Applications open for Change Accelerator 2023 

UKGBC has launched applications to its 2023 Change Accelerator programme.

Last week, the UK’s Climate Change Committee published its annual progress report, concluding that it has ‘markedly less’ confidence that the UK can meet its climate goals from 2030 onwards compared to its last annual report. Time is running out. The window of opportunity to act and avoid catastrophic climate and nature breakdown is closing. Businesses and government must take bold and accelerated action to ensure a sustainable future. A crucial facet of this action involves upskilling the leaders of today to ensure that sustainability is and stays firmly at the centre of every organisation’s operations. 

To empower built environment leaders to develop the skills, knowledge and confidence to drive transformational change, UKGBC runs its Change Accelerator programme – an impactful sustainability leadership course developed for middle to senior level-built environment professionals to drive transformational change. 

Running from September to November 2023, the course facilitates a systemic shift in the sustainability of the built environment. By the end of the programme, participants have gained a fresh perspective, are invigorated on their own change journey and connected to a network of peers who will support them in the delivery of bold and sustainable outcomes at their own organisations. 

The Change Accelerator objectives are to: 

  1. Expose participants to cutting edge leadership insights, delivered through a mix of learning techniques and peer-to-peer dialogue. 
  1. Redefine participants’ own leadership purpose and increase understanding of how to influence systems and hone storytelling techniques to maximize influence and deliver transformational change at organisational level. 
  1. Apply a new frame of thinking to existing challenges, leveraging shared insights and developing a strategy to positively achieve sectoral change. 

Following graduation from the programme, the 2023 cohort will join over 270 individuals and continue to collaborate through involvement in the UKGBC Leadership Alumni group which brings opportunities for further professional development and access to a growing number of thought-leaders right across the built environment value chain. The deadline for applications to Change Accelerator 2023 is 11th August. 

The time for business to act and invest in a more sustainable future is now and boosting our mid-senior leaders to deliver that change is essential. We look forward to receiving nominations from your businesses or direct applications from yourselves. 

“What a truly inspirational but practical leadership programme, I enjoyed every minute, even the bits where I was way out of my comfort zone. Elfrida and her team created such a safe space to deeply explore our personal purpose and the change we want to see. I really feel like I’ve finished the experience with a group of professional friends and I hope those relationships continue to grow over the coming months and years. The programme has helped so much. The time, space and novel techniques, particularly at Hawkwood, were so refreshing. Delving deep to try and get to the bottom of my own purpose and then thinking about how to apply this throughout my career has been truly enlightening. I’ve learnt so much from everyone on the course, hearing their stories and it’s given me the confidence to be myself and do my own thing. Most importantly I feel so much more confident to challenge and do things differently.” 

Penny Gowler, Elliot Wood


Find out more about UKGBC’s Change Accelerator Programme and apply here.

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