The environment: an underdeveloped agenda for the

third sector?

Graham Smith

• TSRC work-stream on ‘environment and the third sector’- three year project• Three components:

– Mapping the environmental third sector– Mainstreaming the environment

• Policy • Environmental performance management

– Shaping low carbon practices• Research is not just about ‘green’ groups, but how the sector as a whole is

responding to the environmental agenda

About our research

The rallying cry…• 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. (Stephen Hale 2008: 23)

NCVO on climate change• Climate change is not just an environmental issue:

it affects all of us. Voluntary and community organisations (VCOs) need to understand how our actions impact on the environment – and how a changing climate will impact on those we support, and on the work that we do.

• VCOs have a crucial role to play in tackling the challenge of climate change. For example you can:– Prepare for the changing weather patterns we are

starting to experience– Protect or support your beneficiaries to cope with these

changes– Reduce your organisation's carbon footprint– Campaign for a more sustainable future.

An emerging agenda...“We were late to the party”

Chief Exec of leading umbrella organisation2008•Defra, Third Sector Strategy•Green Alliance, New Politics of Climate Change•Charity Commission, Going Green 2009•ACEVO, The Sustainability Challenge•Third Sector Task Force created2010•Baring Foundation, An Unexamined Truth•Third Sector Task Force, Shaping Our Future

Key themes…• Third sector organisations particularly well

placed to:– Lobby political authorities and other actors– Integrate the environment into their policies and

working practices (mainstreaming)– Promote more sustainable behaviours amongst

members, beneficiaries, wider community, etc.

• But how realistic in practice?

An example: adopting EPMTs• EMPTs = environmental

performance management tools!• Applied to ensure systematic

consideration of environment in everyday decision making.

• Relatively little knowledge and understanding amongst key actors (third sector and government), let alone wider sector – cf. social impact.

An example: adopting EPMTs• Resource implications brake on widespread

adoption.• Lack of sector-specific tools that recognise

diversity of TSO forms.• Emergence of bespoke systems – but

accreditation? • Lack of pressure within sector – likely to be

external drivers – e.g. sustainable procurement agenda.

From policy to practice?• Demands of core mission of most TSOs

means that systematic consideration of the environment is not a priority.

• Often rely on ‘champions’ within TSOs that push the environmental agenda.

• Lack of resources (time/finance) available to support development of policy and practice.

• C.f. Baring Trust, An Unexamined Truth

Questions to consider…1. What can/should we expect from TSOs?2. To what extent does the ‘Big Society’ agenda

enable environmental action across the sector? 3. How can TSOs be better supported to address

environmental issues? 4. How can environmental and non-environmental

third sector organisations work together to maximise impact on climate change adaptation and mitigation?

Please get in touch• Milena Büchs– m.buchs@tsrc.ac.uk

• Rebecca Edwards (lead contact)– 02380 595859– r.edwards@tsrc.ac.uk

• Graham Smith– g.smith@tsrc.ac.uk

Further details and working papers are available from www.tsrc.ac.uk