With many organisations focusing on understanding and reducing a wide range of their environmental impacts, it is often challenging to develop and co-ordinate policy, strategy and action.  The Fit for the Future network is continuing to support members in this key area through the Sustainability Strategy Series, providing members with the opportunity to share ambitions, challenges, solutions, resources, progress and lessons learnt.

For this session we are delighted to hear from Emma Gardner (Head of Environment at the Diocese of Salford) who will provide an overview of building a sustainable strategy from concept to delivery.

The Diocese of Salford employed their first Head of Environment in November 2020, a new post to lead transformational change and support the delivery of environmental practices.  Emma will share the journey to develop a strategy, starting with an initial statement of intent ‘For the Beauty of the Earth’ (September 2021) to the launch of the strategy ‘Hearing the Cry: Responding with Hope’ (February 2023). 

Emma will share learnings, opportunities and challenges, alongside some key areas and activities, such as, decarbonising building stock (including some heritage buildings), engagement, collaborations and developing the Laudato Si Centre - an environmental space for learning, wellbeing and spiritualty for all faiths and none.

The Diocese of Salford is one of 22 Catholic Dioceses in England and Wales. The Diocese encompasses much of Greater Manchester north of the Mersey and Lancashire including Blackburn and Burnley, and comprises approximately 263,000 Catholics, with 109 parishes and 206 schools.    

There will be an opportunity to ask questions and to join in a group discussion, allowing you to share learning, progress, challenges and questions with other members across the network who are on the same journey.

All members are welcome to attend, regardless of previous experience or knowledge on this topic.  The session will be of benefit to all network members, whatever your size and scope of operations/activity.  From organisations just starting off to those already delivering a sustainability strategy, there will be lots to share and collaborate on, from identifying collective challenges to learning from other approaches.