Deepen your understanding of the systems creating the climate crisis and develop a framework for your own climate action.
Through an interactive combination of knowledge building across sectors, expert climate mentorship, peer learning and personal development, this program cultivates the agency we all need to bring strategic climate leadership to our communities, businesses and beyond.
‘Into the Arena’ brings unparalleled content backed by some of the most prominent international experts at the intersection of climate, business and policy.
The course will facilitate an understanding of the climate context while developing a personalised action framework that provides a pathway to making change in your sphere of influence and beyond.
Climate impacts are upon us and we are being called to respond. Temperatures are forecast to increase over 2 degrees beyond pre-industrial norms, and these projections are coming sooner than anticipated. Heatwaves and fires persist well beyond their usual cycles giving way to floods, cyclones and other natural disasters. The mounting social justice challenges, coupled with the effects of climate change demands our immediate attention.
This program invites individuals who are ready to deepen their knowledge base in order to take meaningful climate action.
This program is by application and open to people from all sectors, industries and backgrounds. The cohort is curated to expand perspectives and understanding.
Participants could include (but are in no way limited to):
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.
On completion of this course, you’ll walk away with:
We will explore:
- 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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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 curates gatherings to bring people together around ideas for a hopeful future. She facilitates our Impact Safaris and was previously the Director of The School of Life Australia and the Head of Programming across Small Giants Academy.
Eleanor is a curatorial advisor to Groundswell Giving and sits on the council of the Art Gallery of New South Wales Atelier program.
Eleanor and her husband Dan also started First Light, a climate-focused investing vehicle supporting ideas and people doing transformational work for our planet.
Upfront and interest-free 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
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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