have applied the dialogue philosophy into my work by engaging more effectively with senior leaders and exploring news ways to be more externally curious.” (Diageo)

Format

  • An 8-week virtual journey, hosted in MS Teams and Zoom.
  • Attend four live virtual sessions led by an Impact facilitator.
  • Attend four live circle sessions with other participants.
  • Access to a range of engaging resources for solo learning and real time application.
  • An individual commitment of 2.5 hours per week.

Specific dates and times of live sessions:

Attendance at all live sessions is key to success for yourself and others on the programme, so by signing up you are committing to attend all the live sessions and to complete all the preparation required for each session. Recordings from live sessions will not be available.

We intend to run this programme on a recurring basis, depending on demand, so if these dates do not work, you can register to be added to our waiting list.

Dates and Times

Launch session – Tuesday 21st January 2025, 10:00 – 11:00 GMT

Live class 1 – Tuesday 28th January 2025, 10:00 – 12:00 GMT

Circle Meeting 1 – Week of 3rd February 2025*

Circle Meeting 2 – Week of 10th February 2025*

Live class 2 – Tuesday 18th February 2025, 10:00 – 12:00 GMT

Circle Meeting 3 – Week of 24th February 2025*

Live class 3 – Tuesday 4th March 2025, 10:00 – 12:00 GMT

Circle Meeting 4 – Week of 10th March 2025*

Live class 4 – Tuesday 18th March 2025, 10:00 – 12:00 GMT

*Dates of circle meetings are flexible to accommodate participants' availability.

Target Audience

The programme is designed for senior sustainability professionals within both large and small companies that are looking to improve how they educate, engage, and influence individuals and stakeholders, whilst connecting with leaders from various industries and organisations to share and learn from each other’s challenges and journeys. Therefore, limited spaces are available, and priority will be given to industry professionals (rather than consultants and learning practitioners).

Fees

£995+VAT per person

*We will hold a limited number of places for smaller businesses at a reduced fee, please get in touch for more information.

Important Dates

  • We will be approving applications on a rolling basis until the cohort is full and therefore may stop accepting applications before the registration deadline on January 17th, 2025. Dates for any subsequent rounds will also be announced shortly after the registration closing date.

For more information about any of the above, please contact Alexandra Ranft, Senior Project Manager – Climate Action

PAST WEBINARS

Browse our past webinars to learn more about the Dialogue for Change programme!

Dialogue for Change: Information Session
Wednesday, 12th July, 14:00 – 15:00 BST

This deep dive into the Dialogue for Change programme was hosted on Wednesday, 12th July, 14:00 – 15:00 BST. This virtual session provides further details of the programme, what participants can expect to learn and achieve, key dates and expected time commitments (key dates applied to Cohort 1 and are no longer applicable), and provided answers to attendee questions.

Making Every Job a Climate Job
Tuesday 20th June, 14:00 – 15:15pm BST

The UN Global Compact Network UK hosted a session, exploring how to empower employees across entire companies to act on climate. This session supported participants’ understanding of the role that employees in various company departments can play in taking climate action within their business and beyond. For example, we reflected upon the role of procurement professionals in leveraging purchasing power for climate action; the role of Human Resources in shaping workplace culture that empowers climate action through employee benefits, recruitment, and professional development opportunities; and the role of finance teams in ensuring company’s account for the financial risks posed by climate change and aligning investments with climate targets.

We also discussed how sustainability and senior management staff can mobilise employees across departments to overcome complex sustainability issues and introduce the UN Global Compact Network UK’s ‘Dialogue for Change’ programme, hosted in partnership with Impact.

Access the recordings: