Deepen your understanding of the systems creating the climate crisis and develop a framework for your own climate action.
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Join us on a transformational learning journey designed to deepen your understanding of the systems creating the climate crisis, challenge your assumptions and connect you with an incredible network shaping this defining challenge of our times.
Through an interactive combination of interdisciplinary systems-thinking, unparalleled content backed by some of the most prominent thought-leaders at the intersection of science, business and policy, mentorship from climate experts, peer learning and personal development, this program cultivates the agency we all need to bring strategic climate leadership to our spheres of influence.
You will leave with renewed purpose and a unique and tangible climate action plan, paving the way for your work and life as a leader for a hopeful future.
What was once unfathomable is now upon us and pulling at the very fabric of our collective future. We are contemplating the collapse of some of Earth’s most foundational systems, like the AMOC and the Amazon rainforest. Species that we’ve known and loved are rapidly under threat and temperatures are forecast to increase over 2 degrees beyond pre-industrial norms, with projections coming sooner than anticipated.
We are discovering, at an unprecedented scale, just how closely interconnected our personal wellbeing and social justice challenges are to the state of our biosphere. These are times of great unravelling and the invitation of the moment is for us to show up and respond.
This program is designed to support you to do exactly this, to step into the arena and lead in this prescient chapter of our history.
This program is by application and open to people from all sectors, industries, generations and backgrounds. The cohort is curated to expand perspectives, knowledge, networks and understanding. Additionally, when it comes to leadership we believe that no size fits all. Our program is designed to support you to harness and develop the leadership capacities unique and relevant to you.
Connect with other leaders, challenge assumptions, get curious about how the world is changing, and develop a hopeful framework for action.
Through an interactive blend of live virtual sessions, group work with expert climate advisors, coaching and a transformative retreat we will explore the role and nature of climate leadership, the power of storytelling and communication, the critical importance of systems thinking as we delve broaden our understanding through topics like infrastructure and energy transition, farming, biodiversity and natural capital and the influence of the political economy, culminating in a framework for action.
Download our brochure to read more about the content we'll cover in this program.
- Theodore Roosevelt Speech at the Sorbonne, Paris, April 23, 1910
"I’m a social entrepreneur, perpetual questioner and aspiring systems changer. What does that mean? It means I’m curious about how to tackle the really important, sticky, complex problems facing our world today. For the past four years, that’s led to a focus on climate change and our interconnected social, environmental and political predicament.
While I grew up in a remote part of rural New South Wales, I now live in Te-Whanganui-a-Tara (Wellington) in Aotearoa New Zealand. My childhood consisted of planting trees and rounding up sheep, finding poisonous snakes in my bedroom and echidna in the garden, and taking solo walks to gaze at the exceptionally starry skies. Somewhere amongst that, a curiosity about the interconnectedness of all things was sparked.
I’ve worked in social entrepreneurship, local government, academia, and philanthropy across Australia, South Africa, the UK and Aotearoa. I support changemakers realise their missions, and I research and write about what makes effective climate strategy. My work is informed by systems theory and a fierce sense of justice. I recently published a playbook for how to unlock agency for collective climate action. This is based on learnings from dozens of world-leading social entrepreneurs and is a collaboration between Ashoka and the Skoll Centre of Social Entrepreneurship at Oxford University."
"I’m a social entrepreneur, perpetual questioner and aspiring systems changer. What does that mean? It means I’m curious about how to tackle the really important, sticky, complex problems facing our world today. For the past four years, that’s led to a focus on climate change and our interconnected social, environmental and political predicament.
While I grew up in a remote part of rural New South Wales, I now live in Te-Whanganui-a-Tara (Wellington) in Aotearoa New Zealand. My childhood consisted of planting trees and rounding up sheep, finding poisonous snakes in my bedroom and echidna in the garden, and taking solo walks to gaze at the exceptionally starry skies. Somewhere amongst that, a curiosity about the interconnectedness of all things was sparked.
I’ve worked in social entrepreneurship, local government, academia, and philanthropy across Australia, South Africa, the UK and Aotearoa. I support changemakers realise their missions, and I research and write about what makes effective climate strategy. My work is informed by systems theory and a fierce sense of justice. I recently published a playbook for how to unlock agency for collective climate action. This is based on learnings from dozens of world-leading social entrepreneurs and is a collaboration between Ashoka and the Skoll Centre of Social Entrepreneurship at Oxford University."
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“I grew up in Tasmania and the environment has always been important to me. I studied environmental science and have travelled the world to better understand how we interact with our natural environment.
My curiosity for better understanding our environment and how we can protect the planet, led to founding Nation Partners in 2013; a certified B-Corp, purpose-driven business that has implemented progressive Teal principles to fully unlock human potential. I have created a business that directs its energy towards saving the planet and provides a blueprint for a new business model that recognises the importance of the environment and society, and ensures they are considered in every business decision we make.
More recently, I have been exploring my own inner-wisdom and wellbeing and considering how I can be emotionally healthy and best positioned to lead others. At Nation Partners, we talk about wholeness and leaving your ego at the door, and I have found a place of greater contentedness through the work I have done with the Small Giants Academy in the Masters of Business Empathy and from the time I have spent in Bhutan.”
Alexa Firmenich is an investor, consultant and facilitator focused on climate and biodiversity. She is the co-director of SEED, a new centre of the Crowther Lab at ETH Zurich. SEED is developing the world's most holistic measure of biodiversity that reflects multiple scales of nature's complexity for any location on the planet, with the goal to steer financial and political decision-makers to crystallise the value of nature into the global economy. Alexa is also the founder of Ground Effect, an animist investment vehicle that supports early stage nature-based solutions, scientific research and new economic models. Parallel to this work, she is trained as a group facilitator in leadership development and ecological pedagogy, designing multi-day learning journeys through her role at Leaders' Quest. She is also an author, podcast host of Lifeworlds, a founding board member of Terra Habitus – a Mexican environmental fund that operates large-landscape conservation and watershed restoration – and a wilderness guide.
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Eleanor is a curator of immersive experiences, bringing people together to explore the ideas defining our time.
Eleanor is the Executive & Creative Director of TEDxSydney, most recently co-curated the Forest Economics Congress with MONA (Museum of Old and New Art, Tasmania) and designed the Climate Leadership Accelerator for Small Giants Academy.
She was previously the Head of Programs at Small Giants Academy, co-creating deep impact learning journeys including the Mastery of Business and Empathy, Impact Safaris to Israel and Palestine (conflict & innovation), Bhutan (GNH & systems of measurement) and the Tarkine Rainforest (regeneration of people and place), as well as various courses exploring the interplay of wisdom and action required to meet global challenges.
Prior to this, Eleanor was the Managing Director of The School of Life Australia, a platform exploring emotional intelligence through philosophy, anthropology and culture, staging ambitious public programming with interdisciplinary thought leaders across the country.
Eleanor co-founded First Light to contribute to the growing global community investing in climate responses. She is a board director for Groundswell Giving and co-chair of the Atelier Council at the Art Gallery of New South Wales.
What does the program cost?
AUD $4,960 + GST* (Bcorps Concession: $4464.00 + GST; NFPs, Registered Charities, and First Nations People $3968.00 + GST)
Monthly payment plans are available.
Partial scholarships are based on financial need and will be allocated after acceptance into the program.
* Accomodation and travel not included for the in-person retreat
Into the Arena connects you to a rich community of fellows – a network of thinkers and leaders building a better future together.
Completing this program is just the beginning of your journey with Small Giants Academy. Our Fellowship is made up of leaders who integrate wisdom and action to support each other, co-create learning opportunities and actively collaborate on impactful projects for a more hopeful future.
If you’re interested in learning more about Into the Arena, we’d love to speak with you.
Book a call with our team, or apply now.
While the focus on Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles remains imperative for businesses, accelerating the personal and professional development of your top talent in climate leadership including an action plan to integrate learning into your business will help build a resilient and agile organisation that is ready for the future.
Sponsor your employee to complete our Climate Leadership Accelerator and join a fellowship of outstanding leaders re-imagining business for a rapidly changing world.
Small Giants is located on the traditional lands of the Boon Wurrung people of the Kulin Nation. We pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging.
With thanks to our partners
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